Strategic Approach for Effective Services Delivery in University Libraries

Strategic Approach for Effective Services Delivery in University Libraries

Jitender Sharma*

*Librarian, NIILM Centre for Management Studies, Greater Noida

Abstract

Strategy has always been a part of human race existence and survival. From Chankaya in ancient times to modern times, from governing countries to businesses, strategy is required in every operation. Libraries are also not aloof. Libraries are service organizations and in order to deliver effective services libraries require a carefully designed strategy.

University library systems are very complex in nature. There are major stakeholders involved in university library set up including universities authorities, departmental libraries, college libraries and their users & staff besides vendors etc. Libraries, therefore, require a strategy that can involve all stakeholders and able to provide effective services so as to satisfy everyone within the given constraints of budget, manpower and so on. At the same time, all ethical considerations and legal bindings also have to be kept in mind while deriving any strategy.

This paper is an attempt to understand the university library system, library services needs in universities, services offered by university libraries and to develop an effective strategy for university libraries so as to keep all its stakeholders satisfied. This strategy will help libraries to remain relevant even in technological advanced world and users will like to use library more than ever before.

Introduction:

Education is a basic need and right for any civilized society. Universities provide higher education opportunities to all who qualify the criteria set up by universities. There are two types of learning in any university system, first one is classroom faculty directed learning and second one is self learning. There is no better place than a library for self learning. Libraries have right atmosphere and resources for self learning. They stand for intellectual freedom. They provide equality of opportunity and social justice. Libraries believe in providing unbiased services to everyone. Each user is same for library and they serve all users without any discretion. At the same time, each user requirements are unique and libraries are meant to serve individual requirements. Good library service leaves its permanent impact on user’s mind and so do the bad library service for the matter of fact.

University Library System

A university library system is generally a hierarchical structure, consisted of a central library, departmental libraries, and college libraries and may be zonal libraries if university is divided into different zones. However, this is not a fixed system and may vary from university to university depending upon nature and purpose of university set up. It can even be a single library system alone serving all users at one point or a system like mentioned above where different libraries exist serving different type of users. The basic purpose of university library system, however, is accomplishing its task of reaching to wider academic community using all sorts of information providing resources and mechanisms.

Need for Library and its Services

A library is identity of a university. A glance at any university library can differentiate a good university from all others in the crowd. Library plans its vision, mission and goals in accordance with parent organization vision. For a good academic library, benchmark about its collection and services efficiency can be if library is the first choice of a user who is in search of any information.

Serving user’s interests should be prime motto and mission of any library. For this, a strategic approach is necessary regarding library collection development and planning its various services. This strategy will focus on efficiency and effectiveness through continuous innovation, reengineering library services, partnership with other institutions and stakeholders and continuous assessment of service delivery models.

What is Strategy?

In simplest terms, strategy is a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim of any organization or any person.

According to an online business dictionary, strategy is “A method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem” or strategy is “ The art and science of planning and marshalling resources for their most efficient and effective use”

The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, quotes two definitions of strategy in management theory: "... the determination of the basic long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals” or, more simply, "strategy is about shaping the future (Chandler, 1962) while brilliant strategy is the shortest route to desirable ends with available means (McKeown, 2011).

Thus, a carefully designed plan or action keeping in mind both long term and short term objectives of university and taking into account interests of all stakeholders is termed as strategy for the scope of this paper.

Why Strategy is Important for Libraries?

“Research has revealed that organisations that engage in strategic management generally outperform those that do not”. An organisation will perform to a high standard when there is a matching correlation between the organisational environment and the strategy, structure and processes of that organisation. The three benefits for corporations who strategically manage are a clearer sense of strategic vision for the firm, sharper focus on what is strategically important and improved understanding of a rapidly changing environment. (Wheelen & Hunger, 2005)

Organizations that strategically manage show considerable increase in sales, profit, and efficiency. Strategy provides structure as to the business’ area of serving in terms of the consumer and geographical sense. (Wheelen & Hunger, 2005)

Both these explanations indicate that there are immense benefits of running any operation strategically. Strategy helps in winning your customer’s trust and serving them in most efficient manner making use of resource optimally.

