Better to Bend Than to Break: Doing More with Less

Ashley Moye & Brian TrippodoCharlotte School of Law

What Do We Do Now? #uhoh

What do you do when faced with voluntary staff cuts and natural staff attrition that cuts your staff size in half over the course of six

months?

Ashley Moye

Technical Services Assistant

Independent Contractor

Serials Librarian

Metadata & Serials Librarian

Metadata & Digital Initiatives Librarian

Brian Trippodo

Library Assistant

Acquisitions Specialist

Systems & Collections Librarian

Head of Core Operations

Before & After

4 reference librarians3 PT reference librarians1 circulation manager 2 Circulation assistants2 technical services librarians1 Technical Services assistant1 PT assistant for circ & TS

14

+ 1 Admin+ 1 DirectorThroughout

3 reference librarians2 PT reference librarians1 Circulation Librarian2 technical services librarians

7

Shared Services Model

Shared Services

Leverage Resources

Manages Service Delivery

Dispersed Team

Integrated Platform

Allows Focus

Rules of Engagement

Strategic Allocation

• Local vs. Non-Local Services

Strategic Choices

• Reporting Relationships

• Organizational Changes

Collaboration

• Best Practices• Embedded

Librarians Focus on Outcomes

• Reallocate & Re-envision Delivery of services

WORKING TOGETHER!

Keys to Our Success

WORKING TOGETHER!

Working together

•we like each other

Embracing new ways

•be comfortable with change

Accepting risk•try new things, outside comfort zone, not afraid to fail

Relentlessly focusing on outcomes

•assess and revamp approach

Trusting our convictions

•believe in our mission and each other

Seeing the road•keep your eyes on where you are and where you’re going

Organizational Changes

Hybrid positions for librarians throughout school

Introducing New departments & heads ->Library User Experience (LUX) & Core Operations (CO)

2 assistants in Circ became a LUX Librarian position

Consortial Consolidated Services

TS Shrinkage across all three

Schools

Transition Systems Tasks• Documentation• Training• Support

Exploring Sharing Services• MARC Records• CampusGuides

Develop relationships with

everyone you

come in contact with!

Circulation & Reference Revamp

• Consolidated Desk - LUX

• Old Ref Desk IT Help Desk• Streamline IT Reservation & Circulation• LibCal Products used to support IT

• Self Checkout Station

Circulation & Reference Revamp

Study Aids Out from behind the desk

Basic trainings @ Knowledge barRevamp monetary fines

Reference Librarians

Integrated role in Legal Research &

WritingEmbedded in writing center

and career center

Redid liaison service

deployment

Clinic library instruction

once a semester

New class – Legal Authority

& Syntax PT ref librarians on small group

trainings and copy

cataloging

Meshing Library Services

Who can do it?

Do we need to provide this service or activity?

Which Services have the Greatest Direct Benefit?

Knowledge Retention

Started out as a wiki…

Now a LibGuide full of documentation of all TS activities

Track as you go and keep up-to-

date

Easy to train new people

on tasks

Student Workers

Core operations:• Check in mail and processingLUX:• New job responsibilities and

additional trainings Saves time and

Establish new Workflows and guidelines to make process easier

Speaking of Money

Conscious and proactive decisions

considering processing time

Cancelled journals & course reserves

Focus on study aids and electronic materialsZero base budgeting

Something New & Fun

Coffee & Sidebar Events• Low cost with minimal effort• Increases engagement • Faculty passion projects• Alumni work experiences after school

Challenges

We get on each other’s nerves more when we

are thinly stretched

I don’tlike being

outside mycomfortzone.

I can’tparticipate inprofessionaldevelopment

becausethere’s no

time!

I’mfeeling

frustratedand

burnedout.

Imiss

how itused to

be.

We have to choose between commitments

and risk upsetting people.

So HOW Did We Do It?HOW

Making Friends

Book Club

StrengthsFinder 2.0

EQ

• Happiness Advantage• Assertiveness Workbook• Difficult Conversations• Reframing Academic Leadership

• Created Grid of Team Strengths

• At Staff Meetings & departmental meetings

• With Dean of Student Engagement

Culture of Praise People Are your Most Important Resource

The Scarcer the Resource, The more valuable it becomes

Ditch the Ego – Humility is IMPORTANT

Culture of Praise

Working Together

Once you like each other, its easier

Mee

tings

Guests from other departments

3 Question Off-week check-ins

Meeting agendas, ground rules, etc.

Rotate facilitation of staff meetings

Clear Lines of Communication

Check in With each other

Exercises to let go of toxicity

Embracing New Ways

Theuncertaintythat comeswith changecan be an

opportunityto reprioritize

andreorganize.

Be comfortable and open Be agile & learn quickly

Prepare yourself and others

Everyone reacts differently

CHANGE

Accepting Risk

Accepting Risk

Not afraid to fail

Nothing without risk

Decisions aren’t made in

a vacuumSome people are

unhappy regardless

Brainstorming

Charters & Pro/Cons

Know who holds the

51%Obligation to

dissent

No one will die

Relentlessly Focus on Outcomes

Assess & revamp

approach

Process Improvement (plus/delta)

Metrics, surveys, etc.

Tangible delivery of value

Do things with the biggest

impact

Trust Our Convictions & Each Other

Weall

believein the

mission.

TEAMStaff is your most

important resource

Shared mission Links people

together

understand the little things that are big victories

Accountability in ourselves and

others

Seeing the Road

Eyes on the road

where you are and

where you’re going

Perspective is important

This is hard Vs.this is unfamiliar

It’s an opportunity

You can make things

what you want them to

be

Look forwards not backwards

People need to know ‘where the line is’

Our Praise Report

Before we finish…A Big Thanks to…Kim Allman, Dallas Public Library

Kimj.allman@outlook.com

Questions & Comments?

There could be something in it for you(wink wink)