As we move through the digital age, certain areas of the library are becoming less and less discoverable. In 2021, Lean Library published the Librarian Futures report, with various findings on user-centricity. Modern patron workflows now begin outside the library, with 79% of faculty and 74% of students beginning discovery outside of the library’s tools, on websites such as Google Scholar. Modern consumers are used to ‘point of need’ information, getting the content and information where and when they need it, rather than having to leave their workflow and look for it elsewhere. The report also uncovered the lack of awareness of the full extent of library services available to patrons; when students were asked what sources of information they used the most, the librarian was used the same amount as Wikipedia. This disconnect between the library services available and patron usage may be due to the large number of libraries that have not yet embedded their services around the workflow of their users. This presentation will include a summary of key findings from the Librarian Futures report, along with an overview of how Lean Library increases discoverability of library resources and services, ensuring collections remain easily accessible to patrons in their workflow, and fostering an open, collaborative community. Lean Library continues the transition of the library into a digital space, bridging the gap between the physical and digital collections, and bringing specialist knowledge to the wider library community.
