Case Study
The client, a large international non-governmental organization (NGO), required a comprehensive plan of action to maximize potential opportunities and set new directions for its expansive network of library resources and services. The pending retirement of the library director added to the critical urgency of the study.

To address a complex series of tasks, HW&W assembled a cross-functional team with a range of expertise including library and information center management, strategic planning, cost and budget review, group facilitation, change management, and critical analysis of business processes.

Components of the study included assessment of the strategic plan, budget and financial issues, management structure and lines of responsibility, and staff climate. The team’s recommendations included a new approach to strategic and tactical planning processes; opportunities for cost containment; productive methodologies for identifying appropriate outsourcing opportunities; innovative approaches for maximizing results from contracts; the creation of a new organizational structure; best practices approaches for addressing staff climate and morale issues, and identifying staff training/development needs. Benchmarking surveys and reviews were conducted to examine and evaluate the client’s business practices compared with best performing organizations.

HW&W’s methodology

Focus groups with staff at all levels within the network, and with representative clientele groups
Individual interviews with staff of the information centers, their top managers, their clients/patrons, and management of the parent organization
Analysis of documentation about the current structure, communications, strategic planning, and business processes
Weekly meetings between the HW&W project team and the client, and frequent electronic communication to keep everyone informed of ongoing progress
Briefings for executive management to inform them of project milestones and the rationale for recommendations

A final report was provided that contained extensive recommendations to enhance services for library clientele, while affording options to conserve resources through outsourcing, cooperative ventures, and the acquisition of new technology.

After the final report was accepted by everyone, the new library management requested a follow-on study to suggest an optimum approach for implementation of the report recommendations. Senior managers of the library network and executive management considered these a blueprint for success.

View Information Centers and Libraries Expertise