Bibliographic Data Creation and Management at Network Level (Facilitator/Recorder:

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1 350 Technical Services Report MOVING INTO THE FUTURE: TECHNICAL SERVICES IN TRANSFOR- MATION. A REPORT OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICES MANAGERS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES INTEREST GROUP MEETING, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WASHINGTON, DC, JUNE 2010 As tremendous cultural and technological transformations impact libraries and library work, library technical services are undergoing significant changes. Moving into the future requires technical services to embrace many new initiatives, including such trends as user-initiated services and acquisitions, network level data management, globalization of resource access, elimination of localization, social networks for internal communications, changing organizational structure, and others. Technical services staff will need to respond to the swift changes today and tomorrow; developing the essential competencies and skills is imperative. As General Eric Shinseki said: If you don t like change, you re going to like irrelevance even less! This report is a synthesis of the discussions at the Technical Services Managers in Academic Libraries Interest Group addressing issues, challenges, and solutions related to some of the initiatives. Approximately 67 participants, managers from various academic libraries, contributed to the discussions of the group, led by Annie Wu, Cataloging Coordinator, University of Houston Libraries. The discussion was organized around six tables and six topics. At each table, a member of the steering committee led a discussion. Table topics included: The Organizational Chart and Location of Technical Services (Facilitator: Jack Hall; Recorder: Michelle Turvey Welch) Collaboration of Technical Services with IT Services (Facilitator: JoAnne Deeken) Better Management of Technical Services Internal Communication (Facilitator: Linda Lomker) Bibliographic Data Creation and Management at Network Level (Facilitator/Recorder: Annie Wu) Evaluation of Technical Services Performance (Facilitator: Bruce Evans; Recorder: Mary Beth Weber) Technical Services Staff for the Future (Facilitator: Roberta Winjum; Recorder: Sharon Wiles Young) Major themes from these discussions included: the organizational structure of technical services, staffing, data creation and management, communication, and evaluation.

2 Organizational Structure of Technical Services Technical Services Report 351 Organizational charts and the way technical services responsibilities are grouped in a library have significant impact on library operations and performances. A great variety of organizational set-ups exist, and the changing nature of library work has caused some changes in organization structure. For the discussion participants, the traditional technical services functions of acquisitions, cataloging, and serials control are still represented in their libraries in a division called technical services. Some of the other library functions often included in technical services are: collection development, metadata (obviously having some connection to cataloging, but sometimes more allied to archives or special collections); digital resources; systems; preservation; and access services (variously including circulation, interlibrary loan, shelving, and reserves). Other names for these units are possible, but functions remain similar, for instance, a collection development may be called content development and technical services itself may get a new, perhaps flashier name, such as discovery systems. The following list illustrates some of the variety of possibilities libraries are using in organizing their technical services: Pairing of cataloging and preservation functions Separation of preservation from cataloging functions Pairing of cataloging and archives Pairing of archives and special collections with a metadata librarian working with archives to address their metadata needs Archives as a stand-alone unit apart from the library A separate special collections/archives cataloging team that handles collection level record creation, EAD support, etc. Digital services unit consisting of a digital services unit head, a metadata librarian and a staff member to handle any needed scanning Lack of a clear home for electronic resources Combining of serials and electronic resources into one unit Combining acquisitions and interlibrary loan units Combining interlibrary loan with technical services operations Consolidation of separate technical services operations from branches into a single, centralized technical services unit Combining acquisitions, cataloging, and library systems under one dean Co-location of cataloging and library systems operations Moving away from the idea of bibliographers working shifts on a help desk Collection development and public services being located under one dean, technical services and systems under another dean Shift from a flat organizational structure to a more hierarchical one Combining acquisitions and copy cataloging into one unit

