Notes from LAUC-LA Remote Breakout Sessions

LAUC-LA Breakout Sessions:
Next Steps for Planning for Future Librarianship

Thursday, May 10, 2012

YRL Presentation Room, UCLA

There were ten UCLA Librarians in attendance, including some new(er) UCLA librarians. Those in attendance did not feel we had sufficient numbers to break out into meaningful discussion groups, so we decided to discuss the four topics among the entire group. This minor adjustment provided a successful format for stimulating conversation and brainstorming ideas. Lynda Tolly, the LAUC-LA Representative to LAUC Committee on Professional Governance, performed the role of facilitator, and two volunteer note takers recorded the main points of our discussions. Following is a summary of our discussions and suggestions.

Shared Service Models

·         Need more communication:

o   More communication regarding shared cataloging

o   Long term plans, who will be responsible?

·         Establish a campus liaison who will keep informed of activities related to shared services (someone to monitor POT blog and NGTS updates, etc.) and provide summary updates to local LAUC members

o   One way of updating members would be to hold a regular program or brown bag to bring local members up to date on developments and plans

·         There needs to be more opportunities for front-line librarians and other front-line library staff (library assistants, etc.) to provide input

·         Some challenges and concerns of shared collections on campuses with the quarter system

o   More information about ILL policies with more emphasis on quick turn-around

Lighting Teams – The New Working Model?

·         Find “good” project management tools (e.g. Basecamp)

·         Find ways to eliminate (or work around) bureaucracy

·         Management needs to encourage experimentation and create a safe environment for experimentation

·         Willingness to make mistakes

o   Use mistakes as a learning mechanism

o   Success vs. lessons learned

·         Can’t have single model, report back and reiterate

o   Try several things

o   Can have lots of different projects going on

·         Communication about project processes (learning from each other)

o   Intra and Inter Library communication across UC

o   Ad Hoc LAUC task force to share info and provide informal updates system-wide

Communications Models

·         We are at the forefront of building communication initiatives that librarians could be a part of (such as “open access”, etc.)

·         Communication with partners

o   Such as HATHI Trust, etc.

·         How else can we align ourselves with peers?

o   ARL, what other groups?

·         Look at JISC model

·         Role of State Library (some states have state-wide licenses out of State Library for all colleges, university, community colleges, etc.)

·         Communication to Inter-disciplinary Research Centers

·         Communicating our value to general public

Training and New Skills

·         Mentorship program/committee

·         Summer Institutes

o   Similar to Harvard Leadership Institute

o   Create opportunities for cross-training

o   Examples of summer institutes that might be of value to UC Librarians: management training, project management training

o   Learn from colleagues

o   Expand networks

o   Partner/co-sponsor

o   LAUC grant? Other grants?

o   UCHRI residential programs

o   Tie into new online education initiatives

·         Technology training:

o   Lynda.com

·         Is LHR and HR providing the training that librarians need?

o   Librarians should have more input on training that is needed (our needs haven’t been surveyed)

o   Strong need for innovation and project management training