UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND LIBRARIES

STRATEGIC PLAN 2001

Update/Status Report on Achievement of Objectives as of March 2004

Continue to elevate the quality of undergraduate education in order to provide all students an enriched and challenging educational experience.

Build a strong, university-wide culture of excellence in graduate and professional education, research, scholarship, and the creative and performing arts.

Initiatives One and Two are fundamental to the Libraries' mission, which is twofold: providing access to and assistance in the use of the scholarly information resources required to meet the education, research and service missions of the University.

The UM Libraries have consolidated general information and research services for all levels of students. Therefore, for the purposes of this plan, Initiatives One and Two of the University's plan are shown together.

Specific steps: 1. Continue to provide and refine access to collections and services to respond to changes in information delivery and the instructional and research needs of the university community.

1.(A) Address specific needs of faculty and students through cooperative programs with each college.

Leaders: Subject teams

Update: The subject librarians have accomplished much in this regard and have substantially strengthened provision, awareness and use of customized services for the departments and colleges with which they work. One example is the business librarians in the Social Science Team who work closely with the Business School and have created a Virtual Business Information Center. Other examples abound. The librarians provide custom instruction to classes, in-depth individual consultation for students, compilations of special resource material and guides (printed and electronic) and, in some cases, teach for-credit courses. They also work in cross-campus programs such as Gemstone, Honors and Undergraduate Studies.

1.(B) Deliver effective and responsive core public services in person and electronically.

Leaders: Information and Research Services Team shares with Access Services Team

Update: In 2001, 2002 and 2003 the UM Libraries participated in the national LibQUAL+™ survey, designed to test user satisfaction in four dimensions: q access to information (measures items such as convenient hours of operation and comprehensive collections q affect of service (measures staff interaction with users) q library as place (measures library environment and location) q personal control (measures ability to access library resources independently). In all three years undergraduate students responded with positive gaps between minimum and perceived services levels in all dimensions. Graduate students responded with positive gaps except for questions regarding comprehensive print and journal collections and personal control. The gap for faculty responses to the personal control dimension showed negative gaps for accessibility of electronic resources from home or office, modern equipment for easy access to information and convenient access to library collections. While the Libraries are limited in what they can do to improve the equipment concerns expressed by faculty, electronic resources and the Libraries’ Web site are improving, as evidenced by improved faculty responses in 2003, as compared with 2002.

1.(C) Organize and maintain library collections for efficient access by library users. This includes the layout of book stacks, shelving accuracy, signage, etc.

Leader: Access Services Team

Update: Much improvement has occurred in this area, especially in McKeldin, which in 2001 reorganized and moved every volume, for more logical access. Art, Architecture and Chemistry have undertaken smaller projects to improve and maximize shelving and stack layout. More consistent and extensive signage has been added in all libraries as well.

1.(D) Enhance delivery of reference and information services and inform the user population as new technologies are adopted.

Leaders: Information Literacy Team shares with Information and Research Services Team

Update: The last two years have been very active in this regard, first with the implementation of Aleph, the new integrated library system from Ex Libris, which enabled other developments such as SFX (“Find It”) and MetaLib (“Research Port”). “Find It” is a content-linking system while Research Port is an electronic gateway that users can customize. The Libraries also initiated electronic reference services. Each development has been announced and publicized in various ways – campus-wide through FYI and Outlook, to departments by the subject librarians, to classes by User Education Services, to individuals at all service desks, etc. Guides are also updated – e.g., the ones pertaining to Research and Library Skills, and Using Electronic Resources and Specific Databases.

1.(E) Take a leading partner role with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies to establish and achieve information technology fluency and information literacy requirements for all undergraduates.

Leaders: Information Literacy Team shares with Public Services Director

Update: Trudi Bellardo Hahn and Lori Goetsch served as members of the Maryland Information Fluency Team during the 2001-2 academic year to prepare a College Park response to a request from the Board of Regents regarding how the campus was addressing the need for IT fluency among students. Efforts were made to broaden response beyond IT to address aspects of information literacy. Members represented the Libraries, OIT, and Undergraduate Studies. Associate Provost Vic Korenman guided the work. The team also convened during 2002-3 to provide an update to the Regents on the university’s progress during the year. With a change in leadership in Undergraduate Studies, the Libraries will assume a primary leadership role in continuing to move dialog forward on campus.

