Combining resources, combining forces: Regionalizing hospital library services in a large statewide health system

After a reduction in full-time equivalents, 2 libraries in large teaching hospitals and 2 libraries in small community hospitals in a western US statewide health system saw opportunity for expansion through a regional reorganization. Despite a loss of 2/3 of the professional staff and a budgetary decrease of 27% over the previous 3 years, the libraries were able to grow business, usage, awareness, and collections through organizational innovation and improved efficiency. This paper describes the experience—including process, challenges, and lessons learned—of an organizational shift to regionalized services, collections, and staffing. Insights from this process may help similar organizations going through restructuring.