Decide on Services the District Might Offer

Many library boards and directors pursue the district option because of a funding problem. While this is understandable please don't forget to consider library services. A new library district can be an opportunity for the library to provide expanded and/or new services to the community. Ask people what they would like to see at the library. Do they want more hours? More computers? Classes or new programming? If so try to find a way to offer these through the new district. It helps your cause if you can talk about library services first - plus that's why you're here. Libraries are about improving the community's quality of life. Explore that idea and come up with ways to do that by talking about services you can offer once you become a district.

Chances are your new district expands your current boundaries (or at least makes them official), so take some time to think about how best to offer library services to people who aren't in your immediate vicinity. You will have to convince people throughout the district to vote yes, so be prepared to tell them how the new district will benefit them. Can you offer a bookmobile or mail services to people who live a long way from the library? What about book drops in remote places? How else can you offer services to these people? Consider various options and talk to people who live in the far corners of the district. Find out what they would like to see with a new library district and then follow up by considering their suggestions and doing your best to add one or two new services that will benefit people living within the district boundaries.

ASPeN: The New Library Directory

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