SUSTAINING A COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION SUSTAINING A COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION IN A IN A

CHANGING ENVIRONMENTCHANGING ENVIRONMENT

Gale S. EtschmaierGale S. Etschmaier

Associate University Librarian for Public ServicesAssociate University Librarian for Public ServicesGelman Library, George Washington UniversityGelman Library, George Washington University

OVERVIEW

• BACKGROUND

• DEFINING THE FUTURE SHAPE OF THE LIBRARY

• IMPACT OF GENERATIONAL SHIFTS ON COLLABORATIVE MODEL

Gelman LibraryGelman LibraryGeorge Washington UniversityGeorge Washington University

Located in Washington, DCLocated in Washington, DC

Mission reflects link to location, Mission reflects link to location, opportunities for internships, etc.opportunities for internships, etc.

Enrollment/Student characteristicsEnrollment/Student characteristics

On-Campus On-Campus 20,31820,318

Off-Campus Enrollment Off-Campus Enrollment 3,6723,672

Undergraduate Students Undergraduate Students 10,55610,556

Graduate Students Graduate Students 12,389 12,389 (Includes Doctoral Students and Professional (Includes Doctoral Students and Professional

Degrees)Degrees)

Gelman Library System CultureGelman Library System Culture

History of CollaborationHistory of Collaboration

Strategic Plan GoalsStrategic Plan Goals 1999 : become a learning organization1999 : become a learning organization 2000 : develop a culture of assessment2000 : develop a culture of assessment

Work with consultants Work with consultants transform organizational culture transform organizational culture develop staff facilitation skillsdevelop staff facilitation skills

REFERENCE AND

INSTRUCTION

Education and

Instruction

Training &Professional Development

Research Guides

Reference Collection

Development

Reference Services

Areas of strength/emphasisAreas of strength/emphasis

Strong Instruction Program Supporting Strong Instruction Program Supporting University Strategic PlanUniversity Strategic Plan

Collaboration with new University Writing Collaboration with new University Writing ProgramProgram

Staff with a Strong User FocusStaff with a Strong User Focus

Changes: Changes: Challenges & OpportunitiesChallenges & Opportunities

Department Head left in August 2005Department Head left in August 2005

Four new librarian positionsFour new librarian positions

New Director of AdvancementNew Director of Advancement Plan to prioritize funding main service floorPlan to prioritize funding main service floor

Restructuring Restructuring Reference and InstructionReference and Instruction

Early notification of staffEarly notification of staffAffinity diagram to capture concerns, Affinity diagram to capture concerns, issues for long and short termissues for long and short termBrainstormed structural modelsBrainstormed structural modelsFormed volunteer teams to explore long Formed volunteer teams to explore long term and short term structures and make term and short term structures and make a recommendationa recommendationBoth groups explored pluses and Both groups explored pluses and minuses for each of modelsminuses for each of models

Reference

Collection DevelopmentInstruction

New Structure:New Structure:Triad/Troika/TriumvirateTriad/Troika/Triumvirate

Requirements for new structureRequirements for new structure

Coordinators for each Coordinators for each group to work closely group to work closely togethertogether

Issues identified: Issues identified: Priorities, workload, Priorities, workload, reporting structurereporting structure

Challenges of new structureChallenges of new structure

CommunicationCommunication

Developing programmatic approach to Developing programmatic approach to new servicesnew services

New reporting relationships and finding New reporting relationships and finding and developing new group leadersand developing new group leaders

Moving forward with planning for future Moving forward with planning for future services during a transitionservices during a transition

Breaking Down BarriersBreaking Down Barriers

Redefining Reference FuturesRedefining Reference Futures

Role of ReferenceRole of Reference

Role of TechnologyRole of Technology

Print Reference CollectionsPrint Reference Collections

Planning for the future: Planning for the future: What will services look like?What will services look like?

