The CLS bottom line: it's more than money, it's service

The Chicago Library system serves one of the nation's largest public libraries, one of the nation's largest public school systems, over 200 special libraries, and 52 academic libraries. Its Executive Director and Deputy Director describe how they outsourced and contracted for major services. Outsourced and contracted services include ownership, operation, and maintenance of a central automation site, interlibrary loan delivery services, reference services, as well as other system operations.