Creating Sustainable Hybrid Library Programs: White Paper
How can libraries develop a sustainable programming model that serves patrons in person and online? During the pandemic, many libraries rapidly pivoted to fully virtual programming. Now, as libraries rebuild their in-person programs, it has become clear that some patrons will continue to want and expect virtual options for the long term. But without more staff and resources (and, in many cases, with less), libraries may not have the capacity to resume all in-person programs while maintaining a full slate of virtual ones. Hybrid programs seem to offer a solution to serving as many people as possible within the organization’s capacity. Integrating hybrid programming into the library’s normal way of doing business requires new ways of planning and thinking about when and how to engage patrons virtually and in person.
About the Author
Dr. Audrey Barbakoff is the founder and CEO of Co/Lab Capacity, which offers community centered consulting to libraries and other social impact organizations. She has more than a decade of experience as a librarian, manager, and leader in public libraries. Dr. Barbakoff is the author of Adults Just Wanna Have Fun: Programs for Emerging Adults and the forthcoming book Twelve Steps to a Community-Led Library.