Revise: “Collaborate with Undergraduate Studies. . .”

1.(F) Engage customers in evaluating the Libraries' user education program and act on the results.

Leaders: Information Literacy Team shares with Library Assessment Review Committee and Management Information Systems Office

Update: User Education Services (UES) has collected a huge amount of evaluation/assessment data over the past 6 years. These data came from several sources:

Adjustments to services have bee made based on the findings from the data. Details are in User Education Services' Assessment & Evaluation Activities 1996-2002 http://www.lib.umd.edu/UES/home.html#reports

1.(G) Develop and carry out divisional plans to address each division’s objectives related to this plan.

Leaders: Division Directors

Update: This objective has been carried out in some cases, most notably with Technical Services. Other divisions serve such separate and discrete purposes that it is more logical for them to have unit/group/team work plans. Examples are the Information Literacy Team in Public Services and the Collection Management Team in College Management and Special Collections.

2. Develop networked, technology-based resources to support cutting-edge research, scholarship, teaching and learning.

2.(A) Contribute to building the Maryland Institute for the Humanities (MITH) into a national model for integrating cutting-edge technology into the liberal arts.

Leader: Dean shares with Digital Library Program and Public Services Director

Update: This objective is ongoing. MITH, made possible by a major Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a collaboration among UM's College of Arts and Humanities, Libraries, and the Office of Information Technology. MITH is a virtual community and intellectual hub for scholars and practitioners of humanities computing, digital studies, and cyberculture. MITH is also an actual space housed in McKeldin Library. It provides technical resources, project consultation and an array of programs to develop innovative technological resources to expand humanities research and education. Library directors Goetsch, Vikor and Wilson have served on the MITH Internal Advisory Board.

2.(B) Guide the implementation of a new library information management system (LIMS) for the USM and affiliated libraries.

Leader: Information Technology Division

Update: The UM Libraris’ staff, particularly those in the Information Technology Division worked throughout 2001 and 2002 to implement the new system from Ex Libris USA, which supports the libraries in all four-year public institutions in Maryland. The new Web-based catalog, which went public January 6, 2003, replaced VICTOR with a new improved online catalog – catalogUSMAI (University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions). It is a state-of-the-art system providing more advanced features than the previous library system used since the early 1990s.

Technical Services had huge workloads too, to transfer from one system to another, learn many new processes for acquisitions, cataloging and processing, and adapt workflow accordingly. Public Services staff had to learn the new catalog and circulation systems and teach users the new systems as well.

2.(C) Implement LIMS3 for the College Park campus through active participation in the Implementation Working Group and related functional groups and with the broad involvement of Library and University staff and customers.

Leaders: Collection Management and Special Collections Director shares with Technical Services Director

Update: This work continues. The Implementation Working Group coordinates lists of clean-up projects, requests for reports and adding to the list of priorities. Constant negotiation and adjustment to reflect the relative priorities of so many individual institutions and group are ongoing. UM Libraries have a LIMS3 Team and representatives who participate in functional groups.

2.(D) Expand electronic reserves from the 2000 pilot.

Leader: Access Services Team

Update: With the implementation of the Aleph reserves module, this pilot program moved into production in the spring semester 2004. Revise: “Expand availability of electronic reserves materials and integrate them into the online catalog/Research Port environment.”

2.(E) Expand and promote the digital library activity within UM Libraries designed for digitizing collections, cooperative ventures, etc. to improve electronic access to materials.

Leaders: Digital Library Program

Update: This program has existed for several years and has several facets. One is Digital Library Collections, a resource for teaching and research with digital library objects, including text, image, audio and video. Collections include Performing Arts digital videos and Maryland State of Mind videos. Other applications include campus on-campus access to selected titles from Films for the Humanities, as well as the Rock-and-Roll collection. Achievements in this area are also addressed in the “Ubiquitous Library” report of November 2003.

