Helen Heinrich, California State University, Northridge Chair, Technical Services, Oviatt Library
Campus 36,000 students (undergraduate and graduate) 4,000 Faculty and Staff Oviatt Library 1.4 million volumes 350,000 e-books 62,000 e-journals 120 A&I and full-text databases Technical Services Staff Acquisitions/Materials Processing/Bindery (6 f/t staff) Cataloging/Database Maintenance (1.5 librarians, 9 staff) E-Resources (1 librarian, 1 staff) 5 p/t student assistants
Changing User Expectations (for Collections): Single gateway Findability and availability of materials Rich metadata (TOC, book previews, etc.) Online access (text and media) Seamless citation-to-full-text transfer Mobile interface Tablets
Before Acquisitions: ▪ orders ▪ payments Cataloging: ▪ title-by-title cataloging ▪ “gold standard” Materials processing / bindery
Now: All of the above + Provision of big (meta)data for discovery: Batch records for owned/licensed materials PDA administration Access to e-resources ERM implementation and maintenance Maintenance of knowledgebase(s): Link resolver (SFX) SerialsSolutions: discovery layer, MARC service, e-packages
Cataloging: ▪ Apps ▪ Ereaders ▪ Content of ereaders Collection shifts: ▪ De-accessioning ▪ Location changes ▪ Circ changes
Skills Shrinking resources ▪ fiscal ▪ human Promptness of service Morale Respect!
cognitivedesigner.com
Revise Results Reorganize Review
Mandate from library administration Staff interviews Internal workflow audit External audit: regulations, new technology Cost analysis: ▪ Money and/or time savings in outsourcing?
Streamline and simplify procedures Eliminate duplication Eliminate unnecessary tasks: “Less work, not more people!” Adjust quality standards to reality Principle of “low hanging fruit” Maximize use of staff expertise Aim for “one-touch” handling; provide cross- training Trust and leverage technology
Consolidate functions Reinforce communication Eliminate fragmentation within the department Trust your colleagues’ expertise From the expectation of mistake to expectation of correctness Abandon perfectionism Ensure continuity of efficiencies throughout the cycle
Batch records: SerialsSolutions ejournals and ebooks, Paced spending evenly throughout the year Consolidated vendors Implemented electronic ordering and invoicing Discontinued outdated auditing trail practices Implemented automated copy-cataloging with WCP Reduced claiming & filing Simplified physical processing Implemented shelf-ready services Vendor authority control
Manual transactions eliminated: 12,000 /year Bibliographic searches eliminated: 7,000 /year Overall savings : 3 months of FTE / year No backlog 2 positions in DBM and Authority Control reassigned to: New electronic resources unit (1 librarian, 1 staff) Cataloging 1 position in Cataloging reassigned to digital collections
Freed four positions (through attrition) One reassigned to digital materials (new) Others absorbed into existing ones Reduction in student employee budget: 50% Reduction in turnaround time from receipt to shelving: 75% 2009 CSUN Team award 2 Digital Services positions granted (IR, digital collections)
ETD workflow Archon implementation, EDA to MARC metadata Walk the talk: keep the changes current Take responsibility for continuing innovation Make annual/bi-annual evaluations Leverage vendors’ knowledge Keep enthusiasm high
Thank you! Helen Heinrich