nitle shared academics: examining it and library service convergence
DESCRIPTION
Colleges and universities face a variety of pressures. Two pressure points are adjusting to the evolving landscape of higher education and using finite resources efficiently and effectively. Technology-enhanced “flipped” classrooms, the rise of digital scholarship, and a keener focus on assessment are examples of the former. Space, time, money, and staff expertise are examples of the latter. These pressures become even more pointed at smaller institutions. How have academic library and information technology organizations been contributing toward effective solutions? Some have embraced a path toward greater convergence of IT and library services. Has doing so enabled institutions to adjust sooner and more quickly to shifts in our higher education environment? Has it stimulated innovation? Has it helped eliminate duplicative effort? NITLE Shared Academics seminar leader Terry Metz delves into these questions, explores why and how the work of technologists and librarians is growing more and more similar, and highlights some colleges that have aligned technology and library talent in more integrated ways. Examine the benefits and challenges of converging IT and library services and consider future implications.TRANSCRIPT
Examining IT and Library Service Convergence: One Path for
Embracing the Future
NITLE Shared Academics Seminar
Terry Metz, Seminar Leader
March 18, 2014
Nomenclature
2014 NITLE Line of Inquiry
How might we increase our environmental awareness to improve planning and decision-making and expand our capacity to adapt in the midst of continuously changing conditions?
Big Assumptions
Managing and coping with change is the biggest challenge for both IT and library professionals at our colleges.
IT units and libraries that cultivate and building strong, collaborative relationships with one another will find themselves at an advantage when dealing with
change.
Examples of Issues Facing Campus Information Service Organizations
increasing complexity some lack of clarity (or confusion) over information
resource management silos and duplication of effort pressure from senior leadership to become more
efficient, e.g., “do more with the same and/or less” shift to “cloud computing” insatiable expectations
If you’re attending this seminar, are you…
working at an institution that’s already converged information services
working at an institution that’s begun considering convergence of information services
concerned or anxious that your institution might move in this direction
Poll: What do we mean by “IT/library service convergence”?
a) a wishful-thinking gimmick used by senior administrators to save money
b) either the IT or library operation becomes subservient to the other unit
c) all—or nearly all—library and IT services are aligned under a single leader
d) a plausible result of increased pace of technology adoption—as well as scholarly publication changes—in higher education
e) a viable option when considering how to enhance service to students and faculty
f) a fad that’s run its course
Comparing Professional Perspectives
IT Issues Panel’s Top-Ten IT Issues, 2013
Research Planning and Review Committee’s 2012 Top Ten Trends in Academic Libraries
• Leveraging wireless and a growing variety of mobile devices
• Leveraging technology to improve student outcomes
• Developing an institution-wide cloud strategy for better right sourcing and solutions
• Developing staffing and organizational models to accommodate changing IT environment and facilitate agility
• Facilitating better understanding of info security; balance between openness and security
• Funding IT strategically
• Developing sustainable strategy for online learning
• Supporting IT consumerization trends (e.g., BYOD)
• Transforming business processes with IT
• Using analytics to support institutional outcomes
• Communicating value with compelling evidence
• Curating data—especially developing standards, institutional repositories, and cloud-based solutions
• Preservation of digital collections
• Adapting to rise in online instruction as effort to increase higher education ROI
• IT-driven change
• Accommodating expectations for highly mobile environments
• Normalizing patron-driven e-book acquisition—and subsequent licensing and e-book lending challenges
• Keeping pace with rapid changes in scholarly communication and publishing models
• Staffing—hiring, and redeploying and retraining existing staff
• User behavior and expectations of convenience
Sampling of Objectives for Embracing IT/Library Service Convergence
Enhancing capacity to meet needs and expectations of users in world rapidly transitioning to digital modes of scholarly communication, teaching, and learning
Improving user experience by providing services more elegantly, seamlessly
Seeking greater efficiency; streamlining both oversight and control of expensive tools and resources; reducing overlap in missions, structures, and budgets
Positioning institution for challenges of an increasingly digital, technology-reliant future
Other Motivations Resolving serious crisis in one of the organizations
Peer/competitor institutions trying it/adopted it
Using opportunity of vacancy in either the IT leader or library director positions, or both
Potential Benefits of Converged Approach
Increased alignment with institutional mission and goals
Clearer, sharper focus on users and their overall needs
Nurturing of flexibility, adaptability, and innovation
Greater budget flexibility and more efficient use of resources
Richer, more forward-thinking professional development opportunities for IT/library staff
More effective responses to to emerging technologies