2.(F) Proceed with the MdUSA gateway for the UM Libraries, in partnership with University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions and Maryland Digital Library.

Leader: Information Technology Division

Update: MdUSA has been replaced with the more sophisticated Research Port, which now provides remote access to electronic resources. Research Port can access databases and e-journals from on/off campus; search databases and the Libraries’ catalog together; search one database, as well as many databases simultaneously; find full text articles; and create a personalized space (my research port) to save lists of databases, e-journals, searches, and articles.

3. Ensure that the Libraries have, cultivate and retain the human resources essential to a research library of the first rank.

High-quality services depend on a well trained, effectively functioning library staff. The Libraries must be able to attract and retain qualified people and must provide for the continuing development of staff skill and knowledge in a constantly changing environment. Further, fully involving staff in organizational change and decision-making is essential to advance the Libraries' mission.

3.(A) Expand self-managed teams for adaptable and responsive library operations and services. Leaders: Library Executive Council shares with Assistant Dean for Organizational Development and Staff Learning and Development Office

Update: Many new teams have been formed since 2001, most notably with the reorganization of the Technical Services Division into production groups and coordinating teams, all led by the Planning and Leadership Coordinating Team. Working Paper 6, “Technical Services Division in a Team-Based Learning Organization,” describes the new structure in detail. http://www.lib.umd.edu/TSD/workingpaper6_ptA.html

Also in 2003 the Collection Management and Special Collections (CMSC) Division and the Information Technology Division moved more to teams. CMSC further houses the new subject collaboratives in Arts and Humanities, Science and Social Sciences.

3.(B) Begin an ongoing training and educational curriculum (i.e., the Libraries' learning curriculum) for staff at all levels so they can better serve the users' needs

Leaders: Staff Learning and Development Office shares with Assistant Dean for Organizational Development.

Update: The Learning Curriculum was launched in May 2001 and since then has been the umbrella for dozens of workshops on topics from computer software to leadership development. The Learning Curriculum is a comprehensive learning plan that focuses on individual and organizational advancement. This plan is for all library staff to develop the skills needed to become members of teams and to improve the way the organization operates. The Learning Curriculum is comprised of ten components which in turn include a number of modules. The learning plan covers approximately 150 contact hours. Detailed information is available at http://www.lib.umd.edu/groups/leardning/curriculum.html

3.(C) Provide the necessary facilities, equipment, training and technical support for staff to perform their jobs and review such provision regularly.

Leader: Library Executive Council [PAS Director]

Update: This is an ongoing objective and is managed by various offices and individuals. There are many examples, but a few include the following:

•Training is managed on several fronts, depending on the type needed. Technical Services has managed training for the new library information management system. Staff Learning and Development provides workshops on various software packages.

4. Research, develop, evaluate and implement best practices for acquiring, organizing, delivering and preserving information resources in all forms.

4.(A) Implement allocation mechanisms, collecting strategies and staffing plans for effective use of funds and for maximum impact on university programs.

Leader:Collection Management Team (in concert with advice of University Library Council)

Update: The Collection Management Team (CMT) coordinates the above steps by meeting the following purposes:

•works closely with the subject teams to enhance coordination of collection management in the broad disciplinary areas and facilitate collection management at the level of the broad disciplines.

Major budgetary decisions and recommendations of the team are subject to review by the Director of Collection Management and Special Collections and the Dean of Libraries as appropriate. In 2003/04 the Collection Management Team Leader and the Director of Public Services sponsored a study group to plan for the collection of usage data on UM Libraries’ print journal collection. The group recommended scanning barcodes using the Aleph circulation “in-house functionality. Under current exploration are scanning bound journal volumes, TSD workflow issues associated with the barcoding of loose issues, and the magnitude of the development effort in ITD needed for a hand-held barcode scanner solution.

4.(B) Continue to invest in increased access to online journals and commercial, scholarly databases for use by faculty, students and staff.

Leader: Collection Management Team shares with Electronic Resources Committee

Update: This objective is being met, not just because of the UM Libraries’ initiatives, but also because of the changing landscape of scholarly communication. Electronic resources are addressed in the November 2003 “Ubiquitous Library” report. Other details can be found at http://www.lib.umd.edu/CLMD/COLL.Policies/epubguide.html

4.(C) Determine and carry out strategies for a transition from print to electronic holdings when and where appropriate.

