City College of Chicago To Examine "Outsourcing" of Library Services

Staff -- Library Journal, 2/19/2001

The City College of Chicago, which announced earlier this month that it would outsource its financial operations, is also examining outsourcing library services as well. "I don't know if this is imminent or what," said Bill Locke, a librarian at Harold Washington College. "The news was a total surprise to librarians and to faculty." Locke said the school would examine the "total privatization" of the library but could not speculate on how or why this would be done. "I wish I knew," he said. Locke also said college president Nancy De Sombre was "very library supportive" and hoped that he would be able to participate in the evaluation of library services being undertaken by the administration. "We have nine libraries here and they run pretty well, I think." The City College of Chicago is comprised of seven separately accredited public community colleges, serving more than 160,000 students in credit, noncredit, and adult education skills programs. The seven colleges are Daley College, Malcolm X College, Olive Harvey College, Harold Washington College, Wright College, Truman College, and Kennedy King College.