radical transformation in traditional organizations
TRANSCRIPT
Radical Transformation in
Traditional Organizations;
or,
Power Leveling and Avoiding “The Wipe”
Jeffrey TrzeciakUniversity Librarian McMaster University
My Introduction• Relatively new to McMaster• 20+ years experience• Public/academic libraries • Grant initiatives involving
archives, museums and others• Systems background• Last position: Wayne State
University, Detroit
Member: Gamer Generation• Level 70• Tauren (Horde Faction)• Hunter Class• Currently Level 70 and
enjoying the Burning Crusade
• Born: 20-Sep-2006– Jeffrey Temin
July 2006• University Librarian at
McMaster University– Top 100 Universities
worldwide– Canada’s most research
intensive– Recognized as “Canada’s
most innovative”– Problem-based learning
Notable alumni
Dave Thomas Martin Short Eugene Levy Ivan Reitman
Why did I choose to come to Canada?
McMaster University Library Context
McMaster University LibraryChallenges• Library in state of decline
– 1991: Ranked 86th among Association of ResarchLibraries
– 2006: Ranked 109th
Significant Challenges
• Lowest funded research library in Canada• Lowest # of librarians in ARL• Lowest #FTE in ARL• Unionized environment• Length of service• App. 40% staff in “back office”• 10-15% of staff on LTD• Biggest challenge: campus perception
McMaster: Organization in transition• 8 weeks after I started: Provost stepped
down• University: “discovered” $20m structural
deficit• Freeze vacancies• Across the board cuts• Significant changes at VP and Dean levels
In spite of the challenges…• Acquisitions
– Nearly $700,000 base budget increase– $600,000 one-time funding– Increased funding from indirect costs
18 Months later...
In spite of challenges…• Created 7 new librarian positions
– Gaming Librarian– Marketing/Communications/Outreach– Teaching and Learning– Digital strategist– Digital technologist– E-resources– Archivist/Librarian
• Two new positions on the way– Data/GIS Librarian– Scholarly Communications Librarian
• Inherited Classroom Audio Visual Services– Staff of 10– Budget of $1m– Responsible for all classroom technologies
• Opportunity to integrate instructional technologies, academic resources, and support services
In spite of challenges
Campus Leadership• Lead, $6m Innovative Learning campaign
item• Co-chair, Task Force on Teaching and
Learning• Chair, Burlington campus learning space
design committee• iSci, honours research science
Campus News
Local News
National News (CBC, G&M)
National Television (Canada AM)
Last December: PR hat trick
University Affairs The SpecG&M
Recipient:2008 ACRL
Excellence in Academic Libraries
Award
How did we get here?
“The Change Agent’s Handbook”
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement
ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement
ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
1. Clarify the mission, vision, and reasons for change
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
A new message, bold vision, get attention
Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
Problem: Institutional Perception
2006: Banner Year
Educational uses: Horizon Report• “reason students
log on”• “may represent a
key way to increase student access to and participation in course activities”
New VisionMcMaster University Library will be recognized as Canada's most innovative, user-centred, academic library.
Captured attention of the President
• Board of Governors• First presentation by
a University Librarian to the Board
2. Establish the roles, responsibilities, and structure to support change
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
Transformation Team
Transforming our organization• Stopped doing what we didn’t need to do• Eliminated copy cataloging as a function
– 8 voluntary separation packages;– 6 months pay– $300,000 salary savings
• 9 new positions created– 7 new librarians
• New positions=new functions
Reassignments• Metatadata librarian• User Experience Librarian• Director of Liaison Program• Director of Assessment• Development officer• Clerical support:
– Digitization– maps– e-reserves– tiered reference
Seven new librarians in one year• Digital Strategies Librarian (Nick Ruest)• Digital Technologies Librarian (John Fink)• Teaching and Learning Librarian (Karen Nicholson)• Marketing, Outreach, Communications Librarian
(Catherine Baird)• Immersive Learning/Gaming Librarian (Shawn
McCann)• E-Resources Librarian (Janice Adlington)• Archivist Librarian (Rick Stapleton)
3. Develop the required leadership team capability
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
Informed ourselves: guest speakers• Faculty: Dr. Brian Detlor (Business), Dr. Claude
Eilers (Classics) and Dr. Geoffrey Rockewell(Multimedia)
• Mike Ridley (Guelph)• Perry Willett (UofM)• Alane Wilson (OCLC)• Michael Stephens (tametheweb)• Joan Lippincott (CNI), • John Shank (blendedlibrarian.org)
Retraining: Learning 2.0 @ Mac
http://macetg.wordpress.com/about-learning-20-mac/
4. Determine the key strategies for achieving the change
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
Transformation: Four themes• Transforming ourselves• Transforming our resources• Transforming our services• Transforming our facilities
Needed to capture the attention of the campus community.
5. Develop implementation plans Implement and monitor progress
*innovative, user-centered
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
First in Canada: Endeca
First academic library as “Amazon Associate”
First in Canada: Digital Commons
First to provide reference service in Second Life
“Availability of the infrastructure is not enough - we need the people who connect resources to problems. That's what librarians can do - they can help instructors think about how they can use the different resources and they can help us implement meaningful pedagogical activities using the information resources and infrastructure at hand. This is really not that different from having lots of books on the shelves - we still need librarians to help us use those resources imaginatively. “
First in Canada: Kirtas and Lulu
Drupal: Peace and War• Open source content
management• Open content• Digitize materials from 20th
century peace and ward• July launch:
– 600 WWI maps– 600 WWI aerial photos– 600 WWII posters– 120,000+ Russell letters– Much, much more
First ARL to go Evergreen ?• “Conifer”• Open source
ILS• Partnership
with Windsor and Laurentian
Our Facilities Learning Commons @ Mills and Thode
-Grid computing
-Visualization
-RFID
-Augmented reality?
6. Determine causes ofunder- and over-performance
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
7. Assess the current situation
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
Assessment• LibQUAL• SAILS
• Still a work “in progress”• Annual reviews
– UPC– Budget
• This year: Thode Science and Engineering Library staffing model review
• Staff vacancies: no “status quo”• Assessment plan: this year
8. Celebrate, reflect, document
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
ACRL Award• Recipient 2008 ACRL Excellence in
Academic Libraries Award• Sponsored by Blackwell Book
Services• Previous recipients include:
• Cornell• Virginia• Arizona• Georgia Institute of Technology• Others
Last but not least…..
9. Apply learningThe
ChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
TheChangeAgent’sHandbookA Survival Guide for Quality Improvement ChampionsDavid W. Hutton
My own lesson:
Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
Note of caution
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---Success in Circuit liesToo bright for our infirm DelightThe Truth's superb surprise
As Lightening to the Children easedWith explanation kindThe Truth must dazzle graduallyOr every man be blind---
Emily Dickinson
Questions?Jeffrey Trzeciak
University Librarian
McMaster University
Mills Memorial Library
905-525-9140