Strategic Plan: Louisville Free Public Library’s Teen Outpost

STRATEGIC PLAN14

Strategic Plan: Louisville Free Public Library’s Teen Outpost

E. B.

Jacqueline Danziger-Russell

C. D.

C. F.

San José State University

May 1, 2010

LIBR 204-18

Sean Gaffney

Abstract

The following paper in an examination of the Louisville Free Public Library’s (LFPL) Teen Outpost, a branch with young adult services and materials. The topics of this paper include: (a) An in depth analysis of the LFPL’s events, programs, and history that have occurred within the last 5-10 years, (b) a strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) analysis of the library, (c) a strategic plan to counter the issues and problems that were identified in the literature, and (d) an evaluation of the relevant literature covering topics that relate to the LFPL. The primary purpose of this examination is to provide a strategic outline for the LFPL and other libraries that have experienced dramatic changes in either their services or budget. In addition, this paper aims to provide the LFPL along with other researchers and librarians a broad illustration of the possible approaches to tackle similar issues.

Historical Background

Changes and trends for the Louisville Free Public Library and Teen Outpost in the last 5-10 years:

· When the Teen Outpost opened about ten years ago, there was a Supervisor and 2.5 FTE employees working there. Peter Howard, the Teen Services Supervisor for the Louisville Free Public Library, noted that, “with the dawn of the internet, the library noticed and increase in new patrons who now wanted computer access.  Many of these were teens.  To address this issue, the library decided to beef up its services to teens.  This included building the first ever teen room, as opposed to having just a teen corner as most branches still do (B., 2010a; 2010b).”  The location next to the Highlands-Shelby Park branch at Midcity Mall (a strip mall) was decided upon since the neighborhood has a high density of families with teens, and the mall environment could be attractive to teens.  Several middle schools are located nearby and the Midcity Mall is also located on a bus line.  There is a connecting door between the Highlands-Shelby Park branch and the Teen Outpost.

· The Supervisor reported directly to a central manager. At first, that was the Manager of Children’s Services, and later it became the Manager of Teen Services when that position was created (B., 2010a).

· In 2000, a fire broke out in the basement of the Main Library. The technical services department and the staff lounge were destroyed. The subsequent renovation made both rooms smaller to accommodate a large community and meeting room, called the Centennial Room. Special programs for all ages were held there, and it was used by non-profit community organizations as a meeting room (B., 2010b).

· Around this time, the Main Children’s department merged with the Children’s Outreach department, which operated the children’s bookmobiles. System-wide, there was an emphasis on providing more programs and outreach to children, as well as teens.

· An agreement was made with Jefferson County Public Schools to provide special cards for all of the students. These cards were used for tracking programs at the school such as teen lunches, and allowed them to receive discounts on public transit, as well as serving as their library card (B., 2010b).

· 2006:  The library petitioned to have a referendum on the ballot to create a separate tax district. A master plan was formed to implement the creation of new branches as well as the renovation of the existing branches and the Main library (see LFPL master plan).  The measure was defeated, however, the library planned to move ahead with their master plan. Part of the plan has been realized in the creation of the Newburg library, which serves a predominantly Black neighborhood that did not previously have a library in the area.  The new building has many “green” features, and is specially staffed and designed to provide service for teens, though the library is open to all ages.  A Southwest Regional Library is currently being planned (B., 2010b).

· June, 2009:  The Supervisor of the Teen Outpost position was eliminated when the person who last held the position retired. The position was eliminated due to budgetary concerns. At this point in the timeline, our contact, Peter Howard, was integrated into the Highlands-Shelby Park staff (the Teen Outpost is connected to the Highlands-Shelby Park branch of the LFPL) (B., 2010a; 2010b).

· August, 2009: A devastating flood destroyed the lower level of the Main library and all three bookmobiles. Insurance money from the flood, plus private donations, enabled LFPL to move forward with a plan to renovate the main children’s department, and the creation of a teen department. Peter Howard became Supervisor of the teen department (B., 2010a; 2010b; 2010c).

· The new teen department will not open until April or May, 2010. Peter Howard will continue to be in charge of the Teen Outpost until the new main teen department opens and they hire a new librarian to take over the position at the Teen Outpost (B., 2010a).

· Craig Buthod took over as director of the LFPL in April 1998. Buthod’s focus for the LFPL was to make the library a vital resource in the community, according to Peter Howard (B., 2010b).  Buthod accomplished this by pushing big programs such as exhibits like the Gutenberg Bible and the Declaration of Independence. An exhibit gallery was opened (now closed because of the renovations). Partnerships with many community organizations were made, such as a partnership with Jefferson County Public School. The library also started sponsoring visits from nationally known authors under Buthod’s direction (B., 2010b).

· Craig Buthod is named “Librarian of the Year” by Library Journal in January 2010 (Berry, 2010).

The past and present organizational climate—the leadership style and organizational processes for decision-making (formal organizational structure and informal processes):

· Though they are located next door (same building, different storefront) to the Highlands-Shelby Park Branch, the Teen Outpost functions as a separate branch of the LFPL system.  The Teen Outpost has its own set of rules, procedures, and specially trained staff (B., 2010a; 2010b; 2010c).

· Peter Howard has worked for the LFPL for over sixteen years. He noted that when he started, “There was a system-wide manager of children’s services who oversaw services and programs for children and teens for the system. A few years ago, the position of Manager of Teen Services was created.” The Manager of Teen Services was responsible for teen services for the entire LFPL system (B., 2010b).

· 2008: Manager of Children’s Services position was eliminated due to budget cuts. The assistant director of public services for the LFPL assumed those responsibilities after the cut was made (B., 2010b).

· Soon after, a new department was created called the Office of School Support, which consisted of a director, a program manager, and an early childhood specialist. In less than a year, the office was disbanded. The director became the new manager of branch services and the other staff members became assistant managers of the two branches. The manager of Teen Services position was eliminated at that time (B., 2010b).

· After the 2009 flood, the insurance money and private donations helped to fund part of the master plan: the building of a new children’s department and a new teen department. Peter Howard became Teen Services Supervisor at the Main Library. The children’s department manager at the Main Library’s position was expanded to become the communications coordinator for Children and Teen Services. Peter Howard currently reports to that individual (B., 2010b).

· The LFPL has “moved away from” using the term “Young Adult”, replacing it with the term “Teen”. However, the collection is still referred to as “Young Adult Outpost” in the catalogue. Howard sees this as a flaw (B., 2010b).

· Teens have first priority on the computers at the teen outpost. Although adults are welcome to use the facility, they will be asked to give up the use of a computer if a teen needs it (B., 2010b).

· Eating and drinking is allowed at the Teen Outpost. Their research showed that teens come into the library after school and they are hungry, so as not to deter library use, they are allowed to eat. They must clean up after their own mess, and now food or drinks are allowed at the computer stations. Food is also often served during programs. Teens also bring in snacks to share (B., 2010b).

· The Teen Outpost strives to provide a non-judgmental environment where teens feel free to express themselves. Topics are not limited however; inappropriate subjects such as sexual activity, glamorizing or promoting drug use are discouraged. Howard remarks “If a political or religious discussion gets too fervent, or the conversation too personal, we may cut it off or invite the teens to take it into the chat room, which was designed for that purpose.  No derogatory or threatening language is allowed. We do have a culture of high volume, but there are limits (B., 2010b).”

