Meeting Community Needs

This guide offers best practices for librarians developing new programs and reminds us of the need to evaluate our current programs. There is something here for everyone, from the new librarian developing new services to the seasoned librarian re-inventing existing programs.... The author, Pamela H. Mackellar, has been a librarian for more than 30 years and has a broad understanding of libraries from a wide array of careers in the field. This is apparent from the logical and thoughtful guide she has created. Well-organized and thorough, this book is useful for any librarian interested in better meeting the needs of their users, and it is applicable to a wide variety of libraries. * Technical Services Quarterly * MacKellar's book makes a compelling case for librarians to toss outdated definitions of 'assessments' as she unfolds plans for designing an evolving vibrant resource center that will provide whatever its community needs. The author unabashedly states the necessity of change, that specific traditional concepts such 'bringing people into the library' and 'holding social events' are library-centered ideas that need to evolve for the library to be a valued resource. They must become needs-based from a community viewpoint. While smashing the process of traditional assessments, she provides a well-planned methodology for discovering current community needs and how to implement changes. The book opens with an enthusiastic wake up call to librarians, then it concisely glides into an outline with plans to assess a community, and how to use those findings to create an evolved community knowledge center. -- Jill Conner, Library Director, Pueblo of Pojoaque Public Library, New Mexico