Exponential change

McMaster University LibraryExponential Change in Traditional Organizations

July 2006• University Librarian at

McMaster University– Top 200 Universities

worldwide– Canada’s most research

intensive– Recognized as “Canada’s

most innovative”– Problem-based learning

McMaster University Library

Challenges• Library in state of decline

– 1991: Ranked 86th among Association of Resarch Libraries

– 2006: Ranked 109th

Challenges

• Lowest funded medical-doctoral library in Canada

• Lowest # of librarians in ARL• Lowest #FTE in ARL• Unionized environment• Length of service• App. 40% staff in “back office”• 10-15% of staff on LTD

In spite of challenges…• Created 7 new librarian positions

– Gaming Librarian– Marketing/Communications/Outreach– Teaching and Learning– Digital strategist– Digital technologist– E-resources– Archivist/Librarian

• Two new positions on the way– Data/GIS Librarian– Scholarly Communications Librarian

• Inherited Classroom Audio Visual Services– Staff of 10– Budget of $1m– Responsible for all classroom technologies

• Opportunity to integrate instructional technologies, academic resources, and support services

Campus Leadership• $6m Innovative Learning campaign item• Co-chair, Task Force on Teaching and

Learning• Chair, Burlington campus learning space

design committee

Campus News

Local News

National News (CBC, G&M)

National Television (Canada AM)

Awards• Learning Commons: two significant awards:

– Rudy Heinzl award– PMI award

•Recipient 2008 ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award

How did we get here?

“The Change Agent’s Handbook”

1. Clarify the mission, vision, and reasons for change

A new message, bold vision, get attention

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Today’s learner• Intuitively visual

communicators• Easily move between

virtual and physical• Learn through discovery• Respond quickly• Able to shift easily

– Diana Oblinger

Vision and MissionVision

McMaster University Library will be recognized as Canada's most innovative, user-centred, academic library.

Vision and MissionMission

The University Library advances teaching, learning and research at McMaster by:

• teaching students to be successful, ethical information seekers

• facilitating access to information resources • providing welcoming spaces for intellectual discovery • promoting the innovative adoption of emerging

learning technologies

2. Establish the roles, responsibilities, and structure to support change

Transformation Team

Transforming our organization• Stopped doing what we didn’t need to do:• Eliminated copy cataloging as a function

– 8 voluntary separation packages;– 6 months pay– $300,000 salary savings

• 9 new positions created– 7 new librarians

• New positions=new functions

Reassignments• Metatadata librarian• User Experience Librarian• Director of Liaison Program• Director of Assessment• Development officer• Clerical support:

– Digitization– maps– e-reserves– tiered reference

Seven new librarians in one year!

• Digital Strategies Librarian (Nick Ruest)• Digital Technologies Librarian (John Fink)• Teaching and Learning Librarian (Karen Nicholson)• Marketing, Outreach, Communications Librarian

(Catherine Baird)• Immersive Learning/Gaming Librarian (Shawn

McCann)• E-Resources Librarian (Janice Adlington)• Archivist Librarian (Rick Stapleton)

3. Develop the required leadership team capability

Informed ourselves: guest speakers• Faculty: Dr. Brian Detlor (Business), Dr. Claude

Eilers (Classics) and Dr. Geoffrey Rockewell (Multimedia)

• Mike Ridley (Guelph)• Perry Willett (UofM)• Alane Wilson (OCLC)• Michael Stephens (tametheweb)• Joan Lippincott (CNI), • John Shank (blendedlibrarian.org)

Retraining: Learning 2.0 @ Mac

4. Assess the current situation

Assessment• LibQUAL• SAILS

5. Determine the key strategies for achieving the change

Transformation: Four themes

• Transforming ourselves• Transforming our resources• Transforming our services• Transforming our facilities

6. Develop implementation plans Implement and monitor progress

First in Canada: Reference service in Second Life

First in Canada: Endeca

First in Canada: Digital Commons

Our Facilities Learning Commons @ Mills

Learning 2.0

http://macetg.wordpress.com/about-learning-20-mac/

6. Determine causes ofunder- and over-performance

• Still a work “in progress”• Annual reviews

– UPC– Budget

• This year: Thode Science and Engineering Library staffing model review

• Staff vacancies: no “status quo”• Assessment plan: this year

7. Apply learnings

My own lesson:

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Note of caution

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---Success in Circuit liesToo bright for our infirm DelightThe Truth's superb surprise

As Lightening to the Children easedWith explanation kindThe Truth must dazzle graduallyOr every man be blind---

Emily Dickinson

8. Celebrate, reflect, document

ACRL Application

•Recipient 2008 ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award•Sponsored by Blackwell Book Services•Previous recipients include:

•Cornell•Virginia•Arizona•Georgia Institute of Technology•Others

Exercise• What are the factors driving change in your

organizations?• Are staff aware of these factors? Is the

university community?• How do you assess their readiness to

change?• Which changes could you implement now

and which will require more time?