An introduction to the British Library

21st November 2013

Andy Appleyard Head – Document Supply and Customer Services

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The British Library Locations

St Pancras

London

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The British Library – The World’s Knowledge

2 major exhibitions each year, and a number of permanent and small displays. A range of events support these.

3 (2) main sites in London and Yorkshire. Circa 1,800 staff.

The largest document supply service in the world. Secure e-delivery and ‘just in time’ digitisation enables desktop delivery within 2 hours.

Business and IP Centre, providing inspiration, and enabling protection of creative capital and business development.

On-line services allow remote access to the BL catalogue, a range of learning resources, ‘virtual’ editions of well-known treasures, and much more.

The national library of the UK. Serves researchers, business, libraries, education & the general public.

Collection includes over 2m sound recordings, 5m reports, theses and conference papers, the world’s largest patents collection.

“Lean in Libraries”

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“We exist for everyone who wants to do research for academic, personal or commercial purposes”

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Innovation for Storage “State of the Art” low oxygen storage facility

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Innovation for Access Digitisation of hard copy content & joint service development

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Innovation in Partnerships Newspaper commercial partnership

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We serve customers

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Our services should reflect what they want

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Hmm, you want me to change…

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Traditional Approach New Approach Required

Barriers to (CI) change How the deployment of Continuous Improvement (CI) has supported the breaking down of barriers & acceptance of change

No “burning platform” Economic Crisis

Command and control style Inclusive leadership with engaged staff

Silo view of the world (vertical) Process based, cross

functional view (horizontal)

“The consultant says ….” “We suggest & can do….”

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The Lean approach made simple

• Focus on the voice of the customer and seek to delight.

• Eliminate non added value and all forms of waste.

• Release the latent talents of all staff and involve/empower them.

• Provide products or services to the customer on time, at best quality.

• Pull the product / service through the process with synchronous flow.

• Go and see - employ the techniques of 5s and Visual control.

….. 4 x P’s

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•Rationalised metrics (vital few).

•Set achievable targets.

•Charted key metrics.

•Displayed in the workplace.

•Review & analyse result.

•Action improvement

Performance – Visual Control

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Customer completes Registration Form and sends to Customer Services. Hard copy printed.

Check if more than 150 reqs per month then credit worthiness checked.

Assign marketing classification and check VAT number on internet to ensure valid.

Process Stapling How the BL (used to) register a new customer

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Assign customer code (obtained from a hard copy register) & annotate front sheet.

Update UIS database with customer details etc. 4 x screens to update

Update Relais database with customer details etc. 2 x screens to update.

Update CRM database with customer details (8 screens)

Phone ITO back up (Eddie Langs) team for a password, add to form.

Mail handbook & compliment slip to customer.

Customer Registration (2)

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Print a label (2 screens) from printer (often illegible so may need to Google to re-check details.

Send a welcome letter Copy registration Form, place original in pigeon hole.

Line Manager picks up & checks work completed.

Form placed in tray. Form then picked up & filed.

Customer Registration (3)

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Place - Toyota Model Line

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Date: 03/ 02/ 2011

Cost: Zero Effect/ Benefit: Saving £100/ week

After Improvement:

Before Improvement:

Description of problem:

Increasing parcel costs

Responsible Person (s):

Paul Ashton

Area

Delivery

Subject:

Courier costs

Historically Delivery split the UK courier

parcels on a roughly 50/ 50 split between

FedEx and UPS

As a UPS parcel now

costs £5.65, compared to

£4.45 sending the same

with FedEx, it would

reduce our costs to send

as a many as is

practicable with FedEx.

The “Quick Kaizen” If the answer is obvious we “just do it”, but document the Before and After – visualise!

Projects requiring significant investment and corporate strategic considerations;

Top Down Corporate Project

Cross functional impact, idea not fully formed and requiring some investigation, analysis and cross departmental consideration;

Bottom Up CI Project Obvious, just do it;

Quick Kaizen

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CUSTOMER LEARN

BY DOING

Workplace Activity

Exercise

Teach

I Hear and I forget,

I See and I remember,

I DO and I UNDERSTAND

Team based kaizen approach Complex, process based or cross functional work based problems

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Benefits:

•Staffing reduced 3 fte

•Space saving 500² m

•Ergonomics improved

•Housekeeping improved

Case Study 1 – Work flow improvement Redesign of work flows & layout in order to release space & improve productivity.

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Benefits:

•Space saving 500² m

•Safety & environmental

benefit

•Reduced cost

•Housekeeping improved

Previously bespoke boxes purchased from an overseas supplier. Long lead times, high stock levels & high cost.

Standard designs created. Local supplier sourced.

Shortened lead time. Stocked line side (kanban)

Case Study 2 – Packaging Kanban Procuring packaging materials by “pull” systems and storing by kanban (line side fixed locations with top up system)

BEFORE

AFTER

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Benefits: • B25 closure - annual

energy savings of £56k. • Efficiency &

communication • Optimal use of space. • Great teamwork!

Case Study 3 – Space Saving & Efficiency Closure of outlying building and integration of two departments improving efficiency, communication & reducing energy costs

Two separate locations

Analyse functions by “affinities” (process)

Design layout based on process Consult

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Benefits:

•Efficiency improvement

•Collection management

•Transport spend reduced

•Cross site teamwork

Previously items removed from shelf and subsequently decanted and re-packed 6 times before arriving at destination.

Cages being loaded in store Cage being delivered to Reading Room

Case Study 5 – Inter-Site Trolley Conveyance of items to/from BSP Store to STP Basements

AFTER

Multiple decanting and handling

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BEFORE

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Lean Steps Technique

1 Performance Measurement • Rationalised measures to “vital few” • Charted key metrics and displayed in workplace

Visual Control SPC

2 People development and Leadership • Appoint (senior) champion • Training & awareness

Problem solving Team facilitation 5s

3 Team improvement activities • Early success & “quick wins” • Self empowered workplace team improvement

Pilot project Quick kaizen Team based kaizen

4 Standardisation • Layouts, procedures and work instructions

Process mapping SOP’s

5 Resource planning & efficiency improvement • Capacity planning – see 1 & 3

Multi skilling Single grade

6 Recognition • Showcasing best practice and celebrate success • Senior support

Annual convention CEO visits Tea & Bun events

7 Strategic integration ?

Summary - BL Lean Steps