New Library Director to Staff 2010

Scholes Library Staff Retreat – Aug 16th, 2011

Hmm. So?How Was Your Morning?

A Big Thank You.. To Everyone

This Afternoon

Which Mark?Its About Process / Core Values

Laying it Out There (No Surprises)Autonomy/Responsibility

Ch..Ch..Ch..ChangesWhat I Can’t Get Out of My Head

Low Hanging FruitBack on Earth

Which Mark?

Together we will establish our Core Values. You will all be consulted on this and given a voice in figuring it out.

We will work toward applying these values to guide all decisions and strategies.

These will be based on the needs of the college and university above all.

They will mediate personal preferences and help provide consistency

They will help determine a better scope and focus for our limited resources.

This will not happen over night. It will be a process.

My Vision for Our Workplace

About Process

I will attempt transparency, compromise where ever possible, but I make the final calls. I will assume mutual respect if/when we disagree.

I will hear you out on anything. But that is ALL i can promise.

When consensus or agreement cannot be reached I will do one of 2 things. Table it, or make a call. I will use my best judgment to make decisions. You do not need to agree, but you will be heard.

I hope you will respect this, & understand that I am looking at a bigger picture. I won't spend hours and hours justifying every decision.

04/12/2023 Larry Nash White. Copryright 2009. 8

Working in a Library During a Period of Change Isn’t So Bad…

You

I want to reward innovation, positive work style and team efforts in any way I can. However, I cannot do it with $. I will seek other ways, & will always do my best to be fair

No changes to workload yet - You will be invited to work on new, interesting, and helpful projects. But, it is your choice to volunteer, nothing extra is required. All I ask is that you respect and support those folks doing new things.

I would like to support more Professional Development

I want to promote more autonomy. I don't need to know your every move. However, this requires a bit more accountability. "Trust but verify” :)

1. Please come to me with solutions not just problems2. Ill keep an Open Door policy (except when i need to seclude myself). 3. You may limit info on need to know basis. If in doubt, always err on side of

checking, especially when an action affects others4. There will be more Accountability / Deadlines - all projects and tasks are

subject to GETTING DONE in an agreed upon time .. or Adjustments made as necessary

5. I will request more information "In Writing" .. just be prepared for that.6. I will encourage teams and group projects7. I will be direct with folks about issues rather than be unclear. It will never be

personal.

Autonomy and Accountability:

Change & Innovation:

1. Failing is OK. It is a characteristic of innovative organizations. Fail small / win big

2. Good change is incremental (Little Fish)

3. Start with low hanging fruit

4. I understand stress & anxiety are associated with change. You are not required to be enthusiastic about them. But please respect the process.

5. Challenge “obstacle thinking.” I will challenge "but what happens if….” thinking. Instead let think “How can we make this happen?”

6. Changes should not be driven by personal comfort, but linked to core values only

Scholes will be a

No Drama Zone

Bring Wacky Ideas Forward to Group ….with some preparation on how to proceed.

They may get shot down or fail …. but, lets make it safe to air them

If one wacky idea out of 100 bears fruit .. we win.

Wacky ideas that I am currently considering include:

“If Only” fund“Idea buy-back”“Sandbox time”

Selling needed, branded merchandise

Low Hanging Fruit & “Punch List”

•New Signage and branding•ITS & Systems•New Librarian Faculty Search•Several new reporting lines - org chart•Regular Meetings w/Coffee - every other week to start .. then monthly.•SWOT - to identify core values, strategies, and to CELEBRATE strengths.•Physical environment inventory – need a team•Staff - Ref. Shifts•Social networking Inititative •Meet individually with each of you for feedback on your job & get your thoughts To inform only .. not for action .. so don't get your hopes up.•Identify potential resource shifts - $ - more with less - focus on right things•Would like to "buy-back” old ideas $ and re-invest - transfer priorities•SLAC Chair•Culture of Assessment

“First Who, Then What!” – Right people on the Right bus, in the Right seats going the same

direction!

Folks .. Our Past, Present and Future Success

Is Driven By YOU ..

YOU Are More Important Than Our Materials

Believe Me I Understand This

from “Good to Great” (Jim Collins) re: Single most important common attribute of great companies & organizations

Questions?

Break?

Tame theWeb | Michael Stephens | Dominican University GSLIS | Creative CommonsAttribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flightlessxbird365/3740808686

Challenges

Want you all to know more about our profession and it will give you insight to why decisions are being made.

Random thoughts that have me.. And won’t let go.

•Focus on what do we do best .. identify it and focus

•Google books will make our physical collections obsolete SOON

•Administrators will be the FIRST to recognize this – there will be questions!

•Without a profit motive .. non-profits suffer from a culture of niceness.

•Patron Driven Purchasing is a trend

•Design Thinking and Anthropologist in the library – shake the cobwebs

•Learn from our stakeholders - promoter scores, listening sessions

What I Can’t Get Out of My Head

•Michael Levine -Univ. Denver - study re: E-books – Digital Natives don't care about the interface, paper or electronic they read mostly portions, they enjoy advantages of both P & E. Issues with e-text are mostly librarian and faculty generated

•Print Reference - going away! Students don't even think of going there

•Massive weeding in next 5 years

•Acquisitions - Michael Levine Clarke study - 46.9% of books ordered from 2000-2009 went uncirculated, 80% used 4 or less times over last 5 years.

•Consumer Internet models are what our users expect and prefer

•Our Greater Purpose is NOT Based on Physical Materials

•OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET – NOT OUR PHYSICAL MATERIALS

04/12/2023 21

The Times and Our Clients Are ChangingWe Must Respond


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT4EbM7dCMs


Change is not always comfortable…

New Semester Info.

• Bkfst Reception – Progress• Meeting Dates• ILL• Public Services• Tech Services• VR• Admin. (workstudy etc.)

• Items From the Floor


Hyperlinked Users:HowAcademic

Librarians Can Respond

Dr.Michael StephensDominican University GSLIS

tametheweb.com


Lets Think Like Our Users

Documents

New Library Director to Staff 2010