Utopian Benchmarks are not the Goal

When I was first invited to be a representative of public library directors in the Public Access Technology Benchmarks Initiative (joining the consortium of 13 organizations including TechSoup Global, ALA, PLA and the Urban Libraries Council), I was reluctant. I have not found benchmarking efforts by other library groups, at whatever level, realistic for most public libraries, and definitely not for where I am currently employed as Director. When I read the documentation that describes why and how this initiative was developed (published by the US Libraries Program-Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), I changed my mind and agreed to participate.

The design of this initiative is focused on adapting to the fluidity of technology and infrastructure needs in public libraries. I support the emphasis on technology sustainability. My own experience validates the assumption that a willing and able library leader who demonstrates an ability to manage and advocate for public access technology tends to be more successful in gaining support. I decided I could get behind a national benchmarks initiative that could ultimately support a library leader working to prioritize, effectively manage, and advocate for public access technology in his/her community.

To date, I’ve participated in the work group that includes a sub-set of the national consortium.  In this small group working to set the framework for the benchmarks, their indicators of success and finally how to measure that success, I feel a heavy responsibility. I am the public librarian in the group who is actually working day to day in a library as a director. While my experience includes a village library pre-automation, my current reality, technologically speaking, is very different from that of most public libraries. Within the workgroup, I consistently advocate for benchmarks that are aspirational for public libraries regardless of size, location, or funding and that are real. What we don’t need is a set of benchmarks reflecting a Utopian view of libraries that gives everyone a “U R Special” sticker for simply having a computer in working order. I have advocated setting the top bar very high. Infrastructure changes occur over time, and what is exceptional today will eventually be passé and obsolete. I hope that the benchmarks are designed to stretch as far as they can for exceptional to remain exceptional for as long as possible. I also honestly acknowledge and accept that all libraries won’t be able to reach the top level of achievement. All libraries can’t do that now in any other category of service or infrastructure, so why should expectations be different for technology?  My hope is that these benchmarks encourage an effort to achieve a high level of sustained success in a given community. The rest is gravy.

It is a relief to me to know that the efforts of my group and that of the larger initiative will be subjected to intense scrutiny and review by many persons active in the field.  If those reviewing the work product drafts keep the goals of the Gates Foundation in mind as they read and review the benchmarks proposed, and respond accordingly, I imagine that we will see a strong national benchmarks effort emerging from this project.

I am impressed with the incredible thinking and professionalism available within the group and applied to the development of these benchmarks. I realize that those who are doing the work in public libraries may be skeptical about the credentials, and perhaps even the intent, of those who develop these benchmarks and their measures. I am usually the first to question the authenticity of something coming from somewhere “out there” by people who on first glance don’t appear to have a clue about what I do or what goes on in a public library. I can offer up my own experience working with the people in this group as some reassurance that the interests of public libraries and their communities was always front and center within our discussion. Differing perspectives and convictions were present in every discussion and that is a good indicator of a successful initiative.

Josie Parker

Director, Ann Arbor District Library, MI

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