Managing for Results: Effective Resource Allocation for Public Libraries

information technologies in libraries today, as well as to practitioners interested in examples of technological implementations in libraries. Readers will come away from the book with a greater understanding of the role of information technology in libraries in the past, present, and future.— Justine Wheeler, University of Calgary Library, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada . Future-Driven Library Marketing, by Darlene E. Weingand. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 1998. 189p. $25.00 (ALA members, $22.50). ISBN 0 – 83890735– 0. Future-Driven Library Marketing merges marketing and planning processes. “[T]he partnerships . . . [that are] the primary focus of this book are those that link this expanded marketing process with selected futures strategies” (p. vii). In addition to the concise introduction on partnerships between marketing and futures strategies, this paperback book includes 11 chapters on the foundation of marketing; a preferred future for libraries; creating the mission, vision, goals, and objectives; using systems analysis to inform market research; using the Delphi method; using scenarios to identify future products, using trend extrapolation and cross-impact analysis, focusing on cost-benefits; using decision trees for determining how products connect with markets; how promotion defined as “communication” is done after marketing and planning components are completed; evaluating futuredriven library marketing; and using change and leadership in meeting the library customer’s needs, demands, and expectations. I found this book to be highly relevant in planning for and marketing library resources, products, and services. I especially liked the simplicity of definitions of some complex strategies in reaching an effective marketing drive for the library’s future. It is easy to read and should be read by every librarian and library staff employee. The focus on partnerships with library staff, with library users, and with all other library stakeholders, including vendors and any other library community partnership. To demonstrate its ease of understanding, one only needs to review the simple thinking processes, for example, “the mission reflects the ‘now’ and the vision statement speaks to what ‘will be’” (p. ix). The introduction and each chapter conclude with “Thoughts and Musings,” that is, questions that help the reader to understand that “Combining marketing strategies and futures methods can make tomorrow that future that we planned for today” (p. xi). Chapter 2 has a section on the historical development of the “roots of the modern ‘futures movement’,” including some names of excellent futurists from the Renaissance and Reformation through the present, along with some further readings to motivate and inspire. This same chapter points out some of the pitfalls that any organization tends to slip into in becoming “so focused on immediate tasks and crises that they forget to plan” (p. 25). I also liked the graphs, scattered throughout the book, used to demonstrate moving from conservative to proactive approaches in planning and marketing or to assist the reader in comparing terminology, such as mission and vision. The focus on the need to be open to change, rapid change, for the various market segments that are served by

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libraries is fascinating. Chapter 4 includes “Examples of Data Elements in the Library Internal and External Environments,” (p. 52) adapted from Darlene E. Weingand’s Managing Today’s Public Library: Blueprint for Change (Libraries Unlimited, 1994, pp. 20 –21), including defining how data, such as demographic, geographic, physical, sociological, technological, and political elements, relate both internally and externally in the library’s environment. Although “stepping out of the box” is not a term used in this book, the author provides many ways, such as using scenarios, of getting the staff and its many constituencies to do this very thing and to learn how to give up old practices and products and adapt new more effective strategies for growth and development. Chapter 7 on cost-benefit analysis is most helpful in teaching the library staff member how to determine the impact of one event or product or other library services and activities. A statement in Chapter 8 [“too often, libraries are used on a regular basis by only a minority of the population served” (p. 113)] is a forceful one in helping staff to understand that it is indeed crucial to listen and respond to our users. A similar statement in Chapter 11 [“staff resources compose 60 to 80% of the library’s budget, [thus] the emphasis on staff time is well placed”) (p. 150)] is another thought provoking concern. The one aspect that was barely touched on in the book, and that I would have liked to have seen covered in some more important way, is that of making users and staff alike know that their concerns, issues, thoughts, and recommendations are appreciated and need to be rewarded to ensure that planning and marketing efforts are seen as everyone’s responsibility and that their accountability in carrying out marketing strategies is crucial in reaching and maintaining a viable place for the library in the future. The book ends with a brief list of excellent further readings and an index. Although Evelyn Ortiz Smykla’s ARL SPEC KIT #240, Marketing and Public Relations Activities in ARL Libraries (Association of Research Libraries, Office of Leadership and Management Services, April 1999), is not included in the list of readings, the list does include some interesting information related to marketing, public relations, and funding strategies for libraries.—Maureen Pastine, University Librarian, Paley Library (017-00), Temple University, 1210 W. Berks Street, Philadelphia, PA 191226088 . Managing for Results: Effective Resource Allocation for Public Libraries, by Sandra Nelson, Ellen Altman, & Diane Mayo. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2000. 363p. $45.00 (ALA members, $40.50). ISBN 0 – 83893498 – 6. LC 99 –33130. As library staffs increasingly focus on issues such as accountability, effectiveness, value, and staff productivity, they should consult guides that present such concepts simply and clearly and that illustrate how to collect and interpret relevant data. The key for a guide is to identify techniques that are meaningful to use. This guide, although not produced for an academic library audience, provides techniques and insights that can be transferred from one setting to another. Managing for Results, a companion to the American Library Association’s Planning for Results: A Public Library Transformation Process (1998) and Wired for the Future:

