What Libraries can teach us about Asset Management

The most mature asset management system at your municipality might not be in public works or finance. It might be in your library.

Think about it. Every book, magazine, DVD, and digital resource is catalogued, classified, barcoded, and tracked. Staff know what is on the shelves, what is on loan, what is damaged, and what needs replacement. Patrons participate in the system. Everyone understands how it works. It functions every day, with remarkable consistency.

There are a few powerful lessons here for municipal asset management.

1. Every asset counts

A $12 paperback is catalogued with the same discipline as a rare reference volume. There is no materiality threshold below which items are ignored. Each item represents value and service.

In municipal asset terms, that mindset would mean tracking not just bridges and treatment plants, but also culverts, signs, fleet attachments, and small components that collectively influence performance and risk.

[If you’re worried about how this conflates with financial reporting and capitalization thresholds, check out an older blog post here.]

Libraries themselves are important community assets. Within them are often millions of volumes which are tracked consistently, though well-established systems. A librarian wouldn’t imagine re-shelving a book without scanning it in - why should we expect less from public works? (Unsplash: Postebymach)

2. Asset management calls for shared ownership

Libraries work because the system is understood by everyone. When a new book arrives, a record is created as a matter of course. Patrons search for, reserve and return materials. Damage is reported. Roles and expectations are consistent and clear.

In many municipalities, asset management is still seen as a planning exercise owned by one department. Making asset management part of your daily practice calls for integration and action across teams: operations, finance, engineering, and leadership. This moves AM from a side-of-the-desk task to being a fundamental part of organizational culture.

3. Real needs are reflected in the system

Libraries rely on structured classification systems, consistent processes for acquisition and retirement, and real-time updates to their catalogue. Lifecycle thinking is embedded in operations: relocate, repair, replace, or retire. The data is current because the process is routine.

When a catalogue says a book is available, people believe it. Do staff feel that way about your asset registry?

Food for thought…

Asset management maturity is not defined by how detailed your planning document is. It can better be defined by the clarity, consistency, and shared responsibility for the tasks and actions that uphold the asset management system and make it work.

Libraries remind us that strong asset management is less about detailed reporting and more about building systems that people understand, trust, and use, every day. When the system is in place and everyone plays their part, the pieces that connect to it just… work.