· Peter Howard on the decision making process at the Teen Outpost: “When there was a Teen Outpost supervisor [sic], she reported to a central manager, either the Manager of Children’s Services, the Manager of Teen Services, or the Manager of Branch Services (it changed over the years).  When the Teen Outpost supervisor position was eliminated, the manager of the Highlands-Shelby Park Library became manager of the Teen Outpost as well. For the main part, she has given me the autonomy to run the Outpost as I wish[…] Most procedures that were already set by precedent continue as is.”  Howard also comments that there has not been much change, however, the biggest adjustment has been staffing. They have gone from three people staffing the Outpost at a time to having one full-time staff member and one part-time paraprofessional. Often, there is only one person staffing the Outpost at a time (B., 2010b).

· Teen volunteers are utilized (B., 2010b).

· There is currently no official manager of Teen Services at the Teen Outpost. Many decisions such as day-to-day issues and program design are made autonomously by the Teen Librarian. The Branch Manager handles larger issues. Issues affecting system –wide services would go to the manager of Branch Services who reports directly to the Assistant Director of Public Services (B., 2010b).

Mission Statement and Values:

There is currently no known Mission Statement for the Teen Outpost, specifically, but the LFPL does have a system-wide mission statement for teen services:

“At the Louisville Free Public Library, quality library service to young adults is provided by a staff that understands and respects the unique informational, educational and recreational needs of teenagers. Equal access to information, services and materials is recognized as a right not a privilege. Louisville teens are actively involved in the library decision-making process. The library staff understands the developmental assets of teens and plans services accordingly. Collaborating and cooperating with other youth-serving agencies, the Louisville Free Public Library provides a holistic, community-wide network of activities and services that support healthy development.”

Below is the Mission Statement for the Louisville Free Public Library:

“The Library's mission is to provide the people of Louisville and Jefferson County with the broadest possible access to knowledge, ideas and information, and to support them in their pursuit of learning.”

Vision and Values of the LFPL from their website:

It is the vision of the Commission that the Louisville Free Public Library will deliver library service on a par with the best public libraries in the U.S. We will provide:

· Excellent library facilities conveniently accessible to all residents,

· Strong and appealing collections of books and other materials,

· Attentive and effective staff assistance for all readers and researchers,

· Services, public programs and events that promote reading, convey valuable information and extend the value of the Library to its community,

· Sophisticated information technology that advances the Library's mission, and

· Hours of operation that respond to the busy lifestyles of today's families.

Our Values

· We believe that reading improves lives,

· That the library's chief purpose is to support the individual pursuit of knowledge and life-long learning,

· That the library should be an institution for civic exchange and a community forum for ideas,

· And that the bedrock of library service is a collection of reliable published sources, preserving the best from the past and keeping current with new discoveries.

· We believe that literacy and the ability to learn are basic tools of economic opportunity and personal success.

· We are committed to children and youth.

· We respect our patrons as individuals and benefit from the diversity of cultures they represent.

· We support the wide range of the public's reading and research interests as a reflection of that diversity.

· We believe that the freedom to read whatever one chooses is a right as profound as free speech.

· We protect the privacy of a person's use of the library as a sacred trust.

· We take pride in our responsiveness to community needs and individual interests.

· We strive for equity of access to library services across the entire community.

· We embrace electronic information sources as new tools for extending the library's usefulness.

· We believe that every branch library should be a neighborhood anchor, reflecting the culture of the surrounding residents and strengthening the community it serves.

· We believe that every library building should provide space and surroundings conducive to learning as a reflection of the value our community places on education.

* See LFPL mission statement in references

SWOT Analysis:

 

Positive

Negative

Internal

Strengths

·   Award-winning library director who has a record of turning threats into opportunities and inspiring donors (Berry, 2010) and committed to moving forward with the master plan (B., 2010b)

·  Library Director is also "politically savvy" (Berry, 2010), and keeps abreast of political trends

·   Well trained, dedicated and resourceful staff (evidenced by behavior after the destructive flood) (Flagg, 2009)

·   Library is “vital resource in the community” (B., 2010b)

·   High profile exhibits – including the Gutenberg Bible and Declaration of Independence (B., 2010b)

·   Unique Teen Outpost (B., 2010b)

·   Friends of the Library fundraises and purchases equipment – including new manga collection and a microwave for the YA Outpost (B., 2010c)

·   Partnerships with community organizations, such as the Jefferson County Public Schools (B., 2010a) and art agencies (B., 2010c)

·   Loyal user base, increased use of library, higher circulation, more computer use (B., 2010b)

·   Good insurance coverage (Flagg, 2009)

·  Teen volunteers (B., 2010b)

·  Teen Outpost is close to schools (B., 2010b)

Weaknesses

·   Staff cutbacks lead to staffing crises and occasionally being spread thin (B., 2010b; 2010c)

·   Supervisor of the Teen Outpost position was eliminated for budgetary reasons, reducing Outpost staff to one librarian (B., 2010b)

·   Teen service positions are shuffled around or cut when there is a budget crisis (B., 2010b)

·   Library does not own all the branch buildings (B., 2010b)

·   Closed on Sundays at all branches (Louisville Free Public Library, 2009)

External

Opportunities

·   Autonomy of Teen Librarian at the Teen Outpost allows the opportunity to respond to patrons wants and needs (B., 2010b)

·   Emphasis on outreach to children and teens (B., 2010b)

·   Lack of funds requires creative use of funds and materials – like an environmentally themed summer reading program (B., 2010b)

·   Renovation of teen space at the Main Library, opportunities for program growth at new branches

·   Partnerships with community organizations has potential for combined programs

·   Donation of money provides opportunity (“Patron Wills,” 2005)

Threats

·   Lack of funds, not an independent taxing district, asked to scale back budget (B., 2010b; 2010c)

·   Funding cutbacks affects programming (B., 2010b)

·   Tax referendum failed (Berry, 2010; B., 2010b)