3 352 Technical Services Report Shifting toward a model where everyone in technical services does a bit of everything (less specialization); impact of this on training needs From this list, one can see that libraries are struggling to organize around changes taking place in their work, and making organizational decisions that may be complete opposites from one institution to another. The locations and function of technical services (TS) and information technology (IT) services also vary in different institutions. Analyzing the interaction of TS and IT can be useful, as one library undergoing reorganization was doing. Consultants can also help analyze TS and IT structure and function for optimization. When IT and the library are independent, in most cases the library has to reach out to IT, rather than IT coming to the library. Sometimes IT and the library share space, which is a learning experience for both groups. In one library, digital collections are the responsibility of IT and not the library, and this requires a strong effort on both sides to work interdepartmentally when dealing with digital collections. As far as managing computers, in some cases TS staff has absolutely no control over their own desktops, including permission to load programs which are all handled by the IT department. Security concerns can result in these kinds of technical services restrictions. In another library example, TS and systems and web services are under the same dean in spite of different locations of each unit. TS performs its usual duties and also provides input on internal decisions and the library website, while the IT unit is there to deal with server maintenance and hardware issues. Because upgrades to the integrated library system (ILS) deal both with hardware and technical services issues, collaboration including upgrades to the ILS is a joint effort. Many libraries have their own IT department or place limited IT responsibilities in TS, while at the same time having access to an institution-wide IT department. In these cases, campus IT may take care of all hardware, including hardware that supports the library, and the library deals only with library systems: managing its website, loading records, and arranging for system upgrades performed by the ILS vendor. IT may or may not report to the same dean as the library does. IT and the library will consult about IT issues and interests; however in this scenario the library and IT are not blended. Alternately, IT may be a department located inside the library. In many cases, the library s IT department works with all campus computer issues, with TS having some voice in ILS upgrades. The metadata specialist may be assigned to library IT rather than TS because of that person s work in loading large datasets. It is not unusual to have a staff member in TS who covers IT responsibilities for TS only. TS staff can also contribute by serving on IT teams or committees dealing with their areas of expertise. The strong ties between TS and IT services suggest that it is worthwhile to consider a

4 Technical Services Report 353 variety of options for how to structure their relationship, and that no one size fits all. Technical Services Staffing In answer to the question: Within TS, have you recently eliminated positions, created new positions, assigned new tasks to existing staff, redefined jobs completely, reassigned staff within TS or to other areas, changed your organizational structure, or made other changes? many of those in today s TS can answer all of the above. Reorganizing staff and the changes and training involved are a big concern among TS librarians. There is an increase in TS responsibilities: digital projects, more e-books, and cataloging for special collections. The staff needs to develop new skills to handle electronic resources and help with the electronic resources management (ERM). In some libraries, TS librarians have other responsibilities such as teaching and other liaison activities. Some libraries have had to lay off as much as half of their staff. In some instances centralizing TS operations is a strategy to cover staff layoffs. At the same time, outsourcing of copy or other cataloging is also common. A return on investment analysis of activities can pose a threat to in-house cataloging. Meanwhile libraries must balance traditional print processing needs with new demands. Determining staffing needs is complex. Building new expertise on the staff is needed, while retirement of long-term staff is a concern. It is important to ensure staff are using listservs to maintain awareness of current issues. A challenge is how to train and help staff members with professional issues if they do not attend conferences. Working with unions adds another wrinkle to concerns about staff assignments and training. Given the changing nature of the work, how do managers define the difference between professional librarians and paraprofessional staff? In the ALA group discussion, the consensus was that professional librarians are responsible for the strategic planning and big picture overview versus the day-to-day operational processes performed by paraprofessionals. For electronic resources, some libraries find that their staff have been quick to change and learn new skills related to e-resources. The skills needed for ERM include keeping the link resolvers up-to-date, tracking problems, and resolving problems based on subscription and licensing data in the ERM or database. It is particularly difficult to determine how to classify these staff members. It is also challenging to determine how TS can provide more visibility and information about the skills necessary to successfully manage electronic resources and to ensure that the administration is aware of these management skills. When reference/public desks/interlibrary loan (ILL) departments report access problems directly to these staff members, it not only helps with problem solving, but also provides some visibility for the staff members, as they manage the link resolver.

