Partnerships for Mutual Benefit at Southbank Institute of TAFE Library

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1 Australian Academic & Research Libraries ISSN: (Print) X (Online) Journal homepage: Partnerships for Mutual Benefit at Southbank Institute of TAFE Library Barbara Sullivan-Windle To cite this article: Barbara Sullivan-Windle (1999) Partnerships for Mutual Benefit at Southbank Institute of TAFE Library, Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 30:2, , DOI: / To link to this article: Published online: 28 Oct Submit your article to this journal Article views: 13 View related articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at Download by: [ ] Date: 11 July 2016, At: 06:50

2 Partnerships for Mutual Benefit at Southbank Institute of TAFE Library BARBARA SULLIVAN-WINDLE ABSTRACT Educational institutions are increasing their internal and external partnerships with a wide range of areas previously considered separate entities. This move has come about as institutions have realised that forming partnerships can build on their own individual strengths. Southbank Institute of TAFE Library, while always embracing partnerships with teaching colleagues, is now widening its partnering focus to take better advantage of developments in information technology and to meet the requests of clients for a more flexible delivery of services and products. This article acquaints readers with these partnering arrangements. A number of factors in the educational environment are driving the current trend towards educational institutions forming internal and external partnerships or alliances with areas previously considered separate operating entities. Hall says these influences include 'the information explosion, the impact of information technologies, the changing nature of work with its follow on effect of changes in student populations and their needs'. 1 Institutions have embraced flexible delivery in order to achieve the outcomes required in this changing environment. Flexible delivery is applicable to both internal and external students as it refers to the use of a range of teaching and learning strategies and technologies, in a variety of locations such as the workplace, at home, at the institution, or at learning centres in the community, at a time most convenient to the client. However, Booker points out that there have been significant barriers to the successful implementation of flexible delivery-rigidity of organisational structures and inadequate resources and infrastructure are two she mentions. Booker goes on to quote Hall's 3 assertion that it is through partnerships that institutions will be able to build on their own individual strengths to achieve new possibilities. This way, these barriers may be overcome and required outcomes achieved. Barbara Sullivan-Windle is Library Services Manager at South bank Institute cf TAFE. barbara.sullivan-windle@detir.qld.gov.au

3 Sullivan-Windle: Partnerships for Mutual Benefit At Southbank Institute of TAFE steps are being taken to eliminate the rigidity of previous structures, to redress the inequities of resource provtston, and to set in place a workable infrastructure-both technological and physical. These steps are intrinsic to the imperative for areas of the institute to build internal and external partnerships. South bank Library is one such institute area embracing Creth' s 4 imperative to 'establish, refocus and strengthen partnerships'. We are going further than partnerships with only 'other professional groups within the institution' as Creth suggests, by forming partnerships with outside groups as well. This article reveals the extent of this active pursuit of mutually beneficial partnerships, both internal and external to the institute. Early Partnerships Southbank Library staff have always encouraged a strong partnership between its staff and teaching staff. As in many other educational libraries, this was by the establishment of a Faculty Liaison Librarian structure whereby a librarian liaises closely with the teaching staff of one or more faculties (depending on staff numbers and size of the faculty). Liaison focuses on the development of a library resource collection relevant to the teaching and learning needs of the faculty and its students, the provision of a reference service, and the provision of information literacy training to a faculty's students and staff. Library technicians are also partners with teaching staff either through their functional tasks such as the lending services functions: interlibrary and intercampus loans, copying of broadcasts, booking of resources such as videos and seminar rooms; or through their connection with a librarian for technical services functions related to the librarian's liaison area. Campus Librarians and the Library Manager formed internal partnerships through their involvement in institute committees, and other management forums. They were also involved in some external networking partnerships, mainly with other TAFE librarians or other library professionals. Increasingly it became obvious that these partnerships, while still vital for the successful operation of the institution, did not go far enough in the changing external environment. Southbank Library saw the need to widen its partnering focus to take better advantage of developments in information technology, and to meet the requests of clients (both industry and individuals) for a more flexible delivery of courses. 135

