Letting Go

Authors

  • Leslie Czechowski
  • Renae Barger
  • Malgorzata Fort
  • Gretchen Maxeiner

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5860/lrts.54n3.153

Abstract

Closing a branch library is a complex and often a painful activity, but one that libraries frequently face in difficult economic times. This case study examines a project that closed a branch library in an academic health sciences library system. The authors describe the sequence of steps followed, challenges encountered, and solutions implemented to complete the project. The authors document lessons learned that can benefit other libraries faced with a similar situation.

References

Barton Lessin, '“Merging Science/Technology Libraries: A Valuable Planning Option,”' Science & Technology Libraries 21 no. 1/2 (2001): 3-15nMary Hitchcock, Rhonda Sager, Julie Schneider, '“And Then There Was One: Moving and Merging Three Health Science Library Collections,”' Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship (Fall 2005) (accessed Feb. 22, 2010)nJane Bridges, '“Moving a Hospital Library,”' Medical Reference Services Quarterly 28 no. 1 (2009): 77-87nKaren S. Croneis, Bradley H. Short, Branch Libraries and Discrete Collections (Washington, D.C.: Association of Research Libraries 2000)nIbid., 19nIbid., 10nStephanie Atkins, Betsy Kruger, Managing Large Projects (Washington, D.C.: Association of Research Libraries 2005): 14-nMary Ann Griffin, '“When a Library Closes,”' Journal of Academic Librarianship 10 no. 3 (1984): 141-46 John Sheridan, “Checklist for Closing a College Library,”

College & Research Libraries News

, no. 7(1986): 452–54nAri Cohen, '“ESL: Engineering Societies Library: End of a Special Library,”' Science & Technology Libraries 19 no. 1 (2000): 3-20nToby Pearlstein, James Matarazzo, '“Survival Lessons for Libraries: Corporate Libraries—A Soft Analysis and a Warning,”' Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals 17 no. 6 (2009): 14-17 52nJeanne R. Davidson, '“The End of an Era: The Closing of the Science Library at Augustana College (IL),”' Science & Technology Libraries 12 no. 3 (1992): 35-41nPeggy Johnson, '“Closing a Branch Library: Or, What’s Wrong with This Picture? A Cautionary Tale,”' Technicalities 16 no. 6 (1996): 6-8nWilliam W. Armstrong, '“The Closing of the LSU Chemistry Library,”' Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship 44 (Fall 2005): (accessed Feb. 22, 2010)www.istl.org/05-fall/article5.htmlnAtkins and Kruger,

Managing Large Projects

, 14nSyracuse University Library, “Physics Library Closing on May 9, 2008,” press release, Apr. 21, 2008, Syracuse University Library News & Events, http://library.syr.edu/blog/news/archives/001022.phpn

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Published

2011-04-29

Issue

Section

Articles