This document discusses opportunities for reinventing library services in Westfield for the 21st century. It identifies 4 main opportunities: 1) Creating customizable spaces for socializing, collaborating, and creativity now that less space is needed for books. 2) Harnessing technology to automate processes and increase efficiency. 3) Making the library a community hub through partnerships. 4) Providing dynamic hands-on learning through makerspaces and technology labs. The director thanks supporters and encourages involvement to help realize these opportunities.

1. March 15, 2023
REINVENTINGLIBRARY
SERVICESINWESTFIELD
Hale Speaker Series Presented By
Allen McGinley
Library Director
for the 21st century

2. Majorinnovationsinthe
historyoflibraries
Alexandria
300 BC
Aristotle
350 BC
Clay Tablets
668-627 BC
Papyrus
600 BC
Dewey
Decimal Sys.
1931
Book Indexes
1840
Printing Press
1456 CE
Project
Gutenberg
1971
Philadelphia
Library Co.
1731
Paper
105 CE
Amazon
Kindle
2007
What's
Next
2023-

3. What are the most vital roles of
public libraries, and how are
they evolving?
Howdowe
talkabout
libraries?
sharing
information
answering
questions
expanding
access
educational
experiences

4. What is happening with information sharing in public libraries?
SharingInformation
books &
audiobooks
magazines &
newspapers
public
computers
films
and music
eBooks &
eAudiobooks
digital
magazines &
newspapers
mobile
devices
streaming
content

5. CollectionTrends (2018-2022)
2018 2022 Change
PRINT 184,821 154,388 -16%
EBOOKS 18,112 29,515 +63%
BOOKS
CD 7,497 2,772 -63%
DIGITAL 12,418 24,715 +99%
AUDIOBOOKS
MOVIES/TV DVD 19,032 2,307 -88%
STREAMING 1,259 4,902 +289%
CD 3,816 1,528 -60%
DIGITAL 823 10,550 +1,182%
MUSIC
TOTAL PHYSICAL 221,990 170,371 -23%
DIGITAL 32,612 73,004 +124%
COMBINED 254,602 243,375 -4%
eBooksrepresent16%ofthetotalbookusage,but
growthhasbeenlimitedby licensing.
Digitalaudiobooksrepresent90%oftotalaudiobook
usage!
AlreadydecliningDVDusagewasdecimatedbythe
pandemic.StreamingusenowmorethandoublesDVD
usage,butgrowthislimitedbythemarketplace.
Streamingmusicrepresents87%oftotalmusic
usage!
Whilephysicalcirculationdroppedduringthe
pandemic,digitalcirculationmorethandoubled.
Totalcirculationisdownonly4%frompre-pandemic
levels.

6. Whatdoesthis
meanforthefuture
ofsharing
information?
Information will be
increasingly sought for in
digital formats due to the
ease of use, and
changing habits and
lifestyles, making
collection development
for libraries increasingly
complex.
STRATEGIC BUDGETING
PUBLISHER RESTRICTIONS
CONSIDERATION OF FORMAT
OPERATIONAL EFFECIENCIES

7. What is happening with answering questions in public libraries?
AnsweringQuestions
in-person
postal mail
telephone
e-mail
chat
SMS text

8. Continued
democratization of
search and reliance on
crowdsourcing makes it
increasingly easy for
people to find answers,
and increasing difficult
for them to evaluate the
quality of those answers
or find the best answer.
Whatdoesthis
meanforthefuture
ofanswering
questions?
COMMUNICATION PREFERENCE
HOW TO SUSTAINABLY STAFF
INFORMATION LITERACY

9. What is happening with expanding access in public libraries?
ExpandingAccess
free access
community
scope
open to all
fine free
shared
services
greater
inclusion

10. Information will be
increasingly sought for
in digital formats due to
the ease of use, and
changing habits and
lifestyles.
This represents a variety
of future challenges and
opportunities for
libraries.
Whatdoesthis
meanforthefuture
ofexpanding
access?
INSTITUTIONAL COMPASSION
INTER-AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
MORE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

11. What is happening with educational experiences in public libraries?
EducationalExperiences
lectures
storytimes
music
performances
film
screenings
crafts
participatory
conversations
active play
content
creation
building
community
making

12. Traditional library
experiences have been
more passive, and
focused on consuming
content.
The future of educational
experiences in libraries
will be more dynamic and
participative, and
responsive to changing
community needs.
Whatdoesthismean
forthefutureof
educational
experiences?
FOSTERING COMMUNITY DIALOGUES
HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES
COMMUNITY TOOLS FOR CREATING

13. REINVENTINGLIBRARY
SERVICESINWESTFIELD
for the 21st century

14. When less space is required to store
books due to increasing eBook usage and
on-demand delivery of print books,
more space can be devoted to people for
connecting, collaborating, and creating.
OPPORTUNITY#1

15. OPPORTUNITY#1
Customizable spaces for people that are social, collaborative,
and imaginative.

16. When technological innovations can be
harnessed and used as tools to automate
repetitive processes and increase
efficiency, it frees us to do work that is
more creative, engaging, and inspired.
OPPORTUNITY#2

17. OPPORTUNITY#2
Harnessing technological tools to make the library experience
more sustainable, seamless, and truly ubiquitous.

18. When curiosity, cooperation, and
inclusion are embedded in all policies
and approaches, libraries can go
beyond simply informing residents, to
actually building community.
OPPORTUNITY#3

19. OPPORTUNITY#3
Making the library a community hub by integrating partner
organizations to better support Westfield as a whole.

20. When libraries connect the community
to both the knowledge and the tools for
creating, we turn people from just
information consumers to the makers,
builders, and doers of the future.
OPPORTUNITY#4

21. OPPORTUNITY#4
From technology labs to makerspaces, libraries can now
provide responsive & dynamic hands-on learning experiences.

22. Thank you for supporting your Westfield Memorial Library.
With your active involvement, we can overcome these
challenges, and bring these opportunities to life.
Friends of the Westfield Memorial Library | fmlnj.org
Westfield Memorial Library Foundation | Trustees needed!
ThankYou
Allen McGinley
Director
amcginley@wmnj.org
908-789-4090 ext 4119