4 AARL, June 1999 Widening the Partnering Focus Partnering with Information Technology Professionals Southbank Library staff had always been aware of the developments in information technology happening around them. Unfortunately budget constraints and other factors combined to keep the library behind in taking advantage of these developments. Along with other T AFE Queensland libraries, Southbank had a very old automated library system. Though it had served the community of library staff and clients well for over ten years, it was well overdue for replacement. As early as 1994 when South bank Institute of T AFE was formed, library staff proposed and achieved a partnership of sorts with the computing section of the institute. 5 At least both these sections of the institute came under the same structure. Along with a new Innovations Unit which aimed to progress flexible delivery, Computing Services and the Library formed a Curriculum Services section under the umbrella of Educational Services. It was a step in the right direction, but came with a set of problems. Continuous improvement involving further structural changes within the institute and within the parent department, to meet the changing environment, have since resulted in a different configuration of these partnerships. Subsequently, TAFE Queensland outsourced support of its information technology systems to a consortium. An Information Management Centre (IMC) is located in the same building as the Southbank Campus library. It contains a Support Services Group which provides all business improvement services to individual TAFE institutes and to T AFE Queensland at a systemic level. The Help Desk facility is located at this site. Library staff at Southbank (and at other TAFE institutes) have developed ways to ensure that this IT partnership is of mutual benefit. With the advent of a new Web-based library system in 1998 it has been imperative that a close relationship exist between library staff and those who are charged with its technical support. To this end the library system was introduced TAFE Queensland-wide under the direction of a project team assisted by an Internal Steering Committee of TAFE library managers. The Southbank Library Manager is a member of this committee. Membership on this committee and membership of the wider TAFE Queensland Library Managers' Group means the Southbank Library Manager maintains a partnership with colleagues who share similar problems, be they information technology related, or other librarianship issues. Before implementation, a Southbank Campus librarian was released for one year to be part of a training team of two for the new library 136

5 Sullivan-Windle: Partnerships for Mutual Benefit system, in partnership with the prime contractor providing the hardware, project management services, and installation for the new system. The team travelled the state teaching the new system to T AFE library staff. On her return to Southbank the campus librarian has been instrumental in setting up workable systems for our library service, and sharing knowledge with other TAFE library partners. The other trainer, now also a Southbank Library employee, is working with the project team. She will impart a wealth of knowledge to our library team on her return. It is envisaged that liaison with other TAFE library staff will continue, to keep alive this mutually beneficial partnership with our colleagues. Prior to TAFE's purchasing the new library system an Australian user group for the system had been formed by non-t AFE library staff whose institutions had purchased the system. TAFE Queensland libraries joined this group ('swamped' might be a better word!), and the same Southbank Campus librarian who was a trainer became the Queensland User Group representative attending the Australian user group meetings intra- and interstate. She also conducted training in aspects of the new system to the IT outsourcer's 'Help Desk staff for a fee. Along with other T AFE Queensland library staff, South bank library staff also regularly offer their expertise to the Project Team to assist in the development of the new library system by being available to conduct application testing of enhancements or new versions of the software, or to be a pilot for such things as report generation and development. Partnering with Other Professionals The advent of the new library system opened the doors for Southbank library to respond to new client needs, especially those relating to the flexible delivery of the institute's courses. While the new library system is integral to these developments, as is a continuing relationship with IT professionals, there existed a need for a much wider partnership focus. It is to these that this paper now turns. Client Services Network As part of the Business Process Improvement (BPI) conducted at Southbank Institute, a new internal network was formed. The Client Services Network emerged as the key outcome of a project completed in June The project brief had required: the critical examination of the operational activities of 14 client service areas across the institute the development of a new model for client service delivery which capitalised on existing synergies provision of a 'one-stop-shop' approach to client service delivery 137

