How Public Library Systems in New York State Make Service Decisions: Case Studies at Three Cooperative Public Library Systems

摘要

Public library systems in New York State have been inrnexistence since the 1950s. They have been providingrnservices to individual public libraries by facilitatingrnresource sharing among them and enhancing their capacityrnto provide quality services to users. The public does notrnalways have knowledge of public library systems since theyrnare not directly served by public library systems.rnKnowledge of public library systems is important when itrncomes to understanding their accountability, especiallyrnwhen they have faced repeated state budget cuts in recentrnyears. This study will help to fill this gap of publicrnknowledge by looking at services provided by public libraryrnsystems and the decision-making process in public libraryrnsystems when they make service decisions. Three NewrnYork public library systems were selected for multiple casernstudies. Member libraries’ budgets were found to be anrnimportant factor which affects what services these threernpublic library systems provide and how they make servicerndecisions.