Date submitted: 25/06/2010

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Organizational Design for 21st Century Convergence: Realignment at the University of Calgary Tom Hickerson Vice Provost and University Librarian University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Meeting: 106. Academic and Research Libraries with Management and Marketing

WORLD LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CONGRESS: 76TH IFLA GENERAL CONFERENCE AND ASSEMBLY 10-15 August 2010, Gothenburg, Sweden

http://www.ifla.org/en/ifla76

Abstract: A major organizational and resource realignment of Libraries and Cultural Resources is underway. This realignment is designed to support and enhance our vision for convergence, the integration of libraries, archives, museum and academic publishing in realizing our education, research and creativity, and community service goals. This convergence is programmatic in its intent to combine diverse resources in support of common outcomes and is professional in its effort to employ all academic staff, librarians, archivists and curators, and managerial and support staff in achieving collective success. This new organizational and service model has been explicitly incorporated into the design and planning of the Taylor Family Digital Library Project, a $205.5 million CND initiative, including a new 265,000 sq. ft. central library and a 1.6 million volume-equivalent high density storage facility. The Taylor is designed to advance learning and research, to promote discovery and use of the “Collection of the 21st Century,” to further knowledge creation and global distribution of research information, and to provide a rich cultural environment for students, faculty and the community. Current organizational change is being conducted in a manner symbiotic with the design and potential of the new building, but the organizational model being implemented resulted from a year-long review and planning process focusing on faculty, students, staff and community partners. Libraries and Cultural Resources is a principle division of the University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta, Canada). It is comprised of the research library, including a central facility, five campus branches and archives and special collections, the university art museum, and the University of Calgary Press. Additional facilities include a library and archives at the Military Museum, a Canadian Forces facility, a library supporting the

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An important general feature being initiated is the assigning of faculty liaison responsibilities to archivists and curators in addition to librarians. The purpose of this change is to broaden the capacity and disciplinary scope of the liaison effort. Through participating in a common cadre in realizing the liaison mandate, it is also hoped that all participants will develop a broader knowledge of the range of information sources we manage. Additionally, promotion of our open access agenda is being added to liaison responsibilities. In addition to the range of outcome-based assignments described here, a suite of administrative services including communication, development, finance, human resources and planning will be managed through the Office of the Vice Provost. Libraries and Cultural Resources at the University of Calgary is a relatively unusual organizational constellation, but the challenges being addressed are common to a broad spectrum of knowledge and cultural institutions today. We live in a world in which traditional curatorial boundaries are unobserved by much our clientele. There is an international trend to better integrate information and heritage collections and services. But even in the administration of “libraries,” narrowly defined, an outcome-based focus provides a new prism through which to compare the criticality of various functions in achieving our primary goals and to envision new models for their accomplishment.

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