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Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Structure of the Plan Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries is presented in three volumes. This Executive Summary (Volume I) is intended for broad distribution. It contains the major findings and recommendations from the study that formed the basis of the Plan as well as a summary version of the Plan itself. The Statewide Plan for the improvement of public library services is presented in a “Balanced Scorecard” format. This format was selected because it lends itself to integration with the Quality initiatives of the Delaware Division of Libraries both internally and with ongoing work with local libraries in what can be characterized as the Delaware Library Performance Improvement and Quality Initiative. Volume II presents a more detailed discussion of the findings and recommendations from the study, a more detailed version of the plan, and reports and documentation regarding the various information and data gathering efforts that were undertaken. This includes the data and the analysis of the data collected through the statewide telephone survey, the focus groups, in-library surveys, library site inspections, and peer comparisons. Volume III contains a complete set of the individual library profiles and includes geographic information system (GIS) maps generated from a sampling of actual library use that show the area effectively served by each library and a summary report of the demographic characteristics of each library’s service population. The profiles also report each library’s performance on a series of key measures and a spreadsheet that outlines the estimated space needs for each library at five year intervals through the year 2025. Because of the length of volumes II and III (each over 300 pages), these documents have been reproduced in limited quantities. However, they are available to the public at their local public library and through the offices of the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL). Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 2 Introduction Delaware has a long tradition of offering library service to the public. Many of the State’s libraries have histories that date back to the 1800s with beginnings as subscription libraries, women’s club libraries, or as mercantile or mechanics’ libraries. One library, the Wilmington Institute, can trace its beginnings back to 1754. In fact, each of Delaware’s three counties has at least one library that existed in some form before 1900. Unfortunately, this long history of service has not guaranteed access to high quality library and information services for all Delawareans in 2005. Quality public library service is provided by some libraries in the State; however, as a whole, Delaware lags behind other states in most commonly applied measures of library service. Recognizing this shortcoming, the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) and the Council on Libraries (COL) began to question why the “First State” couldn’t be first in the nation in providing public library service. This desire for pursuing excellence resulted in the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified consultants to work with the Division to identify the cause of Delaware’s poor performance and to outline a course of action that would result in dramatic improvement. The need for this type of comprehensive study was underscored by a concern that the State’s generous bond program for the construction and renovation of library facilities, while addressing local needs well, was being implemented without adequate consideration of regional and statewide needs and priorities. Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants and PROVIDENCE Associates Inc, submitted a joint proposal to carry out the year long comprehensive planning effort and was subsequently selected to undertake the project. Work began in mid January Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 3 2004 and has continued into the early months of 2005. The plan outlined in this document is the result of thousands of hours of work on the part of the consulting team, the Delaware Division of Libraries staff, the staff of county and local libraries, members of library “Friends” organizations and by several hundred citizens who participated in focus groups and public hearings on the Plan. This planning effort may, in fact, be the most comprehensive look at public library service on a statewide basis ever conducted in the United States. The consultants wish to thank the entire Delaware library community and especially the Delaware Department of State, the Delaware Division of Libraries and the Council of Libraries for their unswerving support of this project. Methodology The development of a truly comprehensive plan for library services and facilities demands a thorough understanding of existing conditions and of the issues confronting the libraries of the State. A large variety of methodologies were employed to build the knowledge base necessary to recommend specific actions. The consultants also recognized from the outset that crafting a credible plan that could be met with a reasonable level of acceptance from the library community would require an inclusive approach. To this end, the consultants designed a multi-faceted process that attempted to secure information from the general public, from library users, from government officials, from librarians and other library staff, and from statistical data that reflects both inputs (e.g., number, size and quality of facilities, staffing, collection size, available technology) as well as outputs (e.g., circulation of materials, reference questions answered, number of library visits). Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 4 A total of 432 library users were involved in 51 focus groups held in libraries throughout the State. Another 2,080 people responded to in-library surveys conducted using touch-screen computers in 29 of the libraries. Over 1,200 (1,273) people, 545 of which were not regular library users, participated in the telephone survey conducted by the University of Delaware. Personal interviews were conducted with library directors and library branch managers throughout the State. Members of the consulting team participated in over twenty meetings with representatives of the library community. Included were three county level meetings of librarians, two statewide “library town meetings,” meetings with specific interest groups within the library community (automation/technology, youth services, etc.), meetings with library board members and Friends, and regular sessions with the Council on Libraries. The principal consultants also conducted public hearings on the plan in each of Delaware’s counties. Personal interviews with more than 50 individuals including elected and appointed officials were conducted. Additional contacts were made with individuals involved in specific State and library related programs such as Livable Delaware and UDLib/SEARCH. Addresses from two samples of actual circulation records (a March sample and an August sample) were used to create electronic pin maps defining the effective service area of each library. Individual assessments of facilities were conducted on a building by building basis. Spreadsheets outlining library space needs were developed for each facility. Library performance data from national sources was analyzed as was information from individual counties and libraries identified as peers for Delaware counties and libraries. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 5 The information from all of these information and data gathering efforts have been considered as the Statewide Plan was developed. Background As indicated in the introduction, Delaware lags behind most other states in nearly all commonly applied measures of library service. The most recent comparable data available for all states covers the 2002 Fiscal Year. The graph on the next page shows Delaware’s ranking relative to other states on “Total Paid Library Staff (full-time equivalents) per 25,000 Population. Chart I on the following page shows Delaware’s performance and ranking on a series of twenty measures computed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data presented is submitted by the individual state library agencies (including DDL) through a program known as the Federal-State Cooperative System for public libraries. The measures include both “inputs” such as staffing levels, number of volumes owned, and expenditures, and “outputs” such as circulation transactions and the number of visits (door-counts). Unfortunately, no standardized data is available on a national level that attempts to document or quantify the significant “outcomes” or benefits received by individual users. While the “First State’s” performance on two of the measures is relatively good (Interlibrary Loan Received per capita – 5th and State Operating Income per capita – 8th), Delaware ranked 50th out of 51 (the District of Columbia is included in the rankings) in 2002 on Paid FTE Staff per 25,000 Population, narrowly beating Arkansas for the dubious honor of being dead last in the rankings. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 6 0 5 10 15 20 25 Library Staff (FTEs) per 25,000 Population FTEs per 25,000 Population 22.22 7.57 12.03 11.98 7.96 High (Ohio) Low (Arkansas) Mean Median Delaware Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 7 CHART I - 2002 Ranking by State * A ranking of 51 is possible because the District of Columbia is reported along with the 60 states Source: National Center for Education Statistics - Public Library State Summary/State Characteristics Data File for 2002 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 8 Delaware ranked 46th in Book and Serial Volumes per capita and 45th in Reference Transactions per capita. If Delaware’s ranking on the 20 measures reported by NCES are averaged, Delaware places 35th among the states. Some of Delaware’s neighbors fare better; Maryland’s average ranking was 15th and New Jersey’s ranking was 16th. While it is of interest to note that Delaware’s ranking on total per capita income and total per capita expenditures closely correlates with its overall performance, it is also clear from a careful examination of the measures that the First State’s generally poor performance is not due to any single factor. A review of the more detailed charts and graphs contained in Volume II demonstrates that simply “throwing money at the problem” is not the total solution. While it is true, more money for library services will be necessary if Delaware is to move up in the rankings to any significant degree, how additional funding is targeted is nearly as important as how much additional funding is provided. An example of targeted funding having a positive effect can be seen in the Interlibrary Loans Received measure. One of the reasons that Delaware performs well in this category is the investment that has been made in resource sharing in the State. The availability of national and state-level resource sharing systems makes the process of sharing materials feasible and affordable. For the end user or library “customer,” shared automated catalogs offer an easy way to locate and request materials from other libraries. Delaware’s performance as a state is obviously influenced by the performance of individual libraries in the State. When statewide data is analyzed, it becomes clear that there is a wide variation in the quality and quantity of library service offered. Convenient access to high quality public library service is often a function of where you live. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 9 An illustration can be found in comparing the amount that is spent per capita to purchase new materials in each of Delaware’s counties. Public Library Data Service statistics reveal that the national average per capita spent by all libraries serving populations of under 100,000 is over $ 5.00 per capita. Not surprisingly, Delaware’s mean ($ 3.37 per capita) is significantly lower than this benchmark. However, a look at this measure by county reveals that the State’s $ 3.37 average is result of the following county level expenditures: • Kent County $ 1.81 per capita • New Castle County $ 4.03 per capita • Sussex County $ 3.10 per capita Looking below the county level reveals that expenditures per capita by individual libraries range from $ 0.41 per capita to $ 7.99 per capita. It is abundantly clear from an analysis of a wide variety of information that making progress in the improvement in public library service statewide will require actions that influence what takes place at the county and local levels. Findings A full discussion of the data that supports the following findings can be found in Volume II. A brief synopsis of that data is included with each finding. FINDING I Taken as a whole, the quantity and quality of public library services offered to the residents of Delaware are sub-standard. National statistics reveal that compared to other states, Delaware ranks below the mean on 19 of 20 performance measures collected by the National Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 10 Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and below the median on 17 of the same 20 measures. An illustration of the fact that Delaware is lagging behind can be found through an examination of the websites of Delaware’s public libraries in comparison to library websites from neighboring states. A number of Delaware libraries do not have web sites at all. Among those that do, many are rudimentary and offer little more than library location, hours, a link to their area’s shared automation system and a link to DelAWARE (the State’s digital library). It should be noted that a number of Delaware libraries do have reasonably good web sites. However, the general status of the digital doorway to Delaware’s libraries is clearly substandard. An examination of library websites maintained by libraries in Maryland and New Jersey reveals a much stronger web presence. Their websites tend to look far more professional and, even more importantly, tend to provide much greater access to informational resources. FINDING II The quality and quantity of library service that is offered vary greatly by county and by locale. County and local library level data reveal significant disparities between and among Delaware’s public libraries. A good example can be found by examining circulation per capita data. In 2003, six Delaware libraries circulated 3.0 or fewer items per person in their service areas. At the opposite end of the scale, six libraries circulated 8.0 or more items per person. Delaware libraries range from a low of 0.7 items per capita on this measure to a high of 13.7 items per capita. The average for libraries in Kent County is 3.0 while Sussex County’s circulation per capita is twice as high at 6.0. Within Kent County, libraries range from 0.7 circulations per capita to 5.2 circulations per Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 11 capita. As a point of reference, the State of Delaware mean is 5.6 and the national mean for libraries reporting to the Public Library Data Service is over 9.0 per capita. FINDING III Some real progress in improving library services has been made in recent years. Significant capital investments by the State (through the Delaware Public Library Construction Assistance Act) and by county governments (particularly New Castle County) coupled with additional State and county investments in operational costs have resulted in noteworthy improvement in service measures such as library visits per capita and circulation per capita. The State of Delaware and the Delaware Division of Libraries have exercised considerable leadership in encouraging the adoption of new technologies, in expanding continuing education and training efforts for library staff, as well as taking an active role in public library facility development. DelAWARE, The First State’s Digital Library, has expanded the breadth of information resources available in the smallest libraries in the State. County library operations in all three counties have also grown stronger. Operational support for public libraries from County governments has increased and County operations in New Castle and Sussex Counties are exercising a greater role in coordinating library development within their jurisdictions. FINDING IV Much of the progress has been due to greater involvement of county governments in coordinating and funding library services. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 12 The greatest progress has been made by libraries that have received additional county tax revenues. Far less progress has been made by libraries that are the most dependent on municipal revenues. It should be noted that the Dover Public Library has performed reasonably well although the majority of its support comes from its municipal government. Only three public libraries in Delaware receive 50 % or more of their operational support from municipalities. All three of these libraries are located in Kent County. New Castle County has continued to encourage independent libraries to become County libraries. The Woodlawn project in the City of Wilmington is a concrete example of these efforts. FINDING V Unless a concerted effort is made to improve library services quickly, Delaware is likely to fall further behind (especially in terms of per capita measures) because of its significant population growth. Population projections for the State of Delaware indicate that more than 1,000,000 people will reside in Delaware by the end of the twenty year time horizon covered by this plan. Depending on which projections are used, this represents an increase in population of between 18% and 20% by the year 2025. Delaware’s investment in public libraries will need to significantly exceed the growth rate if there is an expectation that Delaware will realize more than marginal improvement. An additional issue relates to the large number of non-resident users of Delaware libraries. Nearly 30% of the registered borrowers at the South Coastal Library (Bethany Beach) and at the Rehoboth Beach Library are non-residents. The non resident total at the Lewes Library is nearly 10%. Good libraries are an attractive incentive that encourages investment in Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 13 Delaware. However, non-residents add significantly to the service populations of a number of beach (and border) communities. Non-resident populations must be factored into any library service equation in these areas. Finally, it should be noted that many non-residents are coming from states and areas that offer a higher level of public library service than they find in Delaware. These people bring their high expectations with them when they spend time in the First State. FINDING VI In general, Delaware has too many library buildings but not enough library space to offer high quality library service. With 33 library facilities (there are also two bookmobiles in operation in the State), Delaware has roughly one library for every 25,500 people. While this ratio of facilities to population is reasonable, there are extreme variations in the populations served by individual libraries. If the effective service area populations calculated by the consultants are used, ten of Delaware’s libraries have service populations under 10,000. Four of these libraries serve populations of 4,000 or less. At the other end of the spectrum, six libraries in the State serve populations in excess of 60,000. It is of great interest to note that these six libraries, four of which are 25,000 GSF or larger in size, account for 52% of the State’s total circulation of library materials. The outstanding success of larger facilities such as New Castle County’s Bear and Brandywine Hundred branches illustrates that larger buildings that serve a broader area usually generate much greater use than small libraries serving a limited population base. Both Sussex County and Kent County operate bookmobiles. While the notion of a bookmobile as a suitable substitute for a physical facility is both Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 14 romantic and historically accurate, changing demographic patterns, especially the prevalence of two-income families, has altered the most effective model of bookmobile service. The days of establishing a successful daytime bookmobile stop at a general store or at an intersection in a rural area are largely past. Instead, bookmobiles are most effective as outreach tools that serve concentrated clusters of the population that are limited in mobility. Daycare centers and senior housing facilities are examples. Bookmobiles can also be used for community stops; however, evening and weekend stops should be the rule rather than the exception. FINDING VII Almost without exception, Delaware’s public libraries are badly understaffed. We have already pointed out that the State of Delaware ranks 50th out of 51 (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) in Paid Full-Time Equivalent Staff per 25,000 Population. The First State’s rank is 43rd in categories that measure the number of librarians holding a Master’s degree in Library Science from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program per 25,000 in population and 43rd in the number of staff categorized as librarians who lack the ALA accredited degree. Delaware’s showing is even worse (47th) in the “other” staff category that would include library associate and clerical positions. The consultants also discovered that many library directors and other staff in Delaware receive little or nothing in the way of benefits. This situation is especially prevalent among the ‘independent” libraries that are established as 501 (c)(3) organizations. This lack creates difficulties in the recruitment and retention of qualified staff in addition to creating significant personal hardships. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 15 FINDING VIII Taken as a whole, Delaware’s library collections are too small and, in many cases, are out of date. The FY 2002 NCES statistics ranked Delaware 46th among the states in terms of Book and Serial Volumes per capita. The First State performed somewhat better (37th) on measures of both audio and video formats. 2003 statistics from Delaware libraries indicate improvements in all three areas (books and serials, audio units, and video units) from 2002 levels. Nevertheless, Delaware still has a good distance to go in developing its basic library resources. Furthermore, national and State statistics do not reflect the quality of materials that are owned. From the consultants’ time spent on-site in Delaware libraries, we are aware that some libraries have active, well-chosen collections while more than a few other collections contain a high percentage of dated and worn materials. In many cases, these materials were gifts from library users. The measure known as “turnover rate” provides a relatively easy way to assess the “freshness” and relevance of library collections. Turnover rate simply looks at the number of volumes owned and the number of times these items circulate on average during a year’s time. In other words, if a library has 10,000 volumes and a circulation of 10,000, the turnover rate is 1.0. If the 10,000 volumes generate 20,000 circulations, the turnover rate is 2.0. Higher turnover rates are an indication that users are interested in what they find on library shelves. In 2003, turnover rates in Delaware libraries ranged from 0.58 to 7.04! Several of the larger New Castle County libraries perform particularly well on this measure indicating that their collections contain materials that their users want. Very low turnover rates (anything below 1.0 certainly qualifies as being Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 16 low) often signal that a collection may contain a lot of “dead wood.” The library may well have some good materials. but these items may be lost among many other materials that are old, unattractive, and dated. Some libraries in Delaware need to address relatively low volume counts. Others need to reduce the size of their collections to make well selected materials more visible and accessible. FINDING IX Residents of some areas of the State lack convenient access to in-depth library resources and collections. The combination of relatively small libraries and a very small number of library professionals in the State leaves Delaware residents with less in the way of reference service than is common in other states. There are only a few libraries that have what might be considered in-depth resources, collections, and reference assistance. Ideally, every Delaware resident would have access to such resources within their own county in the form of a resource library designed to fulfill county-level needs. In fact, many states in the United States have some form of State Aid that recognizes this need and designates specific libraries as “County Resource Libraries.” In some states, these libraries are supported primarily with county funds; others are independent libraries that receive state or county subsidies to support more in-depth services. This concept is very consistent with the idea of having at least one “Anchor” library in each of Delaware’s three counties. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 17 FINDING X Delaware has several positive assets that can be used to address many of the deficiencies that have been cited. While the overall status of Delaware libraries may at first seem a bit bleak, the First State has many assets that it can bring to bear on the problem. Delaware has several programs of which it can be justifiably proud. The DelAWARE database licensing program offers electronic access to high quality resources. The First State’s bond program for public library construction is one of the finest in the country. General State Aid support has been strong and elected officials have been supportive of efforts to improve the quality of life enjoyed by Delaware residents in general and specifically, the quality of library services enjoyed by State residents. Furthermore, the State’s Council on Libraries and the staff of the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) have a vision for improved library services that continuously asks, “why not the best?” Librarians throughout Delaware are fully engaged with the DDL on numerous projects and initiatives to improve service. Advocacy (and financial support) for movement to the development of a Statewide automated integrated library system is another bright spot. Library customers clearly expressed their preference for shared catalogs in the focus groups that were held throughout the State. (In fact, the public expressed their desire for an integrated catalog that includes not just public libraries but academic libraries as well.) A broader shared catalog can result in greater efficiency in resource sharing, more coordination in collection development, and the reduction of duplication of resources. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the public is supportive of public libraries. The telephone survey that was conducted as part of this planning effort Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 18 revealed significant support for libraries. In fact, 89.9% of all respondents said that public libraries were either “vital to the quality of life in their community” or “very important to the quality of life in their community.” Not surprisingly, a higher percentage (92.7%) of regular users of libraries selected “vital” or “very important.” However, the most encouraging news of all may be that 84.1% of people who do not use Delaware’s public libraries also concurred that libraries were either “vital” or “very important.” Public support for the public library as an important institution is alive and well in the First State. A FINAL FINDING The final finding is not so much a finding as it is an invocation to action. The consultants believe that it is in the State of Delaware’s own self interest to continue to support the development of high quality public library services. A recent study conducted by the University of South Carolina looked at the economic impact of expenditures on public library services. The conclusion of the study was that South Carolina receives $ 4.48 in value for every dollar spent; a 350% return on investment. A link to the study can be found at: http://www.libsci.sc.edu/SCEIS/home.htm The consultants believe that dollars provided for the improvement of public library facilities and services are dollars invested rather than dollars spent and that the return on such an investment goes well beyond the financial analysis covered by the South Carolina study. It is extremely difficult to measure the benefit derived by the State when a pre-school child is introduced to the world of books and literature in a way that causes her or him to become a lifetime reader. It is impossible to calculate the cost to the education system if a middle school child is denied the help she or he needs while working on her or his first “research paper.” And this says nothing of the Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 19 value added to Delaware’s property base and to the State’s businesses when retirees from Maryland or New Jersey decide to build a home in Delaware because the community they have chosen has a good public library. Our final finding if that public libraries are not only vital to the quality of life in the First State; public libraries are a fiscally sound investment as well. Balanced Scorecard As the findings demonstrate, no one factor is responsible for Delaware’s overall poor performance on standard measures of library service. The problem is not a single-faceted problem. Rather, it is a series of related problems. As such, the situation must be addressed in a holistic fashion. The statewide plan for library services in the State of Delaware is intended to be one piece in a larger framework of planning for public library services in Delaware. It is seen as the top level of a series of planning efforts that, together, will move the performance of the First State’s libraries from their present status in the lowest quartile nationally to the forefront of what twenty-first century libraries can and should be. The Vision of the Delaware Division of Libraries is that, “Residents of the First State will have public library service that is second to none in the nation!” Making this vision a reality will require a cooperative and coordinated effort between and among many entities. While the Delaware Division of Libraries and the State government are key players in the mix, becoming a leader in library services is highly dependent on the actions of local and county libraries as well as on the governments that fund them. One of the important roles of the Division of Libraries and of the State government will be to develop and implement policy and funding initiatives that Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 20 encourage local governments and libraries to pursue the objectives outlined in this plan. Because each library in the State is different and serves a different population, some planning will be needed at the local level. However, the efforts already undertaken as part of the statewide planning project mean that individual libraries will be well on their way to developing plans that are linked to the State plan before they even begin. The State Plan has been crafted using a technique referred to as a “Balanced Scorecard.” The Balanced Scorecard method of strategic planning emerged in the late 1980s and gained wide popular acceptance in the 1990s based on the work of Robert S. Kaplan of the Harvard Business School and his colleague David P. Norton. Because the balanced scorecard can easily be “scaled” to encompass the needs of large organizations that have many tiers, the approach has also been very successful in situations in which separate entities share a common vision. The diagram on the next page illustrates how the statewide plan, the Delaware Division of Libraries’ own plan, and individual library plans will be linked together. There are two major reasons for adopting the balanced scorecard planning approach on a statewide basis. The first is that the balanced scorecard attempts to simplify and streamline the key points in a way that is easy to understand. This is extremely important when planning is being done Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 21 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 22 across a number of entities even if they do share the same ultimate goal. It is extremely important that all libraries in Delaware understand what the State hopes to accomplish and how the statewide vision relates to their library. A second related reason for adopting the balanced scorecard approach is that it is designed to encourage linkages between individual plans. This aspect of the planning method provides a mechanism that lends itself to working together to achieve common objectives. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD APPROACH The balanced scorecard has many similarities to older, more traditional methods of strategic planning. The approach uses a structure of objectives, measures, and activities that will seem familiar to most people who have participated in other planning efforts. Perhaps the greatest difference is that the balanced scorecard is structured around looking at an organization, or in the case of the statewide plan, at a service system, from several different viewpoints. In balanced scorecard parlance, these viewpoints are called “Perspectives.” The perspectives create a bottom-up hierarchy that organizes the Plan’s priorities in a very streamlined way. The perspectives used for this Plan are presented on the next page. They should be read from the bottom of the diagram to the top. In other words, the Financial/Policy perspective is the base, and while it is critical to the success of the system, the most important perspective relates to the Customer and the value that customers receive from their public libraries. Each perspective links and supports the perspective above it. All of the components of service including staffing, collections, and technology build to meet customer needs and demands. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 23 The arrow on the right hand side of the diagram shows that if customers are highly satisfied and if they are receiving value from the services that are provided, they will support additional funding to further improve those services. In other words, an initial investment in libraries is used to deliver highly valued services and that, in turn, will "earn” greater financial support. INTERNAL – Greater efficiency and effectiveness LEARNING & GROWING – Well trained staff with the right skills and competencies CUSTOMER – Greater customer satisfaction and increased value FINANCIAL/ POLICY – Investment in library and information services Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 24 Much of the rest of the balanced scorecard approach bears great similarity to more traditional planning methods. There are objectives within each of the perspective areas, and a mechanism for the measurement of progress toward each objective is built into the plan from the start. The “action” phase of the plan comes in the form of “initiatives” directed to the desired improvements at each level. THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PLAN Balanced scorecard planning, like most other planning processes, starts with mission, vision, and values. Following is an attempt to express these concepts on behalf of the entire system that makes up the public library service delivery framework. Mission The public libraries of Delaware ensure that all Delawareans have access to quality information resources and services that enable them to be successful and to enjoy a high quality of life. Vision The First State will offer public library service that is “First in the nation!” Values • The free exchange of ideas is fundamental to a democracy. • All people should have free access to high quality information resources. • Reading is a fundamental life skill. • Information literacy is a critical skill in an increasingly technological society. • Reading, listening to and/or viewing library materials for pleasure enhances quality of life. • The public has a right to expect that tax supported organizations will be efficient and Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 25 effective and that they will strive for excellence in everything they do. In addition, participants in DDL “Be Our Guest” workshops in 2002 underscored that Delaware libraries embrace the values of Access, Excellence, and Service represented by the following statements adopted by the American Library Association as being among its core values: • Access - All information resources that are provided directly or indirectly by the library, regardless of technology, format, or methods of delivery, should be readily, equally, and equitably accessible to all library users. • Service - We provide the highest level of service to all library users ...We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession. STRATEGY MAP As indicated earlier, balanced scorecard planning tries to strip down the plan to the essentials to make it easy for all who are working within the system to understand and to display this information is a way that is easy to grasp. An initial step in this effort is the creation of something called a strategy map. The next page presents the statewide plan in the form of a strategy map. The perspectives in the plan are ordered in the fashion that has already been described. The “customer,” or potential customer is every resident of Delaware (whether a full-time resident or Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 26 Customer Internal Learning & Growth Financial/ Policy Expand Customer Base Retain Existing Customers Increase Value to Customer Optimize Facilities Improve Resource Enhance Access Develop Required Competencies Develop Leadership Recruit & Retain Qualified Staff Foster Innovation Encourage Local (County) Investment Streamline Governance Generate Developmental Policies Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 27 a seasonal resident). Satisfying the customer by providing information and services that are relevant, valued, and that contribute to the quality of life in the State is the ultimate goal. The plan proposes a step by step approach that starts at the bottom and gradually works its way toward the top of the chart. This is not to say that steps aimed at accomplishing objectives throughout the plan will not happen simultaneously. However, it does suggest that complete success at the “Customer” level cannot be realized unless progress is made at the Financial/Policy, Learning & Growth, and Internal levels. The bottom-up hierarchy that is expressed in the chart would suggest that work aimed at meeting the objectives that appear in the pink ovals is extremely important. As work is done toward achieving the objectives of optimizing facilities and improving resources, the strategies employed to accomplish these objectives should be assessed in terms of whether actions encourage county investment, encourage the streamlining of governance structures, and employ policies that are developmental in nature. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PLAN While this Executive Summary version of the plan is intended as an overview, we will attempt to provide a quick overview of what the plan will require in the way of action. Each of the objectives that are contained in the ovals on the previous page are the subject of specific strategies and actions in the full plan. For example, several developmental policies are recommended that attempt to improve the potential for success in achieving other objectives. One example of the interrelationship between and among the objectives can be seen by looking at the “Generate Developmental Policies” objective in tandem with the “Optimize Facilities” objective. The plan recommends the adoption of a policy that would have the State award a higher percentage of construction costs for Anchor libraries or for the merging of libraries Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 28 called for in the plan than for “Community” libraries that do not involve mergers. The purpose then of the Developmental Policies objective is to encourage highly efficient facilities. Another example is a recommendation that the State of Delaware develop a program of “Quality Library Aid.” This program would not replace the current aid program. Rather, it would provide incentives to libraries to meet performance targets. In this example, the new funding initiative would result in better performance in the Plan’s objective of “Improve Resources.” This is because one of the measures that would be applied to determine Quality Library Aid relates to the size of library collections. Each of the objectives in the plan is the subject of a series of measures designed to assess the progress that is being made toward reaching the objectives. (A summary of recommended measures is contained in APPENDIX A.) Let us continue to use the volumes per capita example we used above. Specific statewide targets and individual library targets are established in the plan. When possible, the statewide targets are established in comparison to national norms. Targets for statewide improvement are set at one standard deviation above performance during the previous year. The following chart illustrates this approach: Volumes per Capita 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 0 1.17 2.21 3.25 4.29 5.33 6 2002 Mean (All States) 3.25 Number of States 2010 Delaware Target 3.09 2002 Delaware Actual 2.05 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 29 In this instance, the chart is based on the performance of the 50 states and the District of Columbia as reported to NCES. As was acknowledged earlier, Delaware’s performance of 2.05 volumes per capita is quite low. The curve shows that only a few states had lower volume counts than Delaware. The numbers across the bottom of the chart represent “standard deviation” from the national mean or average. Standard deviation is a way of measuring the degree to which individual scores, or in this case, the number of volumes per capita, differ. We have established the statewide target at the value of one standard deviation higher than the base year’s performance. You will note that the standard deviation, or the difference between the numbers at the bottom, is 1.04. Since Delaware is currently at 2.05, an improvement of one standard deviation would be 3.09 (or 2.05 + 1.04). As you can see, this is not the final solution. In fact, Delaware would still be below the national mean. However, the standard deviation approach represents making real progress in an incremental way. Targets for local libraries would also be based on their current performance. If a library currently had 1.00 volumes per capita, it would not initially be expected to reach the 3.09 target. Rather its target would be 2.04 (or 1.0 + 1.04), which represents one standard deviation above its current level. This approach also has the advantage of encouraging continuous improvement. Each year, targets would be readjusted upward as statewide performance improves. The hope is that eventually, this incremental improvement will place Delaware among the top tier of libraries. Libraries would not be expected to achieve the targets that have been established in a single year. In fact the timeframe for improvement varies from measure to measure. The point of establishing the specific targets and providing incentives for doing so is to encourage progress. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 30 THE OPTIMIZE FACILITIES OBJECTIVE Much attention has been given to the “Optimize Facilities” objective. One of the major goals for the Statewide Plan has been to clarify how the State could maximize the benefits derived from the Delaware Public Library Construction Assistance Act. The Optimize Facilities objective speaks to the needs identified in Finding VI. (In general, Delaware has too many library buildings but not enough library space to offer high quality library service.) Many actions will be required to achieve this objective. We have included the documents that outline some of this activity as APPENDIX B. One of the specific targets established for this objective is the establishment of at least one Anchor Library in each of the three counties. This recommendation is based on the fact that larger facilities designed to serve a larger population and a larger area are more efficient to operate and generate greater use (e.g., more library visits per capita, more circulation per capita). However, the action of establishing at least one Anchor facility in each county also addresses the need identified in Finding IX (Residents of some areas of the State lack convenient access to in-depth library resources and collections.) This illustrates the way in which the Plan, its objectives, and the actions taken to implement it are connected to the Findings. The Plan also establishes a statewide target of 1.0 Gross Square Feet (GSF) per capita. This does not mean that each building should be sized to exactly 1.0 GSF per capita. However, this target would apply on the county level as well as at the State level. The Plan also establishes other ways of measuring progress toward reaching the Optimize Facilities Objective. Since fewer but larger facilities would lead to higher use and greater efficiency, larger facilities are recommended. It is relatively simple to measure progress by looking at the average size of facilities. An increase in the average size is a simple indicator that progress is being made. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 31 Summary Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries is an extremely ambitious plan. It attempts to change the way that the State of Delaware approaches the development of library services. The Plan will not be successful if it is viewed as the Delaware Division of Libraries’ plan FOR Delaware’s libraries. True progress will be made only when the Plan is embraced by the library community as its own plan for improvement. The Plan demands a close working relationship between and among a wide variety of stakeholders. These stakeholders include: • local libraries including their staff, Board and Friends; • local units of government; • the DDL and the Council on Libraries; • elected and appointed county officials; • the Office of the Secretary of State; and, • the Executive and Legislative branches of State government. The Plan takes a holistic approach that closely links components of the plan to each other. Facilities are not an end in themselves; rather, they are a mechanism for improving access. Policies are designed to encourage and reward development rather than to punish. The Plan establishes very specific targets for improvement that are not “one size fits all” solutions. Rather, the performance targets attempt to meet libraries where they are and make measurable progress toward the indicator of success. Finally, it must be noted that implementing this Plan will take a tremendous amount of work. Yes, this is an ambitious Plan; but it is also a practical Plan that sets its sight on the goal of making the First State first in the nation in public library service. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 32 APPENDIX A PLAN OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 33 Delaware Balanced Scorecard Objectives and Measures PERSPECTIVE - CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE - Expand Customer Base MEASURE – Total Number of Registered Borrowers MEASURE – Number of Children Registered MEASURE – Registered Borrowers as a Percentage of Service Population OBJECTIVE - Retain Existing Customers MEASURE – Comparison of Registrations to Baseline Registrations (previous year) MEASURE – Number of pre-school story hour “graduates” that participate in children’s programming for older children MEASURE – Periodic In-Library Survey Results (Survey can provide data used for several objectives) OBJECTIVE - Increase Value to Customer MEASURE – Periodic In-Library Survey Results (see above) MEASURE – Service units per capita (refined composite measure including circulation, reference, program attendance, etc.) MEASURE – Electronic resource use (Use of the SAM system will help measure a number of specific categories of use) MEASURE – Number of contacts with users or potential users to determine customer needs (focus groups, surveys, community meetings, etc.) PERSPECTIVE - INTERNAL OBJECTIVE - Optimize Facilities MEASURE – Number of Anchor Libraries MEASURE – Average Size of Facilities MEASURE – Square Feet per capita (progress toward 1.0 GSF/capita) OBJECTIVE - Improve Resources MEASURE – Volumes per Capita & Turnover Rate (refined composite measure to avoid large collections that are poor in quality) MEASURE – Number of Public Computers with Internet Access MEASURE – Number of web pages with significant information content offered by Delaware’s public libraries Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 34 OBJECTIVE - Enhance Access MEASURE – Population proximity to Anchor Library MEASURE – Convenience of Hours of Operation (weighted for evenings and weekend hours in most cases; however individual libraries can weight convenient hours differently if demographics suggest this is appropriate) MEASURE – Number of inter and intra library loans handled by shared automation systems (may also factor in other collection sharing mechanisms) MEASURE – Average frequency of ILL deliveries (van deliveries) MEASURE – Mean delivery time for ILL requests OBJECTIVE - Refine Internal Processes MEASURE – Processes Targeted for Review and Improvement (Quality, not quantity of these efforts.) MEASURE – Number of Benchmarking Contacts Related to Continuous Process Improvement PERSPECTIVE - LEARNING & GROWTH OBJECTIVE - Recruit & Retain Qualified Staff MEASURE – Number of ALA Master’s Degreed Librarians MEASURE – Wages and Benefits per FTE MEASURE – Professional Staff Turnover OBJECTIVE - Develop Required/Emerging Competencies MEASURE – Number of participants in Library Associate Training Institute (LATI) MEASURE – Number of Courses and Number of Library Staff completing courses related to Western Council Competencies and/or number of continuing education units (CEUs) awarded MEASURE – Number of State Certified public librarians (new program) OBJECTIVE - Develop Leadership MEASURE – Number of participants in State, regional, or national library leadership institutes MEASURE – Number of multi-state Library Leadership events planned and implemented MEASURE – Number of public library staff members (different individuals) elected to posts in state, regional, or national professional library organizations) Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 35 OBJECTIVE - Foster Innovation MEASURE – Number of Innovative product and/or services introduced to the library community and supported with incentives for adoption MEASURE - Number of libraries participating in State or DDL initiated innovative efforts MEASURE – Number of awards given to public libraries or library staff for innovative projects/efforts PERSPECTIVE - FINANCIAL/POLICY OBJECTIVE - Encourage Local (county) Investment MEASURE – Number (or size in $) of performance based incentive programs implemented (Quality Aid) MEASURE – Amount of increase in county funding for library operations (compared to baseline year) MEASURE – Amount of increase in county funding for library capital projects (compared to baseline year) OBJECTIVE - Streamline Governance MEASURE – Number of Independent Libraries that join county libraries MEASURE – Number of 501(c)(3) libraries (reduction) with conversion of 501 (c)(3) status to foundations that carry out education and fund-raising efforts OBJECTIVE - Generate and Apply Developmental Policies MEASURE – Number of incentive programs and policies implemented that advance other objectives in the plan MEASURE – Annual review of the effect of developmental policies on other Plan objectives Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 36 APPENDIX B DETAIL ON OPTIMIZE FACILITIES ACTIVITIES Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 37 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 38 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 39 FACILITY RECOMMENDATIONS GOALS TO ACHIEVE BY 2025 The following nine goals are recommended. The goals are achievable by 2025. They are: • Library space equal to one square foot (SF) per capita • Ninety percent of the residents living within 10 miles of a Community or Regional Library • Eighty percent of the residents living within 20 miles of an Anchor Library • Library materials collections (all formats) equal to 3.09 items per capita • Personal computers (PCs) equal to one PC for every 20 visits per day per building (a building with an average of 500 visitors per day would need 25 PCs for public use) • Library parking spaces equal to one space per every 200 SF of building space per building for Community and Regional libraries • Library parking spaces equal to one space per every 300 SF of building space per building for Anchor libraries • All buildings to be fully ADA compliant • All new buildings to be LEEDSTM certified or to consider “sustainable architecture” approach to “green buildings” THREE TYPES OF LIBRARY FACILITIES Three different types of library facilities, and thus three different sized library facilities, are recommended. They are: • Anchor Library • Regional Library • Community Library. Anchor Library An Anchor Library will be the largest type – in every respect – in the State. It is recommended that there be at least one Anchor Library in each of the three counties, and the more populated counties may well have two to four anchor libraries within the 20-year timeframe of these recommendations. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 40 Anchor libraries will have the: • Largest and strongest collections of library materials in terms of depth of all types (print, media, and electronically-accessible) • Largest staff due to extended hours, extensive usage by the public, and the support role for the Regional and Community libraries within their respective counties • Greatest number of professional staff (librarians with a master’s degree from a graduate program accredited by the American Library Association [ALA]) • Computer training facilities and “classes” for public and staff • Most meeting room and conference room space for public and staff usage. Anchor libraries will be: • Full service facilities • Sized from 40,000 – 60,000 SF • Open seven days a week, 52 weeks per year, 90 hours per week, as follows: • Monday – Thursdays – 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM • Friday – Saturday – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Sunday – 12:00 noon – 10:00 PM. Anchor library collections should be developed as follows: • Collection Emphasis (print) • Consumer health • Do-it-yourself (gardening, household projects, vehicle repair, etc.) • Management (business) • Marketing, public relations, and salesmanship • Parenting • Personal finance • Political science • Religion • Travel • State, county, and local history • Genealogy (if interest is present within the county in sufficient numbers) • Children’s literature • Teen literature • Fiction, including genre (mysteries, science fiction, westerns, romance) Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 41 • Large type books according to demographics of the service area. • Collection Emphasis (media) • DVDs * • CD literature * • CD music • Cease the purchase of videocassettes and books-on-tape effective July 1, 2005 (but retain existing collections of those titles that have a solid circulation history). • Libraries should be monitoring and implementing licensing of “downloadable” content as that market begins to clarify. • Collection Emphasis (magazines and newspapers) • Magazines – one current subscription for every 300 residents in the service area • Newspapers – included in above formula, with four to five Delaware papers, four to five regional papers, e.g. Baltimore Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Times, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and four to five national papers, e.g. USA Today, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Washington Post as examples. • Collection Emphasis (electronic resources) • Internet connectivity • Productivity Software such as Word™, Excel™, PowerPoint™, and printing and scanning capabilities • Access to three or four licensed databases beyond those included in the DelAWARE licenses. Regional Library There may be from two to four or five Regional libraries within a county, depending upon the projected population and demographics, density, transportation network, and infrastructure of a county. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 42 Regional libraries will have: • Reasonably large and strong collections of library materials in terms of all types of materials (print, media, and electronically-accessible) • Adequate staff for the hours of usage, the services to be provided, the anticipated usage, and the size of the building • Two to four professional staff depending upon the building size, the population to be served, and the demographics of the service area • Computer training facilities and “classes” for public and staff • Meeting and conference rooms for public and staff usage. Regional libraries will be: • Full service libraries • Sized from 15,000 – 30,000 SF • Open six to seven days a week, up to 72 hours per week, (depending upon regional demographics, population served, etc.) as follows: • Monday – Thursdays – 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM • Friday – Saturday – 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Sunday – 12:00 noon – 6:00 PM. Regional library collections should be developed as follows: • Collection Emphasis (print) • Consumer health • Do-it-yourself (lawns, household projects, vehicle repair, etc.) • Management (business) • Parenting • Personal finance • Political science • Religion • Salesmanship • Travel • State, county, and local history • Children’s literature • Teen literature • Fiction, including genre (mysteries, science fiction, westerns, romance) • Large type books according to demographics of the service area. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 43 • Collection Emphasis (media) • DVDs * • CD literature * • CD music * Cease the purchase of videocassettes and books-on-tape effective July 1, 2005 (but retain existing collections of those titles that have a solid circulation history). • Libraries should be monitoring and implementing licensing of “downloadable” content as that market begins to clarify. • Collection Emphasis (magazines and newspapers) • Magazines – one current subscription for every 200 residents in the service area • Newspapers – included in above formula, with two or three Delaware papers, two or three regional papers, e.g. Baltimore Sun, Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and three or four national papers, e.g. USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times as examples. • Collection Emphasis (electronic resources) • Internet connectivity • Productivity Software such as Word™, Excel™, PowerPoint™, and printing and scanning capabilities • Access to two or three licensed databases beyond those included in the DelAWARE licenses. Community Library Community libraries will be the smallest of the three types of facilities. There may be anywhere from three or four up to eight to ten community libraries in a county depending upon such factors as population, geographic size of the county, transportation network, etc. Community libraries will have: • Collections of library materials responsive to the direct library and information needs of the community being served • Adequate staff for the hours of usage, the services to be provided, and the anticipated usage Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 44 • One or two professional staff depending upon the population to be served and the demographics of the service area • Meeting and/or conference rooms for public and staff usage. Community libraries will be: • Sized from 10,000 – 12,000 SF • Open six days a week, 56 hours per week, as follows: • Monday – Thursdays – 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM • Friday – Saturday – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Community library collections should be developed as follows: • Collection Emphasis (print) • Consumer health • Do-it-yourself (gardening, household projects, vehicle repair, etc.) • Parenting • Personal finance • Travel • Local and county history • Children’s literature • Fiction, including genre (mysteries, science fiction, westerns, romance) • Large type books according to demographics of the service area. • Collection Emphasis (media) • DVDs * • CD literature * • CD music * Cease the purchase of videocassettes and books-on-tape effective July 1, 2005 (but retain existing collections of those titles that have a solid circulation history). • Libraries should be monitoring and implementing licensing of “downloadable” content as that market begins to clarify. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 45 • Collection Emphasis (magazines and newspapers) • Magazines – one current subscription for every 200 residents in the service area • Newspapers – included in above formula, with two Delaware papers and two national papers, e.g. USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post as examples. • Collection Emphasis (electronic resources) • Internet connectivity • Productivity Software such as Word™, Excel™, PowerPoint™, and printing capabilities • Access to one licensed database beyond those included in the DelAWARE licenses. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 46 PROJECT GUIDELINES In order to receive matching funds from the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) for a capital improvement project the following guidelines are recommended: • The project must be included in this Statewide Master Plan (see Building Project Recommendations elsewhere in this report) • The end result of a project must be a building that is, at minimum, 10,000 SF in size* • A Needs Assessment Study must first be prepared and approved by the DDL (see Needs Assessment Study Component guidelines below). * If an existing building is, for example, 4,500 SF in size, and a proposed project would double the size of the building to 9,000 SF, such a project would not be eligible for DDL funding. However, if an existing building is, for example, 20,000 SF in size, and a proposed project would increase the size to 27,000 SF, such a project would be eligible for DDL funding. FUNDING The Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) will continue to pay 50 percent of the following costs: • Site acquisition (see Library Site Selection Criteria section of this report) • Building program (see Building Program Components below) • Architectural design if prepared by an approved architect/engineer (see Architectural Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Process below) including furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) plan and specifications • Construction, including parking and landscaping. The DDL will pay 100 percent of the cost of a Needs Assessment Study, with $25,000 being the normal cap. Other than the Needs Assessment Study, all other payments will be made after the task, e.g. building program, conceptual design, etc. has been completed and approved. Local (municipal and/or county) tax dollars must account for 15 percent of the remaining 50 percent during the first five years of this Plan, or through Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 47 FY2011*. Effective FY2012 the local funding level must increase as follows: • Effective FY2012, 20 percent of the remaining 50 percent • Effective FY2017, 25 percent of the remaining 50 percent • Effective FY2022, 30 percent of the remaining 50 percent. Private sector funding may provide the balance of the needed funds. However, the practice of the reliance on significant amounts of private funding for capital projects is not encouraged. * As an example, for a FY2008 Community Library project, assume the following: • Total project cost of $3 million (Needs Assessment Study previously funded and completed) • Eligible DDL reimbursement costs of $2.6 million • DDL pays 50 percent of $2.6 million, or $1,300,000 • Local tax dollars pay 15 percent of remaining $900,000, or $195,000 • Local funds, tax dollars and/or private sector funding, pays the remaining 35 percent plus the $400,000 in project costs not eligible for DDL funding, or a total of $1,505,000. The DDL will pay for 75 percent of the eligible capital costs for new Anchor Libraries, local (county and/or municipal) tax dollars must pay the remaining 25 percent. Ideally, Anchor Libraries should be County operated libraries or, if they are municipal or independent libraries, should at least receive specific County support for fulfilling their role as a countywide resource. For projects that result in the merger of two existing libraries into one new library the DDL will pay an additional ten percent of the eligible costs. For existing buildings that, through renovation, strive to become ADA compliant the DDL will pay 75 percent of the renovation costs. For new buildings that seek LEEDSTM certification, the DDL will pay an additional five percent for basic certification and an additional ten percent for silver certification. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 48 NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY COMPONENTS The guidelines for A Needs Assessment Study are as follows, and a study must include the following components: • Population and demographic projections and analysis for at least ten years into the future (with 20 years preferred) • Adequate resident input early in the study via focus group discussions, “town hall” meetings, stakeholder interviews, and/or surveys (telephone, in-library, mail, and/or web) • Adequate staff and library board (and Friends groups if in place) input via interviews and/or focus groups • Adequate input from key local and/or county officials such as administrators, elected officials, and/or appointed officials • Adequate analysis of existing facility(ies) which may entail architectural and/or engineering analysis to determine code compliance, structural integrity, infrastructure adequacy, and the like • Outline program plan of service for the next three to five years at a minimum (program plan of service means what services the library will offer and those that are of most importance based upon the above) • Space needs projections based upon the outline program of service and sound space planning guidelines • Cost projections for both capital costs and operational costs that will be needed, including cost escalation depending upon the projected implementation timetable the study recommendations. BUILDING PROGRAM COMPONENTS A building program must include the following components: • Brief history of the library and the project (if available) • Discussion with regard to the exterior elements, e.g. parking, signage, that have the potential to affect usage of the building • Discussion with regard to the interior elements, e.g. acoustics, lighting, plumbing, and the like that will potentially affect the sustainability of the building as well as its usage • Specific definition of each space within the building indicating function, projected occupancy, furniture and equipment needs, adjacencies, engineering and environmental issues, and space projections in at least net assignable and building gross square footages • Capital cost projections for both construction and total project costs • Any relevant other information included as appendices. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 49 APPLICATION PROCESS There will not be an application process. Projects will be approved and funded on the following basis: • Recommendations of the Statewide Master Plan with regard to priorities • Projects seeking total ADA compliance will be first priority projects • Projects (new buildings only) seeking LEEDSTM certification will be second priority projects • Projects will have to result in a total building size of at least 10,000 SF of space and meet other goals as set forth above • Project must have completed an approved Needs Assessment Study • Project must follow the defined RFQ process for the selection of architects (see below) • DDL will review and approve, prior to issuing reimbursement checks, the following project deliverables: • Building Program • Conceptual Design • Schematic Design • Developed Design and Outline Specifications • Construction Documents and Specifications • FF&E Plan and Specifications. ARCHITECTURAL REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) PROCESS The selection of architectural services for building projects, including renovation, renovation/expansion, and new construction, will be pursued as follows: • A national notification process will be established and executed with the goal of alerting as many qualified architects/engineers as possible about future library design projects in Delaware • All architects/engineers, regardless of location and size of firm, are eligible to submit their qualifications • Submittals will be reviewed and an interview list developed • Interviews will be held in Dover, or one or more other pre-determined locations within the state • Following the interviews a pool of architectural firms will be established • Local libraries will be “free” to invite from three to five firms from the pool to submit qualifications for their specific Anchor, Regional, or Community library project Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 50 • Local libraries, based upon their evaluation process and existing procurement policies for professional services, will be “free” to select and enter into contract negotiations with the firm of their choice from the pool • DDL will review and approve the contract with the architect/engineer prior to its being signed by the local library and the architect/engineer. CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT The Statewide Master Plan suggests the following: • Consideration should be given by the DDL to engaging the services of at least one, and possibly three (one for each county) construction management firm(s) (CMs) to be part of the building teams for the various projects • The CM firm(s) should have library building project experience and should have a national practice • A RFQ process somewhat similar to that described above for architects/engineers should be followed. STATEWIDE PROCESSING CENTER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM The Statewide Master Plan recommends the following: • A statewide processing center, to include space for the storage of existing seldom used materials, to be located within the State, located in an existing industrial-type building and located near a major north/south roadway. • A statewide delivery system, operating in the early evening/night, should be housed at the center with the goal of having any circulating item from anywhere in the State delivered to the requesting customer’s library within 48 hours. The delivery system could be state owned and operated, or provided via contract with a commercial enterprise. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 51 LIBRARY SITE SELECTION CRITERIA It is critical to approach the site selection process for a new public library with care. The ultimate success of any new library facility, if success is measured in terms of usage of library services, will be determined to a large degree by where it is located. Public libraries are similar to other institutions that need to be used to be effective – where they are located is of prime importance. As a successful private developer would say, the three most important ingredients of any project are location, location, and location. A bank that is poorly located will not prosper, nor a food store or an apparel shop. Neither will a public library. Acquiring anything less than a good site will prove a false economy in terms of the life-cycle costs of the library. Anything less than a good site will also hinder public use of this important community resource. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT The criteria listed below should be taken into account as each candidate site is evaluated. The consultants have developed these criteria based upon their considerable experience and observation. Site Capacity, Now and the Future - The site should be large enough to provide a sufficient square or rectangular library footprint; the required parking for users, staff, and volunteers; future expansion; the necessary allowances for setbacks, zoning requirements; and suitable landscaping. The resulting building should look like it belongs on the site, not forced on a plot of ground that is too small. If future expansion of the building in anticipated, then the site should be at least five times the initial BGSF (building gross square feet). Parking Potential, On-site and Off-site – This is a companion to Site Capacity. However, in addition to the pure size of the site, are there or may there be in the foreseeable future, restrictions to having an adequate number of parking spaces? Accessibility - The site should be easily accessible by automobile and public mass transit, and within walking distance of some potential users. However, pedestrian access will always be secondary. Adequate parking is a key element of vehicular accessibility. Visibility by Passers-by - A prominent location is required to attract the largest number of people to the library. A highly visible site, along a major roadway, with easy accessibility, is ideal. If the site involves other buildings, such as a joint-use complex, the library should be able to be oriented in a portion of the site with high visibility. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 52 Development Cost – What will it cost to develop the site? These costs could make a site that first appears to be desirable less so upon further analysis. The issues to consider include: • The dollar value of the site, including the potential revenue loss if income producing property is replaced by a non-taxable structure • Demolition costs of any existing facility(ies) on the site • Relocation costs of any existing business or residential units currently on the site • Any unusual site development costs that may occur, such as from a site with underground utilities and/or water, a buried petroleum storage tank, etc. • The cost of providing sufficient utility service to the site • Any extra construction costs that will occur due to such things as: • Poor soil conditions • Limitations of the site, such as underground versus surface parking • Site configuration resulting in a more expensive building solution • Excessive drainage and/or earthwork • Construction of drives and roads needed to fully access the site once the building is located on the site. Building “Fit” into Fabric of the Community, Now and the Future - Will the library be a good neighbor? Is the neighborhood fully developed? If so, how will the library fit into the neighborhood? If there is development in the future, will it be compatible with the mission and goals of the library? Views, Distant and Close – What does one see from the library site looking outward, across the street, and several blocks away? Conversely, what does the library site look like from across the street and from blocks away? Legal Matters - The existence of easements or other restrictions can serve to minimize the buildable area of a site. A site owned by several persons and/or entities could be difficult to acquire. Zoning restrictions can hamper development, including parking and/or entrance and egress to and from the site. Physiography - The suitability of the soil, the topography of the site, and solar orientation are important considerations in construction and operational costs. Orientation considerations include the avoidance of west sun on the books, or the necessity of a north entrance that may offer little winter sunlight and exposure to the cold northern winds. Other factors to consider include these: • Prevailing breeze • Solar potential (passive and active) • Sun angles • Trees and landscaping. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 53 RANKING THE SITES Once the site selection criteria have been agreed upon, the next step in the process is to assign a point value to each of the above nine criteria. The sum total of the nine should be 100. Within each major factor, points can be assigned to the sub-factors. The sub-factor points should equal the sum of the major factor point total. As an example, a library site study might conclude that Site capacity, followed by Accessibility, Visibility by passers-by, and Building “fit” into fabric of community were the four most important factors, worth 20, 15, 12, and 12 points respectively. Within Site Capacity, the two most important sub-factors might be Usable Site Area and Expansion Capacity, worth, in order, seven and five points. Therefore, if the usable site area of Site A were considered to be near perfect, it would receive a ranking of six or seven points. Conversely, if Site B was considered poor in this area the ranking might be zero, one, or two. Each factor and sub-factor should be given a point value. The site that receives the most points is determined to be the best site. If two or more sites were within eight to ten points of each other, then cost effectiveness needs to be taken into consideration. Each area within a county, municipality, or community where a new library may be considered may have a different ranking point system. The demographics, geographic size, and potential population of the area should be considered before assigning point values. Tie-Breaking Factors The land cost – purchase price criteria should be dealt with last, and should be in addition to the 100 points of the other criteria. The reason for this is that pure land cost should not be the first consideration inasmuch as the cost of the site will most likely be the least of the project costs for a new (or replacement) library facility when spreading the costs over the life span of the facility. CONCLUSION The consultants cannot over-emphasize the importance of an objective site selection process. There is nothing, aside from the informational content within a library building, that will have a greater impact upon the overall success of a library than where it is located. Since success of a library building is measured by usage, the more a building is used, the more cost effective it is. A good site will go a long way toward ensuring the operational success of a library facility for the community residents.