Potential Areas for Greater IT/Library Collaboration
Challenges/Other Considerations Leadership
Maintaining a delicate balance
Incentive primarily to save money, reduce staffing, or trim numbers of direct reports
Outcome cannot be easily predicted with certainty
Sampling of Convergence Readiness Conditions
Administrative dimension—extent to which administrative responsibilities, governance structures, and budgets are merged in ways idiosyncratic to institution
Conditions for Readiness (cont’d)
Physical dimension—ways in which space for people, services, and functions are shared, as well as proximity of these spaces on campus
Conditions for Readiness (cont’d)
Operational/collaborative dimension—extent to which IT and library staff and leaders already work cooperatively on projects, share financial resources, and delivery services jointly
Conditions for Readiness (cont’d)
Cultural dimension—extent to which participants experience significantly separate organizational cultures, have evolved understandings about working together, or are actively developing joint values, service philosophy, and organic sense of purpose, and unified/shared service models
Some Ingredients for Success Senior leaders help campus community understand
rationale/reasons for adopting convergence path
Campus community, especially faculty, understand why path was chosen and what expected and desired outcomes might be
Leaders must help staff of existing IT/library units understand value of integration for that particular institution–as well as define success
Encourage IT/library staff to visit/consult other institutions where convergence is succeeding
Sample of Locations Employing Converged IT/Library Operational ApproachesAllegheny CollegeBates CollegeBeloit CollegeBrandeis UniversityBryn Mawr CollegeBucknell UniversityCarthage CollegeColby-Sawyer CollegeConnecticut College DePauw UniversityDickinson CollegeHamilton CollegeKalamazoo CollegeKenyon CollegeLafayette CollegeLake Forest CollegeLehigh University
Luther CollegeMount Holyoke CollegeMiddlebury CollegeOccidental CollegeOhio Wesleyan UniversityPacific Lutheran UniversityRhodes CollegeSt. Lawrence UniversitySt. Norbert CollegeSt. Olaf CollegeSewanee: The University of the SouthSouthwestern UniversitySUNY BrockportUniversity of RichmondUrsinus College (just adopting)Wellesley CollegeWheaton College (MA)
CLIR CIOs Group
Informal group of about 25 liberal arts institutions with merged IT/library service organizations that routinely engaging in dialogue about these issues
Thought Experiment
If we could completely redesign a user-centered information support model for our colleges, what would it look like?
Discussion/Question & Answers:
Some Suggested Readings
ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee (2012) “2012 top ten trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues affecting academic libraries in higher education,” College & Research Libraries New, 73(6) (June): 311–320. Online at: http://crln.acrl.org/content/73/6/311.full (accessed February 6, 2014)
Each trends includes a brief discussion and references to further reading. A follow up Environmental Scan 2013 document was based on this trends report. http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/publications/whitepapers/EnvironmentalScan13.pdf
Susan Grajek and the 2012-2013 EDUCAUSE IT Issues Panel (2013) “Top-Ten IT Issues, 2013: Welcome to the Connected Age,” EDUCAUSE Review, 48(3) (May/June): 31–57. Online at: http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/top-ten-it-issues-2013-welcome-connected-age (accessed February 6, 2014)
Presents top-ten IT-related issues facing higher education institutions. Frames each issue with discussion and set of strategic questions.
Suggested Readings (cont’d)
EDUCAUSE Online Library search results for “IT-library Merger” tag. Online at: http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/greater-sum-its-parts-integrated-itlibrary-organization (accessed January 29, 2014).
Provides access to articles, reports, presentations, and podcasts on this topic.
Chris Ferguson, Gene Spencer, and Terry Metz (2004) “Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts: The Integrated IT/Library Organization,” EDUCAUSE Review, 39(3) (May/June): 38–47. Online at: http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/greater-sum-its-parts-integrated-itlibrary-organization (accessed January 29, 2014).
Provides brief overview of issues to evaluate before considering a merger of IT/library organizations.
Suggested Readings (cont’d)
Susan Heid Culture Morph: Campus Technology. Chatsworth, CA: Campus Technology, June 1, 2007. Online at: http://campustechnology.com/articles/2007/06/culture-morph.aspx (accessed January 30, 2014).
Offers brief overview of possibilities made available through library/IT collaboration.
Arnold Hershon (1998) “Integrating computer and library services: an administrative planning and implementation guide for information resources,” CAUSE Professional Papers Series #18. Boulder, Colorado: CAUSE. Online at: http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/integrating-computing-and-library-services-administrative-planning-and-implementation-guide-information-res (accessed January 27, 2014)
Although published 16 year ago, many of the basic topics discussed and considerations raised remain relevant today.
Suggested Readings (cont’d)
Christopher D. Barth (2011) Convergence of Libraries and Technology Organizations: New Information Support Models. Chandos Information Professional Series. Oxford: Chandos. http://www.woodheadpublishing.com/en/book.aspx?bookID=2098&ChandosTitle=1 This is the best single comprehensive, published source on this topic.
