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Choosing The Right Library Planning Consultants

By Lucia Weeks


It is never easy to manage a facility. It requires knowledge, expertise and the appropriate attitude. A task as important as cannot be handed on just anyone. You need reliable people who can effectively manage the facility for you. The best thing to do in this situation is to hire someone you could trust.

The library planning consultants have the expertise to do planning, configuration, execution and operation on different types of libraries, from traditional setup to a digital library. Most of library consultants are either librarian with both expertise and experience in working in or managing a depository. Others are people from a different field who gained substantial knowledge relevant to libraries and information systems.

More than the consultant's background, you have to take the candidate's ability. While experience can be an edge for those who have been in the consulting business long enough, someone who is new to the field may introduce something fresh. Of course, a mixture of seasoned and rookie employees can yield good results, too.

Before you start with your search, you must know your needs. Prepare a criteria to determine if a candidate is a good match or not. You must also be able to answer important questions like what responsibilities await successful candidates, is the task going to be simple or complicated and would it require more than one adviser.

The answers to these questions can help you identify the skills and qualifications to look for in a candidate. In certain cases, the tasks prove to be more complicated than it seemed at first. If not addressed right away, this could lead to unfavorable results. So, if you are expecting a complex task, you should hire more consultants so the tasks and responsibilities are split across.

After finalizing the details, you may get started with the selection process. Gather the names of qualified consultants in your area. The referrals of your friends and acquaintances can be helpful at this point. You also have other sources like the associations of librarians, the state agencies and the internet.

After gathering several names, filter your list. Contact the candidates to assess how they match the project. Provide each one with the bird's eye view on the tasks at hand, then ask them evaluation questions. Ask them what their understanding of the project is, if they are confident that they can apply their expertise on this project, what their methods for accomplishing it and can they possibly deliver within your given time frame.

The consultant's availability is another important consideration you must cover. Expect top-rate consultants to be pretty busy. Yet a dedicated professional will always allot the time to finish the completion of the projects they take. It is equally crucial to ask how the adviser intends to communicate the progress of the project despite their busy schedules.

Finally, discuss the fee structure. There are consultants who charge by the hour while others charge a fixed amount for the entire duration of the contract. If the project consist of different stages, ask the candidate if he is willing to break down the payment for each stage. You have to consider the financial status of the organization, so be open to negotiations.




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