Development of user-oriented library services: a troika model

1. Development of user-oriented library services: a troika model John Gilbert, Peter Niesten & Trudy Meijers Universiteit Maastricht 5 April 2004

2. Contents • Introduction • ‘Troika’: a Russian carriage drawn by three “horses”: • Library (technology push) • User (market pull) • Faculty (financing) • Service development • Example of document delivery • Managing the three “horses”

3. Introduction • Universiteit Maastricht (UM) • University library of UM • Financing of library services • Service contracts • Importance of user focus • Faculty users and faculty management: not the same! • Three forces: library, users, faculty • Forces (“horses”) pulling in the same direction?

4. Library development • Application of new technology • Co-operation with other libraries; shared services • (Shared) cataloguing • Interlibrary lending, document supply • Digital resources: co-operative bargaining • Hybrid libraries: merging services • Efficient work processes

5. User needs • Know the user! Understand their needs • Distinguish between user groups: per discipline and per “role” • Role: student - staff, teacher - researcher • User input: • Day-to-day observation, feedback • Questionnaires, site for complaints, suggestions • User forums • Library committees

6. Faculty management • Faculty pay the bill: library as cost factor? • Who or what is faculty management? Who pulls the strings (key players)? • Not only costs: but also benefits • Clear overview of products and services • Back up product overview with user demands and use statistics • Key players in library committees

7. Service development in perspective • 70’s and 80’s: technology push; automation and networking; library systems, union catalogues • 90’s: digital resources; hybrid libraries; concern about rising costs • 2000 - : integration of library services in user environment; accent on “added value”

8. Interlibrary Lending (ILL) • Development of national system on basis of central system • Books and journals; all types of libraries • Standard solutions, standard software, standard tariffs • However increasing pressure to adapt system: • Different libraries have different wishes • Library users have different expectations • Impact of e-journals

9. Local ILL issues • Library as both supplier and requester (balance between ‘import’ and ‘export’) • Direct ordering for researchers via campus network • Students: (un)limited ILL?, payment?, direct ordering? • What about e-journals? How to avoid ILL for journals “on line” to UM staff and students? • Integral costs of ILL?

10. ILL solutions • 2003: Consultant report on national ILL system • Tariff differentiation, e-journals also in database • UM: focus on direct ordering, staff and students • Merging of “ILL” service and e-journal worlds with library portal (MetaLib/sfx) • Splitting costs of ILL-export (central funding) and ILL-import (faculties) • Each faculty determines ILL budget

11. Service development • What are the lessons? Service development requires: • Co-operation between libraries! • Good technical infrastructure • Good contacts with faculties • Respondent library organisation (UM has matrix of departments and faculty librarians) • Awareness of user needs and user environment • Insight in costs • Good PR and communication

12. Service development (2) • Library personnel are key factor • Attitude and skills: • Library skills • Communication skills • Business skills • Awareness of role of library in research and education • “Binding force”: library strategy as part of university strategy

13. A model for service development • Make optimum use of library know-how and technology; co-operate where appropriate • Keep in touch with your users and their research and education environment; enable the user • Communicate with faculty; try to establish “partnership” • In brief: manage the “Troika”