The New Model Library

Library leaders had to make immediate changes because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their workflows and community offerings. Some of these changes could impact the library going forward. As a part of OCLC Research’s work in documenting how libraries as organizations operate, adapt, and evolve, the OCLC Research team met with global library leaders to discuss emerging library models in response to the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights address new and evolving library practices, offerings, and policies and collaborations with other libraries, associations, consortia, and community agencies. Leaders reflect on their long-term vision for libraries as a result of changing practices and environments.

Project description

The OCLC Research team met with global library leaders to discuss emerging library models in response to the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions were centered on new and evolving practices and policies and collaborations with other libraries and community agencies. Leaders were asked to reflect on their long-term vision for libraries as a result of changing practices and environments.

Objective of the project

The objective was to talk to approximately 30 global library leaders in North America, Europe, including UK and Ireland, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific to identify their visions for the new library models that will emerge as they look at opportunities for converting their short-term responses to the COVID-19 pandemic into positive, long-term change. Library leaders from national and public libraries (e.g., City Librarian/Deputy Librarian/Director/CEO/President) from different regions of Europe and Asia Pacific and the US (north, south, east, and west) and in rural and urban communities; and academic libraries (e.g., Dean/Director/University Librarian/Associate University Librarian) representing public, private, secular, and non-secular research, baccalaureate/4-year colleges, associate’s colleges, technical/community colleges from different regions of the US (north, south, east, and west).

Outputs

Blog Posts

Presentations

ALA Virtual - Circulating Optimism: How Library Workers Have Shifted Rapidly to Engage and Assist their Communities

Support Files

The New Model Library Interview Protocol (.pdf)