Case Study
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Happytown, Alberta
Population 5,000
(The characters and events depicted in this case are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons is purely coincidental).
In the case study that follows, you will meet Linda, the head librarian in the public library in Happytown, which is located in northeast Alberta. The library is located in a building in the town’s centre.
Linda thinks of the library as a community information centre that is there to serve a variety of users with different information needs. The library is housed in a building with an area of approximately 9,000 square feet. It is a busy place most days, where it primarily serves school children coming in for their weekly “Reading Hour,” and young families and seniors borrowing books. The two computers, which are located in a carrel in the back of the library, are well used. Only one is connected to the Internet, although it is a high-speed connection.
Linda wants to expand the capabilities of the library by having it play a more active community role than just for recreational reading.
To do this, she wants to increase the computer capabilities of the library and wants to provide services to a wider user group, including patrons with disabilities. The Library Board and volunteers have informed her that there are a significant number of people with disabilities that are currently not using the library at all. Linda needs to consider what the needs of this new group of users could be.
As budgetary constraints are a way of life for many public institutions, her library included, Linda knows that she has to develop a plan to assist her in reaching this new goals for the library.
Your Turn
- What does Linda need to know in order to begin the planning process?
- Who should Linda consult in the planning process? How might she do this?
- What is the role of the community in this planning? What is the role of the Library Board?
- What are possible sources or methods to finance this new initiative?
Consider these questions as you work through the sections that follow.
