ReVisioning for a 21st Century Library

Deb MacLatchy

on behalf of the Library Review Advisory Team

February 2012

Why a Review?

Changes in Laurier•Growth in student numbers•Comprehensive university•Multi-campus

Changes in Libraries•Nature of scholarship and education linked to technological advances, teaching pedagogy, and student approaches to learning

New Focus• From process-

oriented role• Access to

scholarship

• To engagement in• Teaching, learning

and research• Use of scholarship

in all its forms Library of the 21st Century

Review Components

• Self-study by Library personnel– Winter 2011

• Peer review – Spring 2011

• Mary Ann Mavrinac, University Librarian at UTM• Marnie Swanson, University Librarian at UVictoria• Colleen Willard-Holt, Dean of Faculty of Education

Review Components• External review

– Fall 2011• R2 Consulting, international consultants academic

library reviews

• Review Advisory Team– Librarians & staff members, faculty members,

graduate and undergraduate reps, alumni rep, academic administrators, administrators

• RITE (Library Review Implementation Team)

Recommendations• 140 in total from peer &

external reviews– Categorized by RITE

and Advisory Team into five themes

– Grouped into phases for implementation by RITE

– Brantford sub-committee established

Positive Feedback• Committed group of librarians and library staff

focused on interests of user groups• Number of operations and services working very

well • Creativity in forms of user interaction, e.g.,

development of mobile web application• Instructional technology with encouraging results

(18 online tutorials with 8,805 viewings one year)• Collaborations and sharing of resources with TUG

& provincial partners (OCUL) very beneficial

ReVisioning ThemesReVision 1: Organizational & Management Structures•Presently “flat” management structure (1 UL, 19 librarians) across three sites, all functional areas •Only library in Ontario with AULs without duties related to personnel management, operational budget planning, and standing in for the UL•Challenge for ideas to scale and grow within and across functional areas•UL focus on intra-library issues high, limits efforts beyond Library internally and externally

ReVisioning Themes

ReVision 1: Organizational & Management Structures•New organizational structure needed to help focus on services that will be the future priorities•Managerial responsibilities need to be delegated from the UL reporting lines expanded to accommodate new AUL roles (3, each with an operational division)•Broader management functions to improve multi-site coordination, benchmarking, evaluation and assessment

ReVisioning Themes

ReVision 2 Operations & Service •Cumulative impression of unevenness in service offerings and lack of common, unifying vision •Need to embrace realities that library and learning activities will be increasingly virtual•Library services (teaching, learning, scholarship, physical) need to satisfy needs of users• Opportunities for efficiencies in streamlining & prioritizing services within multi-campus environment that can scale with growth

ReVisioning Themes

ReVision 3 Collections & Resources•75% Library’s materials budget goes to e-resources, 50% of books never circulated

• Print circulation and interlibrary loan declining• Reorganization needed to efficiently process print items and

access to print & online resources•Demand still for face-to-face service but majority of Library’s users do not walk through front doors

• Users must be served online with resources optimized for remote self-service

•Need to ensure budget & collections priorities support Laurier’s research & reallocate resources to support increased electronic portfolio

ReVisioning Themes

ReVision 4 Infrastructure•Libraries are changing from stacks and quiet study to community spaces for engaged learning and research•Increased need for spaces that support collaboration, virtual learning and remote access•Need library system where provision of services and resources is irrespective of campus location

• Need to prioritize improving library services in Brantford to meet growth, including dedicated library space

ReVisioning Themes

ReVision 5 Community Relations•Library benefits from participation in TUG, OCUL, CRKN (e.g., interlibrary loan, e-resource subscriptions) •More radical collaboration possible, in web of materials, services and support structures beyond current partnerships•This includes consideration of library’s partnerships within Laurier

Library of the 21st Century

What is needed to deliver this vision at Laurier?

Investment in our people, our processes, our infrastructure with a clear vision of the Laurier Library system.

