Lund University Libraries Head Office Organizing Collection Management and End User Access in a Decentralized Library Environment Lars Björnshauge Lund.

Lund University LibrariesHead Office Organizing Collection

Management and End User Access in a

Decentralized Library EnvironmentLars Björnshauge

Lund University Libraries

Sweden

July 2003 Lars Björnshauge

Outline of presentation

The new Decentral Library StructureCollection Development & Management in the new structureThe Outcomes so farOrganizing end user access

I will not deal with: weeding policy, archiving, the appropriateness of the Big Deals – unless promted!


Lund University

Founded in 1666, located in the southernmost province of Sweden, ScaniaAmong the oldest and largest in ScandinaviaCampus at several locations: Lund (main campus), Malmo, Helsingborg and moreMultidisciplinary: 7 faculties + several research centres+35,000 students, +3,000 doctoral students, +6,000 employees


Lund University

Decentralized organization and economyTension between central and de-central units on power and resourcesTension reproduced within the library organisation


Library Structure before the changes

University Library, central (main) library, UB1 and UB2

Cultural heritage collections, legal deposit Library services for the faculties based on contracts

+/- 90 department librariesfunded and operated by faculties/departmentshuge differences in service levels

University Librarian and Library Board had only authority over University Library, but not over department libraries


The Drivers for change: Specific

Dissatisfaction espressed by faculty leaders (deans etc.) towards the central library services and the (lack of) development of digital library servicesWidespread development of decentral (faculty/departemental) library servicesDemands for more up-to-date and cost efficient library services and for university wide solutions.


Preparations for and implementation of a New Library

Organisation1999-2000:

External report on the state of library services Decisions by the University Board: reorganization of the library services

2001: Start of the implementation of a new Library organization of Library Services

2001 and ongoing: Restructuring/merging/development of faculty/department librariesDevelopment of the digital library services


Primary goals of a New Library structure

Implementation of minimum service levels (standards) for librariesDevelopment of digital library servicesCost efficiency & transparencyFocus on the needs of students


Important features of a new structure

Establishing the library structure as a network of libraries.Faculties, departments & research centers operate and fund libraries in their specific area.The University as such funds the Head Office and the University Library (central funding)


The new structure

Lund University Libraries as a network of libraries

+/-25 Faculty or Department librariesUniversity Library: Cultural heritage, special collections and deposits Library Head Office: management and coordination of the network of libraries, development of the digital library


Faculty and Departemental Libraries

Provides the basic library services to researchers, teachers and students Are operated and funded by faculties, departments and centersStandards apply for libraries….


Standards for Faculty or Department Libraries in the

NetworkAll relevant library services avialableOpening hours (min. 36 hours)Collections are catalogued in the OPACLibrary educated staff (min. 3,0 FTE)Adequate work facilities for studentsOwn (Faculty/Department) Library CouncilOwn budget (staff, acquistions etc.)Own web-site


Centrally funded units

Library Head OfficeManagement, infrastructure, digital library services and development

University Library:Cultural heritage, special collections, Swedish imprints, deposits and services generated from these collections

(central funds are deducted from the funding that goes to the faculties – taxing!)


The Library Head Office

is the unit for management and coordination of the new network of libraries, operates the library automation system &operates and develops digital library services, runs competence development programs Library IT-development projects35 FTE (whereof 20 FTE centrally funded)


Division of responsibilities

A Library Board: policymaking, standards etc.A Library Council (heads of faculty/ department libraries): advicing the Director of LibrariesThe Director of Libraries: responsible for the library services in generalLibrary Head Office – executive unit: infrastructure & coordination


Balancing expectations

The University Management expects:

more and better services for the same funding

The Faculties expects: more and better central services for less funding

Our promises: much more and much better services for a little bit more funding


The outcomes so far

Increased commitment from the faculties to library issuesAway from the customer-supplier relation between faculties and libary management. Faculties are library operaters themselves!Library Services are on the agenda everywhere


