San Francisco Public Library Needs Assessment: Report on Findings

 Stephanie Armatis

Wonder, Valerie (2010). San Francisco Public Library Needs Assessment: Report on Findings. WebJunction. Retrieved from https://www.webjunction.org/content/dam/WebJunction/Documents/webJunction/SFPL-Patron-Needs-Assessment.pdf 

Summary: This is a needs analysis performed by the San Francisco Public Library system in 2010. They identified a need to increase library services though they were dealing with a decrease of library funds. The main goal was to start an online instruction program. To perform the needs assessment, library staff gave written and oral surveys to patrons, organized focus groups, and compiled informal observations and existing data in order to understand user needs and the potential for the proposed program. From this they identified patron needs, which included: career-centered assistance (like resume and application help), social and government help (like citizenship and tax help), educational assistance (like homework help), enrichment and recreational activities, and various skill-based needs like computers and how to use the library and its resources. From these observations and conclusions, they were able to develop their needs assessment and the next steps that their library will take in order to achieve them.

Evaluation/Opinion: This resource can be useful to see how other libraries perform a needs assessment since that is one thing that can affect collection management decisions. Though this needs assessment is older (2010) it was done in response to the recession. Many libraries are dealing with decreases in budgets because of the current pandemic, so the two scenarios will have some similarities. I liked the suggestions about instruction that were mentioned, like marketing what the library already has to offer and to not do it alone (meaning you don’t have to create everything in-house and you can direct patrons to online tutorials that can be found elsewhere online). With dwindling budgets, tips like these will be especially useful for libraries nowadays.

Revisiting 1918's Ideals of the Future

The Future of Library Work, according to St.  Louis Librarian Arthur E.  Bostwick

Jessica Fibelstad
INFO 266 - Spring 2019

Perhaps the favourite article I stumbled across in JSTOR dates from 1918 and offers the author's vision of libraries in the year 1950.  His prognostication of the future library requiring a patron-centric operation and prioritization of outreach to non-users.  Some of this is downright eerie in its familiarity!

His factors of a positive operation are:

1.  Size of the libray's physical establishment: Awareness of the geographic and socioeconomic conditions that may limit patronage, and Cost: another limiting factor

2.  Professionalization: Development of industry standards and respect for the profession

3.  Popularization:  Opening libraries for "the many, not the few....provid[ing] something for EVERYONE who can read..and picture books for those who cannot." (thank goodness more imaginative thoughts have come along)

4:  Socialization:  People use libraries for more than reading - they need spaces for meetings and other activities of groups

5.  Nationalization: Regulation and identity as a public fixture, like public schools, in the eye of the government.

Isn't this fascinating? Over 100 years ago these standards were philosophized upon.  These same factors pop up in many contemporary policies, and articles regarding needs assessments.  Becoming familiar with the library's heritage of great thinkers is a fantastic thing.  Thank you, JSTOR.

Arthur E.  Bostwick, ALA President 1907-1908

Reference:

Bostwick, A.E.  (1918).  The future of library work.  Bulletin of the American Library Association, 12(3), 50-57.

Photograph: 

From Lydenberg, H.M. (1917). History of the New York Public Library, Part V: The New York Free Circulating Library. Bulletin of the New York Public Library 21: 226-7

Developing Library Collections for Today's Young Adults

Chase, Matthew
Fall 2016

Citation:

Pattee, A. S. (2014). Developing library collections for today’s young adults. Lanham: Scarecrow Press.

Summary:

This book addresses the complexities and issues surrounding collection development that specifically targets youth populations. The author highlights the many steps and procedures to an effective development, ranging from needs assessment to evaluation to selection and expansion to even the weeding and removal of collection materials. She balances the book by approaching the development of print materials as well as the digital, to reflect the diversifying and ever-evolving process to youth collections.

Evaluation:

I really appreciated the approach of the author to the topic, as she reflected on collection development as a cyclical process and she developed guidelines around that principle as a result. It allows librarians to adopt a more open-minded framework in their development of collections. For youth services in particular, this principle continues to grow in importance given the ever-changing trends in technology and the diverse needs of youth. Being advocates for youth then, as she explained, it is important that we as librarians also stipulate collection development policies to explain the mission and goals of the collection as to successfully navigate the concerns of adult stakeholders (e.g., parents) and still meet the needs of youth.