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How we're transforming our library spaces and mindset
At the last Teldan conference, I gave a presentation in Hebrew on how we're transforming our library, and here I’m summarizing it for Library Connect readers.
Here are some initiatives we’re undertaking at Haifa University Library:
- Building meeting rooms for students, an Internet café, study rooms and other spaces devoted to supporting users’ changing needs and habits
- Branding the library and its staff as the leading university unit in terms of information technology and user services delivering information for research, teaching and even leisure
- Branding our library services and information products
- Building a Web presence (in Wikipedia, search engines and so on)
- Providing services through the Internet (remote reference, book requests and delivery, chat)
- Building better communication channels (blogs and forums) to connect with our clients
- Getting involved with our community (going to seminars and meeting with academic staff and student representatives, putting up displays of library collections relevant to seminars and conferences held in the university)
- Helping our university management locate information on subjects of interest to them
One of the most difficult tasks is transforming our library staff into marketing or sales agents in every encounter they have with clients. Most staff understand the importance of the shift.
Some see it as an opportunity, and some as a way to freshen up with new ideas and activities. Library staff often discuss the shift in mindset, and we have seminars and courses and are trying to involve as many staff as possible.
Enjoying the view of library expansion construction underway at Haifa
University are (left to right) Library Secretary Edna Isserlis,
Administration Head Humi Rekem and Media Services Head Ora Zehavi.
Regarding the new spaces we’re building, the construction work is moving ahead. On our blog, you can see photos from the building site.
And here are some ideas for other libraries seeking to transform themselves:
1. Decide on your vision. Where do you want to be in the future?
2. Know your competition, and know your users’ information
needs and how they get what they need.
3. Analyze your environment. Who finances you and what are
their interests, who are your partners in the organization and
who competes for resources?
4. Find resources outside your organization and cooperate with others.
5. Build a marketing strategy supporting your vision and decide on your goals each year. Make sure your general goals
and marketing activities are on the same track. Check the
effectiveness of your marketing activities.
6. Convince your staff that selling and marketing are not obscene and must be part of daily activities. 