* For more information see Appendix B: Annotated Bibliography

Strategic PlanFor this Strategic Plan, our group looked at our findings in the SWOT diagram, and came up with goals to either strengthen areas in which the library is already doing well, or produce improvement where the library needs it. As a group, we focused on the Teen Outpost, as this unique Branch provided the Louisville Free Public Library the ability to provide personalized service to a patron group that is often under-served. Our first goal focused on the more traditional roles of the library such as providing tutoring and programming and author visits. These goals can be achieved in a low-cost manner by providing volunteer tutors, and virtual author visits via Skype or iChat. The last action plan in our first goal addressed the weakness that the staffing of the Teen Outpost often seems to depend on the budget of the library. Providing a work-credit partnership with local schools could provide consistent staffing in the Teen Outpost, regardless of any full-time staff turnover due to budget cuts.   Our second goal addressed more creative ways to support the healthy development of the library's teen patrons. While the library is traditionally considered a place where the focus is on scholarly pursuits, we believe that teens would also benefit from workshops and programming pertaining to subjects such as stress relief, yoga, and healthy eating. The third action plan for this goal is more scholarly, but takes a program often reserved for college libraries and implements it for the library teens. During stressful times in the school year (midterms and final exam times) the library can extend working hours until 11PM (a two hour increase) during the week.  These extra hours will allow teens to finish last-minute papers, and have a quiet place to study for exams. During these times, a mandatory quiet hours policy can be implemented in the library to ensure that students who have come to take advantage of the study space can be undisturbed. The library can ask for volunteers from library staff and partner with local schools to get faculty volunteers to provide the extra hours without straining the library's budget.Our third goal focused on encouraging teen participation not only in the library, but in their community as well. Implementing a Teen Advisory Board (TAB) was our first action plan, which encouraged teens to take charge of their own library services. Under a librarian's supervision, TAB members will help plan programming, select books for the collection, and serve as a source of teen opinion for the library staff. The second action plan encouraged teens to participate in the community by providing opportunities for them to volunteer. Opportunities could include such activities as tutoring, reading to younger children, or to adopt-a-highway. The third action plan for this goal encouraged teens to get involved in helping each other, by giving them an open forum to share their problems and ideas.Our final goal is not focused on just the teens, though there are certainly ways to make this apply to the teen population as well. One of the library's strengths, according to our contact Peter Howard (B., 2010b), was that the library is vital to the community. In order to strengthen that bond with the community, we suggested the library provide programming and workshops focusing on local people and opportunities. Local bands, local authors, and films that were filmed in Louisville all provide examples of the rich community that the LFPL is a part of. By showcasing these sorts of local arts and entertainment groups, the library can encourage patrons to look locally for arts and entertainment, similar to the "Keep Louisville Weird" campaign launched by the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (See Keep Louisville Weird). This goal not only benefits the library and its patrons, but also the local economy.The success of the strategic plan will be determined in several ways. The library organization will survey library patrons about their library satisfaction levels for a month before the implementation of the strategic plan. At the end of the three year period, library patrons will be surveyed again. An improvement in library patrons' satisfaction levels will indicate the strategic plan is a success. An increase in teen use of the library and teen attendance at library programs will also indicate a successful strategic plan. Another measure of success will be how well the library follows the action plans included in the strategic plan.  Goal: Continue to provide quality services at teen outpost.

· Provide monthly author visits by popular teen authors.

· Twice a week, provide two volunteer tutors from the hours of 4-6PM in the teen outpost for homework help.

· Plan and implement work credit program with local schools. Teen volunteers will provide consistent staffing at the teen outpost despite full-time staff turnover.

Goal: Support teens' healthy development in both mind and body.

· Provide weekly Saturday morning Yoga classes free to teens.

· Provide monthly workshops on topics such as stress relief, time management and healthy eating.

· Provide later hours during exam time to allow teens to finish last minute studying and papers. Recruit library and school volunteers to work the library during these extra hours.

Goal: Encourage teen participation in the library, as well as in the community.

· Recruit teen advisory board to meet monthly to discuss and plan teen outpost ideas.

· Provide monthly opportunities for teens to volunteer in the community, such as tutoring, adopt a highway, etc.

· Implement a bi-weekly program where teens can openly express their thoughts, opinions, ideas on life, problems to help others with similar issues.

Goal: Ensure a close connection with the community by promoting local arts and entertainment.

· Hold a Battle of the Bands competition, inviting local musicians to participate.

· Hold arts and crafts fair, with live workshops and demonstrations.

· Reach out to local authors to provide monthly author readings.

· Hold a local film festival, showcasing cinema produced by local filmmakers or filmed in Louisville.

References

Berry III, J. (2010). Craig Buthod. Library Journal, 135(1), 36-38.

Blumenstein, L. (2006). Louisville card does triple duty. Library Journal, 131(19), 17.

B. (Interviewer) & Howard, P. (Interviewee). (2010a). LFPL General Interview [Email Interview]. Retrieved February 17, 2010.

B. (Interviewer) & Howard, P. (Interviewee). (2010b). LFPL General Interview [Email Interview]. Retrieved February 25, 2010; March 3, 2010.

B. (Interviewer) & Howard, P. (Interviewee). (2010c). SWOT Interview [Email Interview]. Retrieved March 22, 2010.

Evans, G. E. & Ward, P. L. (2007). Management basics for information professionals (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Flagg, G. (2009). Flooded Louisville library reopens; service limited as recovery efforts  

 continue. American Libraries, 40(10), 27-8.   .

Gibbons, J. (2010). Ringing out for literacy. American Libraries, 41(1/2), 56-58. Retrieved from   Academic Search Premier database.

Imholz, S. (2008). Public libraries by design: Embracing change at low cost. Public Library  Quarterly, 27(4), 335-350. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Johnson, H. (1994). Strategic planning for modern libraries. Library Management, 15(1), 7-18.

Jones, M. L. (2009).  Public accommodations: Louisville Free Public Library deals with security concerns. Louisville Eccentric Observer, 12(17), 10.  Louisville, KY.

Karim, N. S. A. (2004). Link between environmental scanning and organizational behavior. Library Review, 53(7), 356-362.

Keep Louisville Weird. (2010). Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://keeplouisvilleweird.com.

LFPL Master Plan. (2010). Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://lfpl.org/Masterplan/index.htm

LFPL Mission Statement. (2010). Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://www.lfpl.org/mission.htm

Library Journal Staff (1999). LJ news: Louisville nixes $10k offer. Library Journal, 124(8), 26.

Louisville Free Public Libraries. (2007). Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://lfpl.org/

Louisville regroups after ballot defeat. (2007). American Libraries, 38(11), 24-25.

Patron wills $1 million. (2005). American Libraries, 36(2), 19-20. 

Pierce, J. (2007). Harry's last hurrah. American Libraries, 38(8), 79.

Price, L. (2010). On the vital importance of strategic planning. Public Libraries, 49(2), 25-Rogers, M., & Oder, N. (2000). Louisville begins staff program. Library Journal, 125(15), 22.

Smight, T. (n.d). 10 great places to find a nook and read a book. Retrieved April 27, 2010, from http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/10great/2008-03-06-10great-libraries_N.htm

Appendix A: Strategic Plan Process Development

Step One: Organization History and Background

Our first step in developing our strategic plan was to research the history and background of our chosen organization, the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) and Teen Outpost. We did this in three main ways:

a. We conducted research though various databases for information on the LFPL and the Teen Outpost.

b. We scanned the LFPL website for information on the history and background of our organization as well as for information relevant to the development of our strategic plan, as a whole.

c. We identified an administrator in our target organization, Peter Howard, Teen Services Supervisor of the LFPL, and obtained his consent to conduct our project. Once we had his permission, we developed a few different interviews that were designed to yield pertinent information such as the history of the Teen Outpost, the organizational climate, and how the Teen Outpost is run today. This information was summarized in a report on the historical background of the organization entitled, “Changes and Trends for the Louisville Free Public Library and Teen Outpost in the Last 5-10 Years”.

