INTEGRATING PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND COUNCIL CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRES: THE SOUTH TARANAKI LIBRARY PLUS EXPERIENCE.

Integrating public libraries and service council centres can be contentious. When a council has a main office, seven libraries and four service centres serving a population of only 28,000 people in a large area it also has major service and cost implications. Discussed are the concept, implementation and progress of Customer First at South Taranaki District Council in the North Island of New Zealand and the effect it has had on its public library service since 2002. Customer First was a project to improve South Taranaki District Council's customer service and the Library Plus initiative was one of three major parts of the program. It has proven to be effective in delivering library and other council services and has increased the profile and reputation of the library service [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]