6 AARL, June 1999 reduced duplication of effort and intensive one-to-one service strategies. 6 Three 'clusters' resulted: Marketing and Sales, Client Information and Support, and Flexible Learning and Development. The latter consisted of the Library, the Electronic Learning Centres (ELCs), and the Flexible Learning Unit. The new model relies heavily on the development of partnerships between what were once considered discrete service areas. The network is not to be considered a structural arrangement, but as a network or partnership of people primarily concerned with the provision of service to the institute's clients. A number of small projects involving library staff have grown from these partnerships, for example, assisting the development of a new client information centre to be centrally located at Southbank. Much of the library's part in this work centres around the provision of Internet research for administration and student services staff, and the production of electronic and paper brochures for intending students. The following discusses the major project partnerships which involve the South bank Library. ESP Project As it is Web-based, the new library system allows remote clients access to information, via the institute and library home pages. It also allows clients access to their borrower records, to place a reservation on a title; access to electronic information sources such as commercial fulltext databases, articles and course notes on electronic reserve, and other document delivery services; and access to reference services. An ESP (Electronic Services and Products) Project has been set in place to enable full utilisation of this functionality of the library system to deliver a variety of library services and products electronically to Southbank clients. In order to achieve the required outcomes of this project, a very important 'internal' partnership of the library's various cross-campus functional task groups has been formed. The project calls on the skills of the members of all groups-systems, reference, information literacy, lending services, technical services, collection development, staff development, and marketing in order to deliver the numerous electronic products and services. In addition, this project group has formed partnerships with other groups inside and outside the institute such as the IT outsourcer's technical staff. An external partnership has been developed with a TAPEwide learning technologies group who are currently working on the overall information technology infrastructure for T AFE Queensland. 138

7 Sullivan-Windle: Partnerships for Mutual Benefit Flexible Delivery Network The Library Manager, the Manager of the Electronic Learning Centres, and the Manager of the Flexible Learning Unit worked together to enable the formation of partnerships to develop a flexible delivery platform for Southbank Institute. A partnership of interested people has been formed across and outside the institute to promote and encourage the networking of staff involved in flexible learning to ensure experiences and knowledge are shared across the institute instead of residing in individual teams. The network aims to meet electronically, and has developed a set of protocols for the provision of flexible learning. It is developing a database of projects undertaken, existing and required staff skills, existing and required learning resources. Members of the network include teaching staff, tutors, the Project Officer (Learning Technologies), the Project Officer (On-line Technologies), an Information Management staff member, library staff, and managers experienced in flexible delivery issues such as funding options and needed technologies and members of a T AFE-wide videoconferencing network. Liaison also takes place with TAFE Open Learning Institute teaching staff and staff from a local university. Until the formation of the network, forays into flexible learning occurred within the confines of individual teaching teams. There was no opportunity to learn from others' experiences, duplication of effort and resource development occurred, and there were no professional development opportunities. The Network has begun to remedy this. Amalgamation of Libraries and Electronic Learning Centres (ELCs) A pilot has just commenced at one campus to combine a library site with an electronic learning centre. The pilot will allow management to gauge the adequacy of the model to achieve a more client-focused service where a range of print-based and electronic teaching and learning resources are available in one location at a campus. This pilot was advanced by yet another partnership formed at the Institute. Southbank currently has a partnership arrangement with a local university which allows students from the university's rural campus to attend classes at Southbank. Under the agreement, these students make use of a campus library and were in need of computing facilities to assist them fulfil their course requirements. The university faculty supplied computers to resource a combined facility, and the institute arranged for the construction necessary to combine the existing library, faculty computing facilities, and a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) testing centre, into an electronic learning and RPL testing centre within the library precinct. The new facility is available to both university students and Southbank clients. 139

8 AARL, June 1999 Marketing One of the most active cross-campus task groups of Southbank Library is the Marketing Task Group. The strategy of this group centres around: a client focus: identification of clients/markets both existing and potential; identification of their needs existing and unknown a resources focus: identification of human, physical, and financial resources, and identification of networks/alliances development of a marketing plan including the development of a graphic style or logo; publicity/promotions. In order to achieve its purpose, the group has fonned an internal partnership with the institute marketing department with a representative from this department attending library marketing meetings; a partnership with the institute visual arts department for the production and design of promotional material, both printed and Web-based; and an external partnership with TAFE librarians from other institutes who meet regularly to combine knowledge and skills for further marketing of library services and products. Another partnership has been fonned with a city bookstore to provide a book shop service to Southbank students and staff. Not only has this partnership resulted in considerable discounts to students and staff, but the bookstore also assists in library marketing and promotional events. This has included publishers' trade displays and the provision of prizes for library competitions. The partnership with the institute marketing department has involved library staff as active partners in the institute's promotional campaign which aimed to make Southbank visible to the clients, and to show them what products the institute has to offer. Staff worked on the institute call centre over the Christmas/New Year and enrolment period alongside marketing and other institute staff. Library marketing group members have also worked with teaching staff in the business faculty to conduct focus group interviews with clients, and the development of a client survey to measure the success of the library service, and to give business students practical experience in using these measurement tools. In addition, graphic design teaching staff used a library logo design task as an assignment for students. As a result of these partnerships the library service enjoys a higher profile within the institute, and its marketing strategy now aligns more closely with that of the institute's. This has allowed a wider reach to clients to make them aware of the services and products available from their library service, and ensures higher quality offerings. Usage has therefore increased-more clients are coming into the libraries, borrowing of resources has increased (by 10% at one campus), and there has been an 140

