Narrative 5-2 The Traditional Image of a Public Library Is One That

question 14

Multiple Choice

Narrative 5-2
The traditional image of a public library is one that is full of books on shelves,librarians shushing patrons,and is dark,cut off from the light outside. The Calgary Public Library's CEO,Bill Ptacek,would like to change this image. He's cut back on the book collection by 13 percent,eliminated the $12 annual membership fee,and reconceptualized the library as a place for social gathering. He's done all this despite the Calgary Public Library circulating more items than any other library in Canada except Toronto's. The library is largely funded by the City of Calgary with some grants from senior levels of government. Under Ptacek's tenure,many staff have shifted to working out of more than one branch. Calgary's new downtown library is designed with semi-private nooks,more gathering spaces,and is focused on a community hub. On any given night,you're as likely to find a rock concert as you are a community group in a meeting room or children playing in their new play areas. Some patrons and staff miss their "quiet library," though,and have complained.
-Refer to Narrative 5-2. Calgary's library system,on a per-capita basis,was already busier than Toronto's. Why did Ptacek believe change was needed?

• A)He needed to reduce staff to be successful  
• B)He had conducted a distinctive competence-seeking exercise. 
• C)He believed competitive inertia had set in. 
• D)He responded to the demands of a shadow-strategy task force.

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