Sunday, March 30, 2008
Changing to Stay Stable

One great thing about the process of considering the merger with PALINET has been the many conversations I have had with folks about SOLINET.  One recent comment  surprised me and made me think.  The comment was, "SOLINET is going through so many changes.  Would it be better for my library to be a member of a more stable organization?"

My first thought was of Will Rogers' quip: "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." 

SOLINET has been on an arc of change and transformation.  I believe we are on the right track and, trust me, we're not just sitting here.  In today's libraries, past programs, resources and service models will not assure the successful fulfillment of customers' needs.  Nor will past practices ensure a library's future viability.  So is it with SOLINET.  We are proactively working and changing for our members. 

SOLINET is a stable organization.  To me stability means that SOLINET is grounded in the core values of cooperation and service to library users, and that these core values are shared across the membership.  Stability means that we provide continually evolving programs and services that are of use to our continually evolving members.  Stability means that we are always thinking about the processes, expertise, tools, and technologies we need to be effective and innovative.  And, yes, stability means thinking about the best organizational reach and depth for addressing all of these. 

I believe strongly that our reach and depth can be significantly strengthened with PALINET. How?  As I have discussed elsewhere, through synergies between the core values and programs of our two organizations and our memberships, through increased capacity for the development of innovative new programs, through cost control and consolidation, and through increased leverage with vendors and partners.  The change that this merger represents is a platform for ongoing stability.

Some one wise (I don't know who) once said, "We must change to stay the same."  SOLINET is following this wisdom, and looking to the future.



3/30/2008 1:42:51 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #  Comments [1] 
4/1/2008 1:13:28 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
This couldn't be more spot on -- real, serious change is indispensable if SOLINET is to continue to deliver value to the members. OCLC and the OCLC Members Council has initiated what looks to be a pretty dramatic transformation in the entire membership and governance structure over the next two years. At the same time, OCLC is reshaping its business arrangements with its network distributors. SOLINET, in fact all the regional networks, will have to renovate themselves top-to-bottom to maintain relevance and value. You can bet that some won’t survive, will disappear. Others will emerge from this period of change with fresh energy and value for their members. I think SOLINET has read the textbook lesson: in today's environment, size and scope matter. The merger of SOLINET and PALINET will create a new organization with the heft and the energy for innovation that’s needed to deliver value to the membership base. It’s a smart strategic move. I really look forward to watching a new organization emerge -- one that’s still rooted in a membership model, but creates service and product innovations that we can’t even imagine coming out of the existing organizations.
John Ulmschneider |john_ulmschneiderAT NOSPAMvcu dot edu
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