Looking at User Perceptions Looking at User Perceptions

Gelman Library Student Advisory Board and Student Gelman Library Student Advisory Board and Student LiaisonLiaison

OCLC’s OCLC’s Environmental Scan (2003)Environmental Scan (2003) and and Perceptions Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resourcesof Libraries and Information Resources

Data from LibQUAL+ survey in 2003Data from LibQUAL+ survey in 2003 Data from current LibQUAL+ survey (spring 2006)Data from current LibQUAL+ survey (spring 2006) Focus groups of high school students and othersFocus groups of high school students and others

Focus Group PlansFocus Group Plans

School Without Walls StudentsSchool Without Walls Students

University Writing Program FreshmenUniversity Writing Program Freshmen

Graduate StudentsGraduate Students

FacultyFaculty

Library StaffLibrary Staff

OUTLINE OF FOCUS GROUP OUTLINE OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONSDISCUSSIONS

Focus Group leader from outside the Library Focus Group leader from outside the Library but with Library staff participationbut with Library staff participation

Pictures of current first floor and Three-Pictures of current first floor and Three-dimensional plansdimensional plans Reactions to each: what works; what doesn’t?Reactions to each: what works; what doesn’t?

Free-form discussion to determine what like Free-form discussion to determine what like library services and spaces should look likelibrary services and spaces should look like

Scripted questions in case the group is Scripted questions in case the group is unresponsiveunresponsive

DISCUSSION QUESTIONSDISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Who has used focus groups or has Who has used focus groups or has considered using them?considered using them?

What worked well and what didn’t?What worked well and what didn’t?

Once you obtained information, how did Once you obtained information, how did you use this with staff (especially you use this with staff (especially skeptical staff) and what did you do with skeptical staff) and what did you do with the information?the information?

What would you do differently?What would you do differently?

Collaboration IssuesCollaboration Issues

Challenges of working with units outside Challenges of working with units outside of the Libraryof the Library

Denying the value of user perceptionsDenying the value of user perceptions

Challenge to communicate, Challenge to communicate, communicate, communicatecommunicate, communicate

Generational collisionsGenerational collisions

Communication and DenialCommunication and Denial

Redefining Reference may invalidate the Redefining Reference may invalidate the work librarians dowork librarians do

Question how students want to do research Question how students want to do research and how they should do researchand how they should do research

Generations in LibrariesGenerations in Libraries

Traditionalists (Born 1900—1945)Traditionalists (Born 1900—1945) Loyal, hardworkingLoyal, hardworking

Boomers (Born 1946—1964)Boomers (Born 1946—1964) Competitive, “live to work,” politicalCompetitive, “live to work,” political

Generation Xers (Born 1965—1980)Generation Xers (Born 1965—1980) Tech savvy, skeptical, change jobs regularly, Tech savvy, skeptical, change jobs regularly,

“work to live”“work to live”

Millennials (Born 1981—1999)Millennials (Born 1981—1999) Confident, collaborative, protected, change Confident, collaborative, protected, change

careers regularlycareers regularly

Graying/Succession PlanningGraying/Succession Planning

Generation Xers are moving into Generation Xers are moving into managerial positionsmanagerial positions

Traditionalists and some baby Traditionalists and some baby boomers are retiringboomers are retiring

Collaboration is embraced by baby Collaboration is embraced by baby boomers and Xers (as members)boomers and Xers (as members)

Millennials have arrived!Millennials have arrived!

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF GENERATION X MANAGERS?GENERATION X MANAGERS?

CollaborativeCollaborative

SkepticalSkeptical

Direct communicatorsDirect communicators

Limited patience with meetingsLimited patience with meetings

Life balanceLife balance

IMPACT ON COLLABORATIONIMPACT ON COLLABORATION

Much of our collaboration is based on Much of our collaboration is based on face-to-face meetings—will Gen Xers do face-to-face meetings—will Gen Xers do this, or will they develop a new this, or will they develop a new collaboration technique?collaboration technique?

Will Gen X managers be interested in Will Gen X managers be interested in consensus and group process or will consensus and group process or will they be more directive?they be more directive?

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF MILLENNIALS IN THE WORKPLACE?MILLENNIALS IN THE WORKPLACE?

CollaborativeCollaborative

Believe their opinions are valuedBelieve their opinions are valued

Not intimidated by authorityNot intimidated by authority

Have “Helicopter Parents”Have “Helicopter Parents”