University Library Committee 2001-2002

Library Annual Plan

In 2000/2001, the Library began an annual planning process to identify a core set of goals that would be pursued during the year. This year's planning document includes three initiatives that began last year plus several new goals. The annual plan is not meant to be a complete list of all library projects. Together with the dean's goals, it is intended to highlight the library's key priorities and major commitments of resources (staff time, funding, equipment, etc.).

Although the budget forecasts for the biennium remain uncertain, the library needs to position itself to meet the changing needs of students and faculty. Given the current economic realities, this year's plan is focussed on cost-efficient service enhancements, cooperative purchases, processing alternatives, and policy revisions.

Service Improvement:

Develop a new design for the library's website to provide easier access to resources and effective communication with library users. Incorporate changes based on results of usability studies, informal surveys, and general advances in graphical design and website functionality.
Analyze results of service quality survey (Libqual). Identify areas requiring additional feedback. Determine existing strengths, service deficiencies, and actions that the library should take as a result of the findings
Investigate free borrowing privileges for the general public. Consider financial, practical, political costs/benefits. Identify affected groups on campus and within the broader community. Recommend a policy and procedures which can then be discussed with UO Administrators.
Increase awareness of information literacy concepts and practices. Draft a document (definitions, vision statement, best practices, and outcomes) which can guide campus-wide discussions. Encourage pilot projects in different disciplines. Recommend strategies for extending information literacy into the broader curriculum.
Investigate the costs/benefits of circulating bound periodicals. Consider different levels of services, e.g., faculty access, campus-wide access, Orbis access. Recommend a policy and procedures which then can be discussed with UO faculty.
Monitor national and regional developments in providing digital reference service.� Recommend participation if appropriate.

Collection Improvement:

Support digital library initiatives (e-Asia, Special Collections, Greater Western Library Alliance) Adopt policies, procedures, standards for the creation of digital collections. Recommend equipment, software purchases.
Identify key cooperative collection development activities, especially with regional libraries. Focus on enhancing regional holdings, sharing access to resources, and reducing duplication.
Conduct a cost/benefit analysis of shelf-ready books.� Review vendor-supplied options, conduct a cost study for in-house processing, identify impact on library services.
Improve physical and bibliographic access to specific collections. Set priorities for processing uncataloged collections. Develop a plan for completing retrospective conversion. Set standards for physical condition of stacks/reshelving.
Suspend Dewey reclass project. Focus priorities on providing access to selected uncataloged resources and retrospective conversion.

Organizational Improvement:

Develop a comprehensive emergency response plan focussed on the library's collections, systems, and facilities. Recommend basic salvage methods, emergency equipment and supplies, immediate response procedures, etc.
Develop updated list of core competencies. Re-evaluate work done as part of the Public Services Self-Study (1992). Identify key individual skills and organizational knowledge required to meet current information needs and user expectations.

Maintained by: Sheila Gray, skgray@uoregon.edu
Last Modified: 08/11/2006