Summary

The purpose of The Customer Focused Library project is three-fold:

• To gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative information about the customer experience in the grant partner libraries using evaluation practices from retail.
• To derive best practices from the information gathered.
• To share those best practices widely through the Metropolitan Library System, the state of Illinois, and the library community as a whole.

Envirosell, a leading research and consulting agency for commercial environments that integrates the analysis of layout, merchandising, and operations, conducted a study at the four partner libraries.  Each partner library was selected for its diversity of size and user population.  Results from the study were presented at a workshop at MLS on April 29, 2008. Library Directors from the four partner libraries presented their best practices and implementation plans at a workshop at MLS on July 22, 2008.

Grant Presentations and Best Practices

• Envirosell Final Presentation
• Envirosell Final Report
• Presentation from the June 13th Academic Networking Group Meeting - a summary and discussion of findings for an academic library audience.
• Presentation from the July 22nd Best Practices Presentation
• Best Practices for the Customer Focused Library - Final Best Practices developed from Envirosell's and the grant team's recommendations.
• Best Practices presentation from the Illinois Library Association Conference, September 26th, 2008

Look for the "Why We Borrow" pre-conference at the American Library Association Conference in Chicago to hear more solutions for the Customer Focused LIbrary!

Funding for this grant was provided by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Illinois State Library and the Illinois Secretary of State.