New Routes to Library Success

Nadine Loza
Doucett, E. (2016). New routes to library success: looking outside of the library world to spark new ideas. American Libraries. March 42-45.

Summary: Doucett is the director of the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine.  She entered the library profession in 2004, from the business world.  In this article, Doucett makes the case for librarian professionals to look outside of the library world to understand how to evolve to meet the needs of today’s user.  She argues that without librarian professionals continually evolving to meet the needs of the 21^st century user, we might soon see a time where libraries a disappearing from American cities.  To make her point, she uses the example of how she turned to Margot Atwell, the publishing outreach coordinator for Kickstarter.  Kickstarter is an online crowdsourcing platform.  Kickstarter provides ways for individuals to promote a project or a cause to gain donations.  Kickstarter success lies in the ways the site connects people, and allows them to get involved in projects they feel passionately about.  Doucett was inspired to reach out to Atwell, and came away with important implications for libraries.  She recommends that library professionals use promotional videos, games, and community outreach to promote their programs in new and exciting ways.  She urges the library world to evolve with today’s user, she warns that the very survival of American libraries may be at stake.

Evaluation: Doucett’s analysis and recommendations are very useful to consider.  She uses her own background in the business world to find innovative ways to promote libraries.  Her assessments about the future of American libraries might seem alarmist, however, current research on library use confirms that they are at a sharp decline.  As a future teacher librarian, I agree with Doucett.  Teacher librarians must continually adapt their marketing and programs to make their libraries a place teens want to be.  Many teacher librarians have already adapted traditional rules, and transformed their libraries into spaces where collaboration and technology are welcomed.  Following these trends, libraries will continue to have a secure place in American cities.