Round Table of the International Association of Metropolitan Libraries (INTAMEL)

St. Louis County Library and St. Louis Public Library 17 - 22 September 2000

The conurbation region of St. Louis, with a population of 2,520,000 spread over 6,397 square miles, is served by what seems a complex network comprising several public library systems. St. Louis County Library (SLCL) is the largest circulating library in the State of Missouri, while St. Louis Public Library (SLPL) has one of the finest archival collections in the USA. Jefferson and St. Charles counties have separate library systems and, in the State of Illinois, across the Mississippi River, the Lewis and Clark Regional Library System supports township libraries in two counties.

Of the 85 municipalities within St. Louis County, nine maintain public libraries independent of SLCL which, with 19 branches and a large fleet of mobiles, serves a population of 843,000, while SLPL, with 16 libraries, serves 334,000 residents in a city which has suffered massive population loss over the last 20 years.

Many current issues were raised through papers and presentations from several delegates and host colleagues. Delegates also enjoyed talks by the Missouri and Illinois State Librarians, Sara Parker and Jean Wilkins, who outlined the vision and programs of their respective services.

From Toledo-Lucas, Ohio, Clyde Scoles discussed public libraries and the political process, referring not to partisan politics but to the more generic art of influencing government policy. "Whether we work in large or small libraries, we are all part of the political environment of funding issues, governance issues, personnel limitations and press relations. We operate in a world of challenging constraints and relationships . . . [which] can be managed productively."

Role definition and the communication of adequate and appropriate information are two important factors to the development and maintenance of a productive working relationship with a board or other governing body. Many of the problems that arise between directors and boards may be the result of a confusion of roles. "Vision, courage, stamina and the ability to communicate are essential in the political process" was Clyde's conclusion: "Working with trustees, elected officials, the press and so many others in our communities is simply to find a shared path to the public good."

Leslie Holt (SLPL) described Project REAL (Read and Learn), a two-year program that had been funded by the US Department of Education. The goal was to develop a public library based family literacy program to serve people who are at risk of not developing effective literacy skills. Project activities included: homework helpers; volunteers to help with special programs and storytelling to children; 'research families' who agreed to be part of in-depth research and received invitations to library programs; parent training, workshops and a "parent's club" program for parents of young children; teacher training and workshops; preschool caregivers training; a home reading kit to encourage families to read and use the library regularly; special family programs to encourage and improve home reading; school and preschool visits, delivering deposit collections, storytelling and reading; improvements to toy and book collections; publicizing library services to at-risk families and recruiting users for Project REAL; setting improved standards of service; research and dissemination.

Project REAL came up with these findings:

• of parents, 100% valued the library's services, 83% valued reading and read to their children on a regular basis, and 95% had library cards and stayed active library users for two years. Parents identified library materials, staff helpfulness, family friendly programs and library facilities as having value to them;

• of teachers, 84% actively used Project REAL materials three or more times a week, 66% reported children used project materials for more than 30 minutes a week, 80% reported children became better readers because of Project REAL, 75% reported children enjoyed reading more, and 83% reported that it improved their teaching. Teachers reported quality of materials available, interaction with library staff and teacher training as values of the project;

• of preschool/care providers, 82% reported enhanced learning in their classroom because of Project REAL, and 77% reported that children read or looked at books more often and enjoyed reading more. Care providers identified the quality and variety of materials available, interaction with library staff and professional training as values of the project.

Frans Meijer (Rotterdam) updated colleagues on Transformation 2000+, a continuous process of adaptation and renewal involving a strategic investment in restyling and redesigning the layout of the Central Library and branch libraries, staff training to effect a change of culture, ICT infrastructure, and marketing through research into customers' needs, query profiles, and target group policy.

The objectives are to improve public accessibility (in physical and psychological terms of image), enable the public to cope for themselves and promote a self-service concept, strengthen the library's information, cultural and educational functions, concentrate on core business, outsource other functions, and modernise the library's image. Strategic objectives for the period to year 2004 cover measured increases in 16 areas, including visitors and users, customer satisfaction, accuracy of information provided, self-service, usage in deprived areas, budget for new activities, staff training, and productivity.

George Durnell, David Marjamaa and other colleagues gave detailed and impressive presentations on SLCL's Technology Development 1997-2000, covering project management, system administration, networking, staff help desk, internet and telecommunication services, materials management, cost savings, statistical improvements, and a major staff development programme. This includes the Cybermobile, a converted bookmobile with network capabilities, travelling around the County with hands-on computer training sessions for staff.

At SLPL, Waller McGuire introduced the library website's "Electronic City Hall" (City Charter, Board Minutes, city information etc.), and the Gates Lab at Central West Library. Glenn Holt summarised the Value of Public Library Services project, which researched and calculated a conservative lower bound of the monetary benefits that users get from using library services, and developed a communications mechanism that conveys the monetary value of library services to officials and civic leaders.

Glen also introduced published work on the importance of library partnerships, eg. for training, development, research and funding, and the management of such partnerships (Glen Holt. Public library partnerships: Mission-driven tools for 21st century success. Bertelsmann Foundation, Gütersloh, 1999. http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de/english/publika/download/index.htm).

Visits included SLPL's impressively restored Carnegie Cental Library, Buder Branch (1998, a major redevelopment of a former bank), SLCL's HQ library and Florissant Valley Branch, Lewis and Clark Library System (which provides support and service for 150 member libraries in 11 county areas in Illinois), DRA (Data Research Associates, leading library automation company), research libraries of the Missouri Botanical Garden and Missouri Historical Society; and in New Orleans the Main Library, the expansive East Bank Regional Library of neighbouring Jefferson Parish, and the wonderful Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University in New Orleans.

The Annual Business Meeting agreed a number of changes to the Statute, or constitution. Among them was an amendment to the association's name: INTAMEL is now the International Association of Metropolitan Libraries (instead of Metropolitan City Libraries). Members agreed that the population size for membership eligibility should be retained at 400,000 but that exceptions could continue to be made. It was also agreed that, because of the workloads involved, a separation of the Secretary and Treasurer roles should be discussed at the 2001 meeting. The dues for 2001 will be increased to US$125 after several years at US$75. Two scholarships of up to $2000 each should be the aim for the 2001 Conference in Amman, and more if possible.

For most INTAMEL members, communications are being transformed by the widespread use of e-mail, the setting up of the listserv INTLIB, and the reactivation of the INTAMEL web pages on IFLANET. INTLIB was set up in July 2000 and is already proving its value. The aim is to encourage communication between members and to enable exchange of experience. Of INTAMEL's 90-plus membership, 80 are subscribers to INTLIB. The implications of increased use of electronic communications for the publication in printed form of Metro, the INTAMEL newsletter, were also raised at the Business Meeting and will be further discussed this year.