1. UNSW Library
Options and opportunities
Andrew Wells, University Librarian
Future of Libraries
Toronto, 1 May 2014

2. Outline
• Options for change at UNSW
• Opportunities arising from change

3. UNSW and UNSW Library
• Major research-intensive university
• Scientific, technical, professional, medical strengths
• 50,00 students; 5,300 staff
• Library has 140 staff; budget ca $35 m
• Significant structural change over last decade

4. 2003 structure
UNSW LIBRARY ORGANISATION – 2003
Pro-Chancellor (Education)
Professor Adrian Lee
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN
Andrew Wells
QUALITY AND
PLANNING
Isabella Trahn
BIOMEDICAL
LIBRARY
Jill Denholm
LAW LIBRARY
Susan Knowles
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
LIBRARY
Rhonda Langford
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND
HUMANITIES LIBRARY
Pam O’Brien
COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS
LIBRARY
Jill More
DEPUTY UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN
Susan Lafferty
LIBRARY INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT UNIT
Fred Piper
MONOGRAPHS DEPT
Sue Munro
SERIALS DEPARTMENT
Bev Crane
DOCUMENT DELIVERY
UNIT/ INTERLIBRARY
LOANS
Gil Darby
USER SERVICES
DEPARTMENT
Claire Hill
RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT UNIT
Vacant
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Guilaine Buckley
ONLINE SERVICES
DEPARTMENT
Tony Cargnelutti

5. Scenario planning
• Identified three options for 2007/8
– Status quo
oNo support (until you change things)
– Digital
oNot for 2007 – moving this way now
– ‘Learning Village’
oEmbrace shift to digital
oReuse space taken up by print collections
oEmbed Library in research and teaching plans

6. New structure
• Abolished special libraries
• No ‘front-room/back-room’; team work and integration
encouraged
• No technical services department; no ‘reference’
department
• Structure reflects importance of digital information and
online services

8. Space changes
• Have been well received
• 2.5 m visits to libraries in 2013

15. Opportunities
• Rethink traditional services
• Stop doing things or do them differently
• Release resources to do new things
• Get out more
• Redefine Library role in research support

16. No service desks
• Help Zone
• Learn from customer service models in other places
• Implemented quickly
• Does not function all hours library is open

21. Self-help
• Self-help suits online environment
• 90% of borrowing is self-help
• RightNow software installed 2013
• Knowledge Base develops in response to client needs
• With 50,000 students, we have to enable self-sufficiency

22. Stop doing things or do them differently
• No information literacy classes – all students must
complete online tutorial and quiz called ELISE (Enabling
Library and Information Skills for Everyone). Cannot re-
enrol unless passed
• No EndNote classes – this became an industry. Provide
online self-help
• Outsource ‘traditional’ technical services – eg, print
processing

23. Release resources for new things and new
ways
• Develop new services
– Research impact
– Research data management – Library leading
Research Data Management Plan
– Research publications management – Library
implemented Symplectic Elements in 2013
– Direct support for academic staff and higher degree
research students