Factors Affecting Change in Academic Libraries

1. Ujala Satgoor SAOIM, 06 June 2012

2. * Definitions * Factors affecting change in academic libraries * Limits * Peter Drucker’s seven sources of opportunity for innovation * Conditions for successful innovation * What does this mean for academic libraries * Most of all….

3. * Change * To become different or undergo alteration * To undergo transformation or transition * To alter one’s approach or attitude * An act or process through which something becomes different * Tony Robbins “By changing nothing, nothing changes.”

4. * Innovation * The act of starting something for the first time * Introducing something new * A creation (a new device or process) resulting from study and experimentation * Peter Drucker: “Change that creates a new dimension of performance.” * Jose Campos “The ability to deliver new value to a customer”

6. * Higher Education Landscape * Teaching & Learning * Research * Electronic learning environment * User profile & needs * Distance learners, mature students, part-time students, international students * Learning styles * Collaborative learning; group & project work * Expectations of value for money, effectiveness and efficiency

7. * Economics * Reduction in library funding * Increase in price of all library materials * Large rise on volume of new books & journals * Organisation * Ability to manage change * Structure * Culture * Leadership vs Managerial style

8. * Technology * Access * Collection development * Print vs electronic * User needs & expectations * Greater awareness of facilities & services * Mobile technologies * Social media * Changing roles & responsibilities of staff * Library as space

10. Attitude Complacency about services Ignoring the information seeking behaviour of users Slow uptake of Technology Slow redefinition of roles Staff development Leadership Managerialism Budgets Organisational Culture Assumptions about the Internet individualism Lack of CPD Physical environments Vision

12. 1. The unexpected success or failure of the organisation or competition * What is in greater or lesser demand? * What is working well? * How can failures be converted to opportunities? 2. The incongruities in process or customer behaviour - the difference between reality as it actually is and/ or as it “ought to be.” * User experience in and of the Library 3. Process needs * Task focused * Perfecting, redesigning or replacing

13. 4. Industry & market structure change * From analog to digital * Organisational restructuring 5. Demographic changes * User profiles 6. Changes in perception & meaning * Perceptions of librarians * Their role in the research endeavor * Experimental 7. New knowledge * Lifelong learning * Keeping abreast with current trends

15. * Simple * Focus on a specific need * Innovate for the present – impact may be long term! * Innovation is work! * Requires – knowledge, creativity, diligence, perseverance & commitment * Builds on strengths – which opportunity fits the organisation & its strategy * Change in behaviour and processes

17. * Demonstrate value to University management * Increased support * Pre-empt new needs * Partnership vs support * Take the lead * Be strategic * One organisation, many leaders * Project mindset * Best practices * Explore the future of libraries

18. * Library as Space * Social, collaborative * Exceptional user experience * Technology as an enabler * New skills/ New areas of development/ Access * Improved services to meet changing user needs * Redefine roles * Embedded librarianship * Collaboration

19. But most of all….

21. Librarians are very well-placed to make a difference and secure an enviable reputation for our profession if we continue to watch, listen, think, analyse, collaborate, share, test and try and if we deploy real leadership skills, displaying a genuine willingness to keep reinventing ourselves and our old skills to match the changing environment we find ourselves in at any stage. Jean Sykes Chief Librarian and Information Services Director London School of Economics