R2 Consulting LLC

1. Workflow Analysis and Redesign ALCTS Pre-Conference on Technical Services Management: Workflow Issues June 22, 2007 R2 Consulting LLC Ruth Fischer and Rick Lugg

2. Our Focus Library workflow analysis and redesign Facilitation & strategic planning Library workflow analysis and redesign Onsite change/project management Library workflow analysis and redesign Product analysis and product development for the academic library market Library workflow analysis and redesign

3. Libraries • East Carolina University • Wesleyan University • University of Vermont • University of Colorado • University of Missouri/KC • University of Utah • University of Michigan • University of Nebraska/Omaha • MIT Libraries • Minnesota State/Mankato • Arizona State University Libraries • Carleton/St. Olaf Colleges • Vassar College Libraries • Macalester College • University of Minnesota • Vendors • Blackwell Book Services • Casalini Libri • CAVAL Collaborative Solution • Eastern Book • Ebook Library • Follett Library Resources • HARRASSOWITZ • Innovative Interfaces • Integrated Book Technology • OCLC • RR Bowker • Sage Reference • University of California Press • Xrefer • YBP Library Services R2 Experience

4. Workflow Redesign Why? How? What? Why not?

5. Why?

6. Keys to the Future? • Quality Learning Spaces • Creating Metadata • Virtual Reference • Information Literacy • Choosing Resources & Managing Licenses • Collecting & Digitizing Archival Materials • Managing a Digital Repository • Source: Jerry D. Campbell, “Changing a Cultural Icon: The Academic Library as a Virtual Destination” Educause Review, (January/February 2006) 17-30.

7. OCLC adaptation of Liz Lyon

8. Libraries at Web Scale • The library website is not the front door • Connect multiple discovery environments to library fulfillment • Put library resources in the user’s workflow • Place library resources in places which aggregate demand SOURCE: Lorcan Dempsey, OCLC

9. Web 2.0 “Web 2.0 is a philosophy that customers are in control.” --Dick Costolo, FeedBurner

10. Net Gen Students

11. Library 2.0 • UW: Links from Wikipedia to Libraries Digital Collections • MSU/Mankato:“Librarians on the Loose” • GT: “Mash-up” ERM • PennTags: Social Bookmarking • UVM: New Video Resources indexed in Google

12. TS Big Heads - 2007 • Google Book Search/Open Content Alliance • Integrate E-Resources into E-Reserves • Copyright presentations to faculty • Last print copy responsibilities • OCLC “Reclamation Projects” • Government Documents transition to digital • Digital Libraries and Institutional Repositories

22. UC Bib Services Task Force “The current Library catalog is poorly designed for the tasks of finding, discovering, and selecting…” “We offer a fragmented set of systems to search for published information…”

23. Library of Congress “…the detailed attention we have been paying to descriptive cataloging may no longer be justified…retooled catalogers could give more time to authority control, subject analysis [and] resource identification and evaluation.” Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for Library Services Library of Congress (January 2006)

27. Automated Retrieval Center

28. Changing Systems & Services • Integration of eBooks into monographs mainstream (BBS/EBL/ebrary; YBP/netLibrary; Coutts/Publishers) • Federated search products (Primo, Encore, Central Search) • Knowledgebases for e-resources (SFX, Serials Solutions, EBSCO, Openly Informatics) • ERM systems (III, ExLibris, Serials Solutions, TDNet) • Integration: ILS, Link Resolver, ERM, A-Z List) • E-Journal Management from agents (EBSCO EJM, SwetsWise, HERMIS)

29. Common Workflow Issues • Overemphasis on print • Lack of a mainstream (culture of exceptions) • Limited understanding of costs • Uncontrolled gifts and endowment funds • Underutilization of ILS and other automation capabilities • Underutilization of vendor/agent services • Misallocated staffing • Limited view of quality • Staff values overrule patron preferences

30. The Long Tail

31. How?

32. R2 Methodology Understand the current environment Identify best “possible” practices Demonstrate the benefits Enable the organization Adjust and implement changes

33. Resource Identification • Selection / De-selection • Ordering and Order Maintenance • Receiving and Payment • Providing Access • Cataloging • Holdings Maintenance • Physical Prep Traditional TS Workflow

34. Resource Identification • Trials / Decision Tracking • Selection • License Evaluation / Negotiation • Ordering and Order Maintenance • Payment / Pre-payment • Activation / Registration • Cataloging • Holdings Maintenance • Resource Discovery • Access Management • Usage Tracking • Renewals / Cancellations eResources Workflow

35. Collect documents and data • Interview staff individually • Organizational structure • System and vendor capabilities • Branch library and consortial dependencies • Relationships with faculty/patrons/campus admin • Physical environment • Organizational culture • Strategic plan Step 1: UNDERSTAND

36. Involve All Staff • Be clear on the mission of your department • Be clear about how each job is designed to meet that mission • Identify the favorite and least favorite aspects of each job • Ask staff for ideas about how processing can be improved --- no one knows the job better than the person doing it.

37. Time and Task Audits • Identify each task • Calculate how many of each task is accomplished in what amount of time • Calculate comparative degree of difficulty • Collect time/task sheets anonymously • Ask staff to prioritize tasks in order of importance • Ask why each task is performed • Identify duplication of tasks • Identify situations when it is more cost effective to let some things slide • Identify policies that inhibit efficiencies

38. Other Tools • ILS data • Manual tallies • Vendor supplied data • Task and Time Audits (job inventories) • Comparison of processing methodologies • Among those staff performing the same tasks, what are the differences in approach? • How do other libraries do it?

39. Describe Current Practice • Include details (numbers) • Daily; weekly; monthly throughput • Priorities • Size of backlog; Oldest date; Rate per hour • Beware of hubs • “refer problem books to Sally” • “check with supervisor if …” • Beware of loop backs and bottlenecks • Beware of judgment calls • Beware of over simplification

40. Title Identification and Selection

41. Pre-Order Searching

42. Identify Hidden Costs:Book Ordering

43. “Customers”

44. Customers in Perspective

45. Units Acquired Annually

46. Annual Activity (all units)

47. What is the Workflow Telling Us? • Let the workflow speak • Perform a workflow audit • Establish a “big picture” with • Flowcharts • Key Measures • Specific Costs • What’s getting done? At what cost? • What’s not getting done? • Print vs. Electronic emphasis? • Which tasks are most highly valued by library staff?

48. Know your costs • Incorporate “systems thinking” • Simplify and standardize requirements • Create a mainstream • Automate the mainstream • Take full advantage of existing resources • Outsource sometimes • Establish quantifiable goals • Measure performance • Control quality via sampling • Make strategic choices R2 Workflow Principles

49. What?

50. Project Objectives • Reduce time spent on print • Create capacity for e-resources management • Create capacity for Special Collections cataloging • Reduce or eliminate backlogs • Rationalize branch library workflows • Restructure organization to support e-resources and digital initiatives • Position Libraries for growth without expansion of staff • Investigate cooperative collection development and technical services • Advise on disposition of open positions