1. Mark Haslett University Librarian January 11, 2005
Library Staff Update
Mark Haslett
University Librarian
January 11, 2005

2. Questions & discussion
What I’ll address
Discuss 2 to 3% budget cut
Review 6th Decade Planning process
Highlight some 2004 achievements
Questions & discussion

3. The budgetary challenge
continues…

4. Budget cuts 2001/02: 3.5% 2002/03: 2% 2003/04: 2% 2004/05: 2%
2001/02: 3.5%
2002/03: 2%
2003/04: 2%
2004/05: 2%
2005/06: 2 to 3%?

5. Why another cut? Enrolment targets were not met last fall
Tuition fees are frozen
The University needs to put significant funds into the pension plan
An unknown is the Rae commission and what the government will act on.

6. The Rae Review
There needs to be a much greater capacity for collaboration between institutions
(Bob Rae)
The above theme resonates and rings true in the Library community
Libraries are founded on the notion of sharing and making resources readily available

7. OCUL collaboration
“Although each Ontario university is likely to find its own unique solutions to many of the LT [learning technology] issues …, there is surely some benefit to co-operative system-wide ventures. Notable is the work of the Ontario Council of University Libraries with its project … the Ontario Scholar’s Portal”

8. The budgetary challenge facing us … continues
Library budgets split in two
Acquisitions (approx. $6,000,000 )
Operating (approx. $7,700,000 )
Salary ($6,938,000) (90%)
Non-salary ($768,000) (10%)

9. Operating budget The current challenge:
Addressing a $155,00 - $235,000 ongoing cut beginning in 2005/06
Flexibility on non-salary side is gone
Nor is picture good on staffing side
We are down 35 FTE since 1994
1994: : : 133

10. Implications
We will be able to absorb the anticipated cuts in 2005/06 without releasing staff
We will fill the currently posted positions of Director, Organizational Services, and Davis ISR Head
The posting for Associate University Librarian, Information Management and Systems Services, has been withdrawn
However, as noted last year,
Everything I have heard suggests that there is consensus that the Library has been ‘very thin at the top’ for quite awhile.
The status quo is not good enough

11. There are some good signs
The Library’s continued leadership in the acquisition of electronic scholarly information resources is well received by faculty and students
The Provost allocated close to a million dollars in one-time funds for the Library’s purchase of the backfile of Elsevier e-journals
Library acquisition expenditures helped launch UW into the #1 spot in the 2004 Maclean’s rankings
The Library will continue to receive one-time funding on an ongoing basis
We are making effective use of Co-op students and contract positions funded through one time funds

12. Next steps
We have to build bridges to get us to a hopefully better fiscal future
Draft budget proposal has been submitted
With some imagination and flexibility I am still convinced we can make something positive out of these challenges
How we will do so still requires more careful review and discussion
There is no silver bullet

13. 6th Decade Plan

14. 6th Decade Plan UW’s 6th decade begins 2007
The development of a Sixth-Decade Plan for UW
Senate Long Range Planning Committee (SLRP)
“BUILDING ON ACCOMPLISHMENT: A Plan for the University of Waterloo's Fifth Decade”

15. 6th Decade Planning Preparation of planning documents
Academic units
Academic support units
Self-study in each unit identifying
Strengths
Challenges
Opportunities
that respond to UW aspirations to achieve academic excellence

16. Documents to be completed
Templates have been provided to:
simplify the process
provide further guidance
allow SLRP to review submissions in a consistent manner

17. Templates Relevance Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
the support your unit provides to students (undergraduate, graduate, domestic, international), faculty, staff and other units
Strengths
Staff, Systems (automated, manual, process), working environment/working relationships, leadership
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Excellence
Overall
If there were to be one or two key changes to allow your unit to be more effective related to the considerations above, what would they be?

18. Library’s timeline All staff meetings on January 11
SLRP templates mounted on web
Library Managers group will develop an initial draft by March 1
Draft distributed to all Library staff for further input
Next to last draft submitted to Bruce Mitchell by April 1 for review and input
Final report will be submitted to SLRP by April 30, 2005

19. Memo & templates

20. Some notable accomplishments
Ever the optimist …

21. Some notable accomplishments
Take pride in your accomplishments and achievements
The RBC Information Commons and the significant transformation of the Davis Library have been well received
The Musagetes Architecture Library is a source of pride at UW and within the Cambridge community
UW is a key player in the OCUL and CRKN partnerships
The Library’s continued leadership in the acquisition of electronic scholarly information resources is recognised and well received by faculty and students
Library acquisition expenditures helped launch UW into the #1 spot in the 2004 Maclean’s rankings
The Library’s resources and services are being well used and are well received

22. Questions & discussion