Changing space, changing service.    

John and Aileen O’Reilly Library

Reception/Issue /Inter-library loans Reception, Issue desk, Interlibrary loans. Reception/Issue /Inter-library loans

Information desk/IT helpdesk.

New Services. Opening hours increased to 2am during term time (Monday-Thursday/Friday) and 24/7 during exam period. We acquired new access and exit gates. We RFID our collection (a huge undertaking). We acquired new express issue machines. We added laptop loans on our ground floor.

Express Service/Laptop – Loan.

We developed an archive space. We opened a new lounge area. Change cont. We developed an archive space. We opened a new lounge area. We incorporated services such as the Writing Centre and the Maths Learning Centre into the library space and structure.

New archive space.

Maths Learning Centre.

Quiet study area/Reference collection.

The Lounge.

Policy change. We decided to relax rules around coffee and noise on ground floor. We redefined an area on the ground floor as BYOD. Why all these changes? –our library and service must develop to meet the changing needs of our clients.

Noise/Pollution/Waste. Problems on other floors e.g. noise drifting. Challenges. Noise/Pollution/Waste. Problems on other floors e.g. noise drifting. Longer opening hours with security – training/closing down procedures/knock on effect next morning. 48hr loans integrated within the main collection due to archive opening- Control?

Change-Impact on frontline services. Busier ground floor –busier staff? –statistics? Have had to change policies/ approach to students/become more flexible. Changes have increased our links with the wider university community. Have drawn non library users into the building. Has, arguably, created a more relaxed environment for staff- not having to police noise/phones/coffee etc. Freeing up of staff to do more interesting work.

The library is agile, flexible, and welcomes change. We do not wait for change to come, but are constantly evolving and changing ourselves to meet it. Move from cooperation to collaboration in our activities. Focus on the needs of our campus, not what libraries traditionally do. Redesign our spaces as people space, not just storage areas. Internalize the concept of “planned abandonment,” which encourages the abandonment of programs and projects in decline to free up resources for innovative new projects.