Karen Hyman hymansjrlc'org

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Multi-type Regional Cooperation

Karen Hyman (hyman_at_sjrlc.org) Texas Library
Association April 4, 2003
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Multi-type regional cooperatives ???Multiple
choice

• A. lead and encourage collaboration, resource
  sharing, staff development, and innovations to
  insure that people receive excellent, up-to-date
  library services.
• B. are responsive to taxpayers increasing
  wariness of any library services that cannot be
  accessed by the whole community.
• C. allow libraries to get in on the change and
  be part of a support group.
• D. are an outdated 70s concept.

Answer A, B and C !
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In New Jersey

• Multi-type network since 1984.
• Four regional cooperatives membership
  organizations, established in law and regulation.
• Stable (or static) Network budget 4.7 million
  (augmented by 1.3 million for databases,
  technology bond and LSTA.
• Expanded definition of resource sharing from
  sharing our stuff to joint acquisition and
  project development.

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Resource Sharing of the Past assumed

• Resource sharing was an extra.
• Resource sharing was relatively unknown.
• Communication was slow and limited.
• Technology was proprietary and expensive when
  there was any.
• Library resource sharing was the only game in
  town.
• People would drive, wait, and play by our rules.
• Giving money to libraries was a self-evident
  good.
• Majority of libraries in passive recipient mode.
• Static programs and budgets.

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In NJ, in the past three years

• Growth of
• Web based services directly available to the end
  user databases, Jersey Cat ILL, Q and A NJ,
  Tutor.com.
• Cooperatively staffed services libraries
  provide labor.
• Regional administration of statewide services.
• Opportunistic services statewide summer
  reading, Governors reading club, One Book NJ.
• Recruitment, leadership development, marketing
• Partnerships.

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Highly successful regional networks areresearch
and development incubators.

• Helping libraries get in near the beginning of a
  change.
• Providing a support group of others working out
  the issues as they move along.

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Highly successful regional networks are risk
managers.

• Helping libraries become more adventurous,
  curious, and technically proficient and more
  willing to work outside of their own comfort
  level.
• Helping libraries achieve a sense of equilibrium
  while standing on a moving vehicle.

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Highly successful regional networks arehuman
resource developers.

• Recruiting
• Training
• Developing leadership
• Energizing
• Making offers too good to refuse.

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Highly successful regional networks
areadvocates.

• Developing and maintaining relationships business
  and industry groups, elected officials and other
  opinion leaders.
• Supporting member library advocacy efforts.
• Working with professional associations and the
  State Library to establish and promote library
  funding priorities.
• Honoring library advocates at network events.

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Highly successful regional networks areplanners.

• Involving people at all levels of the
  organization.
• Finding, listening and responding to every great
  idea.
• Focusing on results as defined by the end user.

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Highly successful regional networks
areexcellent problem solvers.

• Defining the big problem
• Focusing on the big result
• Invested
• Creative
• Persistent

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Highly successful regional networks aresavvy
marketers.

• Looking outward, facing the future, and seeing
  the big picture as well as the details that
  count.
• Spearheading marketing campaigns.
• Fostering market research.
• Implementing and packaging shared services that
  resonate with the public.

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QandANJReal feedback from real users

• Interaction with a live person I was talking
  to a real person not a computer!
• Professional help finding the answer The
  librarian found information that my Mom and I had
  been looking for and could not find no matter
  where we looked.
• Always open I got the answers I needed,
  especially when the library was closed. My
  first contact was at 2 am Sunday morning.
• The Library came to me I am house-bound this
  opportunity is greatly appreciated. I didnt
  have to go out in the rain.
• Fast I like the fact that you get an immediate
  answer to your question instead of having to
  click on a hundred different links and still not
  find the information you need.

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Highly successful regional networks

• Have a strong vision for the future.
• Believe in themselves and their collective
  ability to figure out how to make libraries and
  resource sharing work for people today.
• Support highly successful libraries.

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Contact Information
Karen Hyman Executive Director South Jersey
Regional Library Cooperative 10 Foster Avenue,
Suite F-3 Gibbsboro, NJ 08026 856 346-1222 FAX
856 346-2839 Email hyman_at_sjrlc.org