Assumptions

Joe Matthews

Many people believe that libraries

are inefficient, inflexible

and obsolete!

How do libraries deal with change?

Libraries have changed in many ways, including adding digital services, and repurposing space

• But few services have ended and we have kept the existing library paradigm – collections matter

• Major driver of decisions about library – the budget

• Change is outpacing us

Library Brand

Collections

• Just-in-case

• Just-in-time

• eBooks

• Digital content

pBooks

eBooks

Physical Collections

Collections

• Store on/off campus• Shared storage facility• Regional storage facility

• Impact of HathiTrust & Google Books

Organizing the Collection• Use – LC, Dewey, other

• Other options – C3, others

• None – BISAC, Anythink, San Mateo County Library (FindIt), Monarch Method (high school in Colorado)

• Needed in a AS/RS?

Library classification is a knowledge

prevention system

- Karen Coyle

Everything is Miscellaneous- David Weinberger

Cataloging / Tech Services

• In-house

• Shared service center

• Outsource

• Other options

• What is the value of a record?

A Record

• The MARC format was designed for magnetic tapes• Lack of standardized statements/declarations when

those would be useful• Inability to unambiguously encode important

characteristics• Over-reliance on punctuation for semantic purposes• Some MARC fields are ambiguous• Some information is presented redundantly• MARC has needless complexity• Lack of sufficient granularity

A Record• Some MARC free-text fields have formatting requirements• Punctuation in free-text fields is sometimes meaningful,

sometimes not• Some MARC fields are coded with hidden assumptions• Some MARC fields are semantically complex• Lack of easy extensibility• Technical marginalization (MARC is isolated to the library

community)• MARC has a long tail – while the standard has many tags

most are rarely used.

• Moving towards RDA, BibFrame, Open Linked Systems

Acquisitions

• Librarians select

• Standing orders – profile

• Patron initiated

• Other

Interlibrary Loan

• OCLC

• FAST – Local consortium

• Regional/state consortiums

• Warehouse – Amazon

• Other

Reference

• Librarian at desk

• Options include virtual desk (email, chat, telephone, Skype, appointments

• Go it alone or share

• Assumption: Reference is still important

Instruction

• Library instruction

• Bibliographic instruction

• Information literacy

The survey says ….

Service Desks

Materials Dispensing Machine

Returns

eResources

Discovery happens elsewhere

People operate at the network level

Library operates at the institutional level

eResources

• Big deals - consortium• Flexible deals – usage• Backfiles• Document delivery• ILL• Others

eResources

Biggest change -

From purchase/preserve

To license to provide access

Ongoing impact on budget

What value does the library bring to the subscription process? Purchasing Department?

Online Catalog

Do we need a catalog?

Special Collections

• Visit special collections

• Finding aids antiquated

• Majority of special collections not accessible via the Web

• Organized by donor name not content

• Are your special collections findable on Wikipedia, Flickr or Pinterest or …?

Special Collections

• Should have an active role in research and teaching

• Focus for fundraising

• Focus for societal outreach

Technology Management

• Is this a strength?

• Who is responsible?– Library– Campus IT– City/County IT– Outside firm

• Multiple systems – ILS, ERMS, DAMS - repository, link resolvers, Web-based Discovery Service, ILL, …

Technology Management

• Moving to shared systems

• Increasingly cloud-based systems – Discovery happens elsewhere

• DPLA – user interface, find vs. browse

• Investing in “back room” technology is increasingly a hard sell

Space

Hours, Days Open

Who Uses the Library?

• Borrowing materials

• Downloading eResources

• Technology

• Space (and why?)

Librarians

Librarians

• Proactive

• Reactive

• Liaison

• Partners in teaching & research

If librarians are to be seen as experts, their expertise must be visible and valued!

Network Platforms

• Platform – concentrates data, infrastructure, …

• Community/network forms around platform• Network effects are central• Social interaction and analytics are key• Gravitational hubs – the rich get richer• Strong SEO and referencability

How Do We Add Value?

• Single library

• Shared services – consortium

• Outsource

• Collaborate with our users

How Do We Report Our Value?

However, not everything that can be counted counts,

and not everything that counts can be counted.

William Cameron

What Holds Us Back …

• Transition is difficult and takes time• Some of our users (faculty)• Some of our librarians• Our framework, our traditions, our culture• Institutional territory• Plenty of uncertainties• Lack of scale

What Should We Be Doing

• Outsource generic (low value) work• Focus on the needs of instructors & researchers• Focus on outcomes for specific groups of

individuals (market segments)• Be where your users are, use the tools they use• Collaborate with other libraries• Collaborate & connect more with your users

Moving Forward

• Initiate a discuss with library staff, faculty & university administrators

• Collaborate with other libraries and units on campus

• Provide professional development opportunities for staff

• Start with pilot projects but start NOW!• Demonstrate the value and impact of new

services – use outcome measures• Have fun and celebrate success!

Changing a university is likemoving a graveyard –

you get no help from thepeople inside!

- Geoffrey Boulton