The document summarizes changes made to the technical services and digital services departments at a small academic library. It describes merging the two departments into a new Collections & Systems department to improve collaboration and workflows. It discusses challenges during the transition period but notes that two retreats helped the staff confront issues, rewrite jobs, and rethink spaces and organization. The new department has revised many positions, is focusing on data cleanup for a new library system, and continues adapting to changes in technology and services.

1. Rompiendo Barreras:
Reorganizing Technical &
Digital Services in a Small
Academic Library
Jonathan H. Harwell, Sharon Pesante Williams,
Head of Collections &
Acquisitions/Office
Systems
Coordinator

2. Where we are
 Rollins College: small liberal arts college (FTE 3049)
with a graduate business school
 Winter Park, Florida (Orlando Metro)
 Library renovation in 2012: 24/7 hangout with café
 IT and tutoring/writing consulting center integrated
within the library
 2013 winner, ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries
Award
 Strong philosophy of service excellence: respectful,
responsive, collaborative, & compentent

3. Before
 Technical Services Dept.: several staff members & 2
librarians, doing acquisitions & cataloging.
 Campus IT managed the Sirsi ILS.
 One librarian was the resident techie and answered all the
“computer questions.”
 2008: workflow analysis, creation of Digital Services &
Systems Dept. with 2 staff and 3 librarians managing eresources & serials, systems, and ILL.
 Shared workspace for both departments
 Major transition period over the next few years

4. Challenges
 Space arrangement, split down the middle
 Working styles
 Change in a long-standing worklife in that space
 Modular walls to minimize distractions
 Unsettled atmosphere
 Tension and negativity

5. Caution: Merging Ahead!
 Turnover prompted rethinking
 Merge planned: new Collections & Systems Dept.
 Two people to move from systems to reference; “emerging
services”
 New department head began in May 2012; simultaneous merge
(at least on the organizational chart!)
 Summer construction & displacement; delayed relocation
 Priorities: collaborative & enjoyable work environment; mutual
respect; sense of community; regular meetings & downtime
together

6. Time Out Together
 Two summer retreats: library-wide and departmental
 Personalities & communication styles
 Preparation: cross-team collaborative presentations on the
future of our work together
 Listening exercise: guided silence set the tone
 Brutal facts to confront to be a great team: inequalities,
protocol, work styles, trust & reliability, communication,
workflows, & the past
 Disruptive technologies; constant change & adaptability
 Ideas bubbling up: rewriting job descriptions, streamlining,
rethinking everything
 Rompiendo barreras: re-envisioning the office space &
opening up the environment
 Flattening the organization

7. Where are we now?
 New chapter: being valued & safe with one another
 The process is ongoing. Change keeps accelerating. We’re
still rethinking & talking together so we can look ahead &
adapt. Great ideas keep bubbling up!
 Completely revised positions: digital archivist, collections
data specialist
 Turnover continues. A fresh team! Sharon is our longest
serving member, at 3 years! Currently hiring two people.
 Creativity needed in hiring a new discovery & systems
coordinator
 Focusing on inventories & data cleanup for new ILS/URM
 Currently outsourcing original cataloging (at least for now)
 Joint meetings with Circulation

8. Thank you!
Your questions & ideas?
Jonathan H. Harwell
jharwell@rollins.edu
Sharon Pesante Williams
spwilliams@rollins.edu