From support to mission critical:From support to mission critical:United Nations libraries in transitionUnited Nations libraries in transition

UKSG 2006, University of WarwickUKSG 2006, University of Warwick

Linda Stoddart, United NationsLinda Stoddart, United Nations

Moving from a “nice to have service” Moving from a “nice to have service” to a “essential resource”:to a “essential resource”:

Impacting on daily workImpacting on daily work

Becoming an ubiquitous serviceBecoming an ubiquitous service

Transforming internal messagesTransforming internal messages

Demonstrating technology competencyDemonstrating technology competency

Incremental approachIncremental approach

Communicating the visionCommunicating the vision

Developing a strategyDeveloping a strategy

Launching new activitiesLaunching new activities

Creating a core group of change agentsCreating a core group of change agents

Involving staff at all levelsInvolving staff at all levels

Celebrating successesCelebrating successes

Learning from mistakesLearning from mistakes

From collections to connections:From collections to connections:

Emphasizing people to peopleEmphasizing people to people

Changing skill sets requiredChanging skill sets required

Streamlining process Streamlining process

Creating partnershipsCreating partnerships

Learning what’s important Learning what’s important for senior managementfor senior management

Supporting core work (UN Reform)Supporting core work (UN Reform)

Creating trust between management and staffCreating trust between management and staff

Providing ideas for internal messages Providing ideas for internal messages

Assisting use of all new technological toolsAssisting use of all new technological tools

Partnering with other organizational unitsPartnering with other organizational units

Learning to influence decision-makingLearning to influence decision-making

Identifying crucial information and knowledge staff require to do their jobs

Determining who needs what, when…

Demonstrating how applications and tools can be used effectively

Political considerationsPolitical considerations

Low use of print publicationsLow use of print publications

Medium use of electronic dataMedium use of electronic data

High use of news sources and direct High use of news sources and direct contactscontacts

Use of information in decision-Use of information in decision-making: making: UN SecretariatUN Secretariat

Are international organizations different?Are international organizations different?

Hierarchy culture: decisions taken at Hierarchy culture: decisions taken at senior levelssenior levels

Junior staff not part of the decision-Junior staff not part of the decision-making channel – resulting in lack of a making channel – resulting in lack of a sense of responsibilitysense of responsibility

How are they different?How are they different?

No “bottom line” cultureNo “bottom line” culture

Formalized and structuralFormalized and structural

Rewards based on rankRewards based on rank

Little change or risk-takingLittle change or risk-taking

Bureaucratic Enabling staff to take initiatives

Multileveled Mobility in functions and amongst sections

Policies and procedures that focus on process

Policies and procedures that facilitate meeting client requirements

Organized in “silos” Team-oriented

StructureStructure

Moving fromMoving from

““Collections to connections”Collections to connections”

Centralized Empowering

Introverted Extroverted

Focus on activities in library space

Focus on networking and coaching

Slow decision-making Quicker decision-making

Traditional Innovative

Defensive Open to feedback

Insecure Confident

CultureCulture

Moving fromMoving from

““Collections to connections”Collections to connections”

Emphasis on library processing technique

Focus on inter-personal skills(i.e., interviewing and coaching techniques)

Learning new library management systems

Understanding content management tools

Training and DevelopmentTraining and Development

Moving fromMoving from

““Collections to connections”Collections to connections”

Asking questions, interviewing:Asking questions, interviewing:

What information/knowledge do staff need ?What information/knowledge do staff need ?

What information/knowledge should be What information/knowledge should be shared?shared?

When is information needed and in what form?When is information needed and in what form?

How should information be organized, stored, How should information be organized, stored, accessed and communicated? accessed and communicated?

Changes in outlook and attitudeChanges in outlook and attitude

Embracing opportunities and new rolesEmbracing opportunities and new roles

Accepting a new world of complexity and a Accepting a new world of complexity and a role as interpreter and networkerrole as interpreter and networker

Influencing the decision-making process by Influencing the decision-making process by identifying new, approaches to knowledge identifying new, approaches to knowledge sharing and organizational learningsharing and organizational learning

Staff understand the need to change but

remain boxed in

Difficult to breakdown section loyalties and short term vision

Bureaucratic procedures make it

difficult to take decisions

New skills required/few training opportunities

Recruitment process slow and arduous

OBSTACLESOBSTACLES

Staff has new challenges

Team approach promotes networking and partnering

Increased flexibility helps quicker

decision-making

New skills lead to new roles and responsibilities

Experimentation and innovation lead to new activities and services

OPPORTUNITIESOPPORTUNITIES

Changing perceptionsChanging perceptions

New signalsNew signals

and symbolsand symbols