How do you balance the costs and benefits of library automation?

1 Assess your needs

Before you invest in any library automation system or tool, you need to identify and prioritize your needs and goals. What are the main problems or challenges that you want to solve or address with automation? What are the specific functions and features that you require and prefer? How will automation align with your library's mission, vision, and values? How will it benefit your users and stakeholders? Conducting a needs assessment will help you define the scope and scale of your automation project and avoid unnecessary or inappropriate expenses.

2 Compare your options

Once you have a clear idea of your needs and goals, you can start looking for the best options available in the market. There are many factors to consider when comparing different library automation systems or tools, such as functionality, compatibility, usability, reliability, scalability, security, and support. You also need to consider the total cost of ownership, which includes not only the initial purchase price, but also the ongoing costs of installation, maintenance, upgrades, licensing, training, and troubleshooting. You can use various methods to compare your options, such as online reviews, vendor demonstrations, peer recommendations, or trial periods.

3 Plan your budget

After you have narrowed down your options, you need to plan your budget and secure your funding sources. You need to estimate how much money you will need to spend on your automation project, both upfront and over time. You also need to identify how you will finance your project, such as grants, donations, partnerships, or revenue streams. You need to be realistic and transparent about your budget and funding, and communicate them clearly to your vendors, staff, users, and stakeholders. You also need to monitor and evaluate your spending and return on investment regularly.

4 Implement your solution

Once you have selected your automation system or tool and secured your budget and funding, you need to implement your solution and integrate it with your existing library operations and services. You need to plan and execute your implementation process carefully and systematically, following the best practices and standards of project management. You need to involve and inform your staff, users, and stakeholders throughout the process, and provide adequate training and support for them. You also need to test and troubleshoot your solution before and after launching it, and ensure that it meets your expectations and requirements.

5 Evaluate your outcomes

After you have implemented your automation system or tool and launched it to your users and stakeholders, you need to evaluate your outcomes and measure your impact. You need to collect and analyze data and feedback on various aspects of your automation project, such as performance, efficiency, accuracy, accessibility, user satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. You need to compare your results with your objectives and indicators, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You also need to report and share your findings and lessons learned with your vendors, staff, users, and stakeholders, and seek their input and suggestions for improvement.

6 Adapt to changes

Finally, you need to adapt to changes and keep up with the evolving trends and demands of library automation. You need to update and upgrade your automation system or tool regularly, and ensure that it remains compatible and functional with your library's environment and needs. You also need to monitor and anticipate the emerging opportunities and challenges of library automation, such as new technologies, standards, regulations, user behaviors, and expectations. You need to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs and preferences of your users and stakeholders, and seek their feedback and involvement in your automation decisions and processes.