Developing Your Library Technology Plan (1999), “provides library staff and managers with the tools they need to gather information about current resource allocation and to make decisions about deploying or redeploying resources to accomplish the desired results” (p. 1). The authors have extensive backgrounds in public library planning, management, and evaluation. Diane Mayo, for example, is vice president of a “consulting firm that specializes in assisting libraries with planning and implementing a wide range of technologies” (p. 363). Their experience is evident in their proactive approach to managing and mobilizing library resources and in the workforms that they provide. The first chapter provides a context to the following four chapters that addresses managing staff, the collection, technology, and the facility itself. Eight appendixes offer practical information to the reader wanting to apply the discussion and the workforms. Admittedly, large parts of the book relate solely to public libraries, but I liked, for instance, the discussion of productivity, preparation of “a plan to reallocate staff to free up time to perform the activities related to the service priorities,” Figure 14 (“Library Walk-Through”), and the presentation of electronic use statistics. Anyone interested in the evaluation of resource allocation should be familiar with this most important work. —Peter Hernon, Professor, Simmons College, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115-5898 . Putting Marketing Ideas into Action, by Keith Hart. London, England: London Association Publishing, 1999. 99p. $30.00. ISBN 1– 85604-182– 4. (The Successful LIS Professional Series) (distributed by Bernan). Interest in the application of marketing techniques in libraries has been steadily growing throughout the past decade. Although libraries of all types have often focused on the concept of “public relations” or promotional activities, marketing is a broader concept that encompasses market research, strategic planning, promotion, and evaluation. Putting Marketing Ideas into Action attempts to provide an introduction to marketing for library professionals in a wide variety of institutional settings. In addition to providing a discussion of basic marketing concepts, Hart uses four case studies to illustrate the application of the marketing process. One is in an academic library, another in a special library, the third in a public library setting, and the fourth is a library in a nonprofit charitable organization. Each chapter includes a section on how these hypothetical cases might apply the strategies discussed. Basic concepts, such as the four Ps of marketing (product,

price, promotion, and place) are discussed in a library setting and general guidance in identifying key market segments and message delivery are addressed. There are several recent works on the use of marketing in libraries. What sets Hart’s work apart is the strong emphasis on application. He spends over half of the text addressing various strategies for delivering the target message. Different marketing mediums will elicit different responses, depending on the objectives of the marketing initiative and the defined market segment. One potentially useful strategy is through the effective use of public relations. Hart discusses managing a public relations campaign and includes useful information on creating effective press releases and advice on the development of an advantageous relationship with the local media. Advertising, although less commonly used by libraries, can be a useful means for communicating with certain target markets. Hart argues that advertising need not be prohibitively expensive and, for clearly defined marketing objectives, may be the most efficacious use of library resources. Two additional marketing strategies include the use of direct mail and exhibitions. Direct mail, when used to reach a well-defined target market, may be one of the most costeffective means of reaching a large number of people. Although many libraries have not used exhibitions and road shows as a primary means of reaching their users, Hart argues that this approach can be particularly useful in reaching highly specialized groups. Regardless of the marketing media used, an effective marketing plan includes an evaluation process. Marketing objectives must be easily quantified, with specific targets and standards of performance. The evaluation process should be built into the marketing plan, with adequate time scheduled for evaluation and measuring how successfully the marketing objectives have been met. At some point in the evaluation process, users should be queried, either formally or informally, about the effectiveness of the marketing plan. The chapters on public relations, advertising, and other promotional activities would be of use to anyone developing a marketing plan. However, a critical part of any successful marketing plan is the marketing research phase. The information on conducting marketing research is not as detailed as the promotional chapters. Weingard’s Future Driven Library Marketing (American Library Association, 1998) provides a better introduction to the techniques of market research and its use in the development/evaluation of new or existing services.—Deborah Lee, Assistant Professor and Reference Services Librarian, Mississippi State University Libraries, Mississippi State, MS 39762 .

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