Three-star library

The Jacksonville Public Library was rated one of the best in the nation by the LJ Index of Public Library Service.

Ratings: Assessed were per capita circulation, visits, program attendance and public Internet usage for 2007.

The best: The top libraries received five stars, such as libraries in Columbus, Ohio, and Charlotte, N.C.

Comparables: The library of fellow consolidated city Indianapolis received four stars.

Two in Florida: Jacksonville and Broward county libraries received three stars.

Quotable

- "You've got to get the public interested by extending yourself."

- "There could be a much greater outpouring of public support."

- Dick Waters, a consultant hired by the library system to develop a strategic plan.

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Let's hope the Jacksonville library takes its current outreach to its customers as the start of a permanent change in culture.

As part of an $182,000 contract with a consultant, the library is drafting a strategic plan that will help determine its direction.

One key driver of this plan is that revenue is scarce and priorities must be set. Some services must receive more funding; some must receive less.

Beyond that, however, the library must serve the needs of the largest city in land mass in the continental United States (several in Alaska are larger).

Neighborhood libraries may have different needs than regional libraries or the Main Library.

So the library system has been conducting outreach, holding public meetings at libraries and soliciting comments on its website. Outreach includes the use of Twitter, Facebook and e-mail notices.

But this outreach is only the start. Frankly, for an institution with so much daily contact with the people of Jacksonville, it is surprising that more in-depth communication had not already been taking place.

After all, this type of outreach is not new.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has citizens advisory groups in every part of town.

There are planning advisory groups in each part of the county.

Every public school has a School Advisory Council with real authority over some school funds.

City Council and the Mayor's Office now hold meetings with the public long before the traditional budget hearings.

Rapid change

Library board members like to say that the current system has served the city well for over 100 years. No doubt.

But one could argue that there has been more change in the last 10 years than during the previous 100, and that the pace of change will only increase in the near future.

The printed page is being upstaged by digital information. Books will only be a part of the information landscape.

How libraries fit into our needs will have to be constantly updated. Only regular, thoughtful and in-depth communication with customers will do the trick.

So what was the library leadership waiting for? A consultant? Here are some recommendations:

Create advisory groups

Each branch library should have a regular group of customers who provide feedback and advice.

There currently are Friends of the Library groups at three branch libraries. But with 21 branches, there is much work to do.

It is conceivable that each library would have a different mission and a different personality, reflecting its customers.

Set up an e-mail list

The library system solicited comments on its website and received several hundred. That is fine, but this communication is on an elementary level these days.

For instance, The Times-Union has a database of 2,800 readers who are contacted regularly for feedback. Their expertise is impressive.

They are an invaluable resource of thoughtful customers who can be relied upon to be interesting, creative and frank.

The library ought to set up something similar.

After all, its readers are, by definition, literate. They only need to be asked.

That group could start with the impressive Friends of the Library.

Have regular outreach

Before putting together each year's budget, the library system should hold meetings in all areas of the city to share issues and ask for feedback.

The current economic troubles have caused businesses, nonprofits and government to strain to find revenue, to come to terms with essentials and make hard choices.

This can only be done in public with the support of customers.

Jacksonville's libraries have always been one of the most popular city services.

Perhaps someday the city will want to consider a separate funding stream for the libraries.

That can only happen once the groundwork has been set with the customers.

Changes are happening rapidly. What worked last year may look outdated in an era of electronic reading appliances.

Postscript

Two respected nonprofit leaders took the editorial page to task for supporting a City Council bill that would place all library funds under council control.

Certainly, nonprofit funds should not be merged into the general fund, as happened to the lottery funds on a state level.

Agreement needs to be reached as to the appropriate use of the library's nonprofit funds.

By the same token, if private funds are going to subsidize questionable expenditures, like foreign travel during a serious recession, then it is appropriate for City Council to step in as elected representatives of the people.

A balance must be reached. But every group needs oversight.

Even more so, intensive, in-depth communication needs to be an integral part of the culture of Jacksonville's popular libraries.

link: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/editorials/2010-09-26/story/library...