5 354 Technical Services Report Some libraries have created a stronger alignment between the acquisitions and ILL departments. If ILL requests are placed for current materials, it may make sense for acquisitions to order the materials, a variation on the model of ordering books based on demand. Other areas that can be more closely aligned with TS are special collections and archives. Skills needed for TS staff include the ability to work with schema other than MARC, using metadata and authority data to organize and describe such things as institutional repository content, podcasts, or other digital collections. If some of the paraprofessional staff is interested in learning, they can be trained to take on new responsibilities which may cause others to take interest. Training is crucial for new staff members and for everyone when major changes occur. Staff can be trained through the many webinars and other training opportunities now. Mentors can also generate some interest. TS staff can feel fragmented with so many reassignments and new training. Many supervisors find themselves feeling fragmented as well. There are challenges in finding staff willing to change, and one strategy is to make small, incremental changes. This tactic can be as successful for supervisors as it is for staff. Bibliographic Data Creation and Management at Network Level An area of major change in work performed within TS relates to the topic of bibliographic data creation and management at the network level. This refers to creating and managing bibliographic data at an upper level and not relying on local tweaking only. Examples are the WorldCat Local initiative and the OCLC Expert Community initiative which allows participants to correct, improve, and upgrade all WorldCat master records. The topic also refers to mechanisms for sharing and enhancing metadata as they are created by both publishing communities and bibliographic utilities. The trend of cataloging is more toward massive creation and management of data. The new model of data sharing is the automated capture, crosswalk, and enhancement of metadata from publishers, aggregators/ wholesalers, retailers, bibliographic utilities such as OCLC and libraries. Two impacts of network-level bibliographic data creation and management include: (1) less workload for catalogers, which may mean less need for cataloging staff; and (2) a new bibliographic display and access model, replacing the legacy online public catalog with a bibliographic portal. The benefits of network-level cataloging include: interoperability and shared metadata, efficiency, non-duplicate work, and elimination of local work. There are some disadvantages or concerns for network-level cataloging as well such as availability of records (e-records), the quality of records, and the capability (dependability) of the system.

6 Technical Services Report 355 Network-level bibliographic data creation and management requires new skills and competencies from catalogers such as data output and input, data mapping, crosswalk, coding, knowledge of XML and metadata schema, understanding publisher standards, and so on. Another networklevel bibliographic data creation and management activity that may benefit cataloging work is SkyRiver, a new bibliographic utility with 20 million records. In SkyRiver, catalogers do not control or initiate the replacement of existing records. Copy can be enhanced or changed from within the software before being exported to the local catalog. SkyRiver records are updated based on automated processes that detect changes to records in the local ILS. This simplifies cataloging, but it entails a paradigm shift away from a database of records that, in many ways, is directly maintained by its users. Communication Staffing changes require setting priorities and figuring out what are reasonable timeframes as well as what can or cannot be accomplished, all of which needs to be communicated. TS staff members need to know what is expected of them. People outside TS need to understand what is possible with current staffing configurations. They may be able to help set priorities for projects. Various methods are commonly used today to convey and record information within TS. Both old and new technologies are employed, including , wikis, online calendars, Netfiles, verbal interaction, and documentation/forms in print or online. To record and find such information as policies, procedures, statistical data, organizational charts, and job assignments, staff must be trained to use wikis and other technologies to keep the information current and well-organized. Challenges in communicating among staff members are many, including the daily chores of maintaining calendars and keeping up with reading/filing , regular responsibilities such as getting word out on a timely basis and making sure that staff members are not working with dated information, and other less frequent tasks still requiring regular attention such as revising documentation or changing software. Assigning someone to be the point person for documentation and providing useful technology such as Netfiles can make revising and posting current documentation easier. All can benefit if expert users take a hand in making new technologies as simple and efficient as possible. Meetings are necessary for information exchange, answering questions, soliciting ideas, but they should not be too long or held too often. A trend appears to be toward fewer meetings, being careful to call them only if the agenda is substantial enough to justify the time. Depending on how scheduling works, one may need to set core hours when everyone is available for a meeting. This has been done in various libraries with flexible or