Graphics CreditsAll graphics from the Noun Project thenounproject.com
•Slides 1, 6, 31 – Jeremy J Bristol http://thenounproject.com/term/merge/11510/
•Slide 2 – Michela Tannoia http://thenounproject.com/term/book/25335/
•Slide 3 – NITLE http://www.nitle.org
•Slide 4 – Pieter J. Smits http://thenounproject.com/term/library/6857/
•Slide 5 – Thomas Uebe http://thenounproject.com/term/microchip/4955/;
Piotrik Chuchla http://thenounproject.com/term/graph/21531/
Brady Clark http://thenounproject.com/term/square-peg-round-hole/27142/
Andrew Forrester http://thenounproject.com/term/cloud-computing/2567/ (and Slide 11)
•Slide 7 – Ariel Liu http://thenounproject.com/term/poll/14229/
•Slide 8 – www.educause.edu and www.acrl.org
•Slide 7 – Ariel Liu http://thenounproject.com/term/poll/14229
•Slide 8 – Michela Tannoia http://thenounproject.com/term/book/25335
•Slide 11 – Simple icons http://thenounproject.com/term/chart/31051/
OCHA Visual Information Unit http://thenounproject.com/term/analysis/4187/
Duke Innovation Co-Lab http://thenounproject.com/term/mooc/27476/ (and Slide 12)
Leonard Ellom Quist http://thenounproject.com/term/change/26326/
Graphics Credits (cont’d)• Slide 12 – Luis Prado http://thenounproject.com/term/money/11012/; OCHA Visual Information Unit
http://thenounproject.com/term/staff-management/4185/; San Salido Martinez
http://thenounproject.com/term/devices/23601/; Venkatesh Aiyulu http://thenounproject.com/term/wireless/6036/
• Slide 14 – Jakob Vogel http://thenounproject.com/term/evolution/3985/
• Slides 15 & 16 – SuperAtic Labs http://thenounproject.com/term/puzzle/22586/
• Slide 17 – Juan Pablo Bravo http://thenounproject.com/term/heavy-load/26964/
• Slides 18-21 – Hrag Chanchanian http://thenounproject.com/term/check-box/876/
• Slide 18 – Hubert Orlik-Grzesik http://thenounproject.com/term/gears/16876/
• Slide 19 – Michael V. Suriano http://thenounproject.com/term/museum/9491/
• Slide 20 – Duke Innovation Co-Lab http://thenounproject.com/term/collaborative-learning/27467/
• Slide 21 – Baruch Moskovits http://thenounproject.com/term/collaborate/30964/
• Slide 22 – Juan Pablo Bravo http://thenounproject.com/term/mountain-climbing/14893/
• Slide 24 – CLIR logo http://clir.org
• Slide 25 – Rediffusion http://thenounproject.com/term/question/29387;
Qing Li http://thenounproject.com/term/add-template/13005/; http://thenounproject.com/term/layout/13009/; http
://thenounproject.com/term/layout/13008/
• Slide 26 – Daniel Llamas Soto http://thenounproject.com/term/enigma-box/37899/
Graphics CreditsAll graphics from the Noun Project thenounproject.com
•Slides, 1, 5, 33 – Jeremy J Bristol http://thenounproject.com/term/merge/11510/
•Slide 3 – Pieter J. Smits http://thenounproject.com/term/library/6857/
•Slide 4 – Thomas Uebe http://thenounproject.com/term/microchip/4955/;
Piotrik Chuchla http://thenounproject.com/term/graph/21531/
Brady Clark http://thenounproject.com/term/square-peg-round-hole/27142/
Andrew Forrester http://thenounproject.com/term/cloud-computing/2567/
•Slide 6 – Rediffusion http://thenounproject.com/term/question/29387
Qing Li http://thenounproject.com/term/add-template/13005/;
http://thenounproject.com/term/layout/13009/; http://thenounproject.com/term/layout/13008/
•Slide 7 – Ariel Liu http://thenounproject.com/term/poll/14229
•Slide 8 – Michela Tannoia http://thenounproject.com/term/book/25335
•Slides 10 & 11 – Venkatesh Aiyulu http://thenounproject.com/term/wireless/6036/
Simple icons http://thenounproject.com/term/chart/31051/
OCHA Visual Information Unit http://thenounproject.com/term/staff-management/4185/
Ugur Akdemir http://thenounproject.com/term/lock/1559/
•Slide 17 – Jakob Vogel http://thenounproject.com/term/evolution/3985/
•Slide 18 – SuperAtic Labs http://thenounproject.com/term/puzzle/22586/
Graphics Credits (cont’d)
All graphics from the Noun Project thenounproject.com
•Slide 20 – Juan Pablo Bravo http://thenounproject.com/term/heavy-load/26964/
•Slides 21-24 – Hrag Chanchanian http://thenounproject.com/term/check-box/876/
•Slide 21 – Hubert Orlik-Grzesik http://thenounproject.com/term/gears/16876/
•Slide 22 – Michael V. Suriano http://thenounproject.com/term/museum/9491/
•Slide 23 – Duke Innovation Co-Lab http://thenounproject.com/term/collaborative-learning/27467/
•Slide 24 – Baruch Moskovits http://thenounproject.com/term/collaborate/30964/
•Slide 25 – Juan Pablo Bravo http://thenounproject.com/term/mountain-climbing/14893/•Slide 27 – CLIR logo http://clir.org
•Slide 28 – Froz http://thenounproject.com/term/meeting/28970/ Daniel Llamas Soto http://thenounproject.com/term/enigma-box/37899/