Step Two: Conduct an Environmental Scan and Prepare a Report

Step two in developing our strategic plan involved conducting an environmental scan. According to Evans and Ward (2007), environmental scanning “is a process for gathering information about activities, trends, relationships, competitors, potential dangers, and any other factor in the environment that could impact the organization” (p. 45). In order to assess the organization’s environment, we utilized information gathered from the website, from internal data via our contact, Peter Howard, and from further research using various databases to obtain articles (including journals and local newspapers). An environmental scan was conducted applying this information (plus the literature we had already collected) to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for, and threats to the LFPL and Teen Outpost. Each member of our team wrote up at least two annotations to the articles that we found, highlighting SWOTs. These annotations were, in turn, developed into a SWOT analysis. Karim (2004) commented that “environmental scanning should help managers identify opportunities, detect and interpret problem areas, and implement strategic or structural adaptations (p. 359). Furthermore, Evans & Ward (2007) stated that, “scanning causes managers to consider possible changes in the environment and to think about how to respond if change does occur” (p. 47). By thoroughly investigating the LFPL and Teen Outpost’s environment, our team was able to assess the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and begin to plan future goals and our strategies for achieving them in the light of our research.

Step Three: Prepare Goals, Strategies, Assessment Plan and Annual Budget

Now that we had accomplished our environmental scan, we were prepared to develop our strategic plan for the LFPL and Teen Outpost. Johnson (1994) noted that “the library environment does change and it is better to deal with something planned for, rather than having something suddenly thrust upon the library” (p. 7). Our team realized the importance of establishing a strategic plan that would help the organization anticipate future threats and turn them into strengths while identifying and making the most out of current and future opportunities. Our team assembled to discuss the development of our goals for a three-year plan for the Teen Outpost. We based our decisions on the information we discovered through our SWOT, plus the organization’s Vision, Mission, and Values, as well as the system-wide mission statement for teen services in order to prepare relevant, creative, and achievable goals.

Once we had developed and established our goals, we began to brainstorm various methods for meeting them. According to Evans and Ward (2007), “a strategy identifies and sets the overall direction of an organization. Strategic planning is the process of creating action steps designed to achieve the overall goal (p. 149).” We were in the process of putting together, in essence, a guideline for the future of the Teen Outpost, as we tailored our strategic plan. Our action steps were designed with creativity and in anticipation of future changes in the organizational environment.

Our team based our strategic plan on strengthening and supporting areas in which the library had already been successful, and also cultivated ideas for improvement where the library appeared to need it. We also developed ways in which we could measure the effectiveness of our goals and the action plans for them, which includes employing both qualitative and quantitative research.

Other materials, such as the LFPL’s budget, hours of operation, description of the physical facilities and an organization chart were collated to aid in this report. Through environmental scanning, research, observation, communication with the organization and, above all, teamwork, we were able to put together a viable strategic plan. Price (2010) suggested that, “institutions that invest time and thoughtfulness into strategic planning reap abundant awards. They grow in appropriate ways and… they carry through on ambitious plans (p. 26).” Our hope in creating this strategic plan was that this information could be useful to the LFPL and Teen Outpost, making a great organization even better

(All discussion and collaborative work took place through our ANGEL group message board, Elluminate sessions, Angel IM, e-mail, and through Googledocs.)

*For works cited, see reference section

Appendix B: Annotated Bibliography

Funding

B., E. (Interviewer) & Howard, P. (Interviewee). (2010b). SWOT Interview [Email Interview]. Retrieved March 22, 2010.

 In this email correspondence, Peter Howard answered questions specifically related to our SWOT report.  Some of the strengths for the organization he described are creative thinking among library staff to make the best out of budget shortages (a library distribution list for branches to request excess supplies from other branches, cutting down on the need to buy new supplies), the library director's ability to stay positive and move forward despite setbacks,  and the Teen Outpost's ability to be an important part of the lives of the teenagers they serve (staff works to "maintain the integrity of the space" and keep the Outpost a safe place for all teenagers). He mentions the economy as a threat and a weakness: the library is not an independent taxing district, so the city can ask the library to cut back on their budget and the library must comply.  He also describes insurance monies received after the flood, as well as the community banding together to raise money (even out of state organizations raised money to help out) which give the Louisville Free Public Library the opportunity to rebuild and advance.

Library Journal Staff (1999). LJ news: Louisville nixes $10k offer. Library Journal, 124(8), 26.

When Audrey Knauer of Louisville KY died she bequeathed $300,000 to the actor, Charles Bronson.  In her will she insisted that, should Bronson not want the money, he should donate it to the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL). This article explained how the library then got tangled up in a law suit (a threat to this institution) from the deceased's sister who also sued the estate and Bronson.  LFPL Director, Craig Buthod, heard from Bronson's business manager that Knauer's sister and Bronson had reached a settlement for "an undisclosed sum" (LJS, 1999).  Bronson's manager stated that Bronson was prepared to make a contribution of $10,000 to the LFPL, but only on the condition that Bronson would remain an anonymous donor. The LFPL declined on the basis that not being able to disclose this information to the public would go against the public's right to know and that it would also restrict open and free access to information.  Nor did the LFPL wish to violate public disclosure laws or antagonize elected officials for $10,000, according to Buthod (LJS, 1999). This showed the LFPL's strength and dedication to library ethics and the public, though they lost out on $10,000 worth of funding in order to remain true to their mission. 

Planning

Louisville regroups after ballot defeat. (2007). American Libraries, 38(11), 24-25.This article described the Louisville Free Public Library's intent to continue their plans to renovate and build despite the original funding source (plans to make LFPL an independent taxing district) not passing successfully. This demonstrated a strength in the library's resilience ("nobody's against the library; some people are against the tax") as well as a strength in the support of the library by members of the city council, as before the measure was even voted down, members of the city council were already proposing alternate means of funding the library's "master plan" if the measure should fail. 

Imholz, S. (2008). Public libraries by design: Embracing change at low cost. Public Library  Quarterly, 27(4), 335-350. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

This article described the finding of a library planning charrette that was hosted by the Louisville Free Public Library and facilitated by the M.I.T. Design Laboratory, which was held in anticipation of building new library buildings in the city of Louisville. Although the bond issue to fund new construction was defeated by a November 2007 vote, the design charrette came up with Ten Principles for the Creation of 21st Century Public Libraries, which can be used as a resource for any group that is seeking to construct a new library from the ground up.  Ultimately, the findings of the group concluded that libraries will become places to access people, not information, and technology can be used to “maximize direct human interaction, not to isolate and create distance.”  This article was focused more on general findings that can apply to public libraries as a whole, rather than providing specific information about the LFPL.

LFPL projects

Patron wills $1 million. (2005). American Libraries, 36(2), 19-20. 

 This news article highlighted an anonymous donors $1 million donation to the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) along with four other libraries in Indiana. In total, the Louisville Free Public Library will keep $307,000 which will be held until the board of directors decides how to use the money. This can be prove to be a particularly strong opportunity for the LFPL because of recent budget problems along with other weaknesses in the library such as understaffed positions.

Berry III, J. (2010). Craig Buthod. Library Journal, 135(1), 36-38.

