How do you balance user group and stakeholder demands?

1 Identify your user groups and stakeholders

The first step is to identify who are your user groups and stakeholders, and what are their goals, preferences, and feedback. User groups are the people who use your library services, such as students, researchers, faculty, staff, or the general public. Stakeholders are the people who have an interest or influence in your library, such as funders, partners, regulators, or advocates. You can use various methods to gather information about them, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or analytics.

2 Prioritize your user groups and stakeholders

The next step is to prioritize your user groups and stakeholders, and allocate your resources accordingly. You may not be able to satisfy everyone equally, so you need to decide who are your primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences, and how much time, money, and effort you can devote to them. You can use criteria such as impact, urgency, alignment, or feasibility to rank your user groups and stakeholders. You can also use tools such as a stakeholder matrix or a user journey map to visualize your priorities.

3 Communicate with your user groups and stakeholders

The third step is to communicate with your user groups and stakeholders, and establish trust and rapport. You need to inform them about your library services, goals, and limitations, and listen to their feedback, suggestions, and concerns. You need to be transparent, honest, and respectful, and acknowledge their perspectives and values. You can use channels such as newsletters, social media, webinars, or meetings to communicate with them.

4 Collaborate with your user groups and stakeholders

The fourth step is to collaborate with your user groups and stakeholders, and involve them in your library service design and delivery. You need to solicit their input, opinions, and ideas, and co-create solutions that address their needs and expectations. You need to be flexible, adaptable, and creative, and embrace diversity and innovation. You can use techniques such as brainstorming, prototyping, testing, or evaluation to collaborate with them.

5 Evaluate your user groups and stakeholders

The fifth step is to evaluate your user groups and stakeholders, and measure your library service performance and outcomes. You need to collect data, evidence, and feedback, and analyze them to assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You need to be objective, critical, and reflective, and identify areas for improvement and growth. You can use indicators such as satisfaction, usage, impact, or value to evaluate them.

6 Learn from your user groups and stakeholders

The sixth step is to learn from your user groups and stakeholders, and enhance your library service quality and relevance. You need to act on your findings, insights, and recommendations, and implement changes that improve your user group and stakeholder experience. You need to be responsive, proactive, and continuous, and foster a culture of learning and improvement. You can use methods such as feedback loops, action plans, or best practices to learn from them.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?