Final Blog of process

The scan of Georgia is complete!

Participating in the GPLS Strategic Planning Committee has been very educational for me in many ways. It has been interesting to witness the State library in action and to participate in planning for its future. There are many things one can learn in a classroom however experience is the best teacher. In one of my classes we discussed scans. Here I was able to complete one. In class we discussed S.W.O.T's. I was fortunate to participate in one of those as well. Finally in class we discussed challenges libraries are facing. Not only do I witness that in my day to day job but I was also able to understand some of the challenges GPLS faces or will face in the future. Thank you for allowing me to share my experiences with you.

Leslie James
MLIS student, University of Alabama

Libraries and communities

During a team planning meeting the participants were encouraged to think outside the box and dream about the perfect library scenario, money being no object. The what if scenario was if Georiga was named to have the best libraries in the world. What would make us number 1?

Without funding issues many great ideas came forth including public libraries being the first place people turn to for community information and events in the area. Libraries would have a kiosk or community in action section to promote how the library is collaborating and partnering with area civic groups, community organizations, local theater and arts groups etc. I am reminded of this exercise as I continue my graduate studies. In Public Library Administration we have discussed many articles pertaining to public libraries. Some of the recent discussions have centered around putting library information kiosks in Community Centers, Senior Citizen centers, YMCA facilities and other similar type places. The idea is to bring the library to the community. In most cases this was suggested when the library needed more branches but funding was unavailable. However this was also thought of as a means of bringing library services to patrons who might not otherwise have access. The computer terminal(s) would have all the library information and databases. Patrons could access that information as well as place holds on library books. Depending on the set up some of these terminals were staffed with library personnel at specified times during the week. They would assist people with database access or placing books on hold. Selections of books based on reader surveys would be brought with staff for patron check out. This type of service functions similar to a book mobile. These were just some of the ideas that brought the library to the community.

Final on Political Climate

Another example of how the public library provides valuable services to the community is The Child Support Commission. This agency sends single parents to the library to access their website via public use computers to file the necessary paperwork for child support. This website asks the patron a series of questions and then generates the “Domestic Relations Financial Affidavit” based on the answers. And finally, a very recent development is the placement of computers in young adult areas of public libraries for parents and teenagers to access information on Georgia driving laws and restrictions for new drivers. These computers are called Joshua computers for the law that governs teenage licensing with the same name.

In conclusion the political climate for public libraries is based on many things. They are public opinion, elected officials, library directors and staff involvement in the community, tax revenue, population, and the library’s ability to adjust to the growing needs of its patrons. Those persons interviewed strongly suggested that library employees be involved in community activities, social and civic clubs and keep abreast of local politics.

Planning process

In my Public Library Administration class at UA we were divided into two groups and given a particular county and library system in Kentucky in which we were to gather the data necessary to begin mapping out a five year plan. Because it was just an exercise and the libraries were unaware of the assignment we could not contact them. We could only use census and county data and the library’s own website for our information. The exercise was fun but also frustrating because it is difficult if not impossible to do a S.W.O.T. analysis without input and feedback. What the exercise taught me is how important all those S.W.O.T. analysis meetings we did at GPLS as well as the team meetings. They are a vital part of the planning process. I am really enjoying this process.

Leslie

Example of library service

One thing that was said in the interviews was that libraries are perceived by the general public as good. They are known for having excellent service and to provide an important connection point in the community. If one was to ask or survey patrons about libraries they would say they are very necessary and they do a good job. Patrons feel they receive a benefit from the library. However these same patrons want what they want when they want it. They are not interested in the reasons why they cannot have what they want only that it is not available. The library though is generally thought to provide an important service and one with quality. Not all agencies are viewed this way. Although the Department of Juvenile Justice provides a vital service to the community it is not always viewed in a positive manner like the library. The library is regarded by many to be a central gathering place where information needs are met. These needs can be personal enrichment, pleasure reading and job enhancement. The Department of Motor Vehicles now requires all individuals needing to renew their CDL or Commercial Driver’s License to watch a video and pass a written test. Many patrons visit the library to view the video via the internet. Once the test is complete they can then print a certificate stating they have watched the video and passed the exam. This certificate is then presented to the DMV and the license can be renewed. This is just one example among many how the public library provides a valuable service to the community.

