SOLINET Report Looks at Future Service Scenarios
Jennifer Pinkowski -- Library Journal, 07/13/2007
SOLINET (Southeastern Library Network) has released a report detailing how the library environment will change over the next three to five years, as users’ expectations grow but funding does not. The scenario planning document was developed by the 24-year-old SOLINET, the largest regional library network in the US, with 2600 member libraries in 11 southeastern states and the Caribbean. The group’s board of directors crafted three service scenarios. “Moving to the Front of the House” portrays a service-oriented environment that fosters information literacy. “The Lithe Physical and Digital Library” envisions libraries with primarily digital collections serving a large number of remote patrons. “The Collaborative, User-Driven Library” portrays a high-tech space where users help with the design and delivery of content. These scenarios were presented in April and May to 12 discussion groups, which addressed the most likely elements of each scenario.
Overall, the report identified six areas of focus: new service models; the changing role of collections; staff transformation; repurposing of buildings; more assessment; and keeping up with and in control of technology. The library environment is more “front-of-house,” as the report says, educating users in “information literacy, technology training, skills development (such as reading and writing), tutoring, and advising.” Library staffers need to be “re-engineered” in response; outsourcing cataloging and digitization might free up librarians. Collections will be increasingly electronic and on-demand, with local or special collections serving as an individual library’s “differentiator”; libraries will share both print and electronic resources. Library facilities will serve less to store collections than to be multi-purpose, collaborative spaces. Librarians must continue to assess the community value of their library master the ever-changing technology.
SOLINET also envisioned how it could help its members create this library of the future by offering temporary or outsourced staffing services; hosting technology services and developing open source applications; professional development, including workflow assessment and technology training; strategic planning and space redesign; group access to on-demand and pay-per-view services, especially expanded audio and video content; and the digitization of local and special collections.