9 Sullivan-Windle: Partnerships for Mutual Benefit increase of 146% in the number of reference queries to librarians across all campuses. Internal and External Process Improvement Library staff recently participated in a trial of a new online ordering system by the institute's purchasing department for the whole of the government department. The trial involved placement of stationery orders with the institute-preferred provider of stationery. The library also worked in partnership with the department's head office purchasing department to set up a state-wide TAFE tender for the supply of audiovisual and book resources to TAFE Queensland libraries. The professional knowledge of our liaison librarians was used to develop and edit the tender document. Southbank Library is currently in partnership with its serials supplier to trial an online contents index using the library's serial holdings~ Networking Networking is one form of partnership that library staff have used well for many years. The T AFE Queensland Library Managers' Network mentioned earlier is an example. This body meets to discuss issues common to TAFE Queensland libraries. Topics discussed include issues surrounding the implementation of the new library system, the marketing of our products and services, the use of Kinetica, copyright, and the sharing of staff development activities. Reciprocal Borrowing Along with a number of other TAFE Queensland libraries, Southbank Library is a participant in a reciprocal borrowing scheme which enables TAFE students state-wide to borrow in person from other T AFE libraries in the scheme. Southbank Library is also participating with these T AFE Queensland libraries in the trial of a national TAFE reciprocal borrowing scheme. Both these schemes contribute to providing support for flexible delivery initiatives of institutes, making it far easier for clients to access information for learning. Statistics are being compiled to enable evaluation of the scheme. National Statistics Collection The National Working Group for TAFE Library Services (NWGTLS) has begun the collection of library statistics to provide an opportunity to benchmark nationally, not just within a state, to improve our services to clients. Southbank Library is part of this scheme. A Southbank campus 141

10 AARL, June 1999 librarian is the T AFE Queensland State representative on the working party. Training Library staff have been involved in the provtston of Internet training, including the development of Web pages, for staff of the Electronic Learning Centre, and have provided electronic guides for students of the ELC. Like most libraries, Southbank library offers fieldwork opportunities for trainee librarians and library technicians. As library technician studies are offered at Southbank Institute, the library works with the applied science faculty to provide fieldwork opportunities for Southbank students. Some of the projects completed have included cataloguing whole campus serial collections, all work involved in moving collections across campuses, such as database updating, and stocktaking. Over the years a number of these students have gained positions within the library, and have proven to be very valuable employees. Conclusion Library staff are naturals for forming partnerships. They possess the qualities needed for success in these ventures-ability to communicate with a range of people, awareness of and an openness to change, especially technological change, responsiveness to their clients' needs, and a willingness to share the vision of the parent organisation. Southbank Library staff intend to continue their commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships which, ultimately, enrich the educational journey for its clients. Notes J W Hall 'The Educational Paradigm Shift: Implications for ICDE and the Distance Learning Community' Open Praxis vol p30 2 D Booker 'Creative Partnerships: Focus on Learning and Beyond' Proceedings of the 6th ALIA TAFE Section National Conference Sydney 1997 p3 3 Hall p36 4 S B Creth 'The Electronic LibriU)': Slouching Towards the Future or Creating a New Information Environment' Follett Lecture Cavendish Conference Centre, London 30 September Members of the Information Services Working Party Information Services Working Party Report Southbank Institute oftafe Brisbane S Wilkinson Final Report: CSN Participation-Institute BPI, 29 October- 6 November Internal Institute Report 142