Competition For Library Services

Competition for Library Services For the Inspiration, Innovation, and Celebration Conference for Librarians Dr. Larry Nash White East Carolina University

Learning Walkabout
Is there competition for library services
Examples of competitors and their impacts
How do we respond?

Is there competition for library services?

A Networked World

It’s a flat World High tech, High touch, Individualization

The public’s perception of libraries…

We offer quality services…

The latest technology applications…

We are change agents and proactive responders to challenges and problems…

Time for a reality √ from a customer’s viewpoint

√ You are not the ONLY provider of library and information services in your area. √ You may not even be the BEST provider of library and information services in your area. √ You may not even be the FIRST provider that your customers think of when obtaining library and information services. √ Someone would take YOUR customers from you in a New York minute if YOU let them! And THEY are trying !

The Competitors…
We have seen the enemy and it is us…
What we can see coming… the tangible competitors
What we can’t see that is already here… the intangible competitors

Libraries compete with other libraries and government agencies… Libraries compete for: Staffing Resources Collaborators Partners Opportunities Appreciation Support Technology Market Share Existing Customers New Customers Finances ???

The Tangibles…

New book technologies…

Social networking

The 800 hundred pound gorilla in the room… What if … Articles and book chapters as 99¢ downloads / rentals? Google Docs and Spreadsheets - Google Calendar - Google Base - Google Maps - Google Wallet /Cart - G-Mail – GTalk – Google Scholar – Google Phone - IGoogle -

Search Engines galore…

A few more library service competitors… Abrams, Steven. “ Social Libraries and Librarians: Collaboration, Cooperation, Sharing, Storytelling, and Networking.” SLIS Johannesburg: August 24, 2007.

Did I say there were a few more? Abrams, Steven. “ Social Libraries and Librarians: Collaboration, Cooperation, Sharing, Storytelling, and Networking.” SLIS Johannesburg: August 24, 2007.

There are more than a few… Abrams, Steven. “ Social Libraries and Librarians: Collaboration, Cooperation, Sharing, Storytelling, and Networking.” SLIS Johannesburg: August 24, 2007.

More detailed information and access…

Flexibility of access…

Books-by-demand printing…

The Potentials…

The Hidden Competitors…

A dome scratcher…
What is the most valuable
thing in this room?

A dome scratcher…
thing in this room?
Well, …

A dome scratcher…
thing in this room?
Well, …
Imagine if …

The Hidden… In your town ??? Video Retailers ??? Youth Programs ??? Schools (All types) ??? Reading Programs/Support ??? Libraries ??? Internet Products / Services ??? Compact Disc Retail ??? Bookstores ??? After-school programs

Library Closures
2008 Public Library Closure Study (Koontz, et.al)
Study of library closures 2003 - 2007 years
Over 500 closures noted
4 types of closures
Temporary (Short term)
Temporary (Long term)
Swaps
Permanent closures
Approximately 125 permanent closures
Of the permanent closures....

Academic libraries are not immune…
Academic
Academic librarians answer 72.8 million reference questions each year—almost twice the attendance at college football games. (down from 97 million in 2002)
College libraries receive less than two cents of every dollar spent on higher education.
The number of librarians per 1,000 students enrolled in 2 and 4-year colleges and universities in the US dropped from 2.4 in 2000 to less than .5 in 2004.
72% of college student respondents said the search engine would be their first choice the next time they need a source for information. College students rank the library a distant second with 14%...
Sources: ALA Office for Research & Statistics, OCLC Reports

Competitor facts…
Reference questions answered by public libraries: 7,000,000 / week (1 million / day). Google searches: approximately 1.28 billion / day.
Second Life’s library gets 5,000 registered visitors a day in the library
Unique pages added to the web per day: 7.3 million
SirsiDynix purchase: $1 billion +
$226,182,000 for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)2008

So how do we compete?

Stop being comfortable…

And do something! “ We librarians must learn that when we study something to death, … Death was not our original goal .” Steven Abram, Vice President, Innovation, Sirsi Dynix

Be proactive!

Competitive Responses
Respond like a business!
Expand your performance assessment scope and effectiveness
Include competitive scanning / intelligence with your performance assessment
Use research to your advantage!
Expand your knowledge and innovative skills

Competitive Responses
Develop new strategic competitive responses:
“ Know” your service environment
Innovate your library’s services and service delivery methods
Increase access, accountability and alignment to the service environment
Delivery service impact, cost effectiveness / value, more access/less time, and more options for the customer

A Flat World Library Biblioteca de Santiago

Pending research on competition
Pending study of library administrator’s perceptions of competition and their actual competitive practices
Competitive resources and activities inventory
Library as a whole / Library leaders
Resources committed to competing in library service environment
Where are our most competitive libraries?
What are they doing?
How are they doing it?
What difference is it making?

Being a librarian in a competitive economy is not too bad…

The end of the walkabout…
I am happy to take your questions!
Thank you for coming today!
Available to speak / work with your libraries
To contact Dr. White: whitel@ecu.edu 252-328-2315

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Competition For Library Services

by Mary Beth Lock on Jun 18, 2009

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Competition For Library Services — Presentation Transcript