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The Miami-Dade County Public Library System embodies the
ethic of service to community. It is viewed first and foremost
as a community resource – a place where people can get
what they need in a trusted setting with experienced, hands-on
assistance.
“When we hire, we ask the candidate: Why do
you want to work in the library? If they say: Because I really
love books – that’s the wrong answer. This job
is about people!”
— Raymond Santiago, Director, Miami-Dade
County Public Library System
Miami-Dade County has a diverse population in more than 30
separate towns with almost indistinguishable boundaries between
them, resulting in an absence of natural city centers. The
public library system has addressed this challenge by becoming
a leader in the community through its transformative vision
of the library as a place where people can congregate.
The public library system’s leadership vision has been
put into practice by its 5-Star Customer Service Initiative.
The initiative’s vision: “The library will be
a compelling community destination by providing a Five-Star
Customer Experience.”
The work of each library is framed around the customer experience;
each institution plays an active role in the town by aggregating
community information, partnering with local community organizations,
and providing 24/7 access to resources whenever possible.
For example, the state of Florida has an extensive e-government
portal with numerous social and public services available
online. However, a large percentage of the population in Miami-Dade
County lacks basic computer skills. The Miami-Dade Public
Library System responded to this community need by creating
and developing technology literacy programs for adults, many
of whom are seniors. A vibrant technology literacy program
now teaches over 200 adults every month. It is common for
library staff and volunteers to witness a grandparent connecting
with a distant grandchild through e-mail or Facebook for the
very first time. Senior citizens also learn communication
and civic awareness skills in the Seniors Telling Stories
program, which connects them to college professors who are
trained to teach them how to craft and share their personal
stories. The seniors then debut their stories as part of the
Art of Storytelling festival at their local libraries and
community centers.
Miami-Dade Public Library is equally committed to addressing
issues relating to equal access. The Service for the Homebound
program provides books-by-mail to individuals of all ages
who are unable to visit the library in person due to chronic
illness, physical disability, and/or frailties of age. This
group of people is able to access basic reading services to
advance and learn basic literacy, and continue to stay connected
to their community through the libraries’ services.
Miami-Dade Public Library leaders hold themselves
accountable to the 5-Star Initiative through customer surveys.
Survey results are reported quarterly to ensure each library
is focusing on delivering the best possible service, in the
best possible environment, to each customer.
The vision of customer service in the 5-Star Initiative and
the partnerships with community organizations reflect a commitment
toward servicing the needs of the local Miami-Dade County
community, over and above collecting and checking out books.
The 5-Star Initiative is truly transformational in that the
library system acts as the community “center”
the area really needs.
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