Library is an organization in itself and adoption of a suitable plan or policy is necessary to achieve its goals and objectives and to accomplish the vision of the library. Hence strategy is important in libraries as it helps in operational planning, increasing effectiveness in resources development and services delivery. It helps in clarifying the direction of library activities and help in library staff satisfaction with what they do as they do it with a clear purpose.

Library strategy must be designed in tune with clearly defined vision, mission, goals and guiding principles of library, which are derived to match and serve the vision, mission and goals of Parent University. This strategy may vary a bit depending upon single/multiple library system of any university but the essence remains the same.

The vision, mission and goals of all universities vary with the purpose of their setup or existence. However, the ideal vision, mission and guiding principles of any university library can be as follows:

The Library’s Vision

Transform the experience of university library users through excellence in the provision and development of sustainable library services and resources

The Library’s Mission

Develop, deliver and sustain library services and resources to support the university in achieving its aims and objectives  

The Library’s Goals

The Library aims to:

·         Be enthusiastic and responsive to all users in the provision of high-quality personalised services;

·         Be committed to the support of teaching, learning, research and the wider student experience;

·         Be innovative in responding to and shaping the changing information environment that users face;

·         Be adaptable to change in technology and medium of storage of information;

·         Be self-aware and reflective, seeking continually to improve performance and sustainability;

·         Be aware of international /national intellectual property laws and regulations;

·         Be committed to the promotion of equality and diversity and gender sensitiveness;

·         Be enthusiastic in promoting and sustaining the wider interests of the university;

·         Demonstrate professional leadership and creativity in all work it does;

·         Work towards staff training and development;

·         Work in partnership with colleagues, other libraries and other similar institutions;

·         Be socially responsive and extend library services to underprivileged to the extent possible albeit within the limits set by the university.

The Library’ Guiding Principles

To achieve its aims and objectives, library guiding principles will be:

·         Embracing change and creating opportunities;

·         Be technology friendly;

·         Commitment to excellence in services;

·         Develop congenial environment for self learning;

·         Following ethical practices and obeying legal bindings;

·         Working collaboratively, internally and externally;

·         Meeting and surpassing users’ expectations in all service delivery;

·         Empowering staff and nurturing their talents;

·         Motivating and rewarding staff;

·         Regularly communicating with stakeholders;

·         Focus on gender sensitiveness, social inclusiveness and responsiveness

To fulfill vision, mission, goals and objectives of university and library in particular, university library needs to adopt a well thought and carefully planned strategy. This strategy must take in to account interests of all stakeholders, limitations and constraints and ways to overcome them with an eye on future development of library.

Constituents of library strategy

University library collection development and its services are always centered towards catering said or unsaid requirements of all users and stakeholders. Hence, any library strategy must revolve around library stakeholders, their requirements and ways and means to satisfy them keeping the vision, mission and goal of library in mind.

Library strategy must aim at reinforcing library’s significant role in serving the user community and to add and contribute to the reputation of the university by fulfilling its vision, mission and goals.

For a university library, stakeholders involve universities authorities, departmental and college libraries, library staff, users, library vendors and suppliers of both print and online media. Hence, library strategy must cater to understand the needs of these stakeholders and methods to deal with and satisfy each of them. Hence, constituents of library strategy will be:

·         Library strategy must clearly reflect the vision, mission, goals and objectives or university and library both;

·         Spirit and mechanism of serving users’ valid interests must be clearly laid down;

·         Rules of procurement and vendor’s dealings must be transparent and clearly put in black and white in strategy document. These have to be uniform in all libraries in multiple library system;

·         Any database or software license agreement must be carefully studied and amended suitably for optimal utilization of the procured resources. If need be, consult a legal expert before signing any license agreement with any service provider;

·         Library strategy must emphasize on adding and increasing technology usage in the delivery of services to users at a time, place, and to a device of their choice; 

·         It should encourage procuring more e-resources so as to serve the maximum number of users in least possible time. However, balance in both traditional and e-resources must be maintained and no medium should be neglected for the sake of other;

·         Library should engage faculty, researchers and students in its collection development by forming committees for the purpose and include representatives of all categories;

·         Library strategy should suggest ways for ensuring library data safety and security;

·         It must be compliant with international/national intellectual property rights norms and laws. At the same time it should adopt fair use policy and make its users aware about the same.