Leader: Collection Management Team shares with Electronic Resources Committee

Update: This transition became prominent in 2003 when the UM Libraries re-negotiated contracts with four publishers. In 2004 the Libraries will begin to receive the journals of four publishers in full text electronic format only. Approximately 600 titles will be affected. Beginning in January print receipt of our subscriptions to journals published by Oxford University Press, Elsevier, the American Physical Society and the American Institute of Physics will cease. The Libraries will retain all paper issues already in the collections. Details of this shift are at http://www.lib.umd.edu/CLMD/SERIALS/e-only.html

4.(D) Build better and timely access to information resources (including electronic resources) by streamlining workflow through Technical Services.

Leader: Technical Services Division

As noted elsewhere, Technical Services went through a comprehensive program review and emerged with five coordinating teams, including the Planning and Leadership Coordinating Team, and production groups to improve workflow. Details are at http://www.lib.umd.edu/TSD/tsd_comm.html

4.(E) Develop and carry out a permanently maintained plan and appropriate actions that preserve library collections.

Leader: Preservation Department

Update: This objective is managed by the Preservation Production Group (formerly Preservation Department) and the Preservation Committee. While both stay active with various tasks and projects, a comprehensive plan for preservation of the Libraries’ collections is still in the works.

5. Develop and implement a library-wide assessment and measurement program.

5.(A) Review all quantitative and qualitative goals periodically, to assess progress and develop new goals as required.

Leaders: Planning and Administrative Services Director shares with Management Information Systems Office

Update: Through the efforts of the MIS Office and the Library Assessment and Review Committee, the Libraries have an updated inventory of statistics. A 2003 task force developed the outline of a plan for a library-wide measurement program based on the Balanced Scorecard. The Library Executive Council approved a pilot project to work on the financial aspect of the Balanced Scorecard. The pilot project continues.

5.(B) Participate in ARL New Measures program including measures for use of electronic resources and LibQUAL+ survey.

Leaders: Electronic Resources Committee shares with Management Information Systems Office, Library Assessment Review Committee

Update: This objective is being accomplished. Work on it is ongoing. The UM Libraries participated in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 LibQUAL+™ and plan to participate in 2005 and alternate years thereafter. Summary results are under 1.(B) above.

5.(C) Advocate with the Campus Assessment Working Group and with other campus departments to include the Libraries' impact on student success in assessment/measurement tools.

Leader: Management Information Systems Office

Update: This objective is being accomplished and work on it is likewise ongoing. Irma Dillon remains active in CAWG.

5.(D) Continually monitor faculty and student customer satisfaction.

Leaders: Management Information Systems Office shares with Library Assessment Review Committee

Update: This objective is being met and the work is ongoing. Participation in the LibQUAL+™ surveys is addressed elsewhere. The Libraries also did in-house surveys in 2000 and 2002 and plan to redo those in 2004. The plan is to alternate the in-house surveys with the years in which the Libraries participate in the national LibQUAL+™ surveys.

6. Improve the Libraries' physical facilities to address the needs of onsite customers for better access to print and electronic resources, reference and instructional services, and study space.

Libraries will continue to be important places for study and research. Ever-growing collections require space. New technologies require areas designed and equipped for them. On-site users require well-lit, comfortable work spaces for individual and group study. Significant effort is continually required to meet the traditional and changing needs for library buildings.

6.(A) Complete the multi-year renovation of Hornbake and McKeldin libraries.

Leaders: Library Executive Council shares with Space Planning and Implementation Team, Facilities and Services Department

Update: McKeldin has been completed. Hornbake still has to do Phase V, primarily renovation and move of Nonprint Media Services to the ground floor. A new Phase VI, dependent on funding, will deal with HVAC and humidity issues and will enable the move of the Prange Collection from McKeldin to the fourth floor of Hornbake.

6.(B) Develop options and seek campus/USM/state backing for improved housing and access to scientific and technical resources to provide first-class service to the engineering and scientific communities on campus and beyond.