Specific problems in a reorganization

Such a reorganization generates a number of issues to deal with:

downsizing university library operations creates stress and tensionsreallocation of staff (+40 FTE staff have been reallocated) competence development in high demand reallocation of funds


Specific issues in a decentralized environment

faculty/department libraries want an independent profile and specific visibility – autonomy!the funders want efficiency!common guidelines, standards and rules (decided by the Library Board) are needed – however these can only be implemented if they are born in a climate of debate, consultation, involvement and negotiation


Areas where problems have been encounteredLibrary Web-sites:

how much autonomy in design, layout and presentation?

Classification, subject presentation:One size fits all?? – hardly!!

General library services to replace manually maintained journal lists, subject gateways etc.

be carefull!!


Collection development & management before the

reorganizationLack of coordinationEach unit took care of collection management based on their own specific needsThis might work in a non-digital environmentBut: in an emerging digital environment there is a strong need for coordination


Problems in the old structure – acquisition of

monographsAcquisition of monographs:

to a large extent outsourced from the faculties to the subject librarians at the university library(ies)Missing links between the needs of the users (and funders!) and the actual acquisitionsFaculties building own collections to compensate the lack of adequate collection development


Problems in the old structure – subscription to

databasesInsufficient central funding for general resources (i.e. encyclopedias, reference works, multidisciplinary databases etc.)Lots of different funding models for databases:

One faculty, two faculties, three or more faculties

No clear policy as to accessMakes life difficult for end users!


Problems in the old structure – subscription to

journalsVery few agreements with publishers (package deals) – different funding models here as wellHundreds of

Dubble/triple etc. subscriptionsBundled subscriptions – but electronic access not activated or only activated for the subscribing unitUncontrollabels

Several subscription agents operating


Problems in the old structure – summary

Lack of overview of spendingUnsufficient funding for general resourcesNo explicit policy for access

Department, faculty or campus wide

Lack of decision making information as to the potential benefits of package deals

But:Room for improvements!!


Collection Development & Management in the new

structureGoals, Principles & PoliciesAcquisition of monographs and course material (print)Digital library resources (databases, journal package agreements, e-books etc.)

Subscriptions to databasesSubscriptions to journalsAdministration of journal subscriptions


Goals:

Promote end user influence by involving library committees and faculty/department librarians (subject specialists)Value for money - Create synergy – 1+1=3 - Much more for a little bit more!Facilitate remote accessReduce duplicates & uncontrollabelsReduce handling costs


Principles & Policies

Digital resources are general resources – thus central funding should applyUniversity wide accessJournals: electronic versions where possiblePromote Open Access resources and university based publishing


The primary challenge:

Managing the transition from printed to digital information Handling the reallocation of funds

How to convince the faculties that more central funding (taxing!) should go to general digital library resources

The answers:Faculties have influence on the selectionTransparency in fundingEasier access to more information resources


Collection development & Management

Responsibilities of the Head OfficeResponsibilities of Faculty & Department LibrariesInvolvement, Negotiation and Selection

Library Councils (Faculty/Department level)Committee for Digital Resources

Funding


Acquisition of monographs and course

materialResponsibility of the faculty/department libraries.Paid by faculties/departments.Decided by the library councils at faculties/departments (end user involvement)Handled by the faculty/department libraries


Digital library resources (databases, journal package agreements, e-books etc.)

Decision making/selection:Responsibility of the Committee for Digital Resources (1 member appointed by each faculty)

Funding:centrally


Subscription to databases:

Selected and decided by the Committee for Digital Resources Centrally funded. Managed by the Head Office: supplier contacts, access management, authorization, payments, local help desk etc.