PINES

Leann,
I can sympathize with you. I ordered some books in July and have not received them either. But on a more positive note I requested some books last week for my Public Library Administration class and received 5 of them already. I was very pleasantly surprised. There is no rhyme or reason for somethings. I cancelled the holds that were stuck in transit and replaced the ones I really needed. This has worked for some of my co-workers.

Leslie

Well...

I'm frustrated. I ordered some books for the history paper several weeks ago through Pine. They are not here yet. The librarian at my local library told me it has taken books up to two months to arrive in the past. Two months? I really didn't believe she could be serious. She also said there was no way to track these books. That alarms me.The computer has said they are in transit from Atlanta to here for weeks. Where did they go? Is this normal? Does document delivery take that long everywhere?

According to past strategic planning efforts...

Many of the issues in past strategic planning efforts are no longer applicable for example, the establishment of libraries, free public service, or integration. Some have changed with the times such as Library of Blind to GLASS. Some are reoccurring issues.

Lack of economic resources for rural areas is a constant. The majority of support for rural libraries has always come from federal or state funds. In the past, this issue has been addressed by matching grants. The federal government allotted money to libraries if the funds were matched. Local funds then stimulated state interest and funds. In the past large donations from individuals, Carnegie, or Gates have also addressed this problem.

Several times assessment for Georgia’s libraries and Georgia’s needs came outside of the department. Because the assessment was done on Georgia libraries and not on the agency, the formal mission and purpose of the agency did not change with the times. After outgrowing its stated purpose, the library state department would merge with other departments to accommodate new needs. Past assessments done by the state library department would have a plan to make the adjustment physically and with new staff, redefine the mission and initiatives of the department, and plans were made to use ongoing assessment in the future.

Rural Libraries

Continuing the Political Climate discussion.....

Rural libraries have a harder time keeping up with library trends than larger systems for several reasons. When a county's population is growing it is easier to defend the budget of the library system because needs are obvious. Growing communities also mean a larger revenue base to draw from. It also means there are more people using the library and placing a greater demand for materials, computer access and upgrades and programming. In a rural community where the population may not change much or not at all, the needs for materials, computers and programs are still there, but the county may not have the resources to meet the demands. The revenue or income in the county is flat with very little change. It becomes a challenge for a rural library to purchase new materials or computers when even the postage increases affect the library budget in a negative way.

All libraries face budget constraints and I do not want to imply that larger systems don't have these same type of issues. I work in rapidly growing county with a public library system that is expanding. I also happen to purchase some of the materials for the system. There is never enough money. In my Public Library Administration class in grad school one of my classmates was telling us how her rural Tennessee branch library had a materials budget that was appalling. I spend more in my monthly budget allowance for materials than she gets for the year. This really drove home the challenges that rural libraries everywhere face on a daily basis.

Leslie

Contrasts and Continuity

While working on the history of public library planning in Georgia, I have read about several innovations. Many things have changed over the years. From books to microfiche to VHS to DVD and computers, information has come in several formats. Loaning between libraries has gone from the GLIN system to GOLD. The catalog has gone from cards to PINE/EVERGREEN. But, everything has not changed. Whether the libraries are in the urban or rural areas, 50 years ago or last year, there has been reading and literacy programs. Despite the technology changes, Georgia’s public library reading programs have remained a constant demand.

Political Climate

I have been doing research on the Political Climate portion of the Environmental Scan. To say I have learned a lot would be a gross understatement. Over the next few blogs I will try to convey some of what I have gleaned.

I have always heard that libraries had to compete for its funds and that always seemed so harsh to me. One person I interviewed put it another way. This person said that what is really happening is that there is only a "finite amount of money at any particular time". Different entities all want a piece of the pie but there is still only one pie that has to be shared. This person did go on to say that libraries are viewed by the public as good and necessary. I am sure that helps when it comes time to parcel out the budget.

