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No one could say it better. This really is the problem, the facts and the solution thanks Robert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Harden" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 2:47 PM Subject: Command and control (was FW: Is this the end for OPACs?) > As often happens on this list, the discussion about OPACS reveals a > deeper problem. The talk of cultural retail outlets set me awondering > about whether we're seeing reality as clearly as we ought. > > It's about time public libraries, as presently constituted, stopped > pretending that they exist to satisfy their customers. It can only lead > to disappointment for all concerned. > > Public libraries are in the control and rationing business. It's no use > wishing, or behaving as if, it were otherwise. It's the core of their > mission. Eking out limited resources to optimise their social benefit > is what libraries do. They can do it with a smile or they can be > sour-faced about it. But giving the generality of customers what they > want when they want it has never been a goal with any realistic chance > of being attained. > > Internet terminals are a case in point. Whether or not the library has > dumb OPAC terminals wouldn't be an issue if there were enough > all-purpose terminals to go round. For all sorts of reasons public > libraries just aren't flexible enough to respond in that way to what > customers want. As arms of local government, they do not control most > of their key assets and satisfying the priorities of library customers, > actual and potential, comes a long way down the pecking order after > satisfying the priorities of the local council's policy makers. > > Libraries operate in a command economy, as the People's Network neatly > demonstrates. Internet terminals were installed in libraries en masse > because the government wished it so, not because libraries themselves > were responding to customer demand. > > In the present scheme of things a public library is unable to behave > like a customer-led business. If it is desirable that it should, there > is one big obstacle to be overcome first. And that is local government. > Take public libraries out of that command and control environment, and > there is a chance that they will be able to respond to the changing > requirements of their customers. Any service enterprise that fails to > do that, has a short future. > > Robert Harden > ______________________ > [log in to unmask] > www.harden.dial.pipex.com > ______________________ >