We have been working with you to collect suggestions for the Board. So far, we've received suggestions from quite a few people. The suggestions we've received are listed below...these are not offered to open the door for critical comments; they are offered to trigger other ideas you may have.
Before the list, thank you to all who have contributed your ideas for the board to consider at their upcoming retreat. This library is not just management's library; it's OUR library, too. The board recognizes this, so they invited our input. It is good that we are collectively taking the opportunity to provide our ideas.
Give patrons option of paying for additional computer time (beyond the 3 hours).
Elimintate guest passes for in-state patrons. Require in-state patrons to get a card.
Use receipt printers at every branch for reserves to save paper.
Advertise book sale and similar evnets at bottom of patron receipts.
Promote each branch on the DML website. Post program calendar for promoted branch.
Vending machines at each branch for public use.
Make library cards the "key to the library." In future, use library cards to purchase from vending machines or pay for copies.
Reduce library operation hours.
Cut sub hours. I don't think the library should lay people off and then turn around and use sub hours.
Have a manager in the building at Main Library at all times. Many times of Thursday there is no manager in the building at night due to Manager's Meeting and it will eliminate OIC pay to save the library money and at times when calling switchboard the newsletter is not updated with the current OIC schedule.
Have every bargaining unit member work at least 1 night and 1 Saturday a month so if things change or a RIF occurs staff is not in shock. Plus for example this will help at night when branches get calls to reserve meetings rooms at main library and com-rel leaves at 5 etc etc. We have 2 switchboard clerks why should they not rotate nights and weekends so library aides do not have to cover it. 4 nights 2 clerks every other night every other Saturday makes sense to me.
Voluntary reduction in hours.
Voluntary transfers from departments or branches that or over staffed to branches or departments that are extremely short staff and extremely busy.
No delivery service on Saturdays to try to save money.
Expand the interlibrary loan service to compensate the public for losing the More benefit. Expand the request to 10 interlibrary loan requests at a time and allow for the borrowing and lending of educational videos.
How about closing the library completely from Sat Dec 24th , to Mon. Jan 3rd? We give up the pay, plus they save whatever costs they would have incurred running each branch.
At those branches that have super high DVD and Music CD thefts, those two collections could be eliminated. The space could then be used to bring in more computers. DVD and CD request could be made but they are kept behind the desk.
I know it's unpopular but I do think we should close a couple of smaller, lower-use branches. Hopefully we could fold most bargaining unit members into vacancies at other locations. It's true that then some people wouldn't be able to get to a library easily, but there are many many neighborhoods where that is true now and nobody's clamoring to serve them better. In fact I think it wouldn't be a bad plan to go to a system of fewer, larger branches. Like 4 or so close to the main library and 4 or so spread further out at the suburbs.
In order to promote consistency among branches, I'd like to see some temporary rotating of personnel. Let people sign up to exchange positions with someone for a month, perhaps.
Increasingly going online is required to participate in society (a little article on this here). Equal access to information and knowledge today means Internet access. We need to really embrace that as our responsibility.
Externally, we need to continue to be very aggressive, I think, on building public awareness of how the library can help different situations, so that folks think of us FIRST when they have a question. In addition to traditional advertising/PR, many of us can be champions to this cause, if we are given time and responsibility for proactive community involvement and partnership building. This allows us to have two-way conversations with folks about what they need and how we can help.
I believe we should investigate potential ROI we could achieve by formalizing our volunteer and giving programs.
Perhaps also look at potential for long-term savings through energy efficiency upgrades.
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