mcknight2010

Monday 10 April 2023 1

Enhancing life-long learning, teaching and research through information resources and services

Monday 10 April 2023 2

The Future is What We Make It!

Sue McKnight

DirectorLibraries and Knowledge ResourcesProfessor of Knowledge and Learning ManagementNottingham Trent University

UHMLG Spring Forum 1 March 2010

Monday 10 April 2023 3

Overview of Presentation

•Context

•Who will be the customers and what do they want?

•Tomorrow’s Libraries – delivering what the customers (and stakeholders) want

•New partnerships and organisational structures?

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… Librarians are trying to cope with fast-paced technological change, shrinking budgets, massive reorganisation, downsizing, and depressing predictions about the future of libraries …

Monday 10 April 2023 5

… Librarians are trying to cope with fast-paced technological change, shrinking budgets, massive reorganisation, downsizing, and depressing predictions about the future of libraries …

Hernon and Altman (1998) “Assessing Service Quality”

Monday 10 April 2023 6

… Librarians are trying to cope with fast-paced technological change, shrinking budgets, massive reorganisation, downsizing, and depressing predictions about the future of libraries …

Hernon and Altman (1998) “Assessing Service Quality”

NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!!!

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The Context …

•Staff and students as ‘customers’– Value for money– Increasing expectations– Bridging the gap between capacity and excellence

•Impacts of the financial crisis– Advocacy for ongoing support– Doing more with less

•Rapid pace of change– Technology– Service options and alternative service providers

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Creating the Future …

•‘Do it!’ or ‘Be Done To!’

•Don’t be a Victim!!

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Creating the Future …

•Change happens. Transformation, however, is planned. (Sapp & Gilmour, 2003)

•No ‘sacred cows’ or ‘elephants in the room’

•Focus is on delivering Excellent Customer Services– Teamwork– Continuous Improvement and Innovation– Without customers, there is no need for the service!

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Scanning the Horizon…The Customers

•Hospital clinicians and administrators

•Students

•Academic Staff

•Researchers

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Which Customers?

•Different Customers may have different needs!!

•For example:– Off-campus students don’t care about the physical library

but do care about the delivery service– Teenagers don’t necessarily care about the children’s

collection in the public library– …

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What do know about our customers’ expectations of excellence?

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Hierarchy of Value (© Enzyme International)

Unanticipated

Desired

Expected

Basic

Frustrated

Irritated

Angry

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Scanning the Horizon…The Stakeholders

•Board, Council, Minister, Trust

•Senior Management Team of the Organisation

•Government

•Professional Associations

•Accrediting Bodies

•Trade Unions and Employee Representatives

•Vendors

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Stakeholders expect:

•Accountably

•Continuous Improvement

•Cost Effectiveness

•Return on Investment

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Mission

Purpose

Service charter/Customer Commitments

Staff values

Staff competencies, attitudes, behaviours

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Change Keeps Happening

•Delighters / WOW services become Basic tomorrow– In 1999, digital full text journals were regarded as WOW– In 2005, digital full text journals were expected

•Didn’t excite or warrant perception of excellence

•But, if not provided, would seriously annoy an academic library customer

•Technology keeps changing; offering new opportunities to add value and/or reduce irritation

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Cultural and Managerial Frameworks for Success

•Commitment to Customer Focus

•Commitment to keep asking for feedback

•Commitment to DO SOMETHING with what ever feedback you receive from customers

•Commitment to train staff to keep up with service changes

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So what will this mean for libraries of tomorrow?

• Liaison with customers and stakeholders

• ‘Academic’ Literacy

• Support for blended, mobile and eLearning

• Making sense of information; not just making information accessible

• Information/Knowledge embedded where the customers want to work/study

• Managing more ‘stuff’ – library stuff; learning assets; organisational knowledge; research data

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What else do we need to create the future?

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New Partnerships – New Organisational Structures?

• Other Information and Service Providers in organisation

• Publishers

• Content suppliers and aggregators

• Vendors–LMS, VLE, Self Service, ‘Cashless’ payment systems

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And?

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Library Staff

• Skilled and Knowledgeable

• Confident

• Risk Takers – continually trying to improve services

• Communicators Extraordinaire

• Supported by good technology

• Supported by good management

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No One will be Bored!!!

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Thank You!

Comments and Questions?