The document summarizes key points from a staff retreat at Scholes Library. The library director outlined their vision to establish core values through staff consultation and apply them to guide decisions. Changes will be incremental and focus on needs of the college. Staff will be given more autonomy but also accountability. Innovation and failing is acceptable if it leads to improvements. Focus should be on services the library does best and responding to changing needs of patrons. Physical collections may become obsolete so the library's greatest asset is its people, not materials. The director wants to reward innovation and support professional development.

1. Scholes Library Staff Retreat – Aug 16th, 2011

2. Hmm. So?
How Was Your Morning?

3. A Big Thank You.. To Everyone

4. This Afternoon
Which Mark?
Its About Process / Core Values
Laying it Out There (No Surprises)
Autonomy/Responsibility
Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes
What I Can’t Get Out of My Head
Low Hanging Fruit
Back on Earth

5. Which Mark?

6. My Vision for Our Workplace
Together we will establish our Core Values. You will all be consulted on this
and given a voice in figuring it out.
We will work toward applying these values to guide all decisions and
strategies.
These will be based on the needs of the college and university above all.
They will mediate personal preferences and help provide consistency
They will help determine a better scope and focus for our limited resources.
This will not happen over night. It will be a process.

7. About Process
I will attempt transparency, compromise where ever possible, but I make
the final calls. I will assume mutual respect if/when we disagree.
I will hear you out on anything. But that is ALL i can promise.
When consensus or agreement cannot be reached I will do one of 2 things.
Table it, or make a call. I will use my best judgment to make decisions.
You do not need to agree, but you will be heard.
I hope you will respect this, & understand that I am looking at a bigger picture.
I won't spend hours and hours justifying every decision.

8. Working in a Library During a Period of Change
Isn’t So Bad…
2/18/2014
Larry Nash White. Copryright 2009.
8

9. You
I want to reward innovation, positive work style and team efforts in any way I can.
However, I cannot do it with $. I will seek other ways, & will always do my
best to be fair
No changes to workload yet - You will be invited to work on new, interesting,
and helpful projects. But, it is your choice to volunteer, nothing extra is required.
All I ask is that you respect and support those folks doing new things.
I would like to support more Professional Development

10. Autonomy and Accountability:
I want to promote more autonomy. I don't need to know your every move.
However, this requires a bit more accountability. "Trust but verify” :)
1. Please come to me with solutions not just problems
2. Ill keep an Open Door policy (except when i need to seclude myself).
3. You may limit info on need to know basis. If in doubt, always err on side of
checking, especially when an action affects others
4. There will be more Accountability / Deadlines - all projects and tasks are
subject to GETTING DONE in an agreed upon time .. or Adjustments made as
necessary
5. I will request more information "In Writing" .. just be prepared for that.
6. I will encourage teams and group projects
7. I will be direct with folks about issues rather than be unclear. It will never be
personal.

11. Change & Innovation:
1.
Failing is OK. It is a characteristic of innovative organizations. Fail small
/ win big
2.
Good change is incremental (Little Fish)
3.
Start with low hanging fruit
4.
I understand stress & anxiety are associated with change. You are not
required to be enthusiastic about them. But please respect the process.
5.
Challenge “obstacle thinking.” I will challenge "but what happens if….”
thinking. Instead let think “How can we make this happen?”
6.
Changes should not be driven by personal comfort, but linked to core
values only

12. Scholes will be a
No Drama Zone

13. Bring Wacky Ideas Forward to Group
….with some preparation on how to proceed.
They may get shot down or fail …. but, lets make it safe to air
them
If one wacky idea out of 100 bears fruit .. we win.
Wacky ideas that I am currently considering include:
“If Only” fund
“Idea buy-back”
“Sandbox time”
Selling needed, branded merchandise

14. Low Hanging Fruit & “Punch List”
•New Signage and branding
•ITS & Systems
•New Librarian Faculty Search
•Several new reporting lines - org chart
•Regular Meetings w/Coffee - every other week to start .. then monthly.
•SWOT - to identify core values, strategies, and to CELEBRATE strengths.
•Physical environment inventory – need a team
•Staff - Ref. Shifts
•Social networking Inititative
•Meet individually with each of you for feedback on your job & get your thoughts
To inform only .. not for action .. so don't get your hopes up.
•Identify potential resource shifts - $ - more with less - focus on right things
•Would like to "buy-back” old ideas $ and re-invest - transfer priorities
•SLAC Chair
•Culture of Assessment

15. “First Who, Then What!” – Right people on the
Right bus, in the Right seats going the same
direction!
from “Good to Great” (Jim Collins) re: Single most important common attribute of great companies & organizations
Folks .. Our Past, Present and Future Success
Is Driven By YOU ..
YOU Are More Important Than Our Materials
Believe Me I Understand This

16. Questions?
Break?

17. Tame theWeb | Michael Stephens | Dominican University GSLIS | Creative CommonsAttribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Challenges
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flightlessxbird365/3740808686

19. What I Can’t Get Out of My Head
Want you all to know more about our profession and it will give you insight to
why decisions are being made.
Random thoughts that have me.. And won’t let go.
•Focus on what do we do best .. identify it and focus
•Google books will make our physical collections obsolete SOON
•Administrators will be the FIRST to recognize this – there will be questions!
•Without a profit motive .. non-profits suffer from a culture of niceness.
•Patron Driven Purchasing is a trend
•Design Thinking and Anthropologist in the library – shake the cobwebs
•Learn from our stakeholders - promoter scores, listening sessions

20. •Michael Levine -Univ. Denver - study re: E-books – Digital Natives don't
care about the interface, paper or electronic they read mostly
portions, they enjoy advantages of both P & E. Issues with e-text are mostly
librarian and faculty generated
•Print Reference - going away! Students don't even think of going there
•Massive weeding in next 5 years
•Acquisitions - Michael Levine Clarke study - 46.9% of books ordered from
2000-2009 went uncirculated, 80% used 4 or less times over last 5 years.
•Consumer Internet models are what our users expect and prefer
•Our Greater Purpose is NOT Based on Physical Materials
•OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET – NOT OUR PHYSICAL MATERIALS

21. The Times and Our Clients Are Changing
We Must Respond
2/18/2014
21

23. Change is not always comfortable…
2/18/2014
Larry Nash White. Copryright 2009.
23

24. New Semester Info.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bkfst Reception – Progress
Meeting Dates
ILL
Public Services
Tech Services
VR
Admin. (workstudy etc.)
• Items From the Floor

25. Tame theWeb | Michael Stephens | Dominican University GSLIS | Creative CommonsAttribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Hyperlinked Users:
HowAcademic
Librarians Can Respond
Dr.Michael Stephens
Dominican University GSLIS
tametheweb.com

26. Lets Think Like Our Users
2/18/2014
Larry Nash White. Copryright 2009.
26