1. Focus on the user and all else follows.  Doesn't think libraries have done a terrific job of that.  Not that we don't care about the user, but we have a long history of being in control of our world.  There are libraries where all the information was in the library, in the four walls.  We organized it, we collected it, we controlled access to it.  It was organized for librarians, not patrons.  We used words and schemes that worked for the librarians.  LC subject headings were not created for the public.  They're hard to use and they're confusing - who talks like that?  It's time for us to focus on the user.  The world has changed a lot - we have competition now.  We're not the only ones with access to information.  What will distinguish our service?  We will be successful if we focus on the user.

 We need to ask our customers - what works for them?  We need to do this over and over again, not just once every three to five years when you're planning.  We have to talk to our customers all the time in a variety of ways. If we don't focus on the customer, we are expandable.  We can't say anymore that there will always be a public library.  Doesn't think we can take any of this for granted anymore.  We're busier than ever, but we can't rest on that. 

We tend to make things complex.  Can't we make things simple?  We love to limit.  "You can place holds, but you can only place so many.  Oh, no - you can't place holds on those things."  Fee structures are ridiculous - can we make it any more complicated for people?  We limit in so many ways that it's gotten to be trouble to be a customer.  We deal with a limited number of resources, and in a quest to make those resources available to everyone, we place limits.  But we've gone overboard. 

Found an example here at the Austin Public Library - one loan period, one fine structure.  Implemented this a few years ago.  The result?  Circulation increased over 20%.  The turnover rate of some things is lower, but overall circulation has gone up.  Just had this conversation with her staff - isn't it time we had one loan period?  Can't wait to go back and tell her staff what happened here in Minnesota.  Knows that the library took some heat for that, but who loved it?  The customer.  They focused on the user.

Phoenix was planning a space for teens a few years ago - invited teens in to come and tell the library what they wanted.  The teens can in and the library held five sets of focus groups.  Handed the teens disposable cameras and asked them to take pictures of places they liked to spend time, furniture they liked, places where they felt comfortable.  They then took the cameras and gave it to the architect.  He took their ideas and put them together into a plan.  The teens helped choose the furniture, choose the materials.  They even helped unpack the furniture.  There were no rules - it was their space.  The day it opened, teens were coming up and saying, "I can't believe you listened to us."  They now have teen spaces in all of their libraries.  (Because some of the libraries are so small,one staff member refers to the small ones as "teen moments.")

2. Reference is not our niche.  There were audible gasps when she shared this with her staff.  It's time to concede - Google has won.  It's not where most of our resources should go.  Even we don't use our reference sources like we used to.   It is a service we provide, but we shouldn't hang our hat on it.  There was a recent OCLC survey - 84% of the people surveyed started their search for information on a search engine.  70% didn't find a difference in the trustworthiness of the information from the search engine vs. the library. 

Have changed the way reference is done in the Phoenix system.  Started with the smaller branches.  Don't have large reference collections any more.  There isn't a separate reference desk.  Just as likely to find staff walking around the library, asking if people need help.  Started looking at the central library about a year ago.  One whole floor was reference.  The City Manager had asked the library to look at how they do business and then recommend changes.  Nothing had changed on the reference floor since the library had been built in the 90's. The library needed space for other projects that the public was asking for. 

Asked the question: What does it cost to answer questions at the various reference desks?  Partnered with Az State University grad students in marketing, who surveyed customers.  As a result of their study, they decided to consolidate desks.  ILL used to need a desk - people more often know what they want.  Why do we need a desk?  Vastly changing the collection.  Documents collection will be cut in half and look at the things that are really useful and that people really using.  So much more is available online.  Are cutting down the reference collection.  Are deploying staff out into the library rather than asking people to come to the desk to ask a question.  Talks about Target and their red customer phones - would love to find a way to do red phones on the reference floor.  They gave people a way to ask questions.  Let's make it easy for people - make it fun and easy and responsive.

Knows that this is difficult for the staff, but we're focusing on what is the best way to do reference.  Some libraries have patrons make an appointment to meet with a reference librarian.  In the libraries that do that, their reference usage is skyrocketing. 