In this article, Berry, III (2010) focused on Craig Buthod, director of the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL), KY, and how he has managed to steer the LFPL from threat into opportunities, earning Library Journal’s “Librarian of the Year” award.  When a tax proposal to support the LFPL was voted down, Buthod publicly vowed to move forward with the library’s master plan to renovate and rebuild across the library system (Berry, III, 2010).  Positive results are seen today in the opening of the Newberg Library, a branch library in an underserved neighborhood. When a flood devastated the main branch in 2009, Buthod turned this tragedy into an opportunity to rebuild the library and make great improvements, using the insurance money to repair the library at “200 percent”, Buthod asserts. BerryIII showed that Buthod has repeatedly turned adversity (threats and weaknesses) into motivational strength and opportunity for the LFPL. His leadership also inspired donors and sustained public funding. During his eleven years as director for the LFPL Buthod has extended library service to the community with programs such as the “Power Plus Card” (Berry, III, 2010) that serves as an ID card and community discount card and broadens access to the library for school children. He has also brought high profile exhibits to the LFPL. Due to Buthod’s creative vision and political savvy, the LFPL has become an outstanding community resource.

Blumenstein, L. (2006). Louisville card does triple duty. Library Journal, 131(19), 17.

As part of a news and events section of Library Journal, Blumenstein (2006) announced that the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) will be giving every student in Jefferson County Schools (JCPL) in Kentucky a “Student Power Plus Card”.  Blumenstein explained that due to a partnership with LFPL and the JCPL, 97,000 students will be receiving a special card that will not only serve as their library card, but as a fifty-cent discount card on public transit, as well as functioning as their student ID card that will track student performance and attendance. According to LFPL director, Craig Buthod, the initial run of cards was funded by the library foundation.  The foundation gave $45,000 to produce the cards, and $100,000 has been budgeted for the entire project (Blumenstein, 2006). According to Blumenstein, private and parochial schools are excited about joining the Power Plus Card program. The possibility of the card being used in school cafeterias may also be on the horizon.  LFPL has strengthened the library’s position in the community by integrating the library card into the daily lives of students. This presents the prospect of further enrichment of these students and a dynamic opportunity for the library to encourage more teen visitors.

Gibbons, J. (2010). Ringing out for literacy. American Libraries, 41(1/2), 56-58. Retrieved from   Academic Search Premier database.This article focused on the “Ring the Bell for Literacy” program established by the Louisville Free Public Library. Some of the activities such as poem reading, literacy contracts for children to sign, and the ringing of the bell were introduced in this article as cornerstones for what the program stands for: to improve literacy. In addition, Gibbons wrote about some of the key sources of funding used towards the establishment of the program. Gibbons described the program as a success for the library and for the city, noting that many of the townsfolk entered their children into the program and even highlighted one child’s positive experience with the bell ringing and receiving her literacy certificate.  

Pierce, J. (2007). Harry's last hurrah. American Libraries, 38(8), 79.This article described the Harry Potter book release celebrations of two public libraries, one of which was Louisville Free Public Library.  In a fine example of creative and interesting programming for teens and children, LFPL held a party from 8:30PM-1:00AM the night the final book of the Harry Potter series came out.  Branch libraries held contests leading up to the event, and these activities continued well into the night.  Also, in another example of community partnerships, a brass quintet from the Louisville Orchestra was there to play music from the Harry Potter movies, and a trolley from the local transit authority brought boxes of the new books at midnight.

Rogers, M., & Oder, N. (2000). Louisville begins staff program. Library Journal, 125(15), 22.This article highlighted a program started by Louisville Free Public Library in order to retain new staff members.  After a period where many library staff retired (one-third over 18 months), LFPL began an eleven month program to both train new staff and keep them from leaving despite their low-level positions.  Meeting for one afternoon a month for eleven months, participants were then rewarded with the equivalent of one year of supervisory experience. Sessions included time management, customer service, planning and goal setting, and managing conflict and change. This program ensured that staff was well-trained to replace retiring library workers in management positions, a strength for anyone involved.

LFPL events

Flagg, G. (2009). Flooded Louisville library reopens; service limited as recovery efforts  

 continue. American Libraries, 40(10), 27-8.   .

In this article, Flagg (2009) details the tragedy of the flood that hit the Louisville Free Public Library’s (KY) central facility in August, 2009 (Flagg, 2009).  The flood was caused by “torrential rain” and resulted in a loss of an estimated $5 million, with damage to approximately 60,000 books and 100 computers. The flood also destroyed three bookmobiles as well as three other service vehicles. Although the main library was heavily damaged, it was reopened, partially, only a week after the disaster. This pointed to a commitment to service from the LFPL Director, Craig Buthod, and LFPL staff.  This commitment can be seen as a positive amidst even the one of the worst of threats to this library system. According to Flagg, staff members were retrieving materials for patrons from the upper levels of the damaged library, even though those floors were closed to patrons, and the elevators were not working. Staff also made an extremely thorough inventory list of the damaged materials for the insurance, and worked quickly to save data from computers that had been submerged in the flood. Director Craig Buthod is confident that insurance will cover the bulk of the costs, but emphasized the importance of staff members when he says, “You need to have smart people and rely on them” (Flagg, 2009). The LFPL staff is certainly the library’s greatest strength.

LFPL general information

B., E. (Interviewer) & Howard, P. (Interviewee). (2010a). LFPL General Interview [Email Interview]. Retrieved March 3, 2010. In this email correspondence, Peter Howard answers questions regarding the current state of the Louisville Free Public Library, as well as the Teen Outpost branch.  He described strengths for the organization as a whole (the library director's focus is wanting to "make the library a vital resource in the community") as well as weaknesses (a referendum to make the library a separate taxing district was "overwhelmingly defeated"), threats (the library's teen services position is often shuffled around and cut when the budget is low) and opportunities (flood recovery funding has allowed the organization to move forward with some of its building plans).  He also described the running of the Teen Outpost, from its history and its location inside the Midcity Mall (as well as the Outpost's location close to schools, and on the bus line for easier access for teens) to its position within the Louisville Free Public Library Organization.

Jones, M. L. (2009).  Public accommodations: Louisville Free Public Library deals with security concerns. Louisville Eccentric Observer, 12(17), 10.  Louisville, KY.

This article discusses the issue of security at the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL).  A spokesperson for the Louisville Police Department, Alicia Smiley, noted the high number of complaints that come from the library, but suggested that there are no major security problems at the LFPL. Jones explained the type of problems that the LFPL has encountered when dealing with the matter of security for this public institution, which included simple vandalism and theft to more serious crimes.  LFPL Director, Craig Buthod, said that trouble is to be expected when you have a library system that may serve 10,000 visitors on a busy day (Jones, 2002). Buthod stated that the library has to balance security issues with the Bill of Rights.  Buthod has designed procedures to deal with security issues, such as having a supervisor on duty who document incidents so that repeat offenders may be banned from the library, and he has also hired “additional security” so that there will constantly be four guards on duty at the main branch (Jones, 2002).  Other changes, such as requiring patrons to have a library card to use the internet, are being discussed. In summary, any crime or security issue is a threat to the library, but the LFPL is strong on taking measures to provide security for both patrons and staff members.

 

Smight, T. (n.d). 10 great places to find a nook and read a book. Retrieved April 27, 2010, from http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/10great/2008-03-06-10great-libraries_N.htmIn this article, Nancy Pearl, NPR book commentator and author of Book Lust, shared her top ten favorite public libraries. Included on this list is the Crescent Hill branch of the Louisville Free Public Library because of the historic building and the mural-decorated children's wing. Although this article is not directly about the Youth Outpost, it provided some historical information about the LFPL, including that the building was endowed by Andrew Carnegie, and gave the library system some national press by mentioning it in USA Today.

Appendix C: Raw Data—the complete interviews with Peter Howard, Teen Services Supervisor at the LFPL.

Interviews were taken on February 17th and 25th and of March of 3rd and 22nd of 2010. All formatting and typos are left in their original state as to preserve the content of the interviews.

B., 2010a

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 12:55 PM, Peter Howard wrote:

Hi, Emily. My name is Peter Howard and I am the Supervisor of TeenServices at the Main branch of the Louisville Free Public Library.Although I am technically assigned to the Main, I am still working atour Teen Outpost, which is located at our Highlands-Shelby Park Branch.

Let me give you a little background about the Teen Outpost. When weopened about ten years ago, we had a Supervisor plus 2.5 FTE employeesat the Outpost. Although connected to the Highlands-Shelby Park Branch,the Supervisor always reported directly to a central manager--at firstthe Manager of Children's Services then the Manager of Teen Serviceswhen that position was created.

Last June, the Supervisor of the Teen Outpost resigned to accept a jobat a local school. The decision was made (due to budgetary concerns) toeliminate her position. The Outpost staff was reduced to one librarian(me) and I was "integrated" into the Highlands-Shelby Park staff.

In August, we had a devastating flood that destroyed the lower level ofour Main library. As a result of insurance money plus private donations,we were able to move forward with a master plan of renovating the Mainchildren's department, including the creation of a teen department. Iwas asked to be Supervisor of that department. Since the space will notopen until April or May, I continue to work at the Teen Outpost until anew librarian is hired. Fortunately, we were able to hire a part-timeparaprofessional, who's been a great help to me. Basically, you can sayI am now in charge of the Main teen department and the Teen Outpost.

In many ways the Teen Outpost is still a separate branch of the librarysystem. We have our own set of rules, procedures, and specially trainedstaff. If after this message, you still want to interview someone, Isuggest it should be me. Although I'm technically not the manager of theTeen Outpost, I would more likely have the answers you need than thebranch manager, whose involvement in the Outpost is minimal.

Feel free to write or call anytime. Thanks.

Peter HowardSupervisor of Teen ServicesLouisville Free Public Library502-574-1640

B., 2010b

On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 9:39 AM, Emily B. wrote:

Peter,

Thank you so much for your prompt response.  You have already helpedus out immensely.  I've spoken with my group, and we have come up witha few more questions to help us pin down the first part of ourproject, which is a "snapshot" of the organization over the last tenyears or so. First off, how long have you been employed at LFPL? (Thiswill help us describe our source of information in the paper.)  Also,can you describe some of the biggest changes in the organization overthe last ten years or so?  I know last years flood had a huge impacton LFPL, but can you think of anything else that also had an impact(new directors, tax referendums, new buildings/ redesigns, etc.)?

And more specifically about the Young Adult Outpost, when was itestablished, and why?  Was it established as a YA Outpost from thevery beginning, or did the library acquire that space and then laterformed it into a YA-centric area?  Was it established at theHighlands/Shelby Park branch because there were more teens there thanother branches, or was it because the space was available there andnot at other branches?  Was it ever considered to have the YA outpostnot connected to an already established branch? Was its establishmenta response to the growing teen population, or an attempt to bring moreteens in?

You mentioned in your last email that the YA outpost has its own rulesand procedures.  Can you describe those for me? What is thedecision-making process like there? You mentioned that the BranchSupervisor answers to the Manager of Teen Services, but what is thechain of command within the branch itself?  Are there teen volunteers?Do all decisions have to be run past the Manager of Teen Services, orare they fairly autonomous as long as they stay within a certainframework? Finally, does the YA Outpost have a mission statement?  Ifso, how does it differ from that of LFPL?

Thank you again Peter for all your help.  I have tried not to give youa bunch of open ended questions that you are going to have to wrackyour brain over, and to be as clear as possible.  However if you needany clarification, please don't hesitate to ask.

Emily B.Nelson County Public LibraryTechnology CoordinatorYA Librarian

On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 4:37 PM, Peter Howard wrote:

My answers below in red:

First off, how long have you been employed at LFPL? : I have worked at LFPL for over sixteen years. 14 years was as a Children’s Library Assistant at the Main Library. In 2005 I started work on my MSLS. I finished my degree in May 2008 and in August was hired at the Teen Librarian at the Teen Outpost. I was there for a little over a year before being promoted to Teen Services Supervisor at the Main Library.

Can you describe some of the biggest changes in the organization over the last ten years or so?  There have been many changes to the organization over the past ten years. I do not recall exactly when (but can find out) our current director, Craig Buthod, took over as director. His focus was to make the library a vital resource in the community. He did this by pushing for big programs such as exhibits of the Gutenberg Bible and the Declaration of Independence. We opened a new exhibit gallery (now closed as part of renovation) and started exhibiting high profile (local and national) exhibits in our Bernheim Gallery as well (both are at the Main). The library started partnerships with many community organizations including the Jefferson County Public School. The Main Library started sponsoring author visits with nationally known authors.

Around 2000, we had a fire in the basement of the Main Library. The technical services department and staff lounge were completely wiped out. In the renovation, both areas were made smaller to make room for a large, community and program meeting room. The Centennial Room hosted special programs for all ages, plus was  used by non-profit community organizations for meetings.

At or around this time (maybe a little earlier) the Main Children’s department merged with the Children’s Outreach department which operated the children’s bookmobiles. This was a big change for me personally. I went from working mainly in-house to doing outreach as a big part of my job. System-wide, an emphasis was made to provide more programs and outreach to children as well as working with teens. A few years back, we made an agreement with Jefferson County Public Schools to provide cards for all their students. The special cards are used for tracking certain programs at the schools (like free lunches), getting teens a discount on the public transit system, and serves as the child’s library card.

In 2006, the library petitioned to have a referendum on the ballot to create a separate tax district. A master plan was formed which included new branches and renovation of the main and other branches. I believe you can find this plan on our website. The measure was overwhelmingly defeated. In spite of that, the library vowed to continue with the master plan. Part of the realization was the opening of a brand new Newburg branch library. Newburg is a predominantly black neighborhood that did not have a library in its area. The new building has a lot of “green” features and was designed and staffed particularly for teens (although services are offered for all ages.) There are two community centers and a middle school within walking distance of the Newburg library. Just this week, it was announced that the library will build a new Southwest Regional Library. The current one is located in rental property in a mall. The land has already been acquired but the capital funds need to be raised.

When I started at LFPL, there was a system-wide Manager of Children’s Services who oversaw services and programs for children and teens for the system. A few years ago, the position of Manager of Teen Services was created. This person handled teen services for the entire system. In 2008, the position of Manager of Children’s Services was eliminated due to budget cuts. The Assistant Director of Public Services for the library assumed the responsibilities of the Manager of Children’s Services. Later that year or the next, a new department was created known as the Office of School Support. It consisted of a director, program manager, and early childhood specialist. The woman who was appointed director was the Manager of Teen Services system-wide and she continued in that capacity. In less than a year, the Office of School Support was disbanded. The director became the new manager of branch services. The other two staff were appointed assistant managers of two branches. The Manager of Teen Services position was eliminated. 

In August, 2009, the library suffered a devastating flood that completely destroyed the lower level of the Main library as well as all three bookmobiles. As part of the recovery, it was decided to go with the master plan of building a new children’s department with a teen department. I was asked to be Teen Services Supervisor of at the Main Library. The Manager of Main Children’s position was expanded and became Communications Coordinator for Children and Teen Services, a system-wide position. I now report directly to her.

Another change that has taken place over the years is the library has moved away from using the term “Young Adult” to using the term “Teen”. This move is flawed, namely in the aspect that the collection is referred to as “Young Adult Outpost” in the catalog.

And more specifically about the Young Adult Outpost, when was it established, and why? The Teen Outpost was established around ten years ago. With the dawn of the internet, the library noticed an increase in new patrons who now wanted computer access. Many of these were teens. To address this issue, the library decided to beef up its services to teens. This included building the first ever teen room, as opposed to having just a teen corner as most branches still do. I believe the library may have received a grant to open this space.

Was it established as a YA Outpost from the very beginning, or did the library acquire that space and then later formed it into a YA-centric area?  It was always meant to be a teen specific area.

Was it established at the Highlands/Shelby Park branch because there were more teens there than other branches, or was it because the space was available there and not at other branches?  It was decided to place the Outpost right next to the Highlands-Shelby Park branch in the MidCity Mall because it believed that a mall environment would attract teens; also, the neighborhood has many families with teen children. There are also several middle schools nearby and students from those schools often come to the library after school. The MidCity Mall is also on the bus line, so teens from other parts of the city can easily get access to it. The local Democratic headquarters was renting the space next to the Highlands-Shelby Park branch and when they vacated, it was decided to place the Teen Outpost in that space, adding a connecting door for access between spaces.

Was it ever considered to have the YA Outpost not connected to an already established branch? I do not know if any other options were consider. There are two people who were involved in the planning stages that I can refer you to, if you like.

Was its establishment a response to the growing teen population, or an attempt to bring more teens in? A little bit of both. We were already getting a larger number of teens into the library to use the computers. We wanted to be able to provide them with a space and other activities for them to do.

You mentioned in your last email that the YA outpost has its own rules and procedures.  Can you describe those for me? We do many things differently in the Teen Outpost. Teens have first priority on the computers. This means, although adults are welcome to use our computers if available, they will be asked to give it up if a teen needs it. We also allow eating and drinking in the Outpost. Our research showed that when teens come into the library right after school, they are hungry! Why not let them eat? They just have to pick up after themselves, clean up their messes, and not eat or drink near the computers. We almost always serve food at programs and even have food themed programs. For example, we celebrated Frozen Food Month yesterday. We purchased snacks to heat in the microwave and had a trivia quiz that was a launch pad for discussion. We also have what I like to call “Random Snacks of Kindness”—I will bring in food (often purchased with program money) to share. Teens often bring in snacks to share as well.

 Of course, the Outpost isn’t just about snacks! We foster an environment where teens feel free to express themselves. They may do so in a non-judgmental environment. We do not limit topics, but, of course, no inappropriate subjects such as sexual activity, glamorizing or promoting drug use (it’s okay to talk about what’s bad about using drugs) and so forth. If a political or religious discussion gets too fervent, or the conversation too personal, we may cut it off or invite the teens to take it into the chat room, which was designed for that purpose. No derogatory or threatening language is allowed. We do have a culture of high volume, but there are limits. 

What is the decision-making process like there? You mentioned that the Branch Supervisor answers to the Manager of Teen Services, but what is the chain of command within the branch itself? I need to clarify what I had earlier said. When we had a Teen Outpost supervisor, she reported to a central manager, either the Manager of Children’s Services, the Manager of Teen Services, or the Manager of Branch Services (it changed over the years). When the Teen Outpost supervisor position was eliminated, the Manager of the Highlands-Shelby Park Library became manager of the Teen Outpost as well. For the main part, she has given me the autonomy to run the Outpost as I wish (even though, until December 2009, I was not in a supervisory role at all.) Most procedures that were already set by precedent continue as is. There have been a few minor changes, but nothing of real consequence. The big difference is the staffing. Right now, besides me, we have a part-time paraprofessional. We usually work opposite evenings and week-ends, so have little time together. Before, when there were three of us, there were usually at least two of on the floor during the busy after-school hours. Now there is only one of us in the room. At the most, the Teen Outpost had 3.5 FTE staff. Now, the 1.5 staff is considered part of the Highlands-Shelby Park Library.

Are there teen volunteers? Yes, we utilize teen volunteers. They must fill out paperwork in order to qualify. I use them to help with programs, decorate the space, come up with spontaneous craft ideas, and any where else as needed.

Do all decisions have to be run past the Manager of Teen Services, or are they fairly autonomous as long as they stay within a certain framework? There is currently no Manager of Teen Services. That position has been eliminated due to budget cuts. The Teen Librarian reports to the Branch Manager of the Highlands-Shelby Park Library, who reports to the Manager of Branch Services. Day to day things, including regular programming, is made at the discretion of the Teen Librarian, who is given a lot of autonomy. Bigger issues are handled by the Branch Manager. Issues that affect system-wide services or anything that may be deemed controversial would go through the Manager of Branch Services, who reports to the Assistant Director of Public Services.

Finally, does the YA Outpost have a mission statement?  If so, how does it differ from that of LFPL?

Here is the library’s mission statement:

The Library's mission is to provide the people of Louisville and Jefferson County with the broadest possible access to knowledge, ideas and information, and to support them in their pursuit of learning. 

I do not know if there is a mission statement for the Teen Outpost.

On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 7:43 PM, Peter Howard wrote:

I did find the library’s mission statement about teens. It is not limited to the Teen Outpost:

At the Louisville Free Public Library, quality library service to young adults is provided by a staff that understands and respects the unique informational, educational and recreational needs of teenagers. Equal access to information, services and materials is recognized as a right not a privilege. Louisville teens are actively involved in the library decision-making process. The library staff understands the developmental assets of teens and plans services accordingly. Collaborating and cooperating with other youth-serving agencies, the Louisville Free Public Library provides a holistic, community-wide network of activities and services that support healthy development.

As you can see, it is more in-depth than the library’s main mission and geared specifically to teens or young adults.

B., 2010c

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 12:10 PM, Peter Howard wrote:

If you don't mind, I have another round of questions for you.  Youranswers from the first part were incredibly helpful, so thank youagainThe Teen Librarian at the Young Adult Outpost is given a lot ofautonomy, as you have said.  Do you feel that this autonomy has apositive effect on the Teen Outpost, or (due to decreased staffing),do you feel that the teen librarian isn't given adequate support?

I believe that the autonomy given the Teen Librarian at the Teen Outpost has a truly positive affect on the Outpost. The Teen Librarian is given the opportunity to shape the Outpost according to what its teen patrons want and need. Over the years, we've had various incarnations of a Teen Advisory Board and its input is important, especially regarding programs and the collection. I feel that central administration shows its support by trusting the Teen Librarian. During times of staffing crisis, the library has found ways of staffing the Outpost. In times of vacancies, we use subs and there are a couple of subs on the list who work great with teens. The Main Library, which has a larger staff in general, often sends people to cover in times of need. For example, last week I had to train some new employees, and the only way I could get significant time away from public service was to have coverage from the Main.

