“Hello, I am your Outreach Librarian” A new service paradigm at the UNSW Library By Kate Dunn and Neil Hinsch Information Services Department UNSW Library [email protected] [email protected]
Jan 12, 2015
“Hello, I am your Outreach Librarian”
A new service paradigm at the UNSW Library
By Kate Dunn and Neil HinschInformation Services Department
UNSW Library
[email protected]@unsw.edu.au
Background
Changes in Academia:• Corporatisation of Higher Education• Competition for resources• Outcomes based (previously
collaborative)• IT changes• Economic rationalism• Library no longer perceived as the heart
of the University
UNSW: New Directions• Enter the new Vice Chancellor• UNSW Strategic Directives 2007:• Confirm UNSW’s distinctiveness• Lift research performance• Recruit more high calibre students• Shift resources into identified high priority
areas• Develop underpinning capabilities at Senior
Management level• UNSW to be back in the top 3 of GO8
Previous Library Structure
• 5 semi-autonomous libraries and numerous units
• Hierarchical• Leadership driven as opposed to team-
based culture• Discontinuities in service delivery• Strong emphasis on the “physical” as
opposed to the elibrary
UNSW Library’s Response!
• New Library Model
• New modes of service delivery
• New services, including Outreach
Enter the Outreach Librarian• Role:• “Relationship managers”• Show the value of the library’s services and content• Identify and create effective solutions to user needs• Promote library services elicit feedback• Understand the Academy’s content requirements• Identify opportunities for the delivery of new
services• Promoting value• Contribute to the UNSW research cycle
Outreach Call Report:
Name: ex#
Outreach Librarian: Date of Visit:
School:
Faculty:
Teaching areas:
Research active: YES/NO
Research areas:
RFCD Codes:
Recent Publications:
___________________________________________________________________________
PLAN SUMMARY
How many times a month would you use the Library – USE means (website, physical building/collection/email/phone)?
What are the main content (collection) related issues that the Academic wishes to address?
How will this assist the academic?
When should this be delivered by?
What is the Library offering to support this academic?
What resources/websites/search engines/associations is the Academic using when locating content?
Enter the Outreach Librarian• Role:• “Relationship managers”• Identify and create effective solutions to user
needs• Promote library services elicit feedback• Understand the Academy’s content
requirements• Identify opportunities for the delivery of new
services• Promoting value• Contribute to the UNSW research cycle
Enter the Outreach Librarian• Role:
• “Relationship managers”
• Contribute to the UNSW research cycle
A voyage of discovery
• Academics use of the Library
• Academics awareness of Library services
• Faculty variations
Impact
• Increased contact with academic community
• Positive acceptance of Outreach role
• Ongoing requests from academics
Achievements
• Action requests
• New services identified and introduced– Academic Service Point– HDR Mentoring – Research Support service– Collection benchmarking
• Presentations at School meetings
Faculty of Medicine
• Increased awareness of content and services
• Collection enhancement
• New services refined to specific needs
• Increased contact with Clinical Schools
The future
• Ongoing relationships & in depth partnerships
• Opportunities created
• Library valued as an essential service