Session C101 – Challenges of Digital Library Service, “a little less conversation a little more action” Rosalind Pan Sub-Librarian Electronic Services University College Dublin Library (Ireland) [email_address]

UCD library is engaged…. and making good digital library progress

We are engaged….

We are engaged…. CSE – Google Custom Search Engine

We are engaged…. Mash-up Second Life

We are engaged…. Google Earth

We are engaged…. Second Life

We are engaged…. Blogs

We are engaged…. RSS Blogs have RSS feeds, plus maintain 2 for News and Electronic Resource News

We are engaged….

We are engaged….web 2.0 and widgets http://www.doodle.ch/ www.polldaddy.com

We are engaged….

We are engaged….

We are engaged….

We are engaged….

So the digital library at UCD is developing… Online resources Online resource discovery tools Online library services Library 2.0 additions

Online resources

Online resource discovery tools

Online library services

Library 2.0 additions

So … WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE? Individual challenges – the role, the skills, time management Management challenge – teams, processes, management and policy making methods Evolution or Transformation?

Individual challenges – the role, the skills, time management

Management challenge – teams, processes, management and policy making methods

Evolution or Transformation?

Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 From http://www.webware.com./html/ww/100.html

It has all happened quickly “ A typical academic library needs a whole arsenal of products, including the following: An ILS for managing the library's physical collections An OpenURL link resolver to provide linking and other access options for electronic content A federated searching tool to make it easier for users to search multiple information resources simultaneously An electronic resource management (ERM) system to help staff manage subscriptions to electronic content products An institutional repository for archiving and accessing scholarly articles or other material produced within the organization An application for creating and managing local digital content, such as photograph collections, digitized manuscripts, or other special digital collections “ From : Marshall Breeding, Knitting Systems Together, Computers in Libraries, 26(9) 2006, pp 32-35

“ A typical academic library needs a whole arsenal of products, including the following:

An ILS for managing the library's physical collections

An OpenURL link resolver to provide linking and other access options for electronic content

A federated searching tool to make it easier for users to search multiple information resources simultaneously

An electronic resource management (ERM) system to help staff manage subscriptions to electronic content products

An institutional repository for archiving and accessing scholarly articles or other material produced within the organization

An application for creating and managing local digital content, such as photograph collections, digitized manuscripts, or other special digital collections “

From : Marshall Breeding, Knitting Systems Together, Computers in Libraries, 26(9) 2006, pp 32-35

Some challenges summarised

Update web and portal pages - javascript Maintain RSS feed, blog, WIKI Work on online tutorials Produce quality illustrated guides and workbooks Use online business tools – applications, online calendars and meeting fixers, RSS current awareness systems Contribute to online reference service via Chat Put content into VLE environment Master new resource discovery tools 1. The individual challenge: perceptions of role and range of skills

Update web and portal pages - javascript

Maintain RSS feed, blog, WIKI

Work on online tutorials

Produce quality illustrated guides and workbooks

Use online business tools – applications, online calendars and meeting fixers, RSS current awareness systems

Contribute to online reference service via Chat

Put content into VLE environment

Master new resource discovery tools

1 The individual challenge My principal current awareness tool now – new since mid 2005 Had RSS workshops for Library staff in Summer 2006 – but how many are using it? RSS feeds for current awareness Netvibes

My principal current awareness tool now – new since mid 2005

Had RSS workshops for Library staff in Summer 2006 – but how many are using it?

1. The individual challenge Webstrat.blogspot.com www.wetpaint.com

1. The individual challenge Lecture + Podcast Podcast of student interview Online quiz Handbook - 2 formats Handout - summary Individual activity Group tutorial On-line FAQ

Lecture + Podcast

Podcast of student interview

Online quiz

Handbook - 2 formats

Handout - summary

Individual activity

Group tutorial

On-line FAQ

Analyse how you spend your time Delegate to library assistants all around you Time management in a serious way - the simple “to do” list is a wonderful tool Keep meetings to a schedule with action points, timelines and designated persons responsible Multi-tasking at least 4 strands is required – core work, quick bits, unexpected problems, unexpected opportunities A fast pace of work is required Need aims, objectives personal and group targets 2. More individual challenges: time management and productivity

Analyse how you spend your time

Delegate to library assistants all around you

Time management in a serious way - the simple “to do” list is a wonderful tool

Keep meetings to a schedule with action points, timelines and designated persons responsible

Multi-tasking at least 4 strands is required – core work, quick bits, unexpected problems, unexpected opportunities

A fast pace of work is required

Need aims, objectives personal and group targets

Library and information knowledge and skills Learning and teaching Project working ICT Sector and Organisation Managing self Marketing

3. The challenges of lack of confidence and risk aversion on digital service You cannot wait months or years before developing digital library service You don’t need to wait and see what other libraries are doing every time – you can lead as well as follow “ A little less conversation a little more action” You may have failures but that is an acceptable risk to take, rewards don’t come without risk Libraries need an experimental strand, with no definite known outcomes at the start, to run alongside the normal management targets and timelines “Always say yes”

You cannot wait months or years before developing digital library service

You don’t need to wait and see what other libraries are doing every time – you can lead as well as follow

“ A little less conversation a little more action”

You may have failures but that is an acceptable risk to take, rewards don’t come without risk

Libraries need an experimental strand, with no definite known outcomes at the start, to run alongside the normal management targets and timelines “Always say yes”

4. Challenge: Am I turning into a legacy staff problem? http://www.secondlife.com/ BEBO Flickr YouTube MySpace Del.icio.us? A library Squidoo lens??? – you’ve got to be joking!

