Introduction

One of the phrases currently pervading the media is ‘the current economic climate’. Whatever you may think about the global economic situation, recessions and economic uncertainties facing many countries are producing a straitened economy, with pressure on people and organizations at all levels to reduce spending, and ‘do more with less’.

This is as true in the information environment as in any other sector. Libraries, archives and information services are facing cutbacks and closures. In 2011 many UK public libraries were under threat of closure due to reductions in council funding: at the time of writing, news and campaign website Public Libraries News reported, ‘433 libraries (344 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK … Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries)’ (Public Libraries News, 2011 (statistics updated daily)).

Even if your service is under no threat of closure, you may be facing reductions in staff or funding. The corporate, legal and financial sectors, in particular, have been subject to some heavy outsourcing of their information work.

Demonstrating value

Services are also being asked to produce improved results with reduced resources. You might find this involves re-evaluating your services, or finding new ways to demonstrate your value for money or return on investment. You might be asked to put a monetary value on the services you provide, either a notional value for budgeting or a real value, which will be charged against other departments in your organization.

Just as internal charging can help you put a price on your services, a similar system can be used to help quantify your overall value, by looking at how much users would have to pay if you weren't available. A high-profile use of this principle is the British Library's report Measuring Our Value, which demonstrated that ‘for every £1 of public funding the British Library receives annually, £4.40 is generated for the British economy’ (British Library, 2004).