Pondering a New Service?

Library consultant Richard Dougherty detailed the 5 requirements of offering digital reference in the May 2002 issue of American Libraries. They include:

? Staffing
? Acquiring the Technology
? Training staff
? Promotion
? Creating policy

These five gems could be applied to any technology planning in a library setting. You can’t do one part and not do the other or you are setting your service up to fail. An untrained staff? No promotion? Forget about it!