Implementation Proposal

• Four phases of implementation over 36- month period– Immediate/ongoing– Phase 1 – May 2012-April 2013– Phase 2 – May 2013-April 2014– Phase 3 – May 2014-April 2015

• Majority of recommendations do not incur cost beyond existing Library budget

Immediate/Ongoing

• Number of changes and initiatives already underway– Activities without implications for other

activities (e.g., improving Brantford book delivery times)

– Larger scale projects requiring significant planning time (e.g., a review of reference services desk model)

(Budget neutral/minor within Library budget)

Phase 1 (May 2012-April 2013)• Key aspects of each theme included, e.g.

– Streamlining of collections processing to improve access – Strengthening technological cooperation with TUG partners– Planning and implementation of strengthened AUL roles

($320,000)– Planning and development of separate library facility

at Brantford campus

($4,300,000 for design, construction, furniture equipment)

Phase 2 (May 2013-April 2014)• Builds on prior phases

– Implementation of more complex recommendations re: streamlining of collections (reorganization of current departments to focus more on e-resource support)

– Development of strategic plan– Creation of operational divisions within Library overseen

by AULs; consideration of creation of new role to lead Laurier Brantford Library

– Enhancement of faculty and student services such as more formalized instructional program with alternative teaching methods

(Costs TBD as Phase 1 progresses)

Phase 3 – May 2014-April 2015

• Third and final phase to focus on:– As Laurier grows as a comprehensive university, an

increase in collections (and the associated budget for collections on par with comparable institutions)

– Consideration for closer alignment of Library and Learning Services

– Movement of some collections to Brantford within new space

– Creation of a University Records Management position within Archives

(Costs TBD as Phase 2 progresses)

Further Process Points

• New UL search (for 01 July 2012)– Leadership of implementation, strategy, etc.

• Assessment & benchmarking– Needs to be included in implementation process to

measure the effectiveness of the changes as they progress

• Delays to date may actually benefit us– Trends much clearer for academic libraries– Maturing as multi-campus, comprehensive university

Concluding Remarks

• Year-long review and reflection process

• Changes at organizational, procedural and infrastructure levels can create capacity for new directions

• Focus on digital content, virtual delivery of services, and radical collaboration make it possible to scale at much lower cost as well as retain local services

Concluding Remarks

• The Library Review Advisory Team endorses need for these changes

• Laurier will be significantly better equipped to support our shared goals for excellence in teaching scholarship, and inspiring lives of leadership and purpose by adopting recommendations

With ThanksLibrary Review Advisory Team

Tom Berczi – Alumni/Board of Governors; Pamela Cant – Acting Director HR; Sharon Brown – University Librarian; Tom Buckley – AVP Academic Services (ITS); Kathryn Carter – Faculty Brantford; Lesley Cooper – Acting Principal/VP LB; Adam Crear – Faculty Waterloo; Anna Ferenc – Faculty Waterloo; Catherine Fitzgerald – Library Staff; Gail Forsyth – Director, Learning Services; Scott James – Graduate Student; Deborah MacLatchy – VPA & Chair; Cameron McGregor – UG Student Brantford; Patti Metzger – Library Staff; Kimberley Neutens – VPA Office; Chris Oberle – UG Student Waterloo; Joanne Oud – AU Librarian; Jennifer Robertson-Wilson – Faculty Waterloo; Helen Sagi – Library Manager; Greg Sennema – AU Librarian; Carol Stephenson – AU Librarian

Brantford Library Building Sub-CommitteeTony Araujo – Director Campus Operations Brantford; Kathryn Carter– Faculty Brantford; Lesley Cooper– Acting Principal/VP LB; Cameron McGregor– UG Student Brantford; Kimberley Neutens – VPA Office; Joanne Oud – AU Librarian

Library Review Implementation TeamCatherine Fitzgerald – Library Staff; Patti Metzger- Library Staff; Joanne Oud – AU Librarian; Helen Sagi- Library Manager; Greg Sennema – AU Librarian