Houston Public Library: A Case Study

Alliance Management Institute

Jackson Stodgel

Crystal Villegas

Lexi Loccisano

Caroline Mullin

Liz Gray

Group Members

Ryan Melton Keri Driggers Willa Maddox Allison French Kimber Gray

Facilitator: Lora Stevens

Case Study Problem

Houston Public Library is constantly working to keep their collection fresh for their customers. To

do this, staff must discard, or “weed”, older and/or outdated books from the collection in order to

make room for new books. Each of the 42 library locations in the system regularly boxes up

“weeded” or discarded items.

Final Recommendations

Case Study Mission

To increase efficiency in the book resale and discard cycle in order to

maximize capacity in warehouse and branch locations.

Supply Chain Management

1. Receiving/Weeding 2. Transportation 3. Sorting 4. Sales

Receiving/Sorting

• Potentially implement sorting process as part of circulation tasks: donations received and initially sorted at individual branch locations after backlog is diminished

• Additional software technologies and equipment

• Consistency of branch processes and language (damaged/discarded labeling)

Transportation

• Fleet share • 5,100 boxes currently waiting for processing • 2 additional part-time staff for transportation

logistics • Donated moving services from local businesses • More warehouse/storage space availability • Eliminating the layover at the central location • New handling equipment for movers (roller

conveyers, truck lifts, organization of boxes on pallets, forklift)

Warehouse Sorting

• Pro bono volunteer to evaluate warehouse efficiency • Alternatively, explore area land bank for available

storage/warehouse space • More computers and software for sorting • Staff volunteer time to work at warehouse: incentivize staff

to spend “volunteer days” with Friends/the warehouse • Standardize training; instill values of organization in

volunteers for retention

Sales/Outreach Booksales • Marketing of sales: larger social media push, bookmark advertising, neighborhood

flyer campaign • Sales: more discounted items including lower “grab bag” prices, pop- ups at store

fronts and street fairs, considering bigger spaces for quarterly sales, specialized sales for niche genres with possible local affinity collaboration

Outreach K-12 book sale promotion, local community collaboration, wholesale to churches/community centers/retirement facilities, booths at festivals/farmer and craft markets Volunteer Recruitment New Friends member recruitment, university/high school intern opportunities, parent/child opportunities, corporate giving programs

“Houston Reads” Initiative

City-wide initiative to: • increase awareness of library services • improve community literacy • reduce box inventory by rewarding used books to

participants • collaborate with/market at K-12 schools Local library branches hold a small “book market” on the first Saturday of every month (possible grab-bag, pre-packaged materials).

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