1. Staffing for the future Fides Datu Lawton Director (Library Resources Unit) SCONUL Study Tour 8 September 2005

2. Outline of presentation Environmental considerations- imperatives for action Environmental considerations- imperatives for action Questions raised Questions raised Core competencies Core competencies Some strategies at UTS Library Some strategies at UTS Library Remaining challenges Remaining challenges References References

3. Environmental considerations- imperatives for action Developments in ICT Developments in ICT  Greater online information services  Diversity of information resources  Innovations in scholarly communication  Impact on internal processes  Global connectedness

4. Environmental considerations- imperatives for action Reduced government funding – greater reliance on other income Reduced government funding – greater reliance on other income –More fee paying students (clients ->consumer/customer) Increased internationalisation Increased internationalisation Greater competition/ New competitors Greater competition/ New competitors (choices for clients and library staff)

5. Environmental considerations- imperatives for action Aging workforce Aging workforce Differences among 4 generations of staff (traditionalists, boomers, X, Y…) Differences among 4 generations of staff (traditionalists, boomers, X, Y…) - differences in expectations; behaviours (managers vav staff; library staff vav their clients) Short term contract; project teams; less time for training & development (Must hit the ground running) Short term contract; project teams; less time for training & development (Must hit the ground running)

6. Environmental considerations- imperatives for action Quality framework Quality framework –Linking performance, reward and remuneration, funding –Linking institutional strategic directions, individual work-plans and development needs –Greater accountability

7. Questions raised What kind of library do we want to be? What kind of library do we want to be? What knowledge, skills, attributes do we need of library staff to get us there? What knowledge, skills, attributes do we need of library staff to get us there? How do we get the right people? How do we get the right people? How do we keep and develop them? How do we keep and develop them?

8. Identifying core competencies Core competencies are the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to an individual’s success in a position. By identifying core competencies for staff, libraries are able to sustain their ability to adapt to the changing environment and will be better prepared for the on- going changes in the future of higher education (McNeil and Giesecke)

9. Core competencies (McNeil and Giesecke – University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries) Analytical/problem solving/decision- making Analytical/problem solving/decision- making Communication skills Communication skills Creativity/innovation – looks for opportunities to apply new and evolving ideas, methods, design, and technologies Creativity/innovation – looks for opportunities to apply new and evolving ideas, methods, design, and technologies Expertise and technical knowledge Expertise and technical knowledge

10. Core competencies (McNeil and Giesecke – University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries) Flexibility/adaptability Flexibility/adaptability We are unlikely to be grooming people for one particular position in the future; given the fluidity of jobs, workers will have to be capable of moving in and out of positions. There will be greater emphasis on the ability to work with others, the ability to be flexible, and the ability to take on leadership roles within groups (Whitmell) Staff who self-identify and grab opportunities, welcome challenges, respond positively to changes

11. Core competencies Interpersonal/group skills – builds strong work relationships with sensitivity to how individuals, organizational units, and cultures function and react, establishes partnerships at all levels and across department and functional lines to achieve optimum results Interpersonal/group skills – builds strong work relationships with sensitivity to how individuals, organizational units, and cultures function and react, establishes partnerships at all levels and across department and functional lines to achieve optimum results

12. Core competencies Leadership – sets and models high performance standards characterized by integrity; earns trust and respect of others by coaching, inspiring, and empowering teams of people to achieve strategic objectives Leadership – sets and models high performance standards characterized by integrity; earns trust and respect of others by coaching, inspiring, and empowering teams of people to achieve strategic objectives “those who say it cannot be done should get out of the way of those who are already doing it” (Abram)

13. Core competencies Organizational understanding and global thinking Organizational understanding and global thinking Ownership/accountability/dependability Ownership/accountability/dependability Planning and organisational skills Planning and organisational skills Resource management – demonstrates a consistent focus on minimizing expenses while maximizing results Resource management – demonstrates a consistent focus on minimizing expenses while maximizing results Service attitude/user satisfaction Service attitude/user satisfaction

14. Some strategies at UTS Library Broadbanding scheme Broadbanding scheme Reward and Recognition scheme Reward and Recognition scheme Staff development activities, including: Staff development activities, including: –Fees support for higher ed courses –Peer review program –SILVER –Strong support for attendance at conferences, seminars, site visits Cross-departmental project teams, working groups Cross-departmental project teams, working groups EOIs for HDAs EOIs for HDAs

15. Remaining challenges Identify and agree on core competencies Identify and agree on core competencies –LATN project Review appropriateness of job descriptions Review appropriateness of job descriptions –Move from task orientation to system-wide thinking and planning and highlight core competencies Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment processes Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment processes –Provide support and training to supervisors in effective interview and recruitment strategies –Hire people for future roles, not just for today’s vacant position (Whitmell) Review competency base of staff and develop/implement staff development plan Review competency base of staff and develop/implement staff development plan –Determine priorities for staff development

16. Remaining challenges Eliminate barriers to effective staff planning Eliminate barriers to effective staff planning –structural barriers? –Annual budgets – silos? possible disconnect between this and long-term staff planning and facilitation of system-wide view Align performance measures & evaluation strategies with generational behavioural considerations (Whitmell) Align performance measures & evaluation strategies with generational behavioural considerations (Whitmell) Partnership with libraries, library schools and library associations Partnership with libraries, library schools and library associations –in developing future library staff; attracting suitable people to the profession

17. Certainly the most contentious, expensive, and difficult resource to leverage effectively is people. People, particularly in service-based information organizations, have the largest effect on customer satisfaction, levels of innovation, and organizational effectiveness. Your competition can duplicate all of your strategic resources except the people in your organization. (R Bazile-Jones)

18. References Abram, S (2005) “Next generation librarians in the workplace” In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Abram, S (2005) “Next generation librarians in the workplace” In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Bazile-Jones, R. (2005) Diversity and libraries. In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Bazile-Jones, R. (2005) Diversity and libraries. In Staff planning in a time of demographic change, ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press McNeil, B and J Giesecke (2001) “Core competencies for libraries and library staff.” Avery, E F, T Dahlin and D.A. Carver. Staff development : a practical guide. 3 rd ed. American Library Association. McNeil, B and J Giesecke (2001) “Core competencies for libraries and library staff.” Avery, E F, T Dahlin and D.A. Carver. Staff development : a practical guide. 3 rd ed. American Library Association. Staff planning in a time of demographic change (2005) ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press Staff planning in a time of demographic change (2005) ed by V Whitmell. Lanham,Md., Scarecrow Press