ABOUT FACE! in the DIGITAL SPACE: mergers and redefining library roles Paper presented at the workshop for the Research Libraries Consortium in cooperation with eIFL.net on Institutional Repositories: Creating an Information Infrastructure for the scholarly community. HANNIE SANDER 19 July 2007

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July “Don’t anybody move. This is a merger.”

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July AGENDA The announcement Incorporation and Merger The University of Johannesburg Challenges Snowball affect Vision and mission Operating model Structure Job profiles Impact Conclusion

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July THE ANNOUNCEMENT Special courage, deep pragmatism, many sensitive deliberations Citizen 12 February May 2002: Announcement Initial reaction: shock, disbelief, surprise, anger, anxiety, disappointment, trepidation, sadness Reality: equality, transformation, resignation, acceptance, opportunity Expectations: Better campuses, more academic programmes; bigger picture, difficulties, confrontations, heavy workloads

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July INCORPORATION & MERGER 1 January 2004: Former Vista campuses: East Rand and Soweto Process detail merger; TWR included University and University 1 January 2005 RAU + TWR University and Technikon Comprehensive institution

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG Integration: academic & vocational programmes 9 faculties, 5 campuses students staff 7 libraries 140 permanent staff > items

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July CHALLENGES Process took much longer than anticipated Conditions of Service HR Library structure and reporting lines Academic architecture Duplication Centralisation Library Information Systems Operational focus vs Strategic focus Totally different organisational cultures Existing policies – prescriptive; language Academic information support in comprehensive institutions

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July THE SNOWBALL EFFECT Joint Merger Office Prescribed procedures Timelines Time for researching policies and best practices Consultation Feedback Continue services as well as merger issues Alignment ………

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July VISION FOR THE UJ LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTRE (UJLIC) A globally acknowledged African gateway to scholarly information, renowned for breaking knowledge boundaries.

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July UJLIC MISSION Support and facilitate teaching, learning and research: Access / Connect(ivity) Information service / Connect(ivity) Integrating information resources / Connect(ivity) Information literacy and life-long learning / Connect(ivity) Partnerships: collaboration and cooperation / Connect(ivity) Research and development LIS / Innovation Social responsibility / Community engagement / Connect(ivity) Competent experts / Connect(ivity) / New roles

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July ABOUT FACE! The link …… Turn-it-around ….. Opportunity knocks Alignment Renewal and Integration Consultants Operating model Match and place

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July JOB PROFILES Number of purposes M & P in ‘to-be’ structure Job evaluation and grading Recruitment process Staff performance reviews Key outcomes Essential qualifications Not exhaustive statement Not limiting opportunities for necessary modifications Not limiting opportunities to work creatively and collaboratively Not limiting opportunities for supervisor to assign projects

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July JOB PROFILES (2) 1Job Information Title; grading level; job cluster; role in cluster; department; Authority relationships; Dependent relationships; Peer relationships; External relationships 2Job definition – Job purpose; Key outcomes 3Job requirements – Education; Experience; Knowledge; Skills 4Profiling session data – job analyst; participants; test battery info

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July JOB PROFILE (3) e-learning, e-research, e-science Manage digital resources Integrate into programmes OA & IR Preservation and digital archiving Digitisation projects

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July JOB PROFILE (4) Self driven / perseverance Task orientation Problem solving Creative and innovative People / Communication skills / Persuasive / assertive Technical / IT skills Combination IT and LIS qualified Team work (Individual & collective effort) Project management skills Vision and assertive

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July IMPACT (LIC SPECIFIC) Specific job profile – Librarian: Institutional repository BUT Virtually every other environment job profile LIC Information Systems; Copyright and Digital rights manager; CDM (metadata); Info skilling; Information librarians; VLE specialist librarian; e-Resources admin and management; Web content services

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS …. Turn it around … Face the challenge…. Think big …. Dream … Lobby support …. Business plan ….

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July IN MY WILDEST DREAMS … Would say thank you for the merger? Be closer to a personal dream …. ? Local content and scholarly communication globally available

H Sander About Face! Merger and libraries, 19 July THANK YOU!