3. Run a library like a business.  That doesn't mean we shouldn't pay attention to things like privacy and confidentiality.  However, the public doesn't take it as seriously as we do.  Look at the collection - look at your space like you're paying per foot for the shelving space.  Why keep items that don't move?  You have to look at the cost of doing business, look at the trends.  This is certainly a question if you're part of a consortium.  You need the things that people ask for most - you can get the other items quickly, and many you can get online. 

We need to have hours that meet user needs.  Sounds obvious, but we don't tend to do it.  If the busiest day is Sunday, why are you open the fewest number of hours on that day? 

We have to study our competition more.  People stay hours in Starbucks and other places.  Why aren't we studying why Border's is packed at 10:00 on a Friday night?  We need to understand why that happens - that's our competition.  If they can make that work and they're selling things, shouldn't we be able to make it work and we're doing this for free??

Studying holds at the moment.  What does it cost the library?  Given all that it takes for staff to work through the process, wouldn't it be cheaper to actually mail it to the customer? 

4. Physical space matters.  That doesn't mean you need a ton of money to spend on your facility.  People want more comfortable places to spend time.  We tend to think that we need to fill the facility.  We'd be better off having smaller collections in a comfortable space.  People tell us what they want by where they spend time in the community.  Has a teen who loves to spend time at Border's or Barnes and Noble.  When asked why she didn't go to Walden Books (which is closer to the house), she said that there's no place to sit in Walden Books.  They have benches.  She didn't think the business wanted her to spend time there.  The other places have comfortable chairs and don't mind if they spend time there.  (Sidenote: are you listening, Walden Books? MB)

5. You don't need all the answers to move forward.  "If there's another profession that talks everything through the way we do, I don't know what it is."  We're in a business that changes quickly.  We have to get over the idea that we have to have everything figured out before we do anything.  It's OK to say we're trying something - what do you think?  We need to be more nimble.  We need to be able to take advantage of opportunities as they come up.  

6. You need a seat at the table. In every community, there are issues to be resolved and there a group that are called upon to do that.  You want the leaders to think of the library as a problem-solver.  What can the library do to help?  You want them to think of you as someone offering to help, not always asking for money.  No matter what the community issue is, you need to be asking yourself, what can the library do?  How can we help with this?  You want to be a player.  People will look at the library differently if you're a player. 

The Rushford Public Library was open 24 hours a day after the community flooded so that people could use the computers.  "You can't tell me the people won't look at the library differently as a result."There aren't library issues - there are only community issues.

7.  Whining gets you nowhere.  It's just annoying.  It doesn't move the organization forward.  People will tend to tune out, if all you're doing is complaining. 

8.  Marketing is critical.  The corrolary is that marketing is everybody's job.  Whenever you're looking at doing something new, you need to look at the cost of marketing it.  If you're not telling people about it, why are you spending money on it?  We're the best kept secret in the country.  Either don't spend money to do some of the things you do, or spend money to tell people about what you do.  the good news is, it doesn't take a lot of money.  The most effective marketing for your organization is using your staff.  That means that all of your staff needs to know what you're doing. 

9.  There is strength in numbers.  You need parters and collaborators - people who will make you stronger.  You can ask other libraries to work with you on getting a contract form a vendor.  There are always people out there to collaborate with.  Maybe it's a for-profit group, maybe it's a non-profit group.  Find those partners - they're anxious to find you. 

10.  Great customer service trumps everything.  It trumps lousy space, old collections.  If the staff is so welcoming, so glad you're there, you'll overlook a lot of the other stuff.  Great customer service will take you far.  We tend to mistake what we do with how we do it.  Hire staff that like working with people, not people that like working with stuff.  Define customer service for your staff - show them what great customer service looks like.  And don't just define it - insist on it.  And...You need to reward it. 

91% of unhappy customers will never buy again from a company that has displeased them, and will tell 7 people about it.  Why do we thing it's different for people using our business?  We can't afford not to demand great customer service. There are examples of great customer service in all of our communities.  Study them and find out what they're doing and use them as examples.

One last thing - this is a noble profession.  Every day we have to opportunity to do good work, to make a difference in people's lives.  This is great work to do.  Have fun with it, take pride in it, and realize that what you do makes a difference.