Thursday, August 4, 2016

The Purpose-Based Library

The Purpose-Based Library

Finding your path to survival, success, and growth

This is an excerpt from The Purpose-Based Library: Finding Your Path to Survival, Success, and Growth by John J. Huber and Steven V. Potter (ALA Editions, 2015).

“The most meaningful way to differentiate your company from your competitors, the best way to put distance between you and the crowd is to do an outstanding job with information. How you gather, manage, and use information will determine whether you win or lose.” —Bill Gates

Bill Gates’s quote should have you, as a member of the library profession, doing backflips. Librarians are specifically trained to gather, manage, and use information. If we take Gates’s words at face value, libraries should be the most competitive organizations on the planet.

Some of you would argue that your library is a nonprofit organization and is not competing with anyone. We beg to differ. Every customer has a choice and chooses whether to go to the library website or Google’s search bar, to either engage the library or order materials from Amazon. Amazon would much rather have its customers buy a book than borrow, and Google would much rather have information seekers search its website than seek out a reference or research librarian. There is no question that libraries compete head-to-head with these for-profit businesses.


Regards

Pralhad Jadhav
Senior Manager @ Library
Khaitan & Co


Upcoming Events | BOSLA-NIFT ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES-2016 on Saturday, 20th August 2016  at 10.00 hrs in National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. 
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