Leader: Library Executive Council

Update: The Libraries did not succeed in convincing campus authorities to adopt its proposal for a new science and technology library. Revise: Delete

6.(C) Pursue merger of the art and architecture libraries in a state-of-the-art facility.

Leader: Dean

Update: This project, as part of a proposed new facility, has been on and off the campus’ ten-year capital plan. It is now very tentatively scheduled for planning funds in 2012. Meanwhile, the Library Dean and the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities are pursuing major gifts and/or a naming of the proposed building, to encourage the awarding of state funds to get the project underway.

6.(D) Seek campus, system and/or state backing of a recommended course for off site storage and move forward to implement.

Leaders: Dean shares with division directors

Update: For two years now the Libraries have used part of the Johns Hopkins University facility at Moravia. Legislative proposals are now pending for a new, shared facility with increased capacity.

INITIATIVE THREE:

Ensure a university environment that is inclusive as well as diverse and that fosters a spirit of community among faculty, staff and students.

Specific steps:

7. Actively participate in the programs and events of the University Diversity Initiative.

Leaders: Planning and Administrative Services Division shares with Diversity Committee

Update: This objective is being met and the work is ongoing, by the Diversity Committee and by many individuals. The Libraries are a visible and active partner in many aspects of the University Diversity Initiative. For example, The Libraries’ Diversity Committee coordinates library contributions to the Diversity Database. The Libraries co-sponsor the faculty diversity research forums. Library employees participate in the Provost’s Conversations on Diversity. The Libraries are both supporting the campus commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Brown vs. Board decision and offering their own event and exhibit to enhance campus offerings.

8. Improve library work climate by addressing the findings and recommendations of recent library surveys and studies.

Leader: Library Executive Council [PAS Director]

Update: The Libraries have planned and carried out many changes and improvements to address recent surveys and studies, especially the year 2000 assessment of the Libraries’ organizational culture and diversity. Specific recommendations for action included the following areas:

In the spring of 2004 the Libraries will re-do the assessment to determine the degree of change in the organizational climate, the reasons and the success of the interventions since 2000.

9. Diversify workforce, by meeting targeted objectives in an updated library-wide diversity plan.

Leader: Library Executive Council [PAS Director] Update: Budget constraints and hiring freezes have precluded much progress in this area, but the objective remains a priority of the institution.

10. Build a greater sense of community among faculty, staff and students through projects such as a McKeldin café, exhibits, speaker series, scholarly communication initiative, etc.

Leaders: Dean shares with division directors

Update: The scholarly communication initiative began but didn’t continue, and there has been no ongoing speaker series. However, the Libraries have been very active working with other campus entities like the College of Information Studies and the Office of Information Technology to co-sponsor lectures on various topics. The Libraries’ Digital Reference Committee has sponsored several speakers. Exhibits have burgeoned with the creation of dedicated spaces in Hornbake and the Performing Arts Library. The McKeldin café, Footnotes*, became a reality on January 15, 2004, after several years of effort.

11. Promote and recognize contributions by Libraries' staff to University service, professional organizations, scholarly disciplines and to society generally.

Leaders: Chair of Appointment, Promotion and Permanent Status Committee shares with Dean

Update: This set of activities has been undertaken more by the Library Staff Awards Committee and by the Libraries’ writer/editor. The committee not only has internal award categories, but works with the Library Executive Council to pursue nominations of library employees for campus and USM awards. The writer/editor does press releases and seeks local, state and national coverage for staff accomplishments such as publishing new books, being elected to national offices, etc.

INITIATIVE FOUR:

Engage the university more fully in outreach and collaborative partnerships with the greater community.

Specific steps:

12. Support economic development and all levels of education in the state through expansion and operation of the Maryland Digital Library.

Leaders: Information Technology Division Director shares with Dean

Update: The Maryland Digital Library (MDL) initiative now has 51 member libraries representing academic libraries throughout the state encompassing public and private institutions and two-year, four-year, and graduate/post-graduate colleges and universities. Terms of governance and management have been drafted and approved. Leveraged licensing of resources has benefited all participants.

