Digital Commons Network^™

Creating A Library Holding Group: An Approach To Large System Integration., Isaac R Huffman, Heather J Martin, Barbara (Basia) Delawska-Elliott

Basia Delawska-Elliott, MLIS, AHIP

PURPOSE: Faced with resource constraints, many hospital libraries have considered joint operations. This case study describes how Providence Health & Services created a single group to provide library services.

METHODS: Using a holding group model, staff worked to unify more than 6,100 nonlibrary subscriptions and 14 internal library sites.

RESULTS: Our library services grew by unifying 2,138 nonlibrary subscriptions and 11 library sites and hiring more library staff. We expanded access to 26,018 more patrons.

CONCLUSIONS: A model with built-in flexibility allowed successful library expansion. Although challenges remain, this success points to a viable model of unified operations.

Combining Resources, Combining Forces: Regionalizing Hospital Library Services In A Large Statewide Health System., Heather J Martin, Basia Delawska-Elliott

Basia Delawska-Elliott, MLIS, AHIP

After a reduction in full-time equivalents, 2 libraries in large teaching hospitals and 2 libraries in small community hospitals in a western US statewide health system saw opportunity for expansion through a regional reorganization. Despite a loss of 2/3 of the professional staff and a budgetary decrease of 27% over the previous 3 years, the libraries were able to grow business, usage, awareness, and collections through organizational innovation and improved efficiency. This paper describes the experience--including process, challenges, and lessons learned--of an organizational shift to regionalized services, collections, and staffing. Insights from this process may help similar organizations going through …