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News Release

10/25/2006
Libraries Must Work at Staying Relevant
National Speaker Pat Wagner Talks about Library Trends at PPL Annual Meeting

Providence Public Library holds 2006 annual meeting; announces new officers, trustees and corporation members

Pat WagnerNational researcher and library consultant Pat Wagner, of Pattern Research, Inc., told attendees at Providence Public Library’s Annual Meeting on October 20 that, out of the need to stay relevant, libraries around the country are tackling quickly-changing trends affecting library service and the very role of libraries.

“While there are number of trends and issues for everyone to be considering when it comes to delivering library service today, the question that should be keeping you up at night is how to keep your library relevant to all the people you serve,” said Wagner. Wagner has worked for libraries since 1978, focusing on leadership, management and personnel issues, as well as strategic planning and trend analysis. She pointed to various key trends necessitating a variety of new approaches: changing status issues, including the end of the age of professionals; changing expectations of library users; changing demographics; the impact of nanotechnology (technology after the Internet); and the concept of competition (there is a stronger sense of urgency and accountability today).

“I see that there is a greater sense of urgency today. Change is coming faster, with fewer ‘givens.’ Libraries are being challenged to respond quickly and with more transparency to the needs of their communities,” said Wagner. “You must decide just whom you will serve and how. This should be based on what you perceive as the needs in your community that you can best meet.”

Wagner also shared her perceptions of various new or emerging principles in library service:

  1. A library is a space designed for people first, not for books or computers (the concept of a great good place – more and different public uses of the building);
  2. Materials organized around topics and themes (traditional cataloging does not drive library organization);
  3. Material is fresh – (less emphasis on mending and technical services and more on display and new stuff);
  4. Changing scope of services – more surprise and innovation.