Shift Happens: The Quest for Continuing Relevance

ALA Annual Conference 2012

Anaheim, CA

June 22, 2012

The Shift Happens session was about the implementation of a new staffing model by the King County (Washington) Library System in order to support a vision to provide the best possible library service to their patrons; to provide services that matter, when and where they want it. They wanted to take their professional librarians out of the day-to-day operations of the library to free them to spend more time thinking, creating, planning, and implementing services for their communities.  Under the new staffing model, a new position, Public Service Assistant (PSA) was created.  The day-to-day operation of the library was shifted to non-MLS staff, and non-MLS staff was allowed to take managerial positions.  

The service goals of King County are: 

1) Facilitate early literacy (birth to 5 yrs); 

2) Engage and support teens and children (ages 6-18 yrs); 

3) Encourage lifelong learning in a variety of ways; 

4) Provide personalized information access and assistance; and 

5)Reach and engage a culturally diverse population. 

Service delivery is in the library, in the community (physical outreach) and online (virtual outreach). The new model was implemented in 3 pilot libraries for one year. Evaluating the new model had some surprising outcomes. Librarians felt that their worth had been devalued by removing them from the patrons, but at the same time, they were able to plan and provide a variety of successful programs and services they would not have been able to under the traditional staffing model which kept the librarians in the library behind the desk. The system is making some adjustments to the model, and moving ahead with implementing the model at more libraries this year.  The presenters warned that it is necessary to allow time to process the change.

This model makes a lot of sense to me. I feel I make my biggest contribution to the library when I have time to think, create, plan and implement. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen very often when I am at the library!