Library Services

Service Areas

Specific REAP Change Services

Benefits to Libraries

Research

·         Produce statistical profiles of different community groups

·         Deliver interviews, focus groups or surveys

·         Illustrate the facts with charts, graphs and computer maps

·         Uncover stories that tell why library services are important in people’s lives

·         Use evidence in grant applications

·         Justify budgets

·         Support tax and bond initiatives

·         Document staff size needs

·         Pin down informational, educational, recreational and special needs

·         Locate community needs by neighborhood

Evaluation

·         Identify goals clearly (and how programs work)

·         Evaluate LSTA, IMLS and other grant program outcomes

·         Evaluate library programs as delivered to target groups

·         Involve your staff in collaborative and empowerment evaluations

·         Get community stakeholder input into evaluation design

·         Let the community know evaluation results

·         Funders understand what your programs are trying to do and how they work

·         Funders demand and get evaluation evidence – you get more grants!

·         Build better programs

·         Boost library staff morale and empower staff

·         Tell the story better about why library services are needed and what they provide

·         Community supports the library

·         Support your budget requests with evidence of effectiveness

Assessment

·         Assess new program needs – who needs what, why, and how will the community benefit?

·         Answer whether current programs meet today’s needs

·         Determine facility adequacy

·         Justify new program budget requests

·         Put assessment information in grant proposals

·         Align existing programs, services, staff size, and budget to needs

Planning

·         Design and facilitate strategic planning processes

·         Plan facilities needs

·         Know where you want to go, figure out how to get there, and decide exactly what to do

Change

·         Design, train, coach and facilitate library organizational change

·         Mix and match above services

·         Shake up a library that’s in a rut

·         Move confidently into being a better organization