·         Users’ education, orientation and regular training about library resources, usage methodology and services must be part of library strategy;

·         Understanding, mapping and serving high users expectations in terms of research, academic and recreational needs has to be part of strategy;

·         Effective utilization of budget so as to satisfy maximum users’ has to be part of library strategy. Libraries must try to avoid duplication to the extent possible in multiple library system;

·         It should have focus on implementing efficiencies in each library process keeping budgetary and manpower constraints in mind;

·         Encouraging self-service by users and procuring technology required for the same so as to minimize the staffing costs has to be part of library strategy;

·         Collaboration and sharing of resources and services within university library system and with other universities and institutions of higher education for making available much wider resources to users must have included in library strategy;

·         Library strategy must be flexible and adaptable with the rapidly changing scenario in higher education and developments within the university and must have provisions for regular evaluation and review;

·         It should have provision for weeding out outdated collection so as to ensure a vibrant and current library stock;

·         It must also regularly review use of physical space within the library to better serve users’ needs and also from aesthetic view;

·         It must provide opportunities for staff skills development by deputing them for regular training and development programmes and also hold such programmes in library periodically;

·         It should include methods to recognize staff talent and reward the staff if he or she put in additional efforts;

·         Library strategy must suggest ways and means to engage with the alumni community through library extension services;

·         It should suggest library staff to be engaged in social inclusion activities and make users also a part of the movement within the framework of the university;

·         Library strategy must suggest ways to develop self-discipline and right values among users.

Strategic Approach for Effective Services Delivery

Each university may have its own library service delivery framework depending upon the nature and domain of its work and its users. However, following strategic approach will be useful for any university library in effective delivery of library services.

·         Users’ participation: For effective services delivery library should encourage active participation of its users in its collection development and offering services. It must work towards optimum utilization of both its resources and services in order to get worth of each rupee spent on library. It must work on value for money approach.

·         Library location: Any university library should preferably be in the centre of the university so as to be easily approachable by anyone and everyone. Similarly, for multiple libraries, each departmental library or college library location should also be such that it can easily attract users.

·         Accessibility: Library building must be disabled-friendly and hence should be designed in a way so as to be easily accessible to everyone. Library must take into account disabled-friendly approach while designing its services and even during collection development. No user should be left un-served due to his or her disability or due to lack of resources to cater their needs.

·         Library timing: Library working hours ideally should match the convenience of its users. A flexible approach should be followed about library timings. Ideally, university library should remain open twenty-four hours throughout the year.

·         Library collection: Library collection should be well-balanced and should be regularly updated to keep up-to-date. Library must procure its resources in hybrid format so as to satisfy both traditional as well as tech-savvy young generation. Its resources must reflect widest possible range, thoughts and works of all leading authorities albeit within scope of university domain. An academic library must acquire resources in sufficient number to satisfy maximum users and also adopt a policy of fast rotation of the collection.

·         Library services: A user-friendly approach must be reflected in each and every action of library including its services. Library staff must be trained and groomed to welcome, understand the user’s requirements and serve the same to the delight of users. Library services should be available even outside the campus boundaries using help of advancement in information technology tools and techniques.

·         Computing facilities: Library must procure latest computing equipments and other related ICT facilities that not only satisfy regulatory norms but that are in tune with requirement of modern users as well as be compatible with online/offline resources that library subscribe. These facilities need to be regularly upgraded along with change in technology and information dissemination methods. Simultaneous training of library staff is necessary for optimal use of IT resources.

·         Staffing:  Library staff must be qualified, knowledgeable, groomed and trained so as to understand users’ requirements with deep understanding of human nature. They need to be deployed and rotated on regular basis in order to get exposure of all functional areas of library. A positive mind set and willingness to help users should be a perquisite to employ library staff. At the same time, they must be given enough on the job training and chances of career growth. The senior and old staff must also be taken into confidence and convinced about benefit of using technology enabled approach in serving users to allay their fears and inhibition towards technology.

·         Monitoring: It is essential for effective library services to have internal or external monitoring processes by which library and its employees’ service performance is monitored and assessed against key indicators of service delivery and outcomes. This result should be brought into the notice of employees and must be aimed at improving individual employee performance rather than using it as a tool to punish the staff.

