Refocusing for the future: meeting user expectations in a digital age
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120910927484 |
| Date | 02 January 2009 |
| Pages | 6-24 |
| Published date | 02 January 2009 |
| Author | Peter Edward Sidorko,Tina Tao Yang |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Refocusing for the future: meeting
user expectations in a digital age
Peter Edward Sidorko and Tina Tao Yang
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the changes adopted in a major Asian academic
library aimed at making the library more responsive to evolving and growing client needs, and to
positioning the library as a key player on campus in terms of teaching and learning support.
Design/methodology/approach – Following a period of organizational restructuring, the library
embarked on a series of client focused services specifically aimed at enhancing its role in teaching and
learning support.
Findings – The article draws on a number of previously existing and new services introduced by the
library, and demonstrates growth in their usage. Further evidence of success is highlighted through
three consecutive biannual user survey results which demonstrate an increasing responsiveness to
user expectations.
Research limitations/implications – While many of the new services have been well received, the
findings require further examination to ensure that the services continue to create value for the
organization and that the library sustains its role.
Practical implications – This paper reinforces the perspective that, in order to succeed and remain
relevant, academic libraries must continue to evolve and to position themselves within their
organizations so that they are recognized as important players in teaching and learning processes.
Originality/value – This article provides one possible model for other libraries to follow in
attempting to reposition themselves within their organizations.
Keywords Academic libraries, Change management,Information services,
Organizationalrestructuring, China
Paper type Case study
Background
The University of Hong Kong Libraries enjoys a long and distinguished history.
Libraries across the globe are of course facing seismic change that does not appear to
be abating, but rather approaching a dramatic crescendo. As we become embedded in
the era of the “digital native” (Prensky, 2001) there is a tendency to believe that
libraries are no longer relevant or at least less relevant than they previously were. This,
we would argue, is true of libraries that have failed to capitalize on such changes and
realign themselves to meet the rapidly changing needs of today’s users. In this paper
we will outline how The University of Hong Kong Libraries strove to make itself more
relevant within an environment that viewed it as complacent, traditional,
non-responsive, inwardly focused and bureaucratic.
We sought to turn this perception around for a number of reasons: we wanted to
reconnect with our users to more fully understand and meet their needs; we wanted to
be able to demonstrate to our stakeholders that we were as relevant today as we ever
were; and, we wanted to ensure that as an organization we were not only responsive to
current needs but that we were readily adaptable for the future. We wanted to be, and
to be seen to be, innovative, friendly and highly relevant.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
LM
30,1/2
6
Received 29 July 2008
Revised 25 August 2008
Accepted 4 September 2008
Library Management
Vol. 30 No. 1/2, 2009
pp. 6-24
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120910927484
Restructuring and reengineering of library services: putting service first
In 2001 a new university librarian was appointed followed by a new deputy. Upon
arrival of the new librarian a number of changes happened in quick succession:
technical services that had been highly decentralized to branches and departments
were largely centralized; meeting structures were radically altered with a view to
high levels of participation; open discussion groups for specific library functions
were created; reassignments of responsibilities to the deputies; a new and ambitious
strategic plan was developed. While successes had been achieved through these
changes, it was felt that more was needed. In 2003 we enlisted the services of a
library consultant expert who reviewed our organizational structure and delivered a
report with numerous recommendations. We already knew that we had to adopt a
more flexible approach in terms of both our structure and indeed attitudes. Such
flexibility was seen as important due to the anticipated “increased rate of change
and the high levels of uncertainty” for the future and because a flexible approach
can help to minimise any negative affect caused by these two factors (Walton, 2007,
p. 166).
The consultant commented that, despite all the changes that had already been
introduced in the relatively short period of just 17 months, the Libraries remained as “a
stable hierarchy with a strong vertical orientation” and with “a very strong pull toward
the traditional, functionally based organization”. With an overall aim of making the
Libraries a “more agile and responsive organization” we were told, among other things,
that:
.Our structure should be focused on and organized around the customers and
their needs rather than focused on internal functions.
.The Libraries should move away from rank- and position-based assignments.
.Equitable staffing distribution should be based on data rather than perceptions
and history, particularly data about the effect of staffing on customers.
.Barriers to effective horizontal communication will have to be taken down.
.Supervisors and those who charge project groups hold themselves somewhat
aloof from those who are actually doing the work and “bosses” should roll up
their sleeves.
Following this report a series of forums and workshops were held that culminated in a
special “organizational retreat” to address these issues and derive a new structure.
Following on from these efforts we:
.integrated Serials with the Acquisitions Department (to be the newly renamed
Acquisition Services Department);
.integrated Interlibrary Loans/Photocopying with Circulation Department (to be
renamed Access Services Department; and
.fully integrated the functions performed by our East Asian Library, the Fung
Ping Shan Library, into those of the main library.
We wanted to build an organizational structure that would be less rigid, functionally
based and more flexible. We created a team structure that was largely built around
four key areas:
Meeting user
expectations in a
digital age
7
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