Leslie

Change

My most recent class in Grad school, Admin. & Mgmt., required a term paper. We had four choices and I chose "Managing change in the Public library: what are the director’s roles and responsibilities?' While doing the research I learned change has quite a few definitions.

Princeton University’s Wordnet, a lexical database for the English language, defines change as a noun and a verb. If used as a noun it can mean “the result of an alteration or modification.” If used as a verb the definition is to “become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence.”

I liked the last definition the most because in making changes in a library we never want to lose our essence we just want something modified. Change is never easy. The director of the public library has internal and external responsibilities that have to be considered when managing change. The director has to know and respond to the community the library serves, the staff and their capabilities, Friends groups, the Library Board, technology trends, the public and the day to day operations of the library. It is all about balance. White wrote in his article “Authority, Responsibility, and Delegation in Public Libraries” that “all managers (directors) make some mistakes, and good managers make more mistakes than poor managers simply because they are more willing to make decisions.”

Leslie James

White, H. (1999, Sept.). Authority, Responsibility, and Delegation in Public Libraries. Library Journal 124, 15 59-60.

GALILEO & the Digital Library of Georgia

This week I have been researching the history of GALILEO and the Digital Library of Georgia. Georgia has been providing a library of licensed commercial databases since 1995. According to the GALILEO fact sheet, there has been in increase in logins , seaches, and articles displayed from 15 million in '95 to 50 million in 2006. The Digital Library is preserving Georgia's history and culture. In addition to researching the history of Georgia's Library system, I have been reading a few comparisons of statewide library systems and statewide database initiatives. GALILEO is one of the earliest and most comprehensive statewide library system. Ofcourse the challenge with maintaining the electronic resources is the increasing cost of resources, changing technologies, and limited funding.

Diversity of materials in the library

A recent article in the Times (Gainesville) reported that minority populations are growing in the United States. In 2006 minorities reached 100 million or about a third of the population. By 2050 the number of minorities is expected to account for half of the US population (Census Bureau). If we carry the planning to plan theme into 2050 our collections of materials could look a lot different than they do today. Hopefully they will be easier to purchase and have more availability in the year 2050. Culturally diverse materials that represent the communities we serve are happening now in Georgia. Planning to plan is fun and practical. I am enjoying this whole process.

Leslie James

Planning to plan

I just completed my second summer session and the class was entitled Administration and Management. One section we covered was the Environmental Scan. Boy that would have come in handy in June when I was writing this paper. It was exciting to be learning something in school that not only has practical applications but is already put into practice. So many times I have wondered "when will I ever use this?" Planning to plan was something we covered in great detail. I learned a valuable life lesson this week as a very close family member stayed in the hospital for 3 nights/4days. Juggling life responsibilities along with visitation was difficult. It taught me to be prepared not only for what you think will happen but also for what you don't think can possibly happen. In a convoluted way it reminded me of the last exercise we did at the Strategic Planning Committee Meeting. We dreamed about what our libraries would look like in 2015 and money was no object. We came up with some great ideas. Maybe they aren't so far outside the box after all. Perhaps we will have a library within 15 minutes of every resident of Georgia in the future. It is quite possible that libraries will be technology leaders and not the ones playing catch up. Maybe just maybe the value of the library will be so high that we are the center of the community and when anybody wants to know whats going on in the community or needs information we will be the ones thought of first and not the Internet because we will be known for our knowledge, technology, information and especially our friendliness.

I am looking forward to a planning to plan with you!

Leslie

Assessment?

Looking over the strategic planning materials, I see that an ROI study is desired. And I see that the performance audit reports were mentioned. Is there any internal evaluation or assessment for GPLS? If so, how often is it done? What kind of quality assurance does the agency usually use to see what works and what doesn't?

