Presentation from Goldsmiths, University of London event to promote special issue on positioning the academic library within the university. Promotes a reflective practitioner article in New Review of Academic Librarianship on library strategy development in 3 case study UK institutions focusing on locational factors.

1. The View from Within: A Personal Reflection
on Library Strategy Development
in Three Academic Libraries
Session 8
Tim Wales
Head of Library & Information Services (LIS)
Rothamsted Research
21/11/2018

2. Further reflection: Topics I wish were in my article
Image Source: Pinterest
Staff fighting staff My HOLLI follyUnionised staff Senior politics
Image Source: Barnes & Noble
All images in presentation © Tim Wales unless stated

3. 3
Research-intensive
university
Main image source: LBS

4. Teaching-intensive
university
Top right and bottom images source: UWL

5. Scientific
research institute

6. Reflection methodology (after Gibbs, 1988)
1. Description (What happened?)
2. Feelings (What were you thinking and feeling?)
3. Evaluation (What was good and bad about the
experience?)
4. Analysis (What sense can you make of the
situation?)
5. Conclusions (What else could you have done?)
6. Action plan (If it arose again what would you do?)
Reflective cycle model
Reference
Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. London: Further Education Unit. Available from: gdn.glos.ac.uk/gibbs/index.htm

7. What were the common factors that
influenced my library strategy development
across the 3 case study institutions?
1. Locational factors
2. User factors (or lack of)

8. Locational
factors 2013
10 mins walk
3 mins walk
New
site
Old
Library
Main
campus
Map source: LBS

9. My options appraisal of 2 LBS library locations…
Central location between sites,
especially with additional RCOG
campus leased from 2020
 Low priority for refurbishment
 Temporary decant still needed?
 Small chance of new investment
in library technology & resources
 Complex layout, not library
intended, with more gym space
needed
Taunton Place (existing) Sammy Ofer Centre
 Likely to be main teaching location
with state of art facilities
 Signature/heritage library space
needs to be refurbished anyway
 Opportunity for one-off investment
in library RFID & finance “trading
floor” training rooms
 Furthest location from main site =
“out of sight, out of mind library”

10. 15 mins walk
15 mins bus ride
Locational
factors 2014
Temp.
Library
Main site
New
Library
Brentford
site
Map source: UWL

11. How I used UWL locational factors strategically…
 Long walk to temp. library,
inconvenient location
 Too many out-of-date and irrelevant
books, low loans
 Not enough books on shelves in new
library!
 Cumbersome, labour-intensive
circulation processes & inflexible staff
 Ask for funding to pilot 24/7
opening ready for new library
 Get VC approval for mass
withdrawal of books during
Summer to save removal costs
Bid for one-off funds for new
student textbooks
 Add RFID to new building brief &
release staff time for pending staff
restructure

12. Locational
factors 2016
Main entry point
Old Library
Main building
New Library
Map & top image source:
Rothamsted Research

13. Outwards v. inwards Rothamsted LIS strategy?
Nationally important collections
Combine with visitor centre idea
 Unsigned, hidden location
 No visitor infrastructure/funding
 Access controlled building
 Not part of HE library
professional networks or
collaborations
 No evidence of external demand
Outwards Inwards
 Growing demand (and funding) for
open access and staff publishing
support
 E-only expenditure benefits Devon
site as well
 Director keen on research metrics
 New LMS can support external
initiatives anyway e.g. NBK
 Greater chance of evolving into a
virtual library like @ Crick

14. Teaser quotes from the rest of the article…
“One aspect that I neglected at all 3 institutions was involving LIS staff in
my strategy development…I did not think there was enough time…I was
also undoubtedly of the arrogant opinion that [strategy] was what I was
paid to do.”
“…Ultimately, [academic] library skills will always be needed in some form
but the job titles and organisational entities requiring them will continue to
change.” (TW cited in Evans & Baker, 2017, p.19)
Reference
Evans, W. & Baker, D. (2017). The end of wisdom?: the future of libraries in a digital age. Oxford: Chandos Publishing.

15. Further reading on the 3 case study libraries…
Streamlining processes and administration to save
scientists’ time whilst ensuring compliance
tim@timwales.com
@timwales

16. Image Source: Eric Stephan, https://flic.kr/p/m776W4