Meetings with various legislators and their staffs have indicated that interest is high in officially recognizing the existence of MDL and pursuing state budget funding. Legislation is being drafted to formalize MDL as a part of MHEC (or whatever higher education agency supercedes MHEC). Concurrently MDL is included in a legislative proposal from the Educational Policy Technology Council to fund Network Maryland, another item and MDL.

13. Explore mechanisms to support faculty and graduate students in the distribution of new knowledge and learning by collaboration with enterprises that are innovating in electronic scholarly communication.

Leader: Collection Management Team

Update: The Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM) represents a significant forward move in providing a mechanism to acquire, provide access to, and perpetually manage the intellectual and business output of the university.

14. Build mutually beneficial relationships with state and federal government agencies to enhance staffing and deliver services.

Leader: Public Services Director

Update: Working with affiliate groups such as the FDA, the Libraries developed the Research Affiliates borrowers status that provides faculty loan periods and other privileges to selected researchers who work for an agency or organization that has an official working partnership or agreement with the university.

As a regional depository library for the Federal Depository Library Program, the UM Libraries have participated in several recent meetings about the migration of government documents from a print to electronic environment and the impact that this shift has on the depository library program including digitization, storage and access to the core collections, and other critical issues. Proximity to Washington, DC and the Libraries’ role as the regional depository for federal government libraries including the GPO and Library of Congress offers a unique opportunity to be engaged in this dialog and be a close working partner.

College Park also became the coordinating institution in the University System of Maryland for the Shady Grove Center and the Shady Grove library became a branch under the purview of the Public Services Director.

15. Build strong relationships with other research libraries and professional organizations to enhance local and reciprocal services.

Leader: Dean

Update: This objective is ongoing and has been successful. The vehicles for this effort range from the Association of Research Libraries, the Chesapeake Information and Research Libraries Alliance, the Maryland Digital Library and the Center for Research Libraries, to the Federal Depository Library Program. Each has specific purposes and detailed information can be found on Web sites:

16. Survey the market for fee-based services to business and industry. Expand such enterprise services if survey results and other library priorities warrant.

Leader: Grants Manager

Update: This project has not been undertaken.

17. Respond to opportunities for international collaborative partnerships with libraries to enhance educational and teaching opportunities for students and teaching and library faculty.

Leader: Library Executive Council [CMSC Director]

Update: Subject librarians have been active in this area – for example, in collaborations with librarians in Brazil and Mexico. The efforts have been more at the individual than the organizational level. A longstanding collaboration has been with the National Diet Library to sponsor various research and preservation activities centered on the Prange Collection of Japanese materials from the period immediately following World War II.

18. Seek and respond to opportunities for collaboration with schools (K-12) and other community organizations in activities for information literacy.

Leaders: Information Literacy Team shares with Public Services Director

Update: The Maryland Digital Library (MDL) initiative has pursued collaboration with the K-12 educational community to leverage additional cost-effective access to electronic resources for all students and faculty and to explore other potentially mutually advantageous projects. The Information Literacy Team has coordinated outreach activities to K-12 as well, including Read Across America, visits from students of Northwestern High School, Eastern Middle School and others. The biennial Fowler Colloquium on Innovation in Arts Education, sponsored by the Performing Arts Library, targets music and other arts educators.

19. Exploit opportunities provided by new or renovated facilities for exhibits and other outreach efforts.

Leaders: Division directors share with Dean

Update: This objective has been vigorously undertaken, both in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library and Hornbake Library.

INITIATIVE FIVE:

Ensure an administrative, operational and physical infrastructure that fully supports a first-class university. A pervasive element of this infrastructure is a strong customer orientation that provides the highest quality of service to internal and external customers.

Specific steps:

20. Build the Libraries' human resources infrastructure to enable recruiting, retention and first-class support of the University's academic mission.

20.(A) Participate in and support University efforts to implement Regents' policies to achieve staff salaries that are at or above the market average.

Leader: Library Executive Council[Dean]

Update: There has been no progress in this regard. Indeed, with the fiscal climate worsening ever since this strategic plan was prepared, staff has not even had across-the-board or merit increments.