More importantly, the administration from the director to the Highlands-Shelby Park branch manager supports the library's mission to teens and especially the uniqueness of the Teen Outpost. When we talk about the Outpost, it is almost always in terms of "maintaining the integrity" of the space. This means ensuring the Outpost is a safe place for teens to express themselves and utilize library resources. That is the core of the Outpost's being. We hope to duplicate the integrity in our new space at the Main Library as well.

Besides natural disasters such as fire and flood (the main libraryseems awfully accident prone!) what are some of the library's biggestthreats?

I would say the greatest threat to the library is money--or rather, lack of money. I am not involved with the financial aspects of the library, so much of what I can say is speculative. I know as a city agency we've been asked to scale back the budget and this has affected staffing as well as the budget for new materials and supplies. One clever way of handling the budget crisis is a new internal program called "Go Fish". If a branch or department needed some sort of supplies (for example, paper clips, envelopes, or a pencil sharpener), a message is sent to a distribution list called #Go Fish. We first see if a branch has enough of the supplies to accommodate the other branch's need. This way, we only order new supplies when we absolutely need to. People have even cleaned out their supply closets and found they had a "bumper crop" of supplies that they offered to other branches. This happened with me--I was cleaning out Outpost's supply closet and found tons of library cards--more than I'll ever need at the Outpost--and offered them to other branches who were running low.

For example, I know state funding for Kentucky libraries ispretty thin right now, but how much of an effect does that have on youall?  (I'm sure the now non-existent bookmobile grant would have beenhelpful in getting replacements for the flooded ones, at the veryleast.)

Again, I cannot speak with authority on how the library is funded. I do know that we did receive insurance money that is not only going toward rebuilding the Main Library, but also toward replacing the bookmobiles and their collections. We also have a flood recovery fund that people can donate to. Also, a local elementary school that uses the bookmobile recently raised money among its students' families and donated it to us. A Teen Advisory Group from a library out of state raised funds and donated it to our library.

What about lack of space to grow?  The Highlands/Shelby Parkbranch and Young Adult Outpost are in shopping centers, and I believethe library branch in Fern Creek is also in a shopping center.  Wasthis a decision by the library to use existing structures because theymet the library's needs, or because there just isn't anywhere else tobuild in certain parts of Louisville (obviously you found a place tobuild in Newburg, so this wouldn't be a problem everywhere)?

If you haven't already, you might want to look at the library's master plan, posted on our website: http://www.lfpl.org/Masterplan/index.htm

The great thing about our director, Craig Buthod, is despite the defeat of the referendum a few years ago and the lack of current funding, he is keeping positive in believing the library should move forward, as much as possible, with its master plan. Building Newburg and renovating the Main is a part of that philosophy. Recently, it was announced we will go with the plan to build a new Southwest Branch. The current branch is also in a shopping center and cost of rent has been listed as a factor in moving on to a new building. Land has already been acquired by the city for this branch, as well as a new Northeast and South Central regional branch.

The plan does not indicate that either Highlands-Shelby Park and the Fern Creek libraries will be moved from their current locations in malls and shopping centers. I do not know why certain branches were placed in shopping malls or centers. It may have been more finacially viable at the time or it may have been born from a philosophy of placing the library in the areas where people shop as a means of drawing them to the library or making libraries convenient for them.

What about weaknesses?  Is there anything that LFPL struggles with? Arethere threats/weaknesses that are specific to the Young Adult Outpost(such as decreased funding)?

As I mentioned earlier, money is a continual problem and will be during the current financial recession the whole nation is facing. The upside is that actual use of the library has increased. We have more patrons coming

in, higher circulation, and more use of our public internet computers. Funding affects what programming we can do, but librarians are resourceful and known for creating "something out of nothing." Embracing the environmental, "Think Globally, Read Locally" theme as our summer reading theme naturally opens programming to recycled crafts, so we can actually save on money by doing programs with materials that we would normally through out--newspapers, telephone books, cardboard boxes, etc.

What do you believe are the LFPL's greatest strengths?  What do youbelieve the library excels at? Does the library excel in reaching outthe the community, or providing patrons what they want, or inpartnerships with other organizations?  And similarly, what are thethings you think the Young Adult outpost does particularly well?

I believe LFPL is an anchor for the community. We are flexible and adaptable and this keeps us vital. When the recession first hit and people were loosing their jobs, the library became a resource for our community members who needed help job-searching and resume building. The library opend a Job Shop at the Main Library, which offers computers, classes and specially trained staff for people finding themselves on the job market. We partner with community centers, institutions that work with people with special needs, schools and other agencies to provide library resources to a wide variety of clientele. We partner with arts agencies and individual artists to provide meaningful, creative, artistic experiences for our youth and teens. We partner with schools, both public and private, to provide library cards, cirriculum support, and pleasure reading for their students. Recently, the Kentucky Department of Education announced new changes in the core cirriculum. Immediately, LFPL began talking to the Jefferson County Public School administration about how we can help them succeed with these new changes.

I am particularly proud of the position the Teen Outpost holds in our library system and community. The Outpost is a model of teen services. I may have said this before, but to me the most important thing about teen services in public libraries is building relationships. At the Outpost, we take the time to talk to our teens, to get to know them. This provides us with the opportunity to provide for their informational needs. More importantly, we become an important part of their lives. They see the library as a place they can hang out, be themselves, and feel free to express themselves without fear of judgment. By providing positive library experiences when they are teens, we hope to turn these patrons into life-long librry users. By setting an example, we hope that other branches will learn new and sucessful ways of working with teens and deliverying the highest quality of library service to them.

Can you think of any opportunities that have come up for LFPL orspecifically the Young Adult Outpost recently? For example, youmentioned how the insurance money and donations following the floodhave allowed for the building of a new children's department with ateen area.  Have there been any other similar situations recently?

When the Teen Outpost became more of an extention of the Highlands-Shelby Park Library, the branch manager immediately asked our friends group to consider doing something for the Outpost. They readily agreed. They first donated funds to supplement our Manga collection, most of which was destroyed in the flood. Our collection had been sent to the Main library to stock a "Manga Mobile" for our annual Anime convention. Those books were in the basement the day the flood hit. Since insurance money covered the cost of replacements, we were actually able to purchase new series with the friends' money. The freinds then agreed to buy us a microwave oven. Food is a big part of our programs--you know how food and teens just go hand in hand. The microwave will let us heat or cook things--even if just to make popcorn as a snack for our Anime Club programs.

Appendix D: Organizational Chart and 2009-2010 Executive Budgets

Appendix E: Location and Hours

The Louisville Free Public Library’s Teen Outpost is located at the Mid-City Mall at 1250 Bardstown Road in Louisville. The Highlands/Shelby Park branch is located next door, but operates with a separate staff. According to the library website, the mall location is “one of the most accessible branches in the system—on several TARC routes, with abundant parking, and with an open, inviting floor plan praised by advocates for the disabled” (http://www.lfpl.org/branches/highlands-shelbypark.htm).

The Teen Outpost is open Monday to Thursday from 1pm to 9pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 5pm. All locations are closed on Sundays.