Suzanne Miller: people are committed to libraries. (article/ study where? Missed that. Maxwell?). Community - libraries provide community opportunity and librarians are mediators of information, consultants, and advocates for community. Missionaries. Positive customer service. Spoke of her travels throughout minnesota and the survey done this year.
Core values listed. Equity = seamless environment between almost any library. 51 million circs in 2005. Online databases use has doubled in two years. Million people attended programs. 89,000 of those were children. Initiatives developed and implemented. Much more; list of other programs and initiatives.
Praise for the MnLINK 'get it button.' <personal note - I love this thing. So much fun!>
Issues include:
Funding issues.
Being open when people want us to be open? ARe we being responsive? Is it a money issue? in early 1900's, Minneapolis PL's director made sure the libraries were open from 10 - 10. Acessible.
Classical collections - some are being weeded and are not replaced; comments on surveys indicated the public has noticed this. Part of our preservation of our history/heritage.
Customer service - many comments about cranky desk people, who are overworked and yet must be all to all people. Not enough people on desk? Not enough emphasis on customer service? Not enough education in that area? No, but probably stretched-out staff.
Slow investment by state and by local gov in libraries, despite rapid growth in use. Suzanne shared the numbers for various budget lines, mostly static amounts. Some notable increases, including ELM. Only about $2.00 per person being spent by Dept of Education in library services <not sure I got that right>
Actions by Suzanne and her dept in Dept of Education:
Mary Ann mentioned in her work for continuing education coming from the Dept of Education.
State Library Advisory Council continues to be active and useful.
More services beign offered, such as WebJunction.
Continuing to evaluate their services within department.
Revise standards and guidelines to make benchmarks for state.
Launch of library directory on website.
Developing and expanding workshops, funded by a variety of sources. Gates.
Library for the Blind able to upgrade to new ILS, or at least another finding aid software. Also began adding Play-Aways, the self-contained audio titles.
Taking calls for assistance and help. Suzanne seeks additional collaboration and developing partnerships.
Problems:
State needs to reevaluate our place in the educational process. How important are qualified media specialists in the life-long learning process?
Also for the media specialists - Licensing requirements and licensing across state lines need to be reexamined. Is so difficult that even qualified people who are from other states can't get licensed. Need to be addressed. <if school libraries close, publics have to do the schooling alone. But hey, shouldn't we be willing to do that anyway, as needed, one-by-one or by groups of users?)
Coordination of efforts.
Structure of systems - local control is very important to our libraries. Funding has shifted to local government as state does not support as much as it shifted to local level. Maintenance of effort issues. Regional systems being tapped out as they support public libraries.
Need to solidify core so system doesn't collapse. Redirect funds so state-wide infrestrcture not be stressed if regional systems fail. Difficult to rebuild structure more difficult than limping along. Make sure that systems are viable as we seek change - not need to stay the same. Leave behind things that are not relavent if needed <not just cause they are thought to be not needed but this needs to be evalutated thoroughly>
Basic system support - is this working? Also maintenance of effort?
Staffing issues related to ILL. Pretty exciting.
Dialogue with local officials to assure library funding is appropriate. Counties are not pulling their fair share and this needs to be addressed.
Leadership.
We are now on top, the giants - being chased by little jacks that will climb up on our shoulders and become giants in their turn. Leadership Institute.
Change cannot change in a vacuum. Make opposing positions known and put them on the table and talk about them publicly, and deal with them; advocate for change in various places, including between ourselves. Be collaborative. Be cooperative. Remember our history.
Ken Behringer (Dakota County Library Director) spoke on Regional Library Basic System Support. Lots of math and other factors of formula. DCL 247% increase in ILL, strongly in part to MnLINK. We need to go to State and say "Thanks! Help!" as we need the money to support this; the people are using it and liking it. Est that only 5-7% of population knows about it and media blitz will only compound staffing problems.
RLBSS is 14 years old and in Ken's opinion, is not likely to be replaced by better formula in this funding period. "But...broad library support is needed." He hopes for a short term unanimous support by library community.
For the actual public libraries - how can this increase in RLBSS get to the library members of federated systems? System costs have also increased <fact> and sig VDX responsibilities given to system offices . At member level - also have sig cost increases and users are expecting both traditional and new services to be provided. Also, need for vibrant collections and staffing needed so that services remain relevant. <facts>
