The New York Public Library System is facing a good problem and a bad problem, both related to the economic downturn.

The good problem is rising numbers of visitors (probably augmented by job hunters and free Wifi)) . One recent newspaper article noted “Libraries across the [USA] are seeing double-digit increases in patronage, often from 10 percent to 30 percent, over previous years”

The bad problem however is a $23.2 Million funding cut from July .

How to square this circle? An article in Information Week highlights how the library is hoping to use its new Business Intelligence system to help meet the rising (and changing) demands on it, despite the reduction in staff likely to be required. For example, they might improve the rostering off staff to meet the changing profile of PC usage, private study, job hunting etc in various libraries through the day.

For changing times mean more than ever that good information on what is happening now trumps instinct based on experience of the past.