Tough Love in Tough Times

[Karen G. Schneider]

Dear Web4Lib and PUBLIB folks,

For the next issue of Free Range Librarian ( http://lii.org/FRL ), my
topic is how to apply the "tough love" concept to library technology
cutbacks--in other words, how to make the reduced services visible in
such a way that doesn't unfairly burden our neediest users but sends
home the message that the amount of technology services the library can
provide have been reduced due to budget reductions.  

How do you let your users know that you couldn't renew the XYZ
databases, or that the librarian maintaining your Web presence had to be
pressed into service on the front desk? Do you announce delays for new
hardware or software acquisitions? 

This particular spin on the general topic of survival in tough times was
inspired by several tales told to me sotto voce of library Web sites
that live on, quietly linkrotting in the half-life of neglected
networked resources, despite the slow or sudden loss of resources
(particularly personnel) to support them. 

If you have thoughts, anecdotes, horror stories, success stories,
observations, or aphorisms to share, send them to my lii.org address,
kgs at lii.org  no later than Sunday, September 29, 2002.  

Thanks! 

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Karen G. Schneider kgs at lii.org  http://lii.org 
Director,    Librarians' Index to the Internet
lii.org  New This Week:     http://lii.org/ntw 
      lii.org: Information You Can Trust!
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