If I had to make the decision to give GPLS more money or give it to another state agency, I would want to know more information. It's not that I have not been given my share of paper and not that I personally need a study to see the value in a library. But, I can see why someone might want to look at a Return on Investment study. I know other states have done them but if I was spending Georgians money, I'd want Georgia facts. I think that an ROI study would possibly be one of the most compelling forms of advocacy for libraries. In addition to advocacy, the ROI or some form of assessment could be used to inform while strategic planning.

Update on the history paper

This week I have been compiling the statistical portions of the annual reports. I have also been reading all the old GPLS newsletters as well as the GALILEO Planet. I have one decade in the last century that I don't really have covered as much as I want. So, I'll have to look into that more. But overall, the paper is coming along nicely.

Once upon a time...

“History is not only philosophy, teaching by example; its true purpose is, also, to illustrate the general progress of society in knowledge and the arts, and the changes of manners and pursuits of men.” Daniel Webster, 1852.

In studying the manners and pursuits of the people in the state of Georgia, I would have to comment that while our state as a whole lags in educational statistics, our people have cared about education and literacy. As I mentioned in previous posts the majority of our libraries were sponsored by private groups and supplemented with WPA funds. Our limitations to education and library service have been due to scattered population over a large geographical area and a lack of funds to adequately develop these services.

In addition to our private citizens showing their concern for bringing books to our people, the state of Georgia has had moments in history where they led other states in public library development. In 1974, 32.6% of funding for Georgia public libraries came from the state, 10.8% from the federal government and 56.6% came from local resources. Only four states surpassed Georgia’s percentage level of state funding for public libraries: Hawaii, Kentucky, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. On a dollars per capita basis, Georgia ranked first.

State ------------Dollars Per capita

Georgia ---------1.41
New Jersey-----1.25
New York-------1.24
Illinois ----------0.90
Pennsylvania---0.62


Brown, Patricia L. & Beverly A. Rawles. “Public Libraries in Georgia: A Working Paper.” Battelle,1975.

Harris, Susie M. "Regional Library Development in Georgia." North Georgia College, 1948.

Literacy in Georgia

Reading is not just a hobby it is a passion. My husband is just the opposite and does not like it and would much rather watch a movie. We have spent many nights with him watching a movie and me on the couch next to him reading a book. I get lost in the mystery or the romance that develops in the pages and I can't wait to find out 'who done it' or if the characters have their happily ever after. With this mind it is hard for me to wrap my mind around illiteracy. I know it exists but I find the statistics depressing. As I continue my research for the Environmental Scan of Gerogia I will share both the good and the needs improving areas in Georgia. Today I am going to share some education statistics with you from the Facts About Georgians: Our Health Depends on it (November 2005).

• Georgia has historically lagged behind the nation in educational status, and data suggest that the state still has much work to do in this arena
• Georgia has the lowest high school graduation rates in the country. The graduation rate varies by race, with 44% of black, 32% of Hispanic and 61% of white students graduating from high school.
• On a daily basis, 74,000 students in Georgia’s public schools are absent. Absenteeism is a major indicator of the number of students at high risk for becoming future dropouts.
• In 2004, the high school dropout rate was 12%. Rates among counties varied from a low of 2% to as high as 44%.
• Nearly one-fourth of Georgia adults may be illiterate (Literacy Level 1).

These statistics may look like lemons but we can still make lemonade in the future. Together we can work to improve our State.

Leslie James

Researching Georgia library history

I began my research paper using two papers written in the past to aid with library development and some annual reports. I have also read several newspaper articles. Last night I discovered the Georgia Library History Project online. So, today I am looking into that and obtaining more resources. While I am focusing on the last twenty years, I still want to be sure I hit the highlights in the earlier times. The majority of interesting things I read probably will never make the paper though. It would be too long. For example, I was reading an article today about the public library opening for the first time on St. Simons Island. The library was being run by a local boy scout. He shelved the books and checked them out to the locals. The local garden club sponsored the library along with assistance from the WPA. A lot of the public libraries in Georgia were faith, hope, and charity libraries sponsored by some local group. But, mentioning them all in the paper might be a bit much.