20.(B) Eliminate large-scale dependence on contract positions for permanent support.

Leader: Library Executive Council [PAS Director]

Update: Much progress has been made on this objective. The UM Libraries have decreased the number of contract positions in part by converting the contracts to vacant state lines. In 2003, for example, the Library Executive Council approved moving six of twenty-one contracts to permanent state lines.

20.(C) Build adequate budgets, assignment mechanisms and incentives to recruit reward and retain student assistants, including graduate assistants.

Leader: Library Executive Council [PAS Director]

Update: The accomplishment here has been to preserve budgets, which now are allotted by LEC to the divisional level. In summer 2003 two workshops, “Do You Supervise Students,” helped supervisors learn better how to train, reward and retain student assistants. Enrichment and recognition programs have been done and more student representatives to various library groups have been named – e.g., the Library Staff Awards Committee and graduate assistant representatives to the Library Faculty Assembly.

20.(D) Strengthen and expand the Libraries' graduate assistantship program.

Leader: Library Executive Council [PAS Director]

Update: In the last two years, during budget cuts, the Libraries committed to maintaining its current program of graduate assistantships. In 2004 the Libraries may add a couple of new assistantships, in connection with a pilot project to recruit students from traditionally underrepresented groups to academic librarianship specifically. The UM Libraries are also a partner in a grant-funded recruitment project for the Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance (CIRLA).

20.(E) Carry out cycles of work planning and performance review that embody best practices and most productive outcomes for all staff.

Leader: Library Personnel and Budget Office shares with Library Faculty Assembly

Update: Much effort has gone into strengthening work planning and performance review for all library employees. The Personnel Programs Coordinator has led the efforts, especially for exempt and non-exempt staff, and worked with the Performance Review Task Force and the Faculty Annual Review Oversight Committee (FAROC) of the Library Faculty Assembly to plan and carry out new processes for faculty librarians. It is an ongoing challenge for employee and supervisors to see work planning and performance review as positive and developmental. In 2004 FAROC will evaluate the planning and review program for faculty librarians.

20.(F) Investigate and implement new methods of handling peak, seasonal or other unusual workloads - including consolidation of service points, job rotation, job sharing, outsourcing, floaters, etc. - for flexible and responsive staff assignments.

Leaders: Divisional Directors

Update: Consolidation of service points – primarily for circulation, ILL and reserves in McKeldin – has been the most obvious success under this objective. Other efforts under this objective have not been pursued except where staff cuts have required them – including in Technical Services and other more isolated cases such as providing mail services, which several staffers now share, since the mail clerk retired. One outsource – using contract workers to reshelve materials in McKeldin at the end of semesters, has been halted and is now done in-house, for less money.

20.(G) Develop and implement governance and other policies and procedures for librarians to function fully as non-tenured faculty.

Leaders: Appointment, Promotion and Permanent Status Committee shares with Plan of Governance Committee Chair

Update: Much developmental work has been achieved in regard to this objective which, of course, will be ongoing. Details are at the Library Faculty Assembly’s Web site: http://www.lib.umd.edu/groups/lfa/lfadetails.html

20.(H) Constructively engage the development of unions on campus. Leader: Library Executive Council [Dean]

Update: To date there have been few contacts directly between the union and the Libraries. By and large, the contacts were in the pre-union phase, when union representatives met with staff.

21. Establish a top-performing library development operation for public communications, prospect management, partnership development, fund-raising and grantsmanship. Leaders: Dean shares with Assistant Dean/Director of External Relations; Friends of Libraries Director; Grants Manager

Update: The Libraries have integrated strategic planning with goal setting for the next capital campaign that is in the ‘quiet phase’ with a targeted date of 2006 for the public announcement. During the last two years the development effort of the Libraries has become well integrated and cohesive. The Dean and the Assistant Dean for External Relations have worked closely to advance the awareness among key players in the Libraries of how the development effort should be part of our thinking. Significant progress has been made in creating reporting activities for gifts in kind, development contacts and prospect development. The ‘tracking’ of contacts and prospects is now much advanced.

