Streamlined Library Programming

Is it possible to both cut costs and improve public library programming for all ages? Yes, it is; this book demonstrates how.In their roles as community centers, public libraries offer many innovative and appealing programs; but under current budget cuts, library resources are stretched thin. With slashed budgets and limited staff hours, what can libraries do to best serve their publics? This how-to guide provides strategies for streamlining library programming in public libraries while simultaneously maintaining—or even improving—quality delivery. The wide variety of principles and techniques described can be applied on a selective basis to libraries of all sizes. Based upon the author's own extensive experience as well as that of colleagues in other library systems, this book provides readers with a practical, step-by-step approach to maximizing resources and minimizing costs of programming without sacrificing quality, as well as insider tips and examples from the field that will help them to avoid known pitfalls.Discusses centralized programming, explaining what it is, how it works, and how librarians can select and apply techniques to their librariesProvides effective solutions to streamlining library services and improving efficiencies in a time of budget reductionsOffers useful sample documents and forms, such as program description templates, surveys, and storytime box logistics

"A clearly written practical guide to the issues surrounding the move to centralized library programming. Any library team considering the move to streamlined programming will find a set of easy-to-follow suggestions that will smooth the transition. . . . [R]ecommended without reservation for public libraries—regardless of size." - The Library Quarterly

Daisy Porter-Reynolds is deputy director at Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Illinois, where she oversees library public services.