Louisvilles Journey to Customer Centricity

Kim Lowe

Current Situation

Recent mailer survey revealed that many residents feel library is out of date and have no need to attend
Results of Mailer Survey
1.4 1.4 Never been to library Library is out date Feel library is fine Other

3.2

8.2

Comments from Mailer

The library seems to cater to homeschooled families and religious families. I find my modern literature and DVDs in Johnson County. Every time I go in I never find what Im looking for. All the computers are always full. The staff always watches my every move but never offers to help me. I feel uncomfortable going in. The library has nothing to offer me. I never go there.

Further results from mailer

If residents were displeased they were asked follow up questions about what they would like to see.
What residents want to see changed
1.2 1.4
Better books or movies Friendly atmosphere 8.2 More events

More computers

3.2

Observations

Computers are always full and are the most popular item The collection lacks classic literature and modern literature. There is an abundance of popular literature: John Grisham, Sandra Brown, etc. Movies are very mild and almost always family oriented. The residents of Louisville have had the chance several times to improve the library and always choose not to. Library card holder numbers are less than 10% of the population of 4000. ~300

Desired Change

Increase membership, even if a little.

Why?
Because this will increase users of the library making it more visible and thus more supported within the community. If we dont we could lose all support for the library.

How? 1. Customer Service 2. Activism 3. Increase computers 4. Revaluate the collection

Desired Change

Customer service training for staff Outcome: Better interaction with patrons who leave feeling satisfied with service.

Desired Change

Be active in the community Partner up with local businesses for events Outcome: Educate the public as to what library offers

Desired Change

Increase number of computers and area for laptop/device usage

Currently have 6 Want to increase to 10 and more with time

Outcome: More patrons will be able to use computers

Desired Change

Revaluate the collection and make changes Outcome: Circulation will increase as will patrons

How to Implement Change

This is huge and hard but Heaths three part framework will help move things along

1. Direct the rider or the intellect 2. Move the elephant or the emotion 3. Shape the path

This will help us avoid failures that such as: Reasons for change are unclear. Staff are uninvolved in process (Singh, 2013). Not establishing a sense of urgency. Empowering others to act on the vision (Kotter, 2007, pp. 96-103).

How to Implement Change

Customer service training for staff Laughlin (2012) emphasises that this is not required in libraries.

Ongoing educational process

Customer service is the core of libraries. Zabel (2012), really hit it on the nose with, Libraries are dedicated to serving their customers..[but] the quantity and quality of customer service may actually have declined in the past twenty years.

We are not alone in this problem.

In house training exercises from KSL Consulting Group (2012).

How to Implement Change

Be active in the community

The ALA Rural Toolkit (2013), Dont wait for a crisis. Make yourself essential. According to Pew Research (2013) Americans say libraries are important to their families and their communities, but often do not know all the services libraries offer. Increased publicity with partnered businesses

Jacksonville, Florida PL partnering with local businesses to much success (Sze, 2012).

How to Implement Change

Increase number of computers and area for laptop/device usage

Currently have 6 Will increase to 10 and more with time

According to Pew Research in January 2013 77% of Americans believe that free access to the internet and computers is a very important service [at the library]. In a 2012 Pew Research report they found that 8% of rural users access library through mobile devices

According to the 2013 Horizon Report, emerging technologies that we could offer our patrons are: tablet computing.

How to Implement Change

Revaluate the collection and make changes Our collection focuses on popular literature and movies that appeals to mainly one demographic. We have a community where 20% of the households hold a degree.

Need to focus on more diverse collection

Concluding Remarks
Will this work?

Sources

American Library Association. (2013). The small but powerful guide to winning big support for your rural library. Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/offices/olos/toolkits/rural/index1 Heath, Chip & Heath, Dan. (2010). Switch: How to change things when change is hard. New York: Broadway Books Kotter, John P. (2007). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 96-103. Larkins, K. (2012). Customer service training ideas. Retrieved from: http://www.ksl-training.co.uk/free-resources/customerservice/customer-service-training-ideas/ Laughlin, K. (2012). Excellent Customer Service: Nature and Nurture. Alki, 28(1), 29-30. Rainie, L., Zickuhr, K. & Duggan, M. (2012, December 31). Mobile connections to libraries. Pew internet & American life project. Retrieved from: http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/12/31/mobileconnections-to-libraries/

Sources

Rainie, L., Zickuhr, K. & Duggan, M. (2013, January 22). Library services in the digital age. Pew internet & American life project http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-services/ Singh, R. Leadership and organizational change. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: https://mailattachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/1/?ui=2&ik=b12432 9dcd&view=att&th=13d69dd4c722edb3&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe= 1&zw&saduie=AG9B_PphErKL6ONzJREtppybTT1&sadet=1364056094511&sads=aMmhXu vL8pSq_yOypvs7Zw6aELw SZE, L. (2012). Taking Ideas to the Next Level. Public Libraries, 51(3), 10-12 The New Media Consortium. (2012). NMC horizon project: Preview 2013 higher education edition. NMC horizon project. Retrieved from: http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-higher-ed-preview.pdf Zabel, D., & Pellack, L. (2012). Now Serving Customer 7,528,413. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 51(4), 316-318.