The work of the monthly meeting of the LEC-Development Group has become well organized and purposeful. Much remains to be done, but the ‘culture of development’ is becoming part of our work. In addition, the awareness of Libraries needs in the central Office of University Relations has improved greatly and has resulted in more direct support. The results are seen in the dramatic up-tick for Libraries in the regular reports of the VP for OUR. In spite of budget cutbacks and a struggling economy, the UM Libraries have excelled over the past two years, exceeding annual fundraising goals by 217% for FY02 and 432% for FY03. Total gifts for UM Libraries in FY02 were valued in excess of $2.1 million and in FY03 were valued over $4.3 million. In addition, a significant re-purposing of the Friends of the Libraries Board and the Friends Office is underway. Finally, the new PR team has begun to function for Libraries-wide organization and coordination of all these efforts.”

22. Create and maintain an electronic networking infrastructure providing the levels of connectivity and data throughput required for library customers and staff.

Leader: Information Technology Division

Update: The Information Technology Division (ITD) has advocated with the Office of Information Technology at the University of Maryland for improved network infrastructure including additional bandwidth, integrated security services, wireless expansion and network reliability. Because of financial constraints, progress in many areas advances more slowly than desired. Within the Libraries, ITD has improved the level of processing power both for servers and desktops, key infrastructure for the support of library services and business.

23. Continue re-design of individual jobs and organizational processes throughout the Libraries for increased flexibility, accountability and performance.

Leaders: Division Directors share with Dean, Assistant Dean for Organizational Development

Update: Several items need to be acknowledged that fit under this general objective but not under any of the sub-objectives below. They include

•The Facilitators Team was formed in 2001 and new members added in 2003. Facilitators work with teams on team building issues.

•Assessments of three teams were conducted to identify areas of improvement.

•Technical Services’ Program Review resulted in the formation of new teams.

•Working Paper #7 focusing on leadership development was completed and an Evaluation Plan for organizational development, staff learning and personnel programs will be completed in March 2004.

•The ITO Survey was conducted to assess perceptions of individual's roles on teams.

23.(A) Conduct cost-benefit analyses regularly to determine if re-designs are efficient and/or effective.

Leaders: Division Directors share with Dean; Management Information Systems Office, Assistant Dean for Organizational Development

Update: This task has not been undertaken.

23.(B) Prepare for and take maximum advantage of campus electronic workplace initiative.

Leaders: Information Technology Division shares with Staff Learning and Development Office

Update: This project has been achieved in that it kept pace with campus innovations such as the online inventory, electronic timesheets, etc. Optional electronic tools such as Corporate Time have been adopted as well.

24. Keep current data on the Libraries' status and needs, for fact-based decision-making and planning, for informing campus officials and others, and for supporting funding requests.

24.(A) Examine the adequacy of library operating budgets and staffing levels for fulfilling the university and library missions, and quantify the gap between the UM Libraries and peer institutions.

Leader: Library Executive Council [Dean]

Update: This step has not been done. In Maryland’s current fiscal environment, the efficacy of this examination and comparison is questionable.

24.(B) Develop strategies for increasing university contribution for library acquisitions.

Leaders: Dean shares with University Library Council

Update: With the economic downturn that began in 2001, the UM Libraries have been forced to make difficult decisions in a period of diminished resource, rather than working on the objective of increasing the acquisitions budget. For the 2003/04 fiscal year, the Libraries reduced subscription expenditures by 5%. The Libraries have received special one-time funding from the Provost to assist in protecting core collections. In 2004 the Libraries also began to receive the journals of four publishers, including Elsevier, in full text electronic format only. Approximately 600 title are affected. Details of these and other developments are at http://www.lib.umd.edu/CLMD/Staff/CMstaff.html

24.(C) Evaluate trends in building programs, renovation programs, branch/departmental libraries and off-site storage at peer institution libraries.

Leader: Planning and Administrative Services Division

Update: This step has not been done. In Maryland’s current fiscal environment, the efficacy of this examination and comparison is questionable.

24.(D) Articulate the library budgeting process in the context of shared governance.

Leaders: Library Executive Council [Dean] shares with Library Faculty Assembly

Update: This objective has not been addressed.

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