1. Hyper-Streamlining Approvals at the University of Iowa
Michael Wright
Head, Acquisitions & Rapid Cataloging
University of Iowa
Michael Walmsley
Director of Sales, Central U.S.
YBP Library Services

2. Why Did We Need a Change?
New department, new leadership, opportunity to do some updates in very traditional dept.
35 year old approval plan; selections limited, attempts at updates met with mixed success
Workflows needed to be updated
Complaints: new titles taking too long to get to shelf (sometimes 3 months)

3. Why didn’t we need a change?
Staff were nervous; dept. had been very stable
Change would mean new job descriptions, new responsibilities, new routines for staff
Significant Training Involved
New vendor database
Different approval methodology
Fears that selectors wouldn’t go along (even though they were expressing dissatisfaction)
So we went forward with caution and a few predictions of ...

4. Utter ruin

5. Nothing got ruined. But,
Went forth cautiously, discussing monographic approvals as part of a major planning process
Discussed possibilities of change with selectors
As part of planning process, recommendation came to move forward with a virtual plan from YBP. But the details were missing.

6. Began a Dialogue with Vendor
It was clear from the beginning that there were several services at YBP that could help us make improvements:
Profiling methodology that could accommodate our collecting interests
Duplication Detection capabilities in GOBI
EOCRs (Electronic Order Confirmation Records
GOBI as an efficient and comprehensive selection tool
Depth of staff to handle the workload (loading 3200 standing orders).

7. How Did We Get There?
Had backing of University Librarian, AUL for Collections (and director of Central Tech. Services)
Baby steps (trial plan with Health Sciences and Psychology subjects)
Selectors agreed to try the virtual plan, based on the success of the above plans (and after politely being told they had to…)

8. About those selectors 22 subject area selectors
They had long had been provided with monthly, detailed financial reports
We felt that having selectors not just select, but order, was key to the success of the program

9. Where we are Today “Empowered” selectors love the new plan
All slips, no automatic book shipments
Placing their own orders
Automated checking for duplicates
Selectors monitoring their funds
Only 7 duplicates in last 9 months
Titles getting to the shelf faster
Ordering activity is consistent throughout the year. No bottleneck at the end

10. Where we are today (cont’d.)
Staff redeployed to new work (cataloging digital objects, electronic resources work, serials acquisitions) as planned
Happy public services staff (items often on shelf in two weeks)
About to begin shelf-ready pilot
We’re very pleased with the way this worked!

11. And instead of ruin, it’s all new again!

12. Hyper-Streamlining Approvals at the University of Iowa
Questions?
Hyper-Streamlining Approvals at the University of Iowa
Michael Wright
Head, Acquisitions & Rapid Cataloging
University of Iowa
Michael Walmsley
Director of Sales, Central U.S.
YBP Library Services