State of the State

1
State of the State

• Rebecca L. Hamilton
• State Librarian
• Louisiana Library Association Annual Conference
• March 28-30, 2006

2
In the past year . . .

• My first day was July 5, 2005
• 54 days later the greatest natural disaster in
  Louisianas history took place
• Louisianas libraries faced the worst
  circumstances in the States history
• At our worst 121 of 339 libraries were closed

3
At the State Library

• Within 5 hours of reopening after Hurricane
  Katrina, we had a section on our webpage with
  disaster recovery information and news about
  affected libraries
• Made contact with public library administrators
  in affected areas and began to assess damage
• Organized acceptance and distribution of donated
  PCs to public libraries
• Accepted monetary donations for hurricane
  affected public libraries via the LLF--70,000 to
  date

4
At the State Library

• Canceled Administrative Conference
• Canceled 2005 book festival
• Executive order enacted and still in effect
• Worked with Gates, ALC, private donors, and
  vendors to secure donations of databases, kiosks,
  temporary buildings and staffing (still underway)

5
At the State Library

• Established back up Internet for libraries
• Hosted NOPL email and web servers until they were
  ready to take over operations
• Solicited vendor discounts for affected libraries
• Worked with the Lt. Governors office and ALA
  over FEMA issues and to have libraries listed as
  essential services
• Worked with Mississippi and Alabama to request
  special E-rate funding from the FCC to restore
  networks

6
At the State Library

• Worked with OLG to draft a congressional
  appropriation request for 22 million dollars
• Went to Washington to meet with leaders and show
  them the devastation
• Met with Gates, SOLINET, private donors in BR and
  Atlanta to create a recovery plan
• Monitored 2 extraordinary special legislative
  sessions

7
The Public Libraries

• Became front line responders
• Stayed open holidays, weekends and nights
  providing critical service to evacuees
• Provided not only critical library service but
  food, shelter, and moral support
• Dealt with FEMA, insurance companies and local
  government issues
• Expanded their rules to ensure all of our
  citizens could receive library service no matter
  how far away from home

8
Continued..

• Showed the state (and the world) that libraries
  are an essential good
• Demonstrated that libraries have something that
  money cant buytrust and good will
• Trailblazers held the Administrative Conference
  at Lincoln Parish Library in their brand new
  facility

9
What we all learned from Katrina/Rita

• People need libraries (including FEMA and public
  officials)
• Libraries make people feel safe
• Our existence is fragile
• We are leaders in our communities and we have
  proven ourselves invaluable
• We should leverage this value to gain funding and
  to be recognized by FEMA as an essential
  service
• We have the will and strength to rebuild

10
What we at the State Library Learned

• Our budget is never safe
• State Aid is never a done deal. In light of
  statewide budget cuts, it will now more than ever
  require a fight to justify its need
• Budgeting for Outcomes is the way of the future
• Priorities must be set in a time of financial
  crisis and some traditional services may have to
  be adjusted or eliminated
• We have to build on our traditional services and
  values to reach new audiences

11
State of the State Library of Louisiana

• Our budget is entering the regular session facing
  a possible cut between 14 and 25
• Majority of cuts will be felt on operational side
  of SLL and we may face some layoffs
• I met with legislators and fought for 1.5
  Million in state aid and am fighting for an
  additional 1.5 Million.
• Along with our constituents, I am fighting to
  restore our budget as much as possible
• We are partnering with LLA Legislative Committee
  to facilitate a statewide multi-type virtual
  library.

12
Contd

• We must look closely at our ILL system review
  alternativesdoes NOT mean we are changing
• We have to get as much value as we can for every
  penny we spend and justify our budget items.
• We are competing for public dollars and have to
  show ROI to continue at our existing
  levelalthough we also have an opportunity to
  increase our funding through the BFO process

13
Continued

• We want to leverage our resources through
  expanded training that will empower you and
  enable you to train your own staff and to partner
  with your neighbors to train their staff

14
What do we need from you?

• We need you to answer these questions
• What more can we do for you?
• What can we do better?
• What do we do that you do not need us to do any
  longer? Or what should we stop doing?
• Grade our services, response time, our
  professionalism
• Share your vision with us so that together we can
  think strategically and shape the future of our
  libraries
• Give us feedback on our basic common goals.

15
Our Strategic Plan

• Goals

16
Goal 1 Provide access to and preserve Louisiana
heritage.

• Enhance and expand the Louisiana collection
• Present Book Festival and LRYC program
• Expand the Book Festival

17
Goal 2 Expand Services

• Promote statewide databases as true virtual
  library
• Continue to provide interlibrary loan and
  delivery services review current vendor
  functionality
• Review all existing services for opportunities to
  streamline and enhance
• Best use of resources

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Goal 3 Aggressive program of marketing and
outreach

• We must publicize what we do now more then ever
• Web pages
• Media outlets
• Make the most of marketing opportunities

19
Goal 4 Foster Ongoing Professional Development
of Public Library Staff

• Offer relevant and timely workshops throughout
  the state
• Partner with other CE agencies to bring more
  training to LA libraries
• Empower public libraries to serve the needs of
  their communities through pro-active consulting,
  training and e-publications.
• Offer online training for public library staff

20
Goal 5 Serve the needs of special populations

• Partner with early childhood organizations to
  improve emergent literacy statewide
• Offer collection development support
• Pilot emergent literacy programs statewide
• Training to support core competencies
• Training tools and manuals to support this
• Continue leadership role of SBPH
• Continue SRP, LYRC and Teen Reading programs

21
Goal 6 SLL will remain relevant and energetic

• Survey public libraries to assess satisfaction
  with SLL services
• Continue to review internal procedures and
  practices.
• Continue to seek additional funding opportunities

22
Whats ahead ?

• Rebuilding libraries, their networks and
  collections
• Monetary donations
• Materials
• Equipment
• Databases
• Bookmobiles, temporary buildings, staff
• Working around mid-year budget cuts and working
  with CRT/DOA to maintain current level of funding

23
Continued

• Work with colleagues in Miss., Ala. Fla. as
  well as SOLINET on a recovery plan
• Taking a leadership role in expanding and
  defining the digital library
• Thinking strategically and leveraging our assets
  to get the most ROI
• Securing more State Aid dollars to bring total to
  3 Million

24
Continued

• Using a collaborative model to securing funding
  for SLL and public libraries for early reading
  success
• Strengthen our position in early childhood
  development
• All of us must must become better trained in
  early childhood development
• 88 of children deficient in word recognition
  skills in the 1st grade were poor readers in 4th
  grade
• We need to continue to build partnerships between
  school, public, special and academic libraries as
  well as the State Library, DOE, and DSS
• Build on traditional services but reach out to
  new audiences and try new methods

25
Continued

• Work with FEMA so that libraries are considered
  essential services and are treated as such during
  a disaster.

26
Wrap Up

• The Office of the State Library and Public
  Libraries in Louisiana are critical to the
  rebirth of our State.
• We must work together, think strategically, be
  pro-active, and be visionary.