7 356 Technical Services Report shift scheduling. Another problem is that the same people always participate, but others can be encouraged by giving them time to think about discussion items through agendas distributed prior to meeting, making eye-contact, and requiring respectful responses to all ideas and comments. If decisions have been made by administration, it is important for middle managers to explain them to their staffs. Sometimes the decision to do something is made elsewhere and TS discussions are about how to implement a decision. Departments within TS need to communicate with each other for efficiency. Acquisitions and cataloging may even be part of different departments, yet need to coordinate their work and communicate on issues. TS staff members serving on committees outside the department results in TS being more visible and more approachable, and having more information about other decisions that impact the department. Communicating within a consortium can be especially difficult as members may have their own policies resulting in others wondering why something has been done a certain way. Phone calls, , and meetings are needed to bring about understanding. Many libraries use the Web to communicate policies and procedures. One problem is that people copy from the Web what they want and do not check back for changes. Changes should be announced via , at meetings and/or indicated on the Web to alert people. Statistics can be used to communicate the accomplishments in TS, or to show trends in workflow or productivity. This process of demonstrating worth through statistics can be useful, but also risky. Thus statistics are important, but need to be regularly reviewed to be sure what is kept is important and is being kept in the most efficient way possible. Keeping individual statistics confidential is important. Anecdotal evidence suggests that people are keeping fewer statistics now than in the past. Keeping statistics manually takes time away from acquisitions and cataloging functions. Various ILS systems may be able to provide statistical data so that it does not need to be kept manually. Evaluating Performance In evaluating the performance of staff in TS, libraries use different methods. These run the gamut from using their campus s standard form to not being required to evaluate at all. During the evaluation review, supervisors often try to coach staff members to develop their strengths, especially in new areas. The need for employees to do more complex work can also be emphasized during the evaluation discussion. Accountability for communication can be addressed in performance reviews. Consistency across staff is important. The main challenge with measuring performance is not enough time, as tracking staff performance throughout the year is a time-consuming task.

8 Technical Services Report 357 When employees keep a log of what they do each month, it makes the yearly evaluation process much easier. Employees may benefit from keeping portfolios of compliments they receive from others. A novel approach in one library is to provide monetary rewards for a newly bought resource that circulates a lot; this helps to ensure that the library does not buy something that doesn t circulate. The cost of conducting performance reviews should be evaluated. However, not evaluating can cause problems with administration, who as a result don t understand what TS staff does. For instance, external expectations for TS performance may include the idea that outsourcing will be much more efficient than it actually is. The overall truism about TS applies: it isn t noticed when it s working well, but it is when it doesn t. TS is like the butler of the library. Reorganization in order to enhance TS effectiveness has become a constant for many libraries. Some recognize the benefit to be gained from doing a time study of how staff members spend their time in general, but not a nitty-gritty examination of everyone individually. It can be illuminating to ask employees what they don t like about their jobs, in addition to what they do like. Every time a position comes open, it should be evaluated for its effectiveness and specific duties. The process of evaluating TS performance is becoming more sophisticated overall. TS has the advantage of being able to demonstrate our worth through data. Conversation between technical and public services is important in evaluating how well patrons are being served. TS staff needs to be a part of the discussion about how to get people into the library, both virtually and physically. TS should also be included in any planning that affects the user interface, the public catalog, or access to library resources. When considering what kinds of skills TS managers are looking for in prospective employees, an important quality is flexibility: the ability to think outside of the box, yet still be able to follow and apply the appropriate rules, especially for cataloging. Curiosity, an interest in learning new things, and an analytical mind are also key characteristics. It is more important to focus on people s behaviors than their attitudes. Roberta Winjum Vanderbilt University Library Nashville, TN Annie Wu University of Houston Libraries Houston, TX