UNSW LibraryOptions and opportunities

Andrew Wells, University LibrarianFuture of LibrariesToronto, 1 May 2014

Outline

• Options for change at UNSW

• Opportunities arising from change

UNSW and UNSW Library

• Major research-intensive university

• Scientific, technical, professional, medical strengths

• 50,00 students; 5,300 staff

• Library has 140 staff; budget ca $35 m

• Significant structural change over last decade

2003 structure

UNSW LIBRARY ORGANISATION – 2003

Pro-Chancellor (Education) Professor Adrian Lee

UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN Andrew Wells

QUALITY AND PLANNING Isabella Trahn

BIOMEDICAL LIBRARY Jill Denholm

LAW LIBRARY Susan Knowles

PHYSICAL SCIENCES LIBRARY Rhonda Langford

SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES LIBRARY Pam O’Brien

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS LIBRARY Jill More

DEPUTY UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN Susan Lafferty

LIBRARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT UNIT Fred Piper

MONOGRAPHS DEPT Sue Munro

SERIALS DEPARTMENT Bev Crane

DOCUMENT DELIVERY UNIT/ INTERLIBRARY LOANS Gil Darby

USER SERVICES DEPARTMENT Claire Hill

RESOURCES MANAGEMENT UNIT Vacant

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES Guilaine Buckley

ONLINE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Tony Cargnelutti

Scenario planning

• Identified three options for 2007/8– Status quo

oNo support (until you change things)– Digital

oNot for 2007 – moving this way now– ‘Learning Village’

oEmbrace shift to digitaloReuse space taken up by print collectionsoEmbed Library in research and teaching plans

New structure

• Abolished special libraries

• No ‘front-room/back-room’; team work and integration encouraged

• No technical services department; no ‘reference’ department

• Structure reflects importance of digital information and online services

Space changes

• Have been well received• 2.5 m visits to libraries in 2013

Opportunities

• Rethink traditional services• Stop doing things or do them differently• Release resources to do new things• Get out more • Redefine Library role in research support

No service desks

• Help Zone

• Learn from customer service models in other places

• Implemented quickly

• Does not function all hours library is open

Self-help

• Self-help suits online environment

• 90% of borrowing is self-help

• RightNow software installed 2013

• Knowledge Base develops in response to client needs

• With 50,000 students, we have to enable self-sufficiency

Stop doing things or do them differently

• No information literacy classes – all students must complete online tutorial and quiz called ELISE (Enabling Library and Information Skills for Everyone). Cannot re-enrol unless passed

• No EndNote classes – this became an industry. Provide online self-help

• Outsource ‘traditional’ technical services – eg, print processing

Release resources for new things and new ways• Develop new services

– Research impact– Research data management – Library leading

Research Data Management Plan– Research publications management – Library

implemented Symplectic Elements in 2013– Direct support for academic staff and higher degree

research students