Documents  
The Customer Focused Library (Webinar)   
Archive and related resources from March 17, 2009 webinar about the Metropolitan Library System (Chicago) study of the customer experience from a retail perspective.

The Customer Focused Library

Originally presented March 17, 2009.

What happens when you look at your library through the eyes of your customers? Three public libraries and one academic library from the Chicago area did just that, as part of a LSTA grant-funded initiative on patron needs assessment. A retail-space consulting firm conducted a two-day study of patron behavior, touch points, and interactions at the four libraries. The results of those observations led to the libraries adjusting staff behavior, space layout, signage, and marketing tactics, in order to better serve and delight their patrons. During this webinar, Gretel Stock-Kupperman, director of consulting and continuing education at Metropolitan Library System; Jamie Bukovac, director of Indian Prairie Public Library; and Detlev Pansch, director of Barrington Area Public Library, share the details of what issues were surfaced by the study, and the best practices they have adopted from the retail world in order to better address patron needs.

Archive viewing options:

Note: If this is your first time using Wimba, check to see if your computer has the software and hardware required by walking through the Setup Wizard. If you still have problems using Wimba Classroom, consult the Wimba Classroom Guide.

Learn more on this topic:

  • Explore related WebJunction courses in the Course Catalog including:

Featured discounted course for March, The Customer's Voice

Retailing Metods and Techniques in Libraries

Merchandizing That Works (Library U)

If you are affiliated with a WebJunction Partner, be sure to access these courses via your affiliation's course catalog to take full advantage of many free and reduced-priced courses. For more information on affiliations, see the User Guide.

  • Explore other WebJunction resources on this topic:

Full Customer Focused Library Report including additional grant presentations and best practices

Customer Service and Interpersonal Skills

Facilities Management


Contribute to this topic
Do you have an article, presentation, or other content to share on this topic?
You can post it on this topic page. Find out more about submitting documents in the Member Center.
Ratings You must be signed in to rate this item
Average (2 Votes)
Comments