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Rating | |
Resource Identifier | LP2017.2 |
Title | Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries. Executive Summary |
Creator | Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc |
Subject | Libraries |
Topic (subject) |
Business, Labor & Commerce Politics, Government & Law |
Description | Key Findings (summary): 92% of library users, and 84% of non-library users said libraries are "vital" or "very important" to the quality of life in their community Delaware's library collections are too small and are out of date Almost without exception, Delaware's public libraries are badly understaffed Delaware has too many library buildings but less than half of the library space needed to offer high-quality library service Unless a concerted effort is made to improve library service quickly, Delaware is likely to fall further behind due to significant population growth Key Recommendations A major theme is to increase capacity. Highlights include: A Statewide goal for library space of one square foot per capita A tier of library facilities and services, designated as Anchor, Regional, and Community libraries A minimum Community library size of 10,000 square feet Recruit and retain qualified staff Streamline governance and increase county support Leverage technology to provide seamless access |
Publisher | Delaware. Division of Libraries |
Date Digital | 2000? |
Date Original | 2000? |
Type | Text |
Language | eng |
Contributing Institution | Delaware. Division of Libraries |
Collection | Library Planning Collection |
Digital Specifications | master file format: pdf |
Transcript | Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Structure of the Plan Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries is presented in three volumes. This Executive Summary (Volume I) is intended for broad distribution. It contains the major findings and recommendations from the study that formed the basis of the Plan as well as a summary version of the Plan itself. The Statewide Plan for the improvement of public library services is presented in a “Balanced Scorecard” format. This format was selected because it lends itself to integration with the Quality initiatives of the Delaware Division of Libraries both internally and with ongoing work with local libraries in what can be characterized as the Delaware Library Performance Improvement and Quality Initiative. Volume II presents a more detailed discussion of the findings and recommendations from the study, a more detailed version of the plan, and reports and documentation regarding the various information and data gathering efforts that were undertaken. This includes the data and the analysis of the data collected through the statewide telephone survey, the focus groups, in-library surveys, library site inspections, and peer comparisons. Volume III contains a complete set of the individual library profiles and includes geographic information system (GIS) maps generated from a sampling of actual library use that show the area effectively served by each library and a summary report of the demographic characteristics of each library’s service population. The profiles also report each library’s performance on a series of key measures and a spreadsheet that outlines the estimated space needs for each library at five year intervals through the year 2025. Because of the length of volumes II and III (each over 300 pages), these documents have been reproduced in limited quantities. However, they are available to the public at their local public library and through the offices of the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL). Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 2 Introduction Delaware has a long tradition of offering library service to the public. Many of the State’s libraries have histories that date back to the 1800s with beginnings as subscription libraries, women’s club libraries, or as mercantile or mechanics’ libraries. One library, the Wilmington Institute, can trace its beginnings back to 1754. In fact, each of Delaware’s three counties has at least one library that existed in some form before 1900. Unfortunately, this long history of service has not guaranteed access to high quality library and information services for all Delawareans in 2005. Quality public library service is provided by some libraries in the State; however, as a whole, Delaware lags behind other states in most commonly applied measures of library service. Recognizing this shortcoming, the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) and the Council on Libraries (COL) began to question why the “First State” couldn’t be first in the nation in providing public library service. This desire for pursuing excellence resulted in the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified consultants to work with the Division to identify the cause of Delaware’s poor performance and to outline a course of action that would result in dramatic improvement. The need for this type of comprehensive study was underscored by a concern that the State’s generous bond program for the construction and renovation of library facilities, while addressing local needs well, was being implemented without adequate consideration of regional and statewide needs and priorities. Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants and PROVIDENCE Associates Inc, submitted a joint proposal to carry out the year long comprehensive planning effort and was subsequently selected to undertake the project. Work began in mid January Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 3 2004 and has continued into the early months of 2005. The plan outlined in this document is the result of thousands of hours of work on the part of the consulting team, the Delaware Division of Libraries staff, the staff of county and local libraries, members of library “Friends” organizations and by several hundred citizens who participated in focus groups and public hearings on the Plan. This planning effort may, in fact, be the most comprehensive look at public library service on a statewide basis ever conducted in the United States. The consultants wish to thank the entire Delaware library community and especially the Delaware Department of State, the Delaware Division of Libraries and the Council of Libraries for their unswerving support of this project. Methodology The development of a truly comprehensive plan for library services and facilities demands a thorough understanding of existing conditions and of the issues confronting the libraries of the State. A large variety of methodologies were employed to build the knowledge base necessary to recommend specific actions. The consultants also recognized from the outset that crafting a credible plan that could be met with a reasonable level of acceptance from the library community would require an inclusive approach. To this end, the consultants designed a multi-faceted process that attempted to secure information from the general public, from library users, from government officials, from librarians and other library staff, and from statistical data that reflects both inputs (e.g., number, size and quality of facilities, staffing, collection size, available technology) as well as outputs (e.g., circulation of materials, reference questions answered, number of library visits). Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 4 A total of 432 library users were involved in 51 focus groups held in libraries throughout the State. Another 2,080 people responded to in-library surveys conducted using touch-screen computers in 29 of the libraries. Over 1,200 (1,273) people, 545 of which were not regular library users, participated in the telephone survey conducted by the University of Delaware. Personal interviews were conducted with library directors and library branch managers throughout the State. Members of the consulting team participated in over twenty meetings with representatives of the library community. Included were three county level meetings of librarians, two statewide “library town meetings,” meetings with specific interest groups within the library community (automation/technology, youth services, etc.), meetings with library board members and Friends, and regular sessions with the Council on Libraries. The principal consultants also conducted public hearings on the plan in each of Delaware’s counties. Personal interviews with more than 50 individuals including elected and appointed officials were conducted. Additional contacts were made with individuals involved in specific State and library related programs such as Livable Delaware and UDLib/SEARCH. Addresses from two samples of actual circulation records (a March sample and an August sample) were used to create electronic pin maps defining the effective service area of each library. Individual assessments of facilities were conducted on a building by building basis. Spreadsheets outlining library space needs were developed for each facility. Library performance data from national sources was analyzed as was information from individual counties and libraries identified as peers for Delaware counties and libraries. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 5 The information from all of these information and data gathering efforts have been considered as the Statewide Plan was developed. Background As indicated in the introduction, Delaware lags behind most other states in nearly all commonly applied measures of library service. The most recent comparable data available for all states covers the 2002 Fiscal Year. The graph on the next page shows Delaware’s ranking relative to other states on “Total Paid Library Staff (full-time equivalents) per 25,000 Population. Chart I on the following page shows Delaware’s performance and ranking on a series of twenty measures computed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data presented is submitted by the individual state library agencies (including DDL) through a program known as the Federal-State Cooperative System for public libraries. The measures include both “inputs” such as staffing levels, number of volumes owned, and expenditures, and “outputs” such as circulation transactions and the number of visits (door-counts). Unfortunately, no standardized data is available on a national level that attempts to document or quantify the significant “outcomes” or benefits received by individual users. While the “First State’s” performance on two of the measures is relatively good (Interlibrary Loan Received per capita – 5th and State Operating Income per capita – 8th), Delaware ranked 50th out of 51 (the District of Columbia is included in the rankings) in 2002 on Paid FTE Staff per 25,000 Population, narrowly beating Arkansas for the dubious honor of being dead last in the rankings. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 6 0 5 10 15 20 25 Library Staff (FTEs) per 25,000 Population FTEs per 25,000 Population 22.22 7.57 12.03 11.98 7.96 High (Ohio) Low (Arkansas) Mean Median Delaware Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 7 CHART I - 2002 Ranking by State * A ranking of 51 is possible because the District of Columbia is reported along with the 60 states Source: National Center for Education Statistics - Public Library State Summary/State Characteristics Data File for 2002 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 8 Delaware ranked 46th in Book and Serial Volumes per capita and 45th in Reference Transactions per capita. If Delaware’s ranking on the 20 measures reported by NCES are averaged, Delaware places 35th among the states. Some of Delaware’s neighbors fare better; Maryland’s average ranking was 15th and New Jersey’s ranking was 16th. While it is of interest to note that Delaware’s ranking on total per capita income and total per capita expenditures closely correlates with its overall performance, it is also clear from a careful examination of the measures that the First State’s generally poor performance is not due to any single factor. A review of the more detailed charts and graphs contained in Volume II demonstrates that simply “throwing money at the problem” is not the total solution. While it is true, more money for library services will be necessary if Delaware is to move up in the rankings to any significant degree, how additional funding is targeted is nearly as important as how much additional funding is provided. An example of targeted funding having a positive effect can be seen in the Interlibrary Loans Received measure. One of the reasons that Delaware performs well in this category is the investment that has been made in resource sharing in the State. The availability of national and state-level resource sharing systems makes the process of sharing materials feasible and affordable. For the end user or library “customer,” shared automated catalogs offer an easy way to locate and request materials from other libraries. Delaware’s performance as a state is obviously influenced by the performance of individual libraries in the State. When statewide data is analyzed, it becomes clear that there is a wide variation in the quality and quantity of library service offered. Convenient access to high quality public library service is often a function of where you live. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 9 An illustration can be found in comparing the amount that is spent per capita to purchase new materials in each of Delaware’s counties. Public Library Data Service statistics reveal that the national average per capita spent by all libraries serving populations of under 100,000 is over $ 5.00 per capita. Not surprisingly, Delaware’s mean ($ 3.37 per capita) is significantly lower than this benchmark. However, a look at this measure by county reveals that the State’s $ 3.37 average is result of the following county level expenditures: • Kent County $ 1.81 per capita • New Castle County $ 4.03 per capita • Sussex County $ 3.10 per capita Looking below the county level reveals that expenditures per capita by individual libraries range from $ 0.41 per capita to $ 7.99 per capita. It is abundantly clear from an analysis of a wide variety of information that making progress in the improvement in public library service statewide will require actions that influence what takes place at the county and local levels. Findings A full discussion of the data that supports the following findings can be found in Volume II. A brief synopsis of that data is included with each finding. FINDING I Taken as a whole, the quantity and quality of public library services offered to the residents of Delaware are sub-standard. National statistics reveal that compared to other states, Delaware ranks below the mean on 19 of 20 performance measures collected by the National Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 10 Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and below the median on 17 of the same 20 measures. An illustration of the fact that Delaware is lagging behind can be found through an examination of the websites of Delaware’s public libraries in comparison to library websites from neighboring states. A number of Delaware libraries do not have web sites at all. Among those that do, many are rudimentary and offer little more than library location, hours, a link to their area’s shared automation system and a link to DelAWARE (the State’s digital library). It should be noted that a number of Delaware libraries do have reasonably good web sites. However, the general status of the digital doorway to Delaware’s libraries is clearly substandard. An examination of library websites maintained by libraries in Maryland and New Jersey reveals a much stronger web presence. Their websites tend to look far more professional and, even more importantly, tend to provide much greater access to informational resources. FINDING II The quality and quantity of library service that is offered vary greatly by county and by locale. County and local library level data reveal significant disparities between and among Delaware’s public libraries. A good example can be found by examining circulation per capita data. In 2003, six Delaware libraries circulated 3.0 or fewer items per person in their service areas. At the opposite end of the scale, six libraries circulated 8.0 or more items per person. Delaware libraries range from a low of 0.7 items per capita on this measure to a high of 13.7 items per capita. The average for libraries in Kent County is 3.0 while Sussex County’s circulation per capita is twice as high at 6.0. Within Kent County, libraries range from 0.7 circulations per capita to 5.2 circulations per Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 11 capita. As a point of reference, the State of Delaware mean is 5.6 and the national mean for libraries reporting to the Public Library Data Service is over 9.0 per capita. FINDING III Some real progress in improving library services has been made in recent years. Significant capital investments by the State (through the Delaware Public Library Construction Assistance Act) and by county governments (particularly New Castle County) coupled with additional State and county investments in operational costs have resulted in noteworthy improvement in service measures such as library visits per capita and circulation per capita. The State of Delaware and the Delaware Division of Libraries have exercised considerable leadership in encouraging the adoption of new technologies, in expanding continuing education and training efforts for library staff, as well as taking an active role in public library facility development. DelAWARE, The First State’s Digital Library, has expanded the breadth of information resources available in the smallest libraries in the State. County library operations in all three counties have also grown stronger. Operational support for public libraries from County governments has increased and County operations in New Castle and Sussex Counties are exercising a greater role in coordinating library development within their jurisdictions. FINDING IV Much of the progress has been due to greater involvement of county governments in coordinating and funding library services. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 12 The greatest progress has been made by libraries that have received additional county tax revenues. Far less progress has been made by libraries that are the most dependent on municipal revenues. It should be noted that the Dover Public Library has performed reasonably well although the majority of its support comes from its municipal government. Only three public libraries in Delaware receive 50 % or more of their operational support from municipalities. All three of these libraries are located in Kent County. New Castle County has continued to encourage independent libraries to become County libraries. The Woodlawn project in the City of Wilmington is a concrete example of these efforts. FINDING V Unless a concerted effort is made to improve library services quickly, Delaware is likely to fall further behind (especially in terms of per capita measures) because of its significant population growth. Population projections for the State of Delaware indicate that more than 1,000,000 people will reside in Delaware by the end of the twenty year time horizon covered by this plan. Depending on which projections are used, this represents an increase in population of between 18% and 20% by the year 2025. Delaware’s investment in public libraries will need to significantly exceed the growth rate if there is an expectation that Delaware will realize more than marginal improvement. An additional issue relates to the large number of non-resident users of Delaware libraries. Nearly 30% of the registered borrowers at the South Coastal Library (Bethany Beach) and at the Rehoboth Beach Library are non-residents. The non resident total at the Lewes Library is nearly 10%. Good libraries are an attractive incentive that encourages investment in Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 13 Delaware. However, non-residents add significantly to the service populations of a number of beach (and border) communities. Non-resident populations must be factored into any library service equation in these areas. Finally, it should be noted that many non-residents are coming from states and areas that offer a higher level of public library service than they find in Delaware. These people bring their high expectations with them when they spend time in the First State. FINDING VI In general, Delaware has too many library buildings but not enough library space to offer high quality library service. With 33 library facilities (there are also two bookmobiles in operation in the State), Delaware has roughly one library for every 25,500 people. While this ratio of facilities to population is reasonable, there are extreme variations in the populations served by individual libraries. If the effective service area populations calculated by the consultants are used, ten of Delaware’s libraries have service populations under 10,000. Four of these libraries serve populations of 4,000 or less. At the other end of the spectrum, six libraries in the State serve populations in excess of 60,000. It is of great interest to note that these six libraries, four of which are 25,000 GSF or larger in size, account for 52% of the State’s total circulation of library materials. The outstanding success of larger facilities such as New Castle County’s Bear and Brandywine Hundred branches illustrates that larger buildings that serve a broader area usually generate much greater use than small libraries serving a limited population base. Both Sussex County and Kent County operate bookmobiles. While the notion of a bookmobile as a suitable substitute for a physical facility is both Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 14 romantic and historically accurate, changing demographic patterns, especially the prevalence of two-income families, has altered the most effective model of bookmobile service. The days of establishing a successful daytime bookmobile stop at a general store or at an intersection in a rural area are largely past. Instead, bookmobiles are most effective as outreach tools that serve concentrated clusters of the population that are limited in mobility. Daycare centers and senior housing facilities are examples. Bookmobiles can also be used for community stops; however, evening and weekend stops should be the rule rather than the exception. FINDING VII Almost without exception, Delaware’s public libraries are badly understaffed. We have already pointed out that the State of Delaware ranks 50th out of 51 (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) in Paid Full-Time Equivalent Staff per 25,000 Population. The First State’s rank is 43rd in categories that measure the number of librarians holding a Master’s degree in Library Science from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program per 25,000 in population and 43rd in the number of staff categorized as librarians who lack the ALA accredited degree. Delaware’s showing is even worse (47th) in the “other” staff category that would include library associate and clerical positions. The consultants also discovered that many library directors and other staff in Delaware receive little or nothing in the way of benefits. This situation is especially prevalent among the ‘independent” libraries that are established as 501 (c)(3) organizations. This lack creates difficulties in the recruitment and retention of qualified staff in addition to creating significant personal hardships. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 15 FINDING VIII Taken as a whole, Delaware’s library collections are too small and, in many cases, are out of date. The FY 2002 NCES statistics ranked Delaware 46th among the states in terms of Book and Serial Volumes per capita. The First State performed somewhat better (37th) on measures of both audio and video formats. 2003 statistics from Delaware libraries indicate improvements in all three areas (books and serials, audio units, and video units) from 2002 levels. Nevertheless, Delaware still has a good distance to go in developing its basic library resources. Furthermore, national and State statistics do not reflect the quality of materials that are owned. From the consultants’ time spent on-site in Delaware libraries, we are aware that some libraries have active, well-chosen collections while more than a few other collections contain a high percentage of dated and worn materials. In many cases, these materials were gifts from library users. The measure known as “turnover rate” provides a relatively easy way to assess the “freshness” and relevance of library collections. Turnover rate simply looks at the number of volumes owned and the number of times these items circulate on average during a year’s time. In other words, if a library has 10,000 volumes and a circulation of 10,000, the turnover rate is 1.0. If the 10,000 volumes generate 20,000 circulations, the turnover rate is 2.0. Higher turnover rates are an indication that users are interested in what they find on library shelves. In 2003, turnover rates in Delaware libraries ranged from 0.58 to 7.04! Several of the larger New Castle County libraries perform particularly well on this measure indicating that their collections contain materials that their users want. Very low turnover rates (anything below 1.0 certainly qualifies as being Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 16 low) often signal that a collection may contain a lot of “dead wood.” The library may well have some good materials. but these items may be lost among many other materials that are old, unattractive, and dated. Some libraries in Delaware need to address relatively low volume counts. Others need to reduce the size of their collections to make well selected materials more visible and accessible. FINDING IX Residents of some areas of the State lack convenient access to in-depth library resources and collections. The combination of relatively small libraries and a very small number of library professionals in the State leaves Delaware residents with less in the way of reference service than is common in other states. There are only a few libraries that have what might be considered in-depth resources, collections, and reference assistance. Ideally, every Delaware resident would have access to such resources within their own county in the form of a resource library designed to fulfill county-level needs. In fact, many states in the United States have some form of State Aid that recognizes this need and designates specific libraries as “County Resource Libraries.” In some states, these libraries are supported primarily with county funds; others are independent libraries that receive state or county subsidies to support more in-depth services. This concept is very consistent with the idea of having at least one “Anchor” library in each of Delaware’s three counties. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 17 FINDING X Delaware has several positive assets that can be used to address many of the deficiencies that have been cited. While the overall status of Delaware libraries may at first seem a bit bleak, the First State has many assets that it can bring to bear on the problem. Delaware has several programs of which it can be justifiably proud. The DelAWARE database licensing program offers electronic access to high quality resources. The First State’s bond program for public library construction is one of the finest in the country. General State Aid support has been strong and elected officials have been supportive of efforts to improve the quality of life enjoyed by Delaware residents in general and specifically, the quality of library services enjoyed by State residents. Furthermore, the State’s Council on Libraries and the staff of the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) have a vision for improved library services that continuously asks, “why not the best?” Librarians throughout Delaware are fully engaged with the DDL on numerous projects and initiatives to improve service. Advocacy (and financial support) for movement to the development of a Statewide automated integrated library system is another bright spot. Library customers clearly expressed their preference for shared catalogs in the focus groups that were held throughout the State. (In fact, the public expressed their desire for an integrated catalog that includes not just public libraries but academic libraries as well.) A broader shared catalog can result in greater efficiency in resource sharing, more coordination in collection development, and the reduction of duplication of resources. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the public is supportive of public libraries. The telephone survey that was conducted as part of this planning effort Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 18 revealed significant support for libraries. In fact, 89.9% of all respondents said that public libraries were either “vital to the quality of life in their community” or “very important to the quality of life in their community.” Not surprisingly, a higher percentage (92.7%) of regular users of libraries selected “vital” or “very important.” However, the most encouraging news of all may be that 84.1% of people who do not use Delaware’s public libraries also concurred that libraries were either “vital” or “very important.” Public support for the public library as an important institution is alive and well in the First State. A FINAL FINDING The final finding is not so much a finding as it is an invocation to action. The consultants believe that it is in the State of Delaware’s own self interest to continue to support the development of high quality public library services. A recent study conducted by the University of South Carolina looked at the economic impact of expenditures on public library services. The conclusion of the study was that South Carolina receives $ 4.48 in value for every dollar spent; a 350% return on investment. A link to the study can be found at: http://www.libsci.sc.edu/SCEIS/home.htm The consultants believe that dollars provided for the improvement of public library facilities and services are dollars invested rather than dollars spent and that the return on such an investment goes well beyond the financial analysis covered by the South Carolina study. It is extremely difficult to measure the benefit derived by the State when a pre-school child is introduced to the world of books and literature in a way that causes her or him to become a lifetime reader. It is impossible to calculate the cost to the education system if a middle school child is denied the help she or he needs while working on her or his first “research paper.” And this says nothing of the Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 19 value added to Delaware’s property base and to the State’s businesses when retirees from Maryland or New Jersey decide to build a home in Delaware because the community they have chosen has a good public library. Our final finding if that public libraries are not only vital to the quality of life in the First State; public libraries are a fiscally sound investment as well. Balanced Scorecard As the findings demonstrate, no one factor is responsible for Delaware’s overall poor performance on standard measures of library service. The problem is not a single-faceted problem. Rather, it is a series of related problems. As such, the situation must be addressed in a holistic fashion. The statewide plan for library services in the State of Delaware is intended to be one piece in a larger framework of planning for public library services in Delaware. It is seen as the top level of a series of planning efforts that, together, will move the performance of the First State’s libraries from their present status in the lowest quartile nationally to the forefront of what twenty-first century libraries can and should be. The Vision of the Delaware Division of Libraries is that, “Residents of the First State will have public library service that is second to none in the nation!” Making this vision a reality will require a cooperative and coordinated effort between and among many entities. While the Delaware Division of Libraries and the State government are key players in the mix, becoming a leader in library services is highly dependent on the actions of local and county libraries as well as on the governments that fund them. One of the important roles of the Division of Libraries and of the State government will be to develop and implement policy and funding initiatives that Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 20 encourage local governments and libraries to pursue the objectives outlined in this plan. Because each library in the State is different and serves a different population, some planning will be needed at the local level. However, the efforts already undertaken as part of the statewide planning project mean that individual libraries will be well on their way to developing plans that are linked to the State plan before they even begin. The State Plan has been crafted using a technique referred to as a “Balanced Scorecard.” The Balanced Scorecard method of strategic planning emerged in the late 1980s and gained wide popular acceptance in the 1990s based on the work of Robert S. Kaplan of the Harvard Business School and his colleague David P. Norton. Because the balanced scorecard can easily be “scaled” to encompass the needs of large organizations that have many tiers, the approach has also been very successful in situations in which separate entities share a common vision. The diagram on the next page illustrates how the statewide plan, the Delaware Division of Libraries’ own plan, and individual library plans will be linked together. There are two major reasons for adopting the balanced scorecard planning approach on a statewide basis. The first is that the balanced scorecard attempts to simplify and streamline the key points in a way that is easy to understand. This is extremely important when planning is being done Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 21 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 22 across a number of entities even if they do share the same ultimate goal. It is extremely important that all libraries in Delaware understand what the State hopes to accomplish and how the statewide vision relates to their library. A second related reason for adopting the balanced scorecard approach is that it is designed to encourage linkages between individual plans. This aspect of the planning method provides a mechanism that lends itself to working together to achieve common objectives. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD APPROACH The balanced scorecard has many similarities to older, more traditional methods of strategic planning. The approach uses a structure of objectives, measures, and activities that will seem familiar to most people who have participated in other planning efforts. Perhaps the greatest difference is that the balanced scorecard is structured around looking at an organization, or in the case of the statewide plan, at a service system, from several different viewpoints. In balanced scorecard parlance, these viewpoints are called “Perspectives.” The perspectives create a bottom-up hierarchy that organizes the Plan’s priorities in a very streamlined way. The perspectives used for this Plan are presented on the next page. They should be read from the bottom of the diagram to the top. In other words, the Financial/Policy perspective is the base, and while it is critical to the success of the system, the most important perspective relates to the Customer and the value that customers receive from their public libraries. Each perspective links and supports the perspective above it. All of the components of service including staffing, collections, and technology build to meet customer needs and demands. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 23 The arrow on the right hand side of the diagram shows that if customers are highly satisfied and if they are receiving value from the services that are provided, they will support additional funding to further improve those services. In other words, an initial investment in libraries is used to deliver highly valued services and that, in turn, will "earn” greater financial support. INTERNAL – Greater efficiency and effectiveness LEARNING & GROWING – Well trained staff with the right skills and competencies CUSTOMER – Greater customer satisfaction and increased value FINANCIAL/ POLICY – Investment in library and information services Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 24 Much of the rest of the balanced scorecard approach bears great similarity to more traditional planning methods. There are objectives within each of the perspective areas, and a mechanism for the measurement of progress toward each objective is built into the plan from the start. The “action” phase of the plan comes in the form of “initiatives” directed to the desired improvements at each level. THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PLAN Balanced scorecard planning, like most other planning processes, starts with mission, vision, and values. Following is an attempt to express these concepts on behalf of the entire system that makes up the public library service delivery framework. Mission The public libraries of Delaware ensure that all Delawareans have access to quality information resources and services that enable them to be successful and to enjoy a high quality of life. Vision The First State will offer public library service that is “First in the nation!” Values • The free exchange of ideas is fundamental to a democracy. • All people should have free access to high quality information resources. • Reading is a fundamental life skill. • Information literacy is a critical skill in an increasingly technological society. • Reading, listening to and/or viewing library materials for pleasure enhances quality of life. • The public has a right to expect that tax supported organizations will be efficient and Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 25 effective and that they will strive for excellence in everything they do. In addition, participants in DDL “Be Our Guest” workshops in 2002 underscored that Delaware libraries embrace the values of Access, Excellence, and Service represented by the following statements adopted by the American Library Association as being among its core values: • Access - All information resources that are provided directly or indirectly by the library, regardless of technology, format, or methods of delivery, should be readily, equally, and equitably accessible to all library users. • Service - We provide the highest level of service to all library users ...We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession. STRATEGY MAP As indicated earlier, balanced scorecard planning tries to strip down the plan to the essentials to make it easy for all who are working within the system to understand and to display this information is a way that is easy to grasp. An initial step in this effort is the creation of something called a strategy map. The next page presents the statewide plan in the form of a strategy map. The perspectives in the plan are ordered in the fashion that has already been described. The “customer,” or potential customer is every resident of Delaware (whether a full-time resident or Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 26 Customer Internal Learning & Growth Financial/ Policy Expand Customer Base Retain Existing Customers Increase Value to Customer Optimize Facilities Improve Resource Enhance Access Develop Required Competencies Develop Leadership Recruit & Retain Qualified Staff Foster Innovation Encourage Local (County) Investment Streamline Governance Generate Developmental Policies Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 27 a seasonal resident). Satisfying the customer by providing information and services that are relevant, valued, and that contribute to the quality of life in the State is the ultimate goal. The plan proposes a step by step approach that starts at the bottom and gradually works its way toward the top of the chart. This is not to say that steps aimed at accomplishing objectives throughout the plan will not happen simultaneously. However, it does suggest that complete success at the “Customer” level cannot be realized unless progress is made at the Financial/Policy, Learning & Growth, and Internal levels. The bottom-up hierarchy that is expressed in the chart would suggest that work aimed at meeting the objectives that appear in the pink ovals is extremely important. As work is done toward achieving the objectives of optimizing facilities and improving resources, the strategies employed to accomplish these objectives should be assessed in terms of whether actions encourage county investment, encourage the streamlining of governance structures, and employ policies that are developmental in nature. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PLAN While this Executive Summary version of the plan is intended as an overview, we will attempt to provide a quick overview of what the plan will require in the way of action. Each of the objectives that are contained in the ovals on the previous page are the subject of specific strategies and actions in the full plan. For example, several developmental policies are recommended that attempt to improve the potential for success in achieving other objectives. One example of the interrelationship between and among the objectives can be seen by looking at the “Generate Developmental Policies” objective in tandem with the “Optimize Facilities” objective. The plan recommends the adoption of a policy that would have the State award a higher percentage of construction costs for Anchor libraries or for the merging of libraries Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 28 called for in the plan than for “Community” libraries that do not involve mergers. The purpose then of the Developmental Policies objective is to encourage highly efficient facilities. Another example is a recommendation that the State of Delaware develop a program of “Quality Library Aid.” This program would not replace the current aid program. Rather, it would provide incentives to libraries to meet performance targets. In this example, the new funding initiative would result in better performance in the Plan’s objective of “Improve Resources.” This is because one of the measures that would be applied to determine Quality Library Aid relates to the size of library collections. Each of the objectives in the plan is the subject of a series of measures designed to assess the progress that is being made toward reaching the objectives. (A summary of recommended measures is contained in APPENDIX A.) Let us continue to use the volumes per capita example we used above. Specific statewide targets and individual library targets are established in the plan. When possible, the statewide targets are established in comparison to national norms. Targets for statewide improvement are set at one standard deviation above performance during the previous year. The following chart illustrates this approach: Volumes per Capita 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 0 1.17 2.21 3.25 4.29 5.33 6 2002 Mean (All States) 3.25 Number of States 2010 Delaware Target 3.09 2002 Delaware Actual 2.05 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 29 In this instance, the chart is based on the performance of the 50 states and the District of Columbia as reported to NCES. As was acknowledged earlier, Delaware’s performance of 2.05 volumes per capita is quite low. The curve shows that only a few states had lower volume counts than Delaware. The numbers across the bottom of the chart represent “standard deviation” from the national mean or average. Standard deviation is a way of measuring the degree to which individual scores, or in this case, the number of volumes per capita, differ. We have established the statewide target at the value of one standard deviation higher than the base year’s performance. You will note that the standard deviation, or the difference between the numbers at the bottom, is 1.04. Since Delaware is currently at 2.05, an improvement of one standard deviation would be 3.09 (or 2.05 + 1.04). As you can see, this is not the final solution. In fact, Delaware would still be below the national mean. However, the standard deviation approach represents making real progress in an incremental way. Targets for local libraries would also be based on their current performance. If a library currently had 1.00 volumes per capita, it would not initially be expected to reach the 3.09 target. Rather its target would be 2.04 (or 1.0 + 1.04), which represents one standard deviation above its current level. This approach also has the advantage of encouraging continuous improvement. Each year, targets would be readjusted upward as statewide performance improves. The hope is that eventually, this incremental improvement will place Delaware among the top tier of libraries. Libraries would not be expected to achieve the targets that have been established in a single year. In fact the timeframe for improvement varies from measure to measure. The point of establishing the specific targets and providing incentives for doing so is to encourage progress. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 30 THE OPTIMIZE FACILITIES OBJECTIVE Much attention has been given to the “Optimize Facilities” objective. One of the major goals for the Statewide Plan has been to clarify how the State could maximize the benefits derived from the Delaware Public Library Construction Assistance Act. The Optimize Facilities objective speaks to the needs identified in Finding VI. (In general, Delaware has too many library buildings but not enough library space to offer high quality library service.) Many actions will be required to achieve this objective. We have included the documents that outline some of this activity as APPENDIX B. One of the specific targets established for this objective is the establishment of at least one Anchor Library in each of the three counties. This recommendation is based on the fact that larger facilities designed to serve a larger population and a larger area are more efficient to operate and generate greater use (e.g., more library visits per capita, more circulation per capita). However, the action of establishing at least one Anchor facility in each county also addresses the need identified in Finding IX (Residents of some areas of the State lack convenient access to in-depth library resources and collections.) This illustrates the way in which the Plan, its objectives, and the actions taken to implement it are connected to the Findings. The Plan also establishes a statewide target of 1.0 Gross Square Feet (GSF) per capita. This does not mean that each building should be sized to exactly 1.0 GSF per capita. However, this target would apply on the county level as well as at the State level. The Plan also establishes other ways of measuring progress toward reaching the Optimize Facilities Objective. Since fewer but larger facilities would lead to higher use and greater efficiency, larger facilities are recommended. It is relatively simple to measure progress by looking at the average size of facilities. An increase in the average size is a simple indicator that progress is being made. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 31 Summary Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries is an extremely ambitious plan. It attempts to change the way that the State of Delaware approaches the development of library services. The Plan will not be successful if it is viewed as the Delaware Division of Libraries’ plan FOR Delaware’s libraries. True progress will be made only when the Plan is embraced by the library community as its own plan for improvement. The Plan demands a close working relationship between and among a wide variety of stakeholders. These stakeholders include: • local libraries including their staff, Board and Friends; • local units of government; • the DDL and the Council on Libraries; • elected and appointed county officials; • the Office of the Secretary of State; and, • the Executive and Legislative branches of State government. The Plan takes a holistic approach that closely links components of the plan to each other. Facilities are not an end in themselves; rather, they are a mechanism for improving access. Policies are designed to encourage and reward development rather than to punish. The Plan establishes very specific targets for improvement that are not “one size fits all” solutions. Rather, the performance targets attempt to meet libraries where they are and make measurable progress toward the indicator of success. Finally, it must be noted that implementing this Plan will take a tremendous amount of work. Yes, this is an ambitious Plan; but it is also a practical Plan that sets its sight on the goal of making the First State first in the nation in public library service. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 32 APPENDIX A PLAN OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 33 Delaware Balanced Scorecard Objectives and Measures PERSPECTIVE - CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE - Expand Customer Base MEASURE – Total Number of Registered Borrowers MEASURE – Number of Children Registered MEASURE – Registered Borrowers as a Percentage of Service Population OBJECTIVE - Retain Existing Customers MEASURE – Comparison of Registrations to Baseline Registrations (previous year) MEASURE – Number of pre-school story hour “graduates” that participate in children’s programming for older children MEASURE – Periodic In-Library Survey Results (Survey can provide data used for several objectives) OBJECTIVE - Increase Value to Customer MEASURE – Periodic In-Library Survey Results (see above) MEASURE – Service units per capita (refined composite measure including circulation, reference, program attendance, etc.) MEASURE – Electronic resource use (Use of the SAM system will help measure a number of specific categories of use) MEASURE – Number of contacts with users or potential users to determine customer needs (focus groups, surveys, community meetings, etc.) PERSPECTIVE - INTERNAL OBJECTIVE - Optimize Facilities MEASURE – Number of Anchor Libraries MEASURE – Average Size of Facilities MEASURE – Square Feet per capita (progress toward 1.0 GSF/capita) OBJECTIVE - Improve Resources MEASURE – Volumes per Capita & Turnover Rate (refined composite measure to avoid large collections that are poor in quality) MEASURE – Number of Public Computers with Internet Access MEASURE – Number of web pages with significant information content offered by Delaware’s public libraries Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 34 OBJECTIVE - Enhance Access MEASURE – Population proximity to Anchor Library MEASURE – Convenience of Hours of Operation (weighted for evenings and weekend hours in most cases; however individual libraries can weight convenient hours differently if demographics suggest this is appropriate) MEASURE – Number of inter and intra library loans handled by shared automation systems (may also factor in other collection sharing mechanisms) MEASURE – Average frequency of ILL deliveries (van deliveries) MEASURE – Mean delivery time for ILL requests OBJECTIVE - Refine Internal Processes MEASURE – Processes Targeted for Review and Improvement (Quality, not quantity of these efforts.) MEASURE – Number of Benchmarking Contacts Related to Continuous Process Improvement PERSPECTIVE - LEARNING & GROWTH OBJECTIVE - Recruit & Retain Qualified Staff MEASURE – Number of ALA Master’s Degreed Librarians MEASURE – Wages and Benefits per FTE MEASURE – Professional Staff Turnover OBJECTIVE - Develop Required/Emerging Competencies MEASURE – Number of participants in Library Associate Training Institute (LATI) MEASURE – Number of Courses and Number of Library Staff completing courses related to Western Council Competencies and/or number of continuing education units (CEUs) awarded MEASURE – Number of State Certified public librarians (new program) OBJECTIVE - Develop Leadership MEASURE – Number of participants in State, regional, or national library leadership institutes MEASURE – Number of multi-state Library Leadership events planned and implemented MEASURE – Number of public library staff members (different individuals) elected to posts in state, regional, or national professional library organizations) Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 35 OBJECTIVE - Foster Innovation MEASURE – Number of Innovative product and/or services introduced to the library community and supported with incentives for adoption MEASURE - Number of libraries participating in State or DDL initiated innovative efforts MEASURE – Number of awards given to public libraries or library staff for innovative projects/efforts PERSPECTIVE - FINANCIAL/POLICY OBJECTIVE - Encourage Local (county) Investment MEASURE – Number (or size in $) of performance based incentive programs implemented (Quality Aid) MEASURE – Amount of increase in county funding for library operations (compared to baseline year) MEASURE – Amount of increase in county funding for library capital projects (compared to baseline year) OBJECTIVE - Streamline Governance MEASURE – Number of Independent Libraries that join county libraries MEASURE – Number of 501(c)(3) libraries (reduction) with conversion of 501 (c)(3) status to foundations that carry out education and fund-raising efforts OBJECTIVE - Generate and Apply Developmental Policies MEASURE – Number of incentive programs and policies implemented that advance other objectives in the plan MEASURE – Annual review of the effect of developmental policies on other Plan objectives Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 36 APPENDIX B DETAIL ON OPTIMIZE FACILITIES ACTIVITIES Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 37 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 38 Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 39 FACILITY RECOMMENDATIONS GOALS TO ACHIEVE BY 2025 The following nine goals are recommended. The goals are achievable by 2025. They are: • Library space equal to one square foot (SF) per capita • Ninety percent of the residents living within 10 miles of a Community or Regional Library • Eighty percent of the residents living within 20 miles of an Anchor Library • Library materials collections (all formats) equal to 3.09 items per capita • Personal computers (PCs) equal to one PC for every 20 visits per day per building (a building with an average of 500 visitors per day would need 25 PCs for public use) • Library parking spaces equal to one space per every 200 SF of building space per building for Community and Regional libraries • Library parking spaces equal to one space per every 300 SF of building space per building for Anchor libraries • All buildings to be fully ADA compliant • All new buildings to be LEEDSTM certified or to consider “sustainable architecture” approach to “green buildings” THREE TYPES OF LIBRARY FACILITIES Three different types of library facilities, and thus three different sized library facilities, are recommended. They are: • Anchor Library • Regional Library • Community Library. Anchor Library An Anchor Library will be the largest type – in every respect – in the State. It is recommended that there be at least one Anchor Library in each of the three counties, and the more populated counties may well have two to four anchor libraries within the 20-year timeframe of these recommendations. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 40 Anchor libraries will have the: • Largest and strongest collections of library materials in terms of depth of all types (print, media, and electronically-accessible) • Largest staff due to extended hours, extensive usage by the public, and the support role for the Regional and Community libraries within their respective counties • Greatest number of professional staff (librarians with a master’s degree from a graduate program accredited by the American Library Association [ALA]) • Computer training facilities and “classes” for public and staff • Most meeting room and conference room space for public and staff usage. Anchor libraries will be: • Full service facilities • Sized from 40,000 – 60,000 SF • Open seven days a week, 52 weeks per year, 90 hours per week, as follows: • Monday – Thursdays – 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM • Friday – Saturday – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Sunday – 12:00 noon – 10:00 PM. Anchor library collections should be developed as follows: • Collection Emphasis (print) • Consumer health • Do-it-yourself (gardening, household projects, vehicle repair, etc.) • Management (business) • Marketing, public relations, and salesmanship • Parenting • Personal finance • Political science • Religion • Travel • State, county, and local history • Genealogy (if interest is present within the county in sufficient numbers) • Children’s literature • Teen literature • Fiction, including genre (mysteries, science fiction, westerns, romance) Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 41 • Large type books according to demographics of the service area. • Collection Emphasis (media) • DVDs * • CD literature * • CD music • Cease the purchase of videocassettes and books-on-tape effective July 1, 2005 (but retain existing collections of those titles that have a solid circulation history). • Libraries should be monitoring and implementing licensing of “downloadable” content as that market begins to clarify. • Collection Emphasis (magazines and newspapers) • Magazines – one current subscription for every 300 residents in the service area • Newspapers – included in above formula, with four to five Delaware papers, four to five regional papers, e.g. Baltimore Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Times, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and four to five national papers, e.g. USA Today, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Washington Post as examples. • Collection Emphasis (electronic resources) • Internet connectivity • Productivity Software such as Word™, Excel™, PowerPoint™, and printing and scanning capabilities • Access to three or four licensed databases beyond those included in the DelAWARE licenses. Regional Library There may be from two to four or five Regional libraries within a county, depending upon the projected population and demographics, density, transportation network, and infrastructure of a county. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 42 Regional libraries will have: • Reasonably large and strong collections of library materials in terms of all types of materials (print, media, and electronically-accessible) • Adequate staff for the hours of usage, the services to be provided, the anticipated usage, and the size of the building • Two to four professional staff depending upon the building size, the population to be served, and the demographics of the service area • Computer training facilities and “classes” for public and staff • Meeting and conference rooms for public and staff usage. Regional libraries will be: • Full service libraries • Sized from 15,000 – 30,000 SF • Open six to seven days a week, up to 72 hours per week, (depending upon regional demographics, population served, etc.) as follows: • Monday – Thursdays – 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM • Friday – Saturday – 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Sunday – 12:00 noon – 6:00 PM. Regional library collections should be developed as follows: • Collection Emphasis (print) • Consumer health • Do-it-yourself (lawns, household projects, vehicle repair, etc.) • Management (business) • Parenting • Personal finance • Political science • Religion • Salesmanship • Travel • State, county, and local history • Children’s literature • Teen literature • Fiction, including genre (mysteries, science fiction, westerns, romance) • Large type books according to demographics of the service area. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 43 • Collection Emphasis (media) • DVDs * • CD literature * • CD music * Cease the purchase of videocassettes and books-on-tape effective July 1, 2005 (but retain existing collections of those titles that have a solid circulation history). • Libraries should be monitoring and implementing licensing of “downloadable” content as that market begins to clarify. • Collection Emphasis (magazines and newspapers) • Magazines – one current subscription for every 200 residents in the service area • Newspapers – included in above formula, with two or three Delaware papers, two or three regional papers, e.g. Baltimore Sun, Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and three or four national papers, e.g. USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times as examples. • Collection Emphasis (electronic resources) • Internet connectivity • Productivity Software such as Word™, Excel™, PowerPoint™, and printing and scanning capabilities • Access to two or three licensed databases beyond those included in the DelAWARE licenses. Community Library Community libraries will be the smallest of the three types of facilities. There may be anywhere from three or four up to eight to ten community libraries in a county depending upon such factors as population, geographic size of the county, transportation network, etc. Community libraries will have: • Collections of library materials responsive to the direct library and information needs of the community being served • Adequate staff for the hours of usage, the services to be provided, and the anticipated usage Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 44 • One or two professional staff depending upon the population to be served and the demographics of the service area • Meeting and/or conference rooms for public and staff usage. Community libraries will be: • Sized from 10,000 – 12,000 SF • Open six days a week, 56 hours per week, as follows: • Monday – Thursdays – 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM • Friday – Saturday – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Community library collections should be developed as follows: • Collection Emphasis (print) • Consumer health • Do-it-yourself (gardening, household projects, vehicle repair, etc.) • Parenting • Personal finance • Travel • Local and county history • Children’s literature • Fiction, including genre (mysteries, science fiction, westerns, romance) • Large type books according to demographics of the service area. • Collection Emphasis (media) • DVDs * • CD literature * • CD music * Cease the purchase of videocassettes and books-on-tape effective July 1, 2005 (but retain existing collections of those titles that have a solid circulation history). • Libraries should be monitoring and implementing licensing of “downloadable” content as that market begins to clarify. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 45 • Collection Emphasis (magazines and newspapers) • Magazines – one current subscription for every 200 residents in the service area • Newspapers – included in above formula, with two Delaware papers and two national papers, e.g. USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post as examples. • Collection Emphasis (electronic resources) • Internet connectivity • Productivity Software such as Word™, Excel™, PowerPoint™, and printing capabilities • Access to one licensed database beyond those included in the DelAWARE licenses. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 46 PROJECT GUIDELINES In order to receive matching funds from the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) for a capital improvement project the following guidelines are recommended: • The project must be included in this Statewide Master Plan (see Building Project Recommendations elsewhere in this report) • The end result of a project must be a building that is, at minimum, 10,000 SF in size* • A Needs Assessment Study must first be prepared and approved by the DDL (see Needs Assessment Study Component guidelines below). * If an existing building is, for example, 4,500 SF in size, and a proposed project would double the size of the building to 9,000 SF, such a project would not be eligible for DDL funding. However, if an existing building is, for example, 20,000 SF in size, and a proposed project would increase the size to 27,000 SF, such a project would be eligible for DDL funding. FUNDING The Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) will continue to pay 50 percent of the following costs: • Site acquisition (see Library Site Selection Criteria section of this report) • Building program (see Building Program Components below) • Architectural design if prepared by an approved architect/engineer (see Architectural Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Process below) including furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) plan and specifications • Construction, including parking and landscaping. The DDL will pay 100 percent of the cost of a Needs Assessment Study, with $25,000 being the normal cap. Other than the Needs Assessment Study, all other payments will be made after the task, e.g. building program, conceptual design, etc. has been completed and approved. Local (municipal and/or county) tax dollars must account for 15 percent of the remaining 50 percent during the first five years of this Plan, or through Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 47 FY2011*. Effective FY2012 the local funding level must increase as follows: • Effective FY2012, 20 percent of the remaining 50 percent • Effective FY2017, 25 percent of the remaining 50 percent • Effective FY2022, 30 percent of the remaining 50 percent. Private sector funding may provide the balance of the needed funds. However, the practice of the reliance on significant amounts of private funding for capital projects is not encouraged. * As an example, for a FY2008 Community Library project, assume the following: • Total project cost of $3 million (Needs Assessment Study previously funded and completed) • Eligible DDL reimbursement costs of $2.6 million • DDL pays 50 percent of $2.6 million, or $1,300,000 • Local tax dollars pay 15 percent of remaining $900,000, or $195,000 • Local funds, tax dollars and/or private sector funding, pays the remaining 35 percent plus the $400,000 in project costs not eligible for DDL funding, or a total of $1,505,000. The DDL will pay for 75 percent of the eligible capital costs for new Anchor Libraries, local (county and/or municipal) tax dollars must pay the remaining 25 percent. Ideally, Anchor Libraries should be County operated libraries or, if they are municipal or independent libraries, should at least receive specific County support for fulfilling their role as a countywide resource. For projects that result in the merger of two existing libraries into one new library the DDL will pay an additional ten percent of the eligible costs. For existing buildings that, through renovation, strive to become ADA compliant the DDL will pay 75 percent of the renovation costs. For new buildings that seek LEEDSTM certification, the DDL will pay an additional five percent for basic certification and an additional ten percent for silver certification. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 48 NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY COMPONENTS The guidelines for A Needs Assessment Study are as follows, and a study must include the following components: • Population and demographic projections and analysis for at least ten years into the future (with 20 years preferred) • Adequate resident input early in the study via focus group discussions, “town hall” meetings, stakeholder interviews, and/or surveys (telephone, in-library, mail, and/or web) • Adequate staff and library board (and Friends groups if in place) input via interviews and/or focus groups • Adequate input from key local and/or county officials such as administrators, elected officials, and/or appointed officials • Adequate analysis of existing facility(ies) which may entail architectural and/or engineering analysis to determine code compliance, structural integrity, infrastructure adequacy, and the like • Outline program plan of service for the next three to five years at a minimum (program plan of service means what services the library will offer and those that are of most importance based upon the above) • Space needs projections based upon the outline program of service and sound space planning guidelines • Cost projections for both capital costs and operational costs that will be needed, including cost escalation depending upon the projected implementation timetable the study recommendations. BUILDING PROGRAM COMPONENTS A building program must include the following components: • Brief history of the library and the project (if available) • Discussion with regard to the exterior elements, e.g. parking, signage, that have the potential to affect usage of the building • Discussion with regard to the interior elements, e.g. acoustics, lighting, plumbing, and the like that will potentially affect the sustainability of the building as well as its usage • Specific definition of each space within the building indicating function, projected occupancy, furniture and equipment needs, adjacencies, engineering and environmental issues, and space projections in at least net assignable and building gross square footages • Capital cost projections for both construction and total project costs • Any relevant other information included as appendices. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 49 APPLICATION PROCESS There will not be an application process. Projects will be approved and funded on the following basis: • Recommendations of the Statewide Master Plan with regard to priorities • Projects seeking total ADA compliance will be first priority projects • Projects (new buildings only) seeking LEEDSTM certification will be second priority projects • Projects will have to result in a total building size of at least 10,000 SF of space and meet other goals as set forth above • Project must have completed an approved Needs Assessment Study • Project must follow the defined RFQ process for the selection of architects (see below) • DDL will review and approve, prior to issuing reimbursement checks, the following project deliverables: • Building Program • Conceptual Design • Schematic Design • Developed Design and Outline Specifications • Construction Documents and Specifications • FF&E Plan and Specifications. ARCHITECTURAL REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) PROCESS The selection of architectural services for building projects, including renovation, renovation/expansion, and new construction, will be pursued as follows: • A national notification process will be established and executed with the goal of alerting as many qualified architects/engineers as possible about future library design projects in Delaware • All architects/engineers, regardless of location and size of firm, are eligible to submit their qualifications • Submittals will be reviewed and an interview list developed • Interviews will be held in Dover, or one or more other pre-determined locations within the state • Following the interviews a pool of architectural firms will be established • Local libraries will be “free” to invite from three to five firms from the pool to submit qualifications for their specific Anchor, Regional, or Community library project Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 50 • Local libraries, based upon their evaluation process and existing procurement policies for professional services, will be “free” to select and enter into contract negotiations with the firm of their choice from the pool • DDL will review and approve the contract with the architect/engineer prior to its being signed by the local library and the architect/engineer. CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT The Statewide Master Plan suggests the following: • Consideration should be given by the DDL to engaging the services of at least one, and possibly three (one for each county) construction management firm(s) (CMs) to be part of the building teams for the various projects • The CM firm(s) should have library building project experience and should have a national practice • A RFQ process somewhat similar to that described above for architects/engineers should be followed. STATEWIDE PROCESSING CENTER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM The Statewide Master Plan recommends the following: • A statewide processing center, to include space for the storage of existing seldom used materials, to be located within the State, located in an existing industrial-type building and located near a major north/south roadway. • A statewide delivery system, operating in the early evening/night, should be housed at the center with the goal of having any circulating item from anywhere in the State delivered to the requesting customer’s library within 48 hours. The delivery system could be state owned and operated, or provided via contract with a commercial enterprise. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 51 LIBRARY SITE SELECTION CRITERIA It is critical to approach the site selection process for a new public library with care. The ultimate success of any new library facility, if success is measured in terms of usage of library services, will be determined to a large degree by where it is located. Public libraries are similar to other institutions that need to be used to be effective – where they are located is of prime importance. As a successful private developer would say, the three most important ingredients of any project are location, location, and location. A bank that is poorly located will not prosper, nor a food store or an apparel shop. Neither will a public library. Acquiring anything less than a good site will prove a false economy in terms of the life-cycle costs of the library. Anything less than a good site will also hinder public use of this important community resource. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT The criteria listed below should be taken into account as each candidate site is evaluated. The consultants have developed these criteria based upon their considerable experience and observation. Site Capacity, Now and the Future - The site should be large enough to provide a sufficient square or rectangular library footprint; the required parking for users, staff, and volunteers; future expansion; the necessary allowances for setbacks, zoning requirements; and suitable landscaping. The resulting building should look like it belongs on the site, not forced on a plot of ground that is too small. If future expansion of the building in anticipated, then the site should be at least five times the initial BGSF (building gross square feet). Parking Potential, On-site and Off-site – This is a companion to Site Capacity. However, in addition to the pure size of the site, are there or may there be in the foreseeable future, restrictions to having an adequate number of parking spaces? Accessibility - The site should be easily accessible by automobile and public mass transit, and within walking distance of some potential users. However, pedestrian access will always be secondary. Adequate parking is a key element of vehicular accessibility. Visibility by Passers-by - A prominent location is required to attract the largest number of people to the library. A highly visible site, along a major roadway, with easy accessibility, is ideal. If the site involves other buildings, such as a joint-use complex, the library should be able to be oriented in a portion of the site with high visibility. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 52 Development Cost – What will it cost to develop the site? These costs could make a site that first appears to be desirable less so upon further analysis. The issues to consider include: • The dollar value of the site, including the potential revenue loss if income producing property is replaced by a non-taxable structure • Demolition costs of any existing facility(ies) on the site • Relocation costs of any existing business or residential units currently on the site • Any unusual site development costs that may occur, such as from a site with underground utilities and/or water, a buried petroleum storage tank, etc. • The cost of providing sufficient utility service to the site • Any extra construction costs that will occur due to such things as: • Poor soil conditions • Limitations of the site, such as underground versus surface parking • Site configuration resulting in a more expensive building solution • Excessive drainage and/or earthwork • Construction of drives and roads needed to fully access the site once the building is located on the site. Building “Fit” into Fabric of the Community, Now and the Future - Will the library be a good neighbor? Is the neighborhood fully developed? If so, how will the library fit into the neighborhood? If there is development in the future, will it be compatible with the mission and goals of the library? Views, Distant and Close – What does one see from the library site looking outward, across the street, and several blocks away? Conversely, what does the library site look like from across the street and from blocks away? Legal Matters - The existence of easements or other restrictions can serve to minimize the buildable area of a site. A site owned by several persons and/or entities could be difficult to acquire. Zoning restrictions can hamper development, including parking and/or entrance and egress to and from the site. Physiography - The suitability of the soil, the topography of the site, and solar orientation are important considerations in construction and operational costs. Orientation considerations include the avoidance of west sun on the books, or the necessity of a north entrance that may offer little winter sunlight and exposure to the cold northern winds. Other factors to consider include these: • Prevailing breeze • Solar potential (passive and active) • Sun angles • Trees and landscaping. Twenty Years Forward: A Statewide Library Services and Construction Infrastructure for Delaware Libraries Executive Summary Himmel & Wilson, Library Consultants/PROVIDENCE Associates Inc Executive Summary – Page 53 RANKING THE SITES Once the site selection criteria have been agreed upon, the next step in the process is to assign a point value to each of the above nine criteria. The sum total of the nine should be 100. Within each major factor, points can be assigned to the sub-factors. The sub-factor points should equal the sum of the major factor point total. As an example, a library site study might conclude that Site capacity, followed by Accessibility, Visibility by passers-by, and Building “fit” into fabric of community were the four most important factors, worth 20, 15, 12, and 12 points respectively. Within Site Capacity, the two most important sub-factors might be Usable Site Area and Expansion Capacity, worth, in order, seven and five points. Therefore, if the usable site area of Site A were considered to be near perfect, it would receive a ranking of six or seven points. Conversely, if Site B was considered poor in this area the ranking might be zero, one, or two. Each factor and sub-factor should be given a point value. The site that receives the most points is determined to be the best site. If two or more sites were within eight to ten points of each other, then cost effectiveness needs to be taken into consideration. Each area within a county, municipality, or community where a new library may be considered may have a different ranking point system. The demographics, geographic size, and potential population of the area should be considered before assigning point values. Tie-Breaking Factors The land cost – purchase price criteria should be dealt with last, and should be in addition to the 100 points of the other criteria. The reason for this is that pure land cost should not be the first consideration inasmuch as the cost of the site will most likely be the least of the project costs for a new (or replacement) library facility when spreading the costs over the life span of the facility. CONCLUSION The consultants cannot over-emphasize the importance of an objective site selection process. There is nothing, aside from the informational content within a library building, that will have a greater impact upon the overall success of a library than where it is located. Since success of a library building is measured by usage, the more a building is used, the more cost effective it is. A good site will go a long way toward ensuring the operational success of a library facility for the community residents. |
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Contact Information | Delaware Division of Libraries, Dover libraries.delaware.gov DHC@lib.de.us |
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