Andrew White, PhD Interim Dean and Director of Libraries Director, Health Science Center Library Stony Brook University ALA Annual - June 26, 2010

1. New Chancellor, New President, and You’re Interim Dean … What’s the Plan? Andrew White, PhD Interim Dean and Director of Libraries Director, Health Sciences Center Library Stony Brook University ALA June 26, 2010

3. Health Sciences Center Library

4. Single site

5. Library staffing approximately 30 FTE

6. Melville Library

7. A primary site along with 5 branches

9. Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library

10. Timeline June 2009 - New State University Chancellor July 2009 - New campus President July 2009 – New HSC Lib Director Sept. 2009 - External review of campus library Nov. 2009 - Resignation of Library Dean Dec. 2009 - Appoint HSC Lib Director as Interim Library Dean

11. My Assignment (I did choose to accept it) Provost charge: begin the process of reorganization budgetary review Administration pledges additional funds to the Library’s base acquisitions budget Effective July 2010. In spite of campus and state budget crisis

12. Overall Strategic Planning Priorities Address immediate campus needs Identify big-picture state system-wide library initiatives Look for synergies with institutional and aspirational peers, i.e. Collection development Off-site storage Scholarly communication / IRs One size does not fit all

13. Interim Strategies and Steps Analysis of the Library and its administration New Library Faculty Advisory Committee Meet with existing teams and committees to assess effectiveness and appropriateness Conduct staff interviews individually, with a non-biased member of the new Advisory Committee also present Summary report of interview observations Spot themes from the staff comments.

14. Staffing culture Stratification Librarian faculty Professionals Classified 2 Unions No systematic succession planning Accumulation and inequitable distribution of job duties Retirements Resignations Position attrition

15. Constraints Repurpose existing staffing Refilling vacated positions under budgetary review Unions Demotions unsupported Reassignments with same compensation Repurpose salary savings Changed / increased job duties compensated with existing payroll

16. Unknowns State budget Campus budget Early retirement incentives Changes in staffing

17. Organizational Change Phased Some top-down decisions Identify gaps in library services/operations Provide staff development and advancement opportunities Meet the needs of the campus Align library with educational and research missions Flexibility to respond to new innovations in information formats and access

18. Technical Services Changes Rebrand as Resource Management P vs. E Distinctions by process and policy No staffing distinction Cross training Reduce copy cataloging activities Repurpose staff knowledge base

19. Phased Approached Identify Associate Director positions Adjust administrative reporting functional units Fill immediate administrative personnel needs Identify strategic directions as an organization Identify staffing needs/skill sets to achieve strategies Create staffing opportunities to address missing human capital: Training New job duties New positions Unit restructuring

20. Staff participation Monthly all-staff meetings Address mission, vision, values Q&A related to consultants’ reports and interview summaries Library Staff wiki

21. Q & A Andrew White, PhDInterim Dean and Director of LibrariesDirector, Health Sciences Library Andrew.White@stonybrook.edu