You're facing limited funds for library services expansion. How do you decide which projects to prioritize?

The purpose of the expansion of any service in Libraries is to improve and enhance user experience. The following must be considered when prioritising projects and funds are limited: 1. Evaluation: Evaluate the peculiar needs of the Library Users to determine the project(s) to be deployed at a specific time. 2. Timeline: Deploy a project that will not take too long a time to execute and will meet the prioritised need. 3. Collaboration: Form a consortium with other Libraries to access resources/services when there are limited funds. 4. Budget: Implement projects in order of priority with consideration of allocated budget and available funds. 5. Assess the impact and value of the project 6. Consider coordination with users

Considero importante, em primeiro plano, avaliar as necessidades dos usuários, para priorizar os projetos em tempos de recursos limitados. Também, manter o foco em iniciativas que impactam diretamente o maior número de usuários, alinhado com os objetivos estratégicos da institui??o, se perder a grarantia dos servi?os prestados.

Expand ways of reporting patron needs beyond circulation services reports. Approach needs assessment both qualitatively and with quantitative modalities and methods. Keep all stakeholders involved, engaged, and accountable within the needs assessment process.

Projects and funds almost never match always. It's a matter of sizing projects to manageable scale in light of available resources, phasing, prioritizing and outsourcing. Deciding which projects to undertake rests mainly on user needs analysis to know what is critically needed. The must do, good to do project classes must be identified. A hierarchy of needs to address forms. Conduct cost benefit analysis in addressing each of the identified needs in the hierarchy made. Next consider addressing a need among needs that renders maximum impact and are doable within available resources. In short, look at urgency versus importance kind of thinking framework to prioritize projects when faced with limited funds.

Understand that goals can change as a project's mission is being achieved. Leave room for adjustment in a project's goals and objectives especially when the project has overlapping, disparate, and or the potential for introducing unanticipated and unexpected stakeholders that weren't envisioned at the onset of a project initiative.

Again, use both qualitative and quantitative modalities of assessment to understand the impact of your library initiative. Set realistic goals of accomplishment to assess the impact of a project initiative that can be clearly visible as an accomplishment but also takes into account challenges that were difficult to overcome and may have been unrealistic and or unachievable to learn from these exceptions.

It is also important to consider how your cost analysis ultimately translates into tangible and visible accountability for managing a library's service operations in tandem with the information needs and use of patrons. Crunching and calculating numbers is meaningless if the patron experience isn't evolving within realistic expectations of information needs and use within the institution: public private or otherwise.

This is so important. Using preciously limited funds to pursue available resources doesn't always work out in the long run. Even if grant money is available or upfront costs are low, it is important to be able to maintain services in your library once you begin to offer them. This element is part of establishing and maintaining trust with patrons and community members. Programs and people will come and go, but the library must carry-on.