MARY ANNE LLOYD: "...the library actually ought to be the model for the city as to how to do things efficiently."

This is the second in a series of five “In Her/His Own Words” posts on the Library.

Regular Meeting
Tuesday, February 6, 2007

XI. Orders of Council
A. Review the Organization Study of Library Operations from John Goss of Ralph Andersen & Associates and provide policy direction.

“Good Evening, Mayor McCloud and City Council Members, City Staff as well.”

“My name is Mary Anne (T.) Lloyd. I am here because I would like to speak to the Ralph Andersen Associates Report prepared by John Goss. I am greatly disturbed by the measures of library efficiency Mr. Goss used in his report and which I am concerned could lead to erroneous conclusions and premature actions.”

“First, I would like to say why I feel I have a background to understand the Goss Report. I am a librarian with experience in physics, biomedical libraries, engineering and technology libraries at William and Mary, UCLA, Hughes Research Corporation, and I have just retired from Monterey Peninsula College where I was the director of the library for the last 20 plus years. Amongst my responsibilities was the planning, organizing application and overseeing of the new 22 and ½ million dollar building we got for the library in our community, I’m happy to say. In addition, I was involved in the start-up of the foundation which has raised a few million dollars for the college. Additionally, I made it possible for the public multi type cooperative MOBAC, to be housed at the MPC library for over 12 years. As chair of MOBAC at one time, and multiple position holders with MOBAC, I have been aware of public library issues over the years. Moreover, Harrison Memorial Library is my library, my public library.”

“My special concerns with the Goss Report go to the measures of the use of the library and conclusions of its inefficiency. No measure, I have a number of items, there were many that I would like to speak to, there isn’t time to do so, so I will just bring our a few. No measure of use of efficiency of a library is based merely on the number of materials checked our. It’s wholly inadequate measure. Computers, internet use, journals, reference collections, local historical records and other materials that do not circulate are made available for the public use. These are measures, the use of the library for whatever purpose, is the way we, in the profession, measure use, not be single numbers of items checked out; that’s misleading. The use of MOBAC, the agency that makes it possible for all libraries to share materials between institutions for the benefit of an informed public was not mentioned at all in the report. This is a huge efficiency item that should not be overlooked. It means the savings of expenses on the part of the library and the city...”

“I would like to make a bold statement here, which is that I think the library actually ought to be the model for the city as to how to do things efficiently. Which other department has started a foundation and raised the money for all the tools of its daily service to people? Which other department has given the building to the city and then been a partner in the renovation of the building and made that available to the city? Not only does it provide the information and materials, but lectures, outreach to the elderly population with volunteers, innumerable services to the city for which the city does not pay. I would submit to you that the library is an outstanding example of efficiency and perhaps could be a model for the city!”

“Thank you for your time and consideration.”

Goss Rebuttal:
About MOBAC: “...there was no real effort, since this is just a management analysis, and not really an audit, to go through all the different elements that made up the operation of the library. That’s certainly was something I was aware of and certainly something that was beneficial to the operation of the library.”

On Measurement: “In my experience, with various cities and city libraries, circulation is usually the first thing that’s looked at, but certainly the other elements that were mentioned are certainly can be utilized and are useful in that respect.”