4. Challenge: Am I turning into a legacy staff problem? … Spreading FUD about beta level technologies in their infancy doesn't elevate libraries or librarians, it makes us look even more antiquated than we're all ready perceived (Go ahead, ask any teenager). [http://features.lisnews.com/features/05/10/07/0921246.shtml?tid=18]

5. Some challenges for management: agility, quick response and retaining control “ As organizations libraries are slow movers, hosted by slowly moving institutions. Libraries are slow to recognize the fact that a new technology may allow [or beg] for a new mode of operations. The information world runs on Internet time” (Van de Sompel, 2000)

“ As organizations libraries are slow movers, hosted by slowly moving institutions. Libraries are slow to recognize the fact that a new technology may allow [or beg] for a new mode of operations. The information world runs on Internet time”

(Van de Sompel, 2000)

5. Some challenges for management: agility, quick response and retaining control Agile and quick systems for strategy formulation and decision-making A different vision of meetings and how to do them Bring in all grades and people from all teams Bring individual enthusiasts into the process, avoid Techno-Worship Avoid by-passing of management structures Need a proper managed cycle: Brainstorming for new and modified services Planning for services and success Evaluating those services on a regular basis

Agile and quick systems for strategy formulation and decision-making

A different vision of meetings and how to do them

Bring in all grades and people from all teams

Bring individual enthusiasts into the process, avoid Techno-Worship

Avoid by-passing of management structures

Need a proper managed cycle:

Brainstorming for new and modified services

Planning for services and success

Evaluating those services on a regular basis

6. Some more challenges for management: planning the digital library in the longer term and sorting out the mess Senior management must lead developments as well as manage them We need a long term strategic plan We need to put all developments into a wider coherent plan We need to review the wide range of digital systems that we have We need to begin to integrate systems and also to work on interoperability

Senior management must lead developments as well as manage them

We need a long term strategic plan

We need to put all developments into a wider coherent plan

We need to review the wide range of digital systems that we have

We need to begin to integrate systems and also to work on interoperability

7. Some more challenges for management Can we evolve or must we radically transform? Tweak existing teams or have totally new ones to match our digital library? Some new types of library role? Mainstreaming v. Dedicated e-service teams? The IT skills issue

Can we evolve or must we radically transform?

Tweak existing teams or have totally new ones to match our digital library?

Some new types of library role?

Mainstreaming v. Dedicated e-service teams?

The IT skills issue

Just a few Solutions to end with

Possibilities – New types of role Online tutorial developers, Podcast developers, Blog and WIKI developers, Library business process managers, Information Skills co-ordinators, Website managers, Data librarians, GIS librarians, repository managers

Online tutorial developers, Podcast developers, Blog and WIKI developers, Library business process managers, Information Skills co-ordinators, Website managers, Data librarians, GIS librarians, repository managers

Possibilities – New groups Emerging Technologies Group Web Development Group Electronic Resources Framework

Emerging Technologies Group

Web Development Group

Electronic Resources Framework

Possibilities – new library teams Review current workflows Identify mainstreaming opportunities and changes in role needed Identify where extra staff could be added to supplement teams Consider what additional Digital library teams are needed with what skills

Review current workflows

Identify mainstreaming opportunities and changes in role needed

Identify where extra staff could be added to supplement teams

Consider what additional Digital library teams are needed with what skills

Possibilities – awareness and training programme for library staff 1-off events Series of related training All year round programmes External programmes

1-off events

Series of related training

All year round programmes

External programmes

BY ROB FAULKNER “ When McMaster University hailed the hiring of a new chief librarian last year, then-provost Ken Norrie called the arrival of the new man a “coup.” Now, just seven months into the job, Jeffrey Trzeciak is shedding parts of the old regime and changing the basic mission of the library. Forget resorting the card catalogue — his “transformation ” is all about Second Life, blogs, wikis and the hiring of what’s likely the first gaming librarian at a university library…..” A more radical approach required?

BY ROB FAULKNER

“ When McMaster University hailed the hiring of a new chief librarian last year, then-provost Ken Norrie called the arrival of the new man a “coup.” Now, just seven months into the job, Jeffrey Trzeciak is shedding parts of the old regime and changing the basic mission of the library.

Forget resorting the card catalogue — his “transformation ” is all about Second Life, blogs, wikis and the hiring of what’s likely the first gaming librarian at a university library…..”

A more radical approach required? Digital Transition Brings Changes to LC’s Workforce “… LC Director for Workforce Acquisitions Bill Ayers said 200 employees had taken advantage of a voluntary retirement incentive for librarians who had become “very comfortable” with traditional librarianship and chose not to gain new technological skills … LC is preparing a workforce transformation initiative to help current employees upgrade their abilities while attracting new staff with digital-era skills .”

Digital Transition Brings Changes to LC’s Workforce

“… LC Director for Workforce Acquisitions Bill Ayers said 200 employees had taken advantage of a voluntary retirement incentive for librarians who had become “very comfortable” with traditional librarianship and chose not to gain new technological skills …

LC is preparing a workforce transformation initiative to help current employees upgrade their abilities while attracting new staff with digital-era skills .”

Thank you. [email_address]

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