Change and Innovation: The Need to Push the Limits

Ujala Satgoor

SAOIM, Johannesburg

06 June 2012

* 

* Definitions

* Factors affecting change in academic libraries

* Limits

* Peter Drucker’s seven sources of opportunity for innovation

* Conditions for successful innovation

* What does this mean for academic libraries

* Most of all….

* * Change * To become different or undergo

alteration

* To undergo transformation or transition

* To alter one’s approach or attitude

* An act or process through which something becomes different

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/change

* Tony Robbins

“By changing nothing, nothing

changes.”

* * Innovation * The act of starting

something for the first time

* Introducing something new

*  A creation (a new device or process) resulting from study and experimentation

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/innovation

* Peter Drucker: “Change that creates a

new dimension of performance.”

* Jose Campos

“The ability to deliver new value to a

customer”

* Higher Education Landscape * Teaching & Learning

* Research

* Electronic learning environment

* User profile & needs * Distance learners, mature students, part-time students,

international students

* Learning styles * Collaborative vs individual learning; group & project work

* Expectations of value for money, effectiveness and efficiency

* Economics * Reduction in library funding * Increase in price of all library materials * Large rise in volume of new books & journals * Space costs * Staffing costs

* Organisation * Ability to manage change * Structure * Culture * Leadership vs Managerial style

* Technology * Access * Collection development * Print vs electronic

* User needs & expectations * Greater awareness of facilities & services * Mobile technologies * Social media

* Changing roles, responsibilities & competencies of staff * Library as space

* 

Attitude Complacency about services

Ignoring the information seeking behaviour of users Slow uptake of

Technology

Slow redefinition of roles

Staff development Leadership

Managerialism Budgets

Organisational

Culture

Assumptions about the Internet

Lack of CPD

Physical environments

Vision

* 

1. The unexpected success or failure of the organisation or competition * What is in greater or lesser demand?

* What is working well?

* How can failures be converted to opportunities?

2. The incongruities in process or customer behaviour - the difference between reality as it actually is and/ or as it “ought to be.” * User experience in and of the Library

3. Process needs * Task focused

* Perfecting, redesigning or replacing

4. Industry & market structure change *  From analog to digital *  Organisational restructuring

5. Demographic changes * User profiles

6. Changes in perception & meaning * Perceptions of librarians * Their role in the research endeavor * Experimental

7. New knowledge * Lifelong learning * Keeping abreast with current trends

* 

* Simplicity * Start small…

* Focus on a specific need

* Innovate for the present – impact may be long term!

* Innovation is work! * Requires – knowledge, creativity, diligence, perseverance &

commitment

* Builds on strengths * Which opportunity fits the organisation & its strategy

* Change in behaviour and processes

* Inculcate a culture of innovation

* 

* Demonstrate value to University management * Increased support * Pre-empt new needs

* Partnership vs support

* Take the lead * Be strategic

* One organisation, many leaders

* Project mindset

* Best practices

* Explore the future of libraries

* Library as Space * Social, collaborative * Exceptional user experience

* Technology as an enabler * New skills/ New areas of development/ Access * Improved services to meet changing user needs

* Redefine roles * Embedded librarianship * Collaboration

But most of all…shift in consciousness regarding human capital!

Librarians are very well-placed to make a difference and secure an enviable reputation for our profession if we continue to watch, listen, think, analyse, collaborate, share, test and try and if we deploy real leadership skills, displaying a genuine willingness to keep reinventing ourselves and our old skills to match the changing environment we find ourselves in at any stage. Jean Sykes Chief Librarian and Information Services Director London School of Economics

Let’s ensure it’s not business as usual – push the limit of your own

thinking!