Creating a library holding group: an approach to large system integration

Faced with resource constraints, many hospital libraries have considered joint operations. This case study describes how Providence Health & Services created a single group to provide library services. Using a holding group model, staff worked to unify more than 6,100 nonlibrary subscriptions an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of the Medical Library Association Vol. 104; no. 4; pp. 315 - 318
Main Authors Huffman, Isaac R., Martin, Heather J., Delawaska-Elliott, Basia
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Medical Library Association 01.10.2016
University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
Subjects
Accounting
Business models
California
Case Studies
Departments
Efficiency, Organizational
Employees
Holding companies
Humans
Interlibrary loans
Libraries, Hospital - organization & administration
Library collections
Library Services - organization & administration
Library staff
Management
Medical libraries
Models, Organizational
Montana
Nonprofit organizations
Oregon
Periodicals as Topic
Serials control
Strategic planning
Subscriptions
Success
Systems Integration
User services
Washington
Workforce planning
Oregon
Libraries, Medical/Organization & Administration
Library Collection Development
Regional Medical Programs
Libraries, Hospital/Organization & Administration
Medical Subject Headings: Efficiency, Organizational
Organizational Innovation
Program Evaluation
Information Storage and Retrieval/Statistics & Numerical Data
Library Materials/Organization & Administration
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Summary:Faced with resource constraints, many hospital libraries have considered joint operations. This case study describes how Providence Health & Services created a single group to provide library services. Using a holding group model, staff worked to unify more than 6,100 nonlibrary subscriptions and 14 internal library sites. Our library services grew by unifying 2,138 nonlibrary subscriptions and 11 library sites and hiring more library staff. We expanded access to 26,018 more patrons. A model with built-in flexibility allowed successful library expansion. Although challenges remain, this success points to a viable model of unified operations.
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ISSN:1536-5050
1558-9439
1558-9439
DOI:10.3163/1536-5050.104.4.013