Mugar Memorial Library and Branches - 2005

Summary Planning Report for Departments & Branches, 8/05

Introduction


Five branches and seven departments posted plans on the Library’s website. Initially, the Steering Committee requested ALC members to work with their staffs to develop plans for the 2004-2005 fiscal year. In June 2005, ALC members were asked to take a second look at these plans and extend the planning period through the next couple of years so that the Steering Committee could use these plans in the development of a strategic plan for 2005-2007.

The projects proposed in the departmental and branch plans vary in scope. Some of the projects described concentrate on immediate short-range improvements to current processes and services and some on longer-range changes in the way the Library provides services to users. The strategic plan will focus on articulating the changes we intend to make to align the Library’s work with the goals of the Library, the mission of the University, and the changing landscape of scholarly communication.

The Strategic Plan for 2005-2007 will be based on the Planning Reports of the departments, branches, task forces and standing committees; an environmental scan conducted by the Library’s Steering Committee; and a list of strategic priorities the Steering Committee will develop based on the environmental scan.

In addition to supporting the development of the forthcoming Strategic Plan, departmental and branch Planning Reports can be used by the departments and branches:

  • To assess their progress over the next couple of years
  • As a basis for continuing discussions within departments and branches about how they might improve their processes and services
    • One department (Collection Development) is using the planning process to encourage staff to see projects as an integral part of their regular duties.
    • Another department (Cataloging) recognizes that staff assignments will have to adjust given the priorities of certain projects.
  • As a resource for staff to learn about how other departments and branches are planning to improve their services and which groups they might collaborate with to achieve similar objectives.
    • One branch (SEL) intentionally participates in library-wide and cross-departmental groups because they realize the benefit for their branch and for the library system as a whole.


Highlights of the Departmental and Branch Plans


Given the time-consuming responsibilities of running day-to-day operations, staff demonstrated a remarkable willingness and capacity to propose how they intend to adapt their services to the evolving needs of today’s users. There are many fine projects proposed in these reports. The list below highlights only some of this excellent work.


Goal: Maximize user accessibility to library resources and services

  • Facilitate communication with Distance Education administrators and faculty to define appropriate role for library (Music)
  • Digitize finding aids to specialized collections and, when possible, the specialized collections themselves (ASL)
  • Conduct usability studies of website and web catalog interface (RIS, SEL, T&D)
  • Redesign interface for online catalog (RIS, Systems)
  • Expand the pilot eReserves Project to include all core curriculum courses in the School of Social Work (Mugar Circulation, RIS, Systems)
  • Expand CourseInfo Reserves for video/audio streaming (Music, Systems)
  • Organize and make available a new resource collection (Beebe)
  • Consolidate existing print collections while expanding electronic access to newspapers and reference works (Collection Development, RIS)
  • Incorporate open access eResources into existing finding aids (SEL)
  • Assess feasibility of online recalls (Mugar Circulation)


Goal: Publicize and promote library resources and services

  • Develop program- or school- wide library instruction models (ASL, Music, Pardee, PERL, RIS, SEL)
  • Leverage Project SAILS Report (T&D)
  • Disseminate information to faculty so that eResources can be linked through Blackboard (Pardee)
  • Migrate locally produced news sources to the web or to more accessible locations on the web (ASL, Music)
  • Represent the library at campus-wide events and on campus-wide committees to foster communication (RIS, T&D)


Workflow initiatives or improvements

  • Implement ERM ( Music, RIS, Systems)
  • Upgrade staff skills through creation of new tools, peer-to-peer training, and a migration to Millennium(Business Services, Mugar Circulation, Music, PERL, RIS, SEL)
  • Upgrade specific equipment, servers, and software to enhance productivity and decrease workloads (Systems)
  • Evaluate job descriptions in light of new technology and services offered (Mugar Circulation)
  • Update procedures for cataloging online resources (Cataloging)
  • Track statistics needed for planning purposes (RIS)
  • Locate alternate vendors for rush orders (Business Services)


Strengths of the Planning Process

  • All staff members are given an opportunity to participate in discussions leading to the development of the Library’s strategic plan
  • Interim reports of the task forces, standing committees, branches and departments are on the website and available to all staff
  • Discussions within groups and between groups are encouraged throughout the development process. These discussions allow staff to understand how the plans of other groups may influence the work of their group
  • Opportunity to anticipate and articulate service needs of new user groups

Changes in the Process

  • During the course of the coming year, the Steering Committee will redesign the Planning Template so that it will be more useful for departments, branches and the Steering Committee.
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