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General Principles
What is meant by library as place? An ongoing assessment of the library collections and services should be part of every hospital librarian’s strategic planning. Thinking about how the library serves the needs of its parent institution allows the librarian to be prepared to defend the library against ill-considered plans by institution administrators to reduce or eliminate space, resources, and staff. It also allows the librarian to optimize opportunities for changes in libraries spaces (size, locations, configurations, furnishings, etc.). A good defense against reductions in size or physical collections is a good collection development policy, which includes deselection as well as selection criteria, and some idea of the value of your physical collections vs. the cost of responding to the information needs of your clientele using alternative sources. Understanding user behavior will help to design physical spaces and virtual spaces that will meet the needs of users. Documenting their use and how the library is uniquely situated to meet their needs will help to justify the money spent on library services.
Bibliography and Links to Additional Resources
“Health sciences librarians and staff . . . spend little time and want to spend even less of it on managing physical space. It is not a priority for our institutions or our clientele. Library visitors still seek neutral territory: the so-called “third space” away from home and office or lab to read, study, think, and reflect. But in space- and cash-strapped institutions, such use of space is a luxury. And luxuries have few champions when budget cuts come calling.”
Jane Blumenthal, AHIP. “Creating the future.” J Med Libr Assoc. 2014 Jan; 102(1): 2–4.
Team Members:
- Jerry Carlson
- Karen Keller
- Elizabeth Mamo
- Brenda Pfannenstiel (Captain)
- Kathy Zeblisky
General Skills Needed
Strategic Planning: If you don’t know where you want your library to go, you probably won’t get there.
Cost/Benefit analysis, Value Analysis, ROI Analysis: Show them the money! Libraries look expensive, but what are the true costs of the alternatives?
Political skills: Know who can participate in and advocate for your strategic plans and collection development policies. Know who decides upon space allocation in your institution and learn their decision process and language. Hospitals are highly regulated environments so any space alterations may require a “green light” from a variety of decision-makers. (Does your institution have a facilities planning committee or an in-house architect?)
- Know how to advocate for an optimum position on the institution’s web site and know what institutional resources will allow you to reach your clientele in virtual space as well as in physical space. (For example, does the institution use web meeting software that you can use for virtual consultations and reference interviews, or does your institution already license video tutorial software that you can use to create library tutorials?)
- How can your librarians insinuate themselves into the work of the hospital in new roles, competing effectively with other hospital employees who may be trying to move into the same roles? (For example, creating information sharing/collaborative spaces for cross-disciplinary research or quality improvement.)
- What standards must your institution follow for safety, accreditation, etc. and how might those standards apply to the library? What recommendations exist for library storage, lighting, etc.?
- What are defensible expectations for office space for library staff?
- Can you convince your administration that your library is a recruitment incentive to attract the best hospital staff, and deserves a better position than a hidden basement corner stocked with cast-off furniture?
Literature search skills:
- What standards must your institution follow for safety, accreditation, etc. and how might those standards apply to the library? What recommendations exist for library storage, lighting, etc.?
- What are defensible expectations for office space for library staff?
Persuasive skills: Writing and speaking skills on behalf of your library.
- Can you convince your administration that your library is a recruitment incentive to attract the best hospital staff, and deserves a better position than a hidden basement corner stocked with cast-off furniture?
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