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Where developing the Strategic Plan was something of an exercise in visioning of an ideal state, implementation has proven to be more of a reality check. Where I had assumed the transition between development and implementation would be a simple baton pass, I have instead come to better understand the oft-repeated business trope: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Six months into our new planning cycle, I observe that UW Libraries sustains a culture of waiting: top-level administrators waiting to hear…
This is a collaborative post by Lizabeth (Betsy) A. Wilson, Vice Provost for Digital Initiatives and Dean of University Libraries; Denise Pan, Associate Dean for Collections & Content; Chelle Batchelor, Interim Associate Dean, Research and Learning Services; Director of Access Services; Tania P. Bardyn, Associate Dean & Director, Health Sciences Library; Corey Murata, Director, Collection Analysis & Strategy; Gordon J. Aamot, Director, Scholarly Communication & Publishing; and Elizabeth Bedford, Scholarly Publishing Outreach Librarian. Like many of you, we have been following the negotiations…
With cataloging work essential to strengthening our users’ ability to find information, catalogers have begun exploring new ways of working to meet the challenges of evolving university needs. With seemingly one small naming tweak to a standing committee, we have established a new venue for staff development that will directly inform our ability to improve user access and discovery of our collections. The new Cataloging Policy and Practice Committee (CPPC) was convened last fall to holistically address Libraries cataloging practice. Formerly…
To enhance our support for faculty and student research, teaching, and learning, UW Libraries Research & Learning Services embarked in 2018 on a significant restructuring of staff reporting relationships. Directly aligned with the Libraries strategic goal of transforming working practices to enable collaboration and efficiency, the portfolio now functions across 5 departments: Responsible for circulation services, library accounts, interlibrary loan and document delivery, Access Services now also directly involves branch libraries staff to share in the staffing and operations at…
Less than a year after our first meeting, the Staff Learning Opportunities for Technical Services (SLOTS) working group is proud of what we have accomplished to date. Comprised of staff members representing divisions of the Libraries Collections & Content portfolio who are collectively responsible for the development, discovery, and management of the Libraries resources, SLOTS was issued a somewhat vague charge with an open-ended timeline to organize learning and sharing events that would advance two key Libraries strategic goals: developing sustainable models…
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) themes are prominent in the Libraries Strategic Plan, Spanning our values statements, strategic directions, and goals (as well as the UW’s values and priorities), several Cabinet members and I are developing an EDI initiative that aims to achieve multiple, related goals: fostering an equitable and inclusive staff culture; improving communication to foster equitable ways of working; and investing in staff development to support our changing university. In the coming months, all Libraries staff will be invited to…
In recent months, many new strategic initiatives have sprouted across the university to share the fruits of UW-conducted research. They all grow under the philosophy of open—the movement to make information publicly available online at no cost to readers. Here’s a review: The Tri-Campus Digital Scholarship Group was charged to formulate a broad and unified vision to support new, creative forms of scholarship that leverage digital media—from technical infrastructure to classroom pedagogy. The UW Press administratively joined the UW Libraries in March…
We have a Strategic Plan, so what next? Following their All-Staff Meeting panel session, Libraries Cabinet are working with their portfolios to identify activities that meet our articulated goals. This work is currently happening in a series of tiered discussions, where associate and assistant deans are convening with their directors and departments to answer the following questions: What are we already doing that advancing our strategic goals? What key actions does the Libraries need to take to achieve our goals?…