Think Piece • November 14, 2022

City/County: Lacking time for the library? Get help from experts.

We know you’re juggling dozens of responsibilities at once, but the library cannot go to the bottom of the priority list without consequences. Every day, libraries across the country are providing resources that are vital – in some cases for survival and in others community advancement. Libraries are helping people find jobs and resources. They’re sparking inspiration and birthing local business. They’re centerpieces of community development and engagement. This just skims the surface of what good libraries provide, but only if you’re intentional in the way you operate them. Otherwise, they’re libraries of yesteryear which are good and valuable, but not nearly as impactful as they could or should be.

The bottom line: libraries are pivotal to the health of your community. They fundamentally change and innovate communities. But with mounting and conflicting responsibilities, many community leaders are not able to give the library the attention their community deserves, so they’re maintaining an asset but not taking advantage of it. Library directors and staff are doing their best with typically underfunded and understaffed libraries. They want nothing more than to deliver services that align with community needs and goals, but they need support.

So, if you’re one of many community leaders struggling to prioritize the library, what can you do? You can get help from a team of library experts who will partner with you to strategize, develop and deliver excellent library services in alignment with community goals. For over 40 years, LS&S has partnered with communities across the United States to operate public libraries with community vitality in mind. By managing day-to-day library operations with a focus on resource and service optimization, LS&S delivers:

  • Cost savings
  • Innovative services
  • Efficiency
  • Local control
  • Strategic plans & grants
  • Performance analytics

Learn about the 70+ communities that have partnered with LS&S and are thriving.