i am your outreach librarian”: new ways of delivering services at the unsw library (neil hinsch...
DESCRIPTION
Neil Hinsch & Kate Dunn Library, University of New South Wales OBJECTIVE To describe innovative service delivery methods implemented in the University of NSW Library. BACKGROUND As one of Australia’s largest academic libraries, the University of NSW Library serves a community of 2300* academics, and 37,000* students supporting both their learning & teaching and research needs. In 2006, the Library restructured in an effort to build a stronger communication model with the faculties and a new method of delivering services to this community. The goal is to build a strong partnership between the Library and the academy, where the value of the Library and its offerings is understood and appreciated as being integral to achieving the University’s learning & teaching and research priorities. *These figures are taken from the 2006 annual report METHOD Taking inspiration from a variety of service professions, the University Library has separated the distinct functions of service development, service delivery and communication. Specialist staff are assigned to innovation and new service development projects. Subject librarians are given ownership of relevant areas of the collection and the resultant services. Communication and delivery of these services is managed by a team of individual client contacts. IMMEDIATE IMPACT The response to this model amongst the academic community has been mixed, but primarily positive. The academy was used to seeing the Library primarily as a service centre for the undergraduate community and therefore the reassignment of professional services to support research represents a considerable change. Benefits demonstrated so far are an increased penetration into the academic community and therefore a greater awareness of our user requirements, and a consolidated approach to collection management. NEXT STEPS Future challenges involve: Consolidating the way in which the Library offers value to our community Implementing appropriate measures to record the impact of the model Maturing the service towards a more targeted solutions delivery methodTRANSCRIPT
“Hello, I am your Outreach Librarian”
A new service paradigm at the UNSW Library
By Kate Dunn and Neil HinschInformation Services Department
UNSW Library
[email protected]@unsw.edu.au
Background
Changes in Academia:• Corporatisation of Higher Education• Competition for resources• Outcomes based (previously
collaborative)• IT changes• Economic rationalism• Library no longer perceived as the heart
of the University
UNSW: New Directions• Enter the new Vice Chancellor• UNSW Strategic Directives 2007:• Confirm UNSW’s distinctiveness• Lift research performance• Recruit more high calibre students• Shift resources into identified high priority
areas• Develop underpinning capabilities at Senior
Management level• UNSW to be back in the top 3 of GO8
Previous Library Structure
• 5 semi-autonomous libraries and numerous units
• Hierarchical• Leadership driven as opposed to team-
based culture• Discontinuities in service delivery• Strong emphasis on the “physical” as
opposed to the elibrary
UNSW Library’s Response!
• New Library Model
• New modes of service delivery
• New services, including Outreach
Enter the Outreach Librarian• Role:• “Relationship managers”• Show the value of the library’s services and content• Identify and create effective solutions to user needs• Promote library services elicit feedback• Understand the Academy’s content requirements• Identify opportunities for the delivery of new
services• Promoting value• Contribute to the UNSW research cycle
Outreach Call Report:
Name: ex#
Outreach Librarian: Date of Visit:
School:
Faculty:
Teaching areas:
Research active: YES/NO
Research areas:
RFCD Codes:
Recent Publications:
___________________________________________________________________________
PLAN SUMMARY
How many times a month would you use the Library – USE means (website, physical building/collection/email/phone)?
What are the main content (collection) related issues that the Academic wishes to address?
How will this assist the academic?
When should this be delivered by?
What is the Library offering to support this academic?
What resources/websites/search engines/associations is the Academic using when locating content?
Enter the Outreach Librarian• Role:• “Relationship managers”• Identify and create effective solutions to user
needs• Promote library services elicit feedback• Understand the Academy’s content
requirements• Identify opportunities for the delivery of new
services• Promoting value• Contribute to the UNSW research cycle
Enter the Outreach Librarian• Role:
• “Relationship managers”
• Contribute to the UNSW research cycle
A voyage of discovery
• Academics use of the Library
• Academics awareness of Library services
• Faculty variations
Impact
• Increased contact with academic community
• Positive acceptance of Outreach role
• Ongoing requests from academics
Achievements
• Action requests
• New services identified and introduced– Academic Service Point– HDR Mentoring – Research Support service– Collection benchmarking
• Presentations at School meetings
Faculty of Medicine
• Increased awareness of content and services
• Collection enhancement
• New services refined to specific needs
• Increased contact with Clinical Schools
The future
• Ongoing relationships & in depth partnerships
• Opportunities created
• Library valued as an essential service