© Imperial College London

Imperial College London Library Review

Susan V Howard

June 2008

Why?

• New Director of Library Services appointed October 2007

• Last Review carried out 2002 Not all areas dealt with effectively Rapid move to e-resources since 2002 Limited use of outsourcing eg shelf-ready books Need for more front-of-house staff in refurbished ground

floor (opens July 2008)

What?

• Administration and Planning• Public Services• e-Strategy and Information Resources (eSIR)

Review excludes:• Faculty Support Services• Campus Libraries

How?

• Library Leadership Team (LLT) Awayday• Consultation with Library Team Leaders• Consultation with other College staff• Visits to other HE libraries• Desk research• Weekly LLT meetings• LLT wiki

Planning Assumptions

• SCONUL vision for 2010• College will provide sufficient funds for delivery of

library strategic plan• Continuing shift to electronic delivery• Continued importance of physical library as study

space• Reclassification of library stock to allow outsourcing• College will fund 24/6 opening of Library October -

June

Proposals: Administration and Planning

• Split Administration Co-ordinator into two posts, one for Finance, one for Facilities Management

• Rationalise administrative posts• Review rotas and line management of Library

Attendants• Extend Staff Development Officer role to include

operational HR responsibilities• PA to service all of LLT

Proposals: Public Services

• Increase number of Library Assistants• Create Student Support Assistant posts• Replace Help Desk Manager post with

Liaison and Enquiry Services post • Transfer ILLs to eSIR• Transfer shelving and store service from eSIR

to Public Services

Proposals: eSIR

• Radical re-engineering of structure• Merge Information Resources Management

with Information Resources Development to create Acquisitions and Access

• Within Acquisitions and Access: Access Management Acquisitions and Metadata Subscriptions and Document Delivery

Proposals: New Teams

• Professional Services Bureau (Metadata, IP, Open Access, Copyright …) in eSIR

• Marketing and Communications team in Public Services

• Projects team reporting to Director of Library Services

Procedure

• All new posts sent to Job Level Review Panel• Business case sent to all staff• Consultation meeting with staff in affected

areas• Individual consultation meetings• Invite comments and suggestions from all

staff

Timetable

• Director arrived October 2007• LLT Awayday January 2008• New Job Descriptions early May 2008• Business case completed early June 2008• Consultation period 19 June - 18 July 2008• Organise workshops on career development, job applications

and interview techniques July – August 2008• Phased implementation of structure commencing October 2008

What we have learned (so far)

• Every HE library cuts the cake differently• It all takes far longer than you anticipated• You cannot repeat yourself often enough• It is difficult to predict how staff will respond• Unanimity amongst the management team is crucial• If you fudge things, they will come back to haunt you