Ujala SatgoorSAOIM, 06 June 2012

* Change and Innovation: The need to push the limits…

*Definitions*Factors affecting change in academic libraries*Limits*Peter Drucker’s seven sources of opportunity for

innovation*Conditions for successful innovation*What does this mean for academic libraries*Most of all….

*Definition*Change*To become different or

undergo alteration*To undergo

transformation or transition

*To alter one’s approach or attitude

*An act or process through which something becomes different

*Tony Robbins“By changing

nothing, nothing changes.”

*Definition*Innovation*The act of starting

something for the first time*Introducing

something new* A creation (a new

device or process) resulting from study and experimentation

*Peter Drucker: “Change that creates a new dimension of

performance.”

*Jose Campos“The ability to deliver

new value to a customer”

Factors affecting change in academic libraries

*Higher Education Landscape*Teaching & Learning*Research*Electronic learning environment*User profile & needs*Distance learners, mature students, part-time students,

international students*Learning styles*Collaborative learning; group & project work

*Expectations of value for money, effectiveness and efficiency

*Economics *Reduction in library funding*Increase in price of all library materials*Large rise on volume of new books & journals

*Organisation*Ability to manage change*Structure*Culture *Leadership vs Managerial style

*Technology*Access*Collection development*Print vs electronic

*User needs & expectations*Greater awareness of facilities & services*Mobile technologies*Social media

*Changing roles & responsibilities of staff *Library as space

*So, what are the limits?

Attitude Complacency about services

Ignoring the information seeking behaviour of usersSlow uptake of

Technology

Slow redefinition of roles

Staff development Leadership

Managerialism Budgets

Organisational

Culture

Assumptions about the Internet

individualism

Lack of CPD

Physical environments

Vision

* Peter Drucker’s seven sources of opportunity for innovation:

1. The unexpected success or failure of the organisation or competition

*What is in greater or lesser demand?*What is working well?* How can failures be converted to opportunities?

2. The incongruities in process or customer behaviour - the difference between reality as it actually is and/ or as it “ought to be.”

* User experience in and of the Library

3. Process needs* Task focused* Perfecting, redesigning or replacing

4. Industry & market structure change* From analog to digital* Organisational restructuring

5. Demographic changes* User profiles

6. Changes in perception & meaning* Perceptions of librarians * Their role in the research endeavor* Experimental

7. New knowledge* Lifelong learning* Keeping abreast with current trends

* Conditions for successful innovation

*Simple*Focus on a specific need*Innovate for the present – impact may be long term!*Innovation is work! *Requires – knowledge, creativity, diligence, perseverance &

commitment*Builds on strengths – which opportunity fits the

organisation & its strategy*Change in behaviour and processes

* What does this mean for academic libraries?

*Demonstrate value to University management*Increased support*Pre-empt new needs*Partnership vs support

*Take the lead*Be strategic*One organisation, many leaders*Project mindset*Best practices*Explore the future of libraries

*Library as Space*Social, collaborative*Exceptional user experience

*Technology as an enabler*New skills/ New areas of development/ Access*Improved services to meet changing user

needs

*Redefine roles*Embedded librarianship*Collaboration

But most of all….

Librarians are very well-placed to make a difference and secure an enviable reputation for our professionif we continue to watch, listen, think, analyse, collaborate, share, test and try and if we deploy real leadership skills, displaying a genuine willingness to keep reinventing ourselves and our old skills to match the changing environment we find ourselves in at any stage.

Jean Sykes Chief Librarian and Information Services Director London School of Economics