Re-Framing Staff Roles Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Ken Roberts Chief Librarian (until June)

Hamilton

• 520,000 Population • Former industrial giant • Financially struggling

• Virtually no assessment growth in almost 20 years •No library budget cut in almost 20 years.

Disclaimer . . .

1. Everyone is talking about re-framing roles 2. We all face the same problems 3. Anyone who says they can solve all of those problems . . . 4. There are ways to affect change more easily

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Three initiatives

1. RFID (never raised as a L/M concern)

2. Changing role of “the librarian” 3. Emerging Technologies 4. Next Steps

RFID

• Board commitment to staff (Five years ago) No

job loss due to RFID but . . .

• Education fund

• Attrition/new positions that are better paid.

RFID - TODAY

• 23 locations • Definite impact on jobs

• 2006 - 40 jobs required H.S. education only • 2012 – 4 jobs require H.S. education only • 2012 – 25 new positions that require more

education • 2009 – Opened 25,000 sq foot branch with no new

staff • 2013 – 15,500 sq foot branch with no new staff

What We Learned

• Be Upfront

• Pilot solutions (and be prepared to change)

• Find the “wins”

• Establish constant change as a a cultural reality

#2 Role of Librarians

1. Process – Evidence-Based Rationale for change • Reference Study

2. Re-deployment of librarians/re-writing of their roles • Community-based librarianship (Can’t outwait) • Need to Pilot

Is the Social Sector Thinking Small Enough, Sohrab Vossoughi, HBR, December, 2011.

Role of Librarians (and other staff)

Today

1. 8 more librarians in branches

2. Community-based

3. Training to be future managers

4. Book a librarian is common

5. Different staffing model for Central

What We Learned

• Others are aware of the problem

• You cannot wait for people to “retire”

• Just Do It

#3 Emerging Technology

iPads for All Managers • Cost analysis • NO Exceptions • Methodology worked out • Paid for from Community Foundation • “Staff only” wifi network in all locations

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Emerging Technology

Reference Desk

2011

Emerging Technology

Reference Desk

2012

#4 Next Steps

e-Readers for all public service staff “Empathic Lab” in Central Library Build onto concept of library as Creation Space

Big Lesson #1

The shift from supporting consumption of material to

supporting the creation of material

QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION