1. Designing a Library for the Future: A Case Study on Reorganization Laurie L. Thompson The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

2. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 2 Outline Problems facing the library prior to reorganization How did we address these problems? Data collection and evaluation Unexpected findings Outcomes Lessons Learned Assessment

3. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 3 Problems We Were Facing Too oriented toward print Too many dysfunctional teams Too fragmented Too little money

4. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 4 Preconceptions Reduce number of teams Shift some personnel within existing unit structure

5. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 5 How Did We Address These Issues? Organizational Efficacy Task Force Detailed timeline/methodology Keep private information private

6. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 6 Data Collection and Evaluation Unit charges Team responsibilities Individual job inventories Unit managers analyses AAHSL statistics Environmental scan Literature review

7. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 7 Findings Tasks needing additional personnel Obvious/immediate changes Debatable changes requiring additional information Talking points for individual managers and staff New or modified charges for units Global issues

8. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 8 Outcomes Fewer teams Consolidation of digital collection activities New units Regions and regional meetings Council to monitor and recommend further changes

9. 9 Director Associate Director Information Desk Campus Outreach Reference & Education Interlibrary Loan Special Projects Librarian Digital Infrastructure R & D Acquisitions & Licensing Digital Access Print Resource Mgt & Optimization Library Administration Information Systems Director Assoc Director 1 exempt 1 non-exempt Regional Facilitators University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Contact RegionCollections Region Support Region Organizational Efficacy Council Special Projects Librarian Teams & Task Forces Info Resources Development Corporate Communications Technical Liaisons Task Forces 8/21/03

10. 10 Director Associate Director Information Desk Campus Outreach Reference & Education Interlibrary Loan Special Projects Librarian Digital Infrastructure R & D Acquisitions & Licensing Digital Access Print Resource Mgt & Optimization Library Administration Information Systems Director Assoc Director 1 exempt 1 non-exempt Regional Facilitators University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Contact RegionCollections Region Support Region Organizational Efficacy Council Special Projects Librarian Teams & Task Forces Info Resources Development Corporate Communications Technical Liaisons Task Forces 8/21/03

11. 11 Director Associate Director Information Desk Campus Outreach Reference & Education Interlibrary Loan Special Projects Librarian Digital Infrastructure R & D Acquisitions & Licensing Digital Access Print Resource Mgt & Optimization Library Administration Information Systems Director Assoc Director 1 exempt 1 non-exempt Regional Facilitators University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Contact RegionCollections Region Support Region Organizational Efficacy Council Special Projects Librarian Teams & Task Forces Info Resources Development Corporate Communications Technical Liaisons Task Forces 8/21/03

12. 12 Director Associate Director Information Desk Campus Outreach Reference & Education Interlibrary Loan Special Projects Librarian Digital Infrastructure R & D Acquisitions & Licensing Digital Access Print Resource Mgt & Optimization Library Administration Information Systems Director Assoc Director 1 exempt 1 non-exempt Regional Facilitators University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Contact RegionCollections Region Support Region Organizational Efficacy Council Special Projects Librarian Teams & Task Forces Info Resources Development Corporate Communications Technical Liaisons Task Forces 8/21/03

13. 13 Director Associate Director Information Desk Campus Outreach Reference & Education Interlibrary Loan Special Projects Librarian Digital Infrastructure R & D Acquisitions & Licensing Digital Access Print Resource Mgt & Optimization Library Administration Information Systems Director Assoc Director 1 exempt 1 non-exempt Regional Facilitators University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Contact RegionCollections Region Support Region Organizational Efficacy Council Special Projects Librarian Teams & Task Forces Info Resources Development Corporate Communications Technical Liaisons Task Forces 8/21/03

14. 14 Director Associate Director Information Desk Campus Outreach Reference & Education Interlibrary Loan Special Projects Librarian Digital Infrastructure R & D Acquisitions & Licensing Digital Access Print Resource Mgt & Optimization Library Administration Information Systems Director Assoc Director 1 faculty 1 staff Regional Facilitators University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Contact RegionCollections Region Support Region Organizational Efficacy Council Special Projects Librarian Teams & Task Forces Info Resources Development Corporate Communications Technical Liaisons Task Forces 8/21/03

15. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 15 Guiding Principles Create a clear goal for the project at the outset –Have the right people in the right number of jobs (allocated to the right tasks) to best support our current environment and the Librarys stated vision for the future. Develop a unifying vision statement and use it to lead the change Priority ONE

16. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 16 Guiding Principles Assemble a guiding coalition to manage the project Choose members based on needed skills –varied experience –analytical skills –consensus-building abilities –capacity to approach problems with a global perspective

17. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 17 Guiding Principles Communicate, communicate, and communicate again –Share detailed methodology –Invite input and suggestions from all staff –Involve Human Resources department –Avoid public surprises

18. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 18 Guiding Principles Incorporate transition planning Outcomes assessment Not all problems can be solved with reorganization –Additional efforts to address other issues revealed Expect the unexpected and be flexible

19. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 19 Year 1 Assessment Staff survey –Whats going well? Whats working? –What is not going well? Whats not working? –What would you like to be different and how would you change it? –Does your unit have the right number of people doing the right tasks to accomplish the charge of the unit (rate from 1 [poor] to 4 [excellent])?

20. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 20 Findings Widespread satisfaction Some misalignments still existed Cataloging operations

21. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 21 Year 1 Adjustments Departments remained the same Shifted cataloging operations Realigned staff in 3 departments –ILL –Information Desk –Information Systems

22. ICML9 September 20-23, 2005 Laurie L. Thompson UT Southwestern Medical Center Library Dallas, Texas, USA 22 Where are We Today? Year 2 OEC successful Assessment valuable Continued satisfaction with new organization

23. Designing a Library for the Future Laurie Thompson, Director Laurie.Thompson@UTSouthwestern.edu http://www4.utsouthwestern.edu/library/ Higa ML, Bunnett B, Maina B, Perkins J, Ramos T, Thompson L, et al. Redesigning a librarys organizational structure. Coll Res Lib. 2005;66(1):41-58.