In the space of 5 years, the library presence in both Maynooth University (formerly NUI Maynooth) and the University of Limerick have been transformed beyond recognition. Many of the most dramatic and successful transformations have been enabled by technology. These changes have varied from the dramatic revolution of the library place harnessing cutting edge audio visual technology, through the transformation of services, via the adoption of targeted technologies. As two relatively small universities in the middle of a national recession, the sustainability of these technologies and their ability to demonstrably enhance our services has been critical. Coupled with this has been the need to consider and avoid the dangers of ‘soft’ techno determinism - where we become seduced by the potential in these technologies and the development of our services becomes influenced by the technology available to us, as opposed to us adopting technology to help us do our job better. By examining the transformation of the Maynooth and Limerick Library services via the adoption of 4 technologies we will endeavour to show that harnessing these technologies in a considered, strategic manner is not only necessary, but has a positive impact across the service as a whole, including in several unexpected ways.

1. “all changed and changed
utterly”
Technological innovation in two Irish libraries
Hugh Murphy, Senior Librarian, Maynooth University Library
Caleb Derven, Head, Technical & Digital Services, Glucksman Library, University of Limerick

2. Introduction
• Within 5 years, library services at Maynooth and Limerick
have been completely transformed
• Changes have varied across technologies and services
• Sustainability was key - changes occurred in context of
national recession
• Fine balance between using technology to do a better job
and the seductions of “techno determinism”

3. Background
• Irish context: staffing difficulties,
financial and other limitations.
• Challenges enabled innovation
• While similar changes occurred in
both Limerick and Maynooth, we
note only the most dramatic and
relevant of each.

4. Literature Review
• Incremental vs. radical change - is the former innovation?
(Ettlie, et al., 1984)
• Organisation support is an enabling factor for innovation
(Balk, et al., 2014)
• Library leadership is a factor in innovation (Jantz, 2014)
• Institutional size influences capacity to innovate
(Nowvskie (2013)

5. Literature Review, continued
• Technical vs. Administrative innovation
• Economic crises enabled innovation, but leadership
served a significant role
• “ If leaders have a positive attitude toward change, then
initiation of an innovation becomes possible.” (Jantz,
2014)

6. Literature Review - Size Matters
• Size can impact on the capacity of the institution to
innovate. (Ettlie, 1984)
• Importance of decentralised and non-hierarchical
approaches (Nowviskie, 2013)
• Innovation creates a public value (Balk, 2014)

7. Technologies
• Kaizen-type approach - iterative and focused on
improvements
• Necessity of apt context
• Technology as enabler, not prime mover

8. Audio Visual transformation (MU)
• Starting from a low
base
• Policy as important
as service

9. Audio Visual Transformation (MU)
‘wow’ factor v service provision

10. Use Case 2 - Adopting a Discovery Solution
• Nationally - consortial purchasing body which means
similar resources across institutions
• Search across resources = changed perception of library
services
• Technology means Library seen as ‘better’
• Market determines products and services; library doesn’t
drive the innovations

11. Adopting a Discovery Solution (MU)
• MU implementation of Summon and
new website at the same time
• Initial testing with students -hugely
positive
• General increase in e-resource usage
(‘easier’)
• Strong positive feedback from most
users
• Some find transition difficult
(education)

12. Adopting a Discovery Solution (UL)
• UL: European Documentation
Centre material loaded monthly
into Summon
• Clear, quantitative evidence that
discovery solution is preferred
searching route for most students
• Website redesign during 2015 will
allow us to revisit single search box
on Library homepage

13. 3D Printing (MU)
“Gartner predicts that the 3D printer
market will have revenue growth rates of
over 100%, beginning in 2018. Revenue
will grow fastest in enterprise 3D markets,
while unit shipments will expand rapidly in
the consumer 3D market, with more-low-
cost units driving broader adoption”

14. 3D Printing (MU)
•Give users what [we think] they want
•Broadens service provision
•Not all users want books (print or ‘e’)
•Increased traction with academic
departments
•Staff views on technology opened /
challenged
•Library seen as innovative
•Library as ‘centre for everything’ on campus

15. Collection Management Workflows (UL)
• Increasing reliance on
provision of shelf-ready
services set the stage
• Faster and more efficient
access of material for
students and academic staff
• Staff willingness to embrace
new roles and tasks

16. • All stages of the acquisitions process directly utilize EDI
• Single workflow: bibliographic record created at point of
ordering
• Over 90% of books are put into stock automatically at the
book sorter
Collection Management Workflows (UL)

17. Digital Library Services (UL)
● Change of work practices in
collection management at Limerick =
new focus on descriptive metadata,
digital imaging and digital standards
● Staff retrained in digitisation and
metadata practices
● The adoption of an open-source,
community-of-practice-based digital
repository allows the full range of
users to access unique collections

18. Use Case 5 - Digital Library Services
• Staff expertise refocused on new
areas: cataloguers on unique
collections, others on digitisation
• Innovative services and practices
directly enabled by shifts in
ordering process
• Building innovative, digital services
strengthens the strategic role of
the Library

19. Use Case 5 - Digital Library Services
• Omeka
• Hydra
• Incremental
• Scalable

20. Conclusions
• Strategic role of innovation on local and national levels
• Direct staff benefit - re-orienting key skills
• Future innovation – strategy
• Library becomes ‘centre for everything’ on campus

21. Bibliography
Balk, H., Library Innovation: Enablers and Obstacles. Library Innovation: Enablers and Obstacles. Available
at: https://libraryinnofactors.wordpress.com/ [Accessed May 10, 2015]
Balk, H., Kwant, E. & Neudecker, C., 2014. What makes innovation work? Innovation practice in the
National Library of the Netherlands. IFLA journal, 40(3), pp.157–168
Ettlie, J.E., Bridges, W.P. & O’Keefe, R.D., 1984. Organization Strategy and Structural Differences for
Radical versus Incremental Innovation. Management Science, 30(6), pp.682–695
Jantz, R.C., 2012. Innovation in academic libraries: An analysis of university librarians’ perspectives. Library
& information science research, 34(1), pp.3–12
Jantz, R.C., 2014. The Determinants of Organizational Innovation: An Interpretation and Implications for
Research Libraries. College & Research Libraries, pp.crl14–580
Nowviskie, B., 2013. Skunks in the Library: A Path to Production for Scholarly R&D. Journal of Library
Administration, 53(1), pp.53–66
Vinopal, J. & McCormick, M., 2013. Supporting Digital Scholarship in Research Libraries: Scalability and
Sustainability. Journal of Library Administration, 53(1), pp.27–42.

22. Thank you
Hugh Murphy,
Senior Librarian,
Maynooth University Library
Hugh.murphy@nuim.ie
@hughtweet
Caleb Derven,
Head,
Technical & Digital Services,
Glucksman Library, University of
Limerick
Caleb.Derven@ul.ie
@calebderven