Competition for Library Services. White.

1. Competition for
Library Services
For the Inspiration, Innovation, and Celebration
Conference for Librarians
Dr. Larry Nash White
East Carolina University

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Learning Walkabout
• Is there competition for library
services
• Examples of competitors and their
impacts
• How do we respond?
•

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Is there competition for library services?

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A Networked World

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It’s a flat World
High tech, High touch, Individualization

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The public’s perception of libraries…

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We offer quality services…

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The latest technology applications…

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We are change agents and proactive
responders to challenges and problems…

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Time for a reality √ from
a customer’s viewpoint

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√ You are not the ONLY provider of library and information
services in your area.
√ You may not even be the BEST provider of library and
information services in your area.
√ You may not even be the FIRST provider that your
customers think of when obtaining library and information
services.
√ Someone would take YOUR customers from you in a
New York minute if YOU let them! And THEY are trying!

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The Competitors…
• We have seen the enemy and it is us…
• What we can see coming… the tangible
competitors
• What we can’t see that is already here…
the intangible competitors

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Libraries compete with other libraries and
government agencies…
Libraries compete for:
Staffing Resources Collaborators Partners
Opportunities Appreciation Support
Technology Market Share Existing Customers
New Customers Finances ???

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The Tangibles…

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New book technologies…

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Social networking

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The 800 hundred pound gorilla in the room…
What if … Articles and
book chapters as 99¢
downloads / rentals?
Google Docs and Spreadsheets - Google
Calendar - Google Base - Google Maps -
Google Wallet /Cart - G-Mail – GTalk –
Google Scholar – Google Phone -
IGoogle -

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Search Engines galore…

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A few more library service competitors…
Abrams, Steven. “Social Libraries and Librarians: Collaboration, Cooperation, Sharing,
Storytelling, and Networking.” SLIS Johannesburg: August 24, 2007.

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Did I say there were a few more?
Abrams, Steven. “Social Libraries and Librarians: Collaboration, Cooperation, Sharing,
Storytelling, and Networking.” SLIS Johannesburg: August 24, 2007.

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There are more than a few…
Abrams, Steven. “Social Libraries and Librarians: Collaboration, Cooperation, Sharing,
Storytelling, and Networking.” SLIS Johannesburg: August 24, 2007.

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More detailed information and access…

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Flexibility of access…

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Books-by-demand printing…

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The Potentials…

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The Hidden Competitors…

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A dome scratcher…
What is the most valuable
thing in this room?

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A dome scratcher…
What is the most valuable
thing in this room?
Well, …

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A dome scratcher…
What is the most valuable
thing in this room?
Well, …
Imagine if …

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The Hidden… In your town
After-school programs ???
Bookstores ???
Compact Disc Retail ???
Internet Products /
Services
???
Libraries ???
Reading
Programs/Support
???
Schools (All types) ???
Video Retailers ???
Youth Programs ???

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Library Closures
• 2008 Public Library Closure Study (Koontz, et.al)
– Study of library closures 2003 - 2007 years
– Over 500 closures noted
– 4 types of closures
• Temporary (Short term)
• Temporary (Long term)
• Swaps
• Permanent closures
– Approximately 125 permanent closures
• Of the permanent closures....

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Academic libraries are not immune…
Academic
• Academic librarians answer 72.8 million reference questions each year—
almost twice the attendance at college football games. (down from 97
million in 2002)
• College libraries receive less than two cents of every dollar spent on
higher education.
• The number of librarians per 1,000 students enrolled in 2 and 4-year
colleges and universities in the US dropped from 2.4 in 2000 to less
than .5 in 2004.
• 72% of college student respondents said the search engine would be
their first choice the next time they need a source for information.
College students rank the library a distant second with 14%...
Sources: ALA Office for Research & Statistics, OCLC Reports

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Competitor facts…
• Reference questions answered by public libraries:
7,000,000 / week (1 million / day). Google searches:
approximately 1.28 billion / day.
• Second Life’s library gets 5,000 registered visitors a
day in the library
• Unique pages added to the web per day: 7.3 million
• SirsiDynix purchase: $1 billion +
• $226,182,000 for the Library Services and Technology
Act (LSTA)2008

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So how do we compete?

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Stop being comfortable…

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And do something!
“We librarians must learn that
when we study something to
death, … Death was not our
original goal.”
Steven Abram, Vice President, Innovation, Sirsi Dynix

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Be proactive!

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Competitive Responses
•Respond like a business!
•Expand your performance assessment scope
and effectiveness
• Include competitive scanning / intelligence
with your performance assessment
• Use research to your advantage!
•Expand your knowledge and innovative skills

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Competitive Responses
Develop new strategic competitive responses:
• “Know” your service environment
• Innovate your library’s services and service
delivery methods
• Increase access, accountability and alignment to
the service environment
• Delivery service impact, cost effectiveness /
value, more access/less time, and more options
for the customer

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A Flat World Library
Biblioteca de
Santiago

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Pending research on competition
• Pending study of library administrator’s perceptions of
competition and their actual competitive practices
– Competitive resources and activities inventory
• Library as a whole / Library leaders
• Resources committed to competing in library service
environment
– Where are our most competitive libraries?
– What are they doing?
– How are they doing it?
– What difference is it making?

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Being a librarian in a competitive economy
is not too bad…

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The end of the walkabout…
• I am happy to take your questions!
• Thank you for coming today!
• Available to speak / work with your libraries
• To contact Dr. White: whitel@ecu.edu
252-328-2315