Subscription to journals:

Electronic subscriptions are the rule as a matter of policyElectronic journals in package deals are subject to central fundingSubscription to printed journals are paid by the faculty/department


Administration of journal subscriptions:

The Head Office takes care of: management, administration, communication with subscription agent, payments etc. Activating electronic access to bundled subscriptions are handled by the Head Office

Faculty/department libraries takes care of print journals:

Issue handling and claims

1 (one) Subscription Agent (mandatory)


The outcomes so far:Huge increase:

in central funding for digital resourcesin subscriptions to electronic journals

Considerable reductions in print subscriptions, duplicates and uncontrollabels Increased commitment from the faculties for the (digital) library services

Increased awareness as to problems in scholarly publishing and of the importance of Open Access


Central funding for digital library resources

2001 400,000 Euro2002 1,500,000 Euro2003 1,900,000 Euro2004 (?) 2,200,000 Euro


There are problems here as well

Selecting digital resources:Making prioritiesThere are limits for central funding

So far the big deals have got priority

But the era of the big deals is running out – what then??

E-books are coming in


Organizing end user access

The problems:Numerous databases and journal providers – numerous interfacesSeveral thousand e-journals difficult to find (Especially in a decentralised library system)Portals provided by subscription agents and journals publishers are not invented primarily to accomodate end user needs but more to generate their business.


Finding information

Library branding very important – users often believe that full-text e-journals are free on the Internet!”If it is not on the web, it does not exist”

We want to brand our services and promote Open Access resourcesPublisher trap – a world outside Verona?


KluwerSpringe

r Elsevier

Wiley EbscoIOP

Publisher trap?


Navigare necesse est - but with a chart….

Where are the buried treasures? We want to find them quickly and easilySearch all the islands in the sea simultaneouslyWithout leaving the ship!


All these islands to explore!

Publisher Resources

Open Archives


Organising end user access

The goals:Integration of all servicesDevelopment of personalized servicesBranding of library services

Principles:Single sign on – automatic authentification – one login/password to all resourcesRemote access


Integration of Library Services – Towards the one stop shop

OPAC –printed collectionsDatabases, encyclopedias, reference works etc.Electronic journals Open access resources

JournalsE- & preprint archives, institutional repositoriesSubject gateways


Personalization

”My Library”Recommended resources – selected by subject librariansAdd your personal favourites

SDI-alerts from databases, journals etc.TOC-alertsUsers register at one site for all alerts


Our answer to the demand for the one stop

shop

ELIN@ - a library developed

interface to hybrid library resources


Librarians are navigation expertsWe can offer efficient and user-friendly

navigation tools, alias search interfaces ELIN@ integrates data from publishers,

databases, Open Archives with the local OPAC and document delivery services

HMS ELIN@


Now, this is more like it!

All treasures on one island !


ELIN@ - Electronic Library Information Navigator

Advantages for end users:One interface for all content Cross search documents from multiple sources – free or licensed Document delivery services for documents not available in Full Text ToC alerts and SDI´sIntegration with reference management tools


ELIN@ - Electronic Library Information

NavigatorAdvantages for librarians:

Enhancing availability and visibility of scientific

literature

Increasing e-journal cost efficiency – Usage is

boosting

Administrative functions/Management tools:

• Customization, Statistics, Collection

Management, Budgeting, Marketing

• Subscription administration functionalities


ELIN@ - Electronic Library Information Navigator

Contents (July 2003)+14,000 journals, whereof+7,500 journals with metadata (cross searchable on article level)+11,000,000 recordsE-print archives,Databases


Direct to full-textAutomatic order if

full-text is not available

Basic Search


Bibliographic information and abstract

Searchablekeywords

Searchable author names

Link to full-text

Searchable journal names

Export to reference programs


Thank you for your attention!


URLs etc

Lund University Libraries: www.lub.lu.se

Directory of Open Access Journals: www.doaj.org

contact: [email protected]

Lund University Libraries Head Office Organizing Collection Management and End User Access in a Decentralized Library Environment Lars Björnshauge Lund.

Documents

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