Re-envisioning and Fine-tuning a Library System

Zsuzsa Koltay

Director of Assessment and Communication

Why re-envision?

•System of 20 unit libraries at the outset•Budget issues•Shifting user behavior•University administration’s request•Is there a better way?

The evidence path

•Benchmarking•Library impact•Transaction data•Circulation patterns•Needs assessment•And a surprise!

New models emerging from review

Benchmarking

Library impact

Transaction data – unit profiles

Circulation patterns

•Analysis of Voyager circulation snapshots•Books currently out•Who borrows from X library•Where do users from Y college or department borrow from

Two very different profiles

Veterinary Library

•56% of books charged to Vet faculty are from Vet Library

•66% of books charged to Vet students are from Vet Library

•76% of charged Vet Library books were charged out by Vet affiliated users

Management Library

•23% of books charged to Mgmt faculty are from the Mgmt Library

•45% of books charged to Mgmt students are from the Mgmt Library

•23% of charged Mgmt Library books were charged out by Mgmt affiliated users

Needs assessment - students•Needs:

– Staff that understands their needs– Instruction– Study space and computing– Sense of community– Print reserves– Better promotion

•Not important:– Physical collection on site

•Local libraries convenient, good for recruiting

Needs assessment - faculty•Resources, resources, resources•Closeness of library staff

A surprise

New model• ‘Virtual library’

– No on-site physical collection– No/minimal service point– Subject librarians remain on premises– Study space maintained by college

(24/7)– Computing maintained by college– Collection budget remain in place

(possible boost)– Less administrative overhead

So what is a library, anyway?“A branch library is defined as an

auxiliary library service outlet with

quarters separate from the central

library of an institution, which has a

basic collection of books and other

materials, a regular staffing level,

and an established schedule. ARL, NCES 2010

Zsuzsa Koltayzk10@cornell.edu