Implementation Methodology

Library services delivery takes in to account continuous changes underway in higher education and increasing role of information technology and tools in delivering its services. It also needs to maintain a balance between traditional and modern approach so as to satisfy both regulatory and users’ requirements. This methodology may also vary as per individual university requirements; however, following methodology covers basics and can be ideal for effective services delivery in any university library set up:

·         Integrate all resources and employ any discovery tool to provide a single-search user experience so that users don’t have to navigate different screens for searching same type of information;

·         Introduce applications for mobile devices, including service information, catalogue access and other services for the new generation users;

·         Initiate “Phone the librarian” service for precise and timely understanding the user’s query and replying the user accordingly;

·         Enhance the service delivery of electronic material from the library to the user’s desktop/device using Internet/Intranet etc.;

·         Measure user satisfaction through regular feedback mechanisms about library resources and services delivery and work for improvement based upon users’ feedback;

·         Gradually migrate from print version of core books to electronic version and carefully design and sign license agreement with publisher for unlimited or multiple usage depending upon library requirements and user numbers;

·         Conduct regular user’s education and training programmes so as to make them aware and comfortable about library resources and their usage. In addition, provide the option for training on demand for individual users;

·         Follow the user-friendly approach and inculcate the same among top to bottom staff of library;

·         Make use of open source software and open access resources to the extent possible for most effective usage of budget provisions;

·         Understand users’ research requirements and keep providing them with regular updates on new resources added in their research area on individual basis. Keep a track of both online and print medium to know about new developments or new resources and inform the researchers timely

·         Develop a dynamic library website and keep it updated regularly by adding more and more resources to it and simultaneously inform the users about the new additions;

·         Search for free online resources and give their links at your website and inform the users about their availability and usage through mailers and putting on notice boards etc.;

·         Help faculty in developing new pedagogy tools integrating library online/offline resources that can make learning more enjoyable and more interactive

·         Develop digital library of internal knowledge generated by users for which university holds the copyright or seek permission of your users for transferring copyrights for use by current generation as well as posterity;

·         Involve library staff in decision making process and make them feel as part of the system. Make arrangements for their continuous skills development in tune with change in technology and new knowledge development. Library staff must be taken in confidence and in loop while planning any change in library;

·         Expose library staff to cross-functional domains and keep rotating their job responsibilities so that no work left un-attended in absence of any particular staff;

·         Be a part of the staff; don’t treat them as just subordinates. Team work is the key to success of any operation ;

·         Make use of innovative practices in delivering library services; focus on deriving users’ attention towards library and its services;

·         Provide remote access of maximum services to both faculty and students;

·         Engage proactively with university faculties and departments to understand users’ requirements and mould library services delivery mechanism to meet those requirements;

·         To support university linkages with external partners;

·         Manage library collection; space and budget with utmost efficiency and farsightedness;

·         Develop, protect and promote library rare and special collection among users; and

·         Motivate users to visit library by holding small competitions and instituting small prices for various activities.

Conclusion:

University libraries must have a clear focus on and commitment to the provisions of high quality information resources and excellence in the service delivery mechanism and methods in its physical and virtual spaces along with scope for continuous innovation and improvement with changing nature and requirements of users. A clearly defined library strategy that take into account all stakeholders’ interests and views into consideration will certainly help in achieve library noble objective of serving all its users without any discrimination on any account. In university setups with multiple libraries within university, strategy can even be of greater significance by bringing transparency and uniformity in all library dealings and services; can help avoiding duplication of resources and hence save both money and time. A satisfied user will be the spokesperson of library and will praise the library to many others. This is the only way for libraries to remain significant and relevant in this fast changing education system.

References:

1. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategy.html as accessed on 29 April 2013

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy as accessed on 29 April 2013

3. Chandler, A.D., Strategy and Structure, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1962

4. Mckeown, M., The Strategy Book, Financial Times/Prentice Hall, London, 2011

5. Wheelen, N & Hunger, Strategic Management and Business, Pearson India, New Delhi, 2005

6. http://capstone.etarskimcarthur.com/uploads/8/0/2/5/8025733/strategicplan.pdf as accessed on 5 May 2013