Transcript Tough Times, Tough Decisions

Tough Times, Tough
Decisions
Streamlining, studying and
experimenting to save $ and better
serve customers
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Presenters
Toni Anaya, Materials Access Team
[email protected]
Wendy Begay, Materials Access Team
[email protected]
Robyn Huff-Eibl, Materials Access
Team
[email protected]
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Abstract
In the past several years, circulation and shelving
statistics as well as the usage of print reserves have
declined. At the University of Arizona Libraries, we
are moving from a traditional mediated service
environment towards increased user self-sufficiency,
where the basic circulation transactions become
unmediated. Come learn how we have implemented
open holds, reserves, self check-in, streaming audio
and soon streaming video. Learn how we have
consolidated services into a single desk, the
challenges we faced and competencies required to
create a new future for your circulation staff.
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User Self-Sufficiency
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Developed a vision (2002) for non-mediated services
and increased user self-sufficiency, allowing staff to
spend more time assisting customers with
complicated information questions
Questioned cost-benefit of keeping items behind
“counters” vs. costs to continue staffing multiple
service sites
Increased focus on providing information and referral
(reference)
 Strategic Project Team (FINL 2003-2005)
officially moved circulation staff into this work
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Merging Service Desks
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Campus and Library budget cuts forced MAT to
consolidate libraries and service desks
Staff from 3 branches, Architecture, Music and
Center for Creative Photography, were
consolidated (2003)
 Closed Architecture Library; consolidated
material and services into Music Library,
creating a Fine Arts Library
 Hours at 2 of the 3 branch libraries were
reduced
 Paging services were offered during reduced
hours which increased overall access to
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material
Merging Service Desks
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Science-Engineering Library (2005):
3 service points (Reference,
Circulation and Photocopy) merged
into one service desk staffed solely
by circulation staff and student
assistants
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Used one-time funds to demolish 3
existing desks and install 1 new service
desk
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Self-Service Holds and Reserves
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Express Check-Out
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Implementation of “One Desk”
Science-Engineering Library
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Policies Supporting User Self-Sufficiency
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After analyzing reasons why users were
accruing small fines, we developed new
circulation and reserve policies to help
reduce this work (2003)
Developed innovative unmediated services
(2003-2005)
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placed materials such as holds, CDs, reserves,
and videos in the general stacks
enabled videos to be checked out on Express
Check machines
promoted streaming audio to replace CDs on
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reserve
Policies Supporting User Self-Sufficiency
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Created strategic projects to address
team processes:
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promoted usage of our Express Checkout
machines
conducted a cost analysis of hiring and
training shelving employees to stabilize
the workforce and reduce costs
addressed the customer's “biggest”
problem of not finding material in the
library
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Customer Reactions
 Change is never easy but overall positive
reactions
 In 3 short years, Self-Check usage has
increased on average from 20% of total
circulation to 75%
 Customers love not having to wait in line for
their holds and reserve books
 Users like open media; average loss rate of 5
DVD’s per month but still cheaper than
staffing a separate service desk
 Piloting streaming video this Fall with 5 Faculty who
have items on reserve
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Mediated vs. Non-mediated
# of Transactions
3-Year Trend: Comparing Non-mediated & Mediated
Checkout and Renewal Transactions
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
346,830
300,212
258,947
NONMEDIATED
191,502
MEDIATED
99,969
FY 2003/2004
FY 2004/2005
78,462
FY 2005/2006
Fiscal Year: compares July to March
Linear
(MEDIATED)
Linear
(NONMEDIATED)
How did Circulation Staff begin
providing Reference?
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Strategic Project Team (FINL) formed to
investigate all information & referral services,
assess the quality of these services and find a
way to provide services of the same or higher
quality for less money
Data of actual questions revealed 90% of
reference questions were appropriate for staff to
answer
 All circulation staff are at a high level, Library
Specialist (similar to a Library Assistant IV or V
elsewhere)
 Finished a re-grading study; new titles and
position descriptions implemented April 2006;
new titles i.e. Library Information Associate 14
Reference Staffing Pilot-Fall 2004
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Staff attend 15+ training sessions, ranging
from searching the catalog and indexes,
software training such as Excel, Scanning and
CD burning to specialized reference training
such as Chemistry, Patents, and Astronomy
Staff must meet library quality standard:
100% of staff providing Information and
Referral will receive 90% or higher on
reference training
Librarians participate as reviewers on staff
developmental reviews (performance reviews)
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Reference Staffing Pilot-Fall 2004
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Staff shadow science librarians mid-August to midOctober
Librarians shadow staff mi-October to end of
November
Staff work solo December 1st
Librarians formally observe staff December–
February, documentation submitted as part of their
developmental reviews
Implemented online “referral” system to support
the 20% of questions needing a subject librarian
No customer complaints due to changing level of
staffing at the desks
3 rounds of data collection over two years continue
to support this level of staffing
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Examples of Competencies Required
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Circulation/Fines
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Photocopy Services
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Reference Interview process
Index Searching in Academic Search Premiere
Advanced Reference
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Cash handling and credit card functions
Basic Reference
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Customer Service, Fines/Billing, Laptop knowledge
Subject specific training such as Chemistry,
Astronomy, Patents, Music, Art & Architecture
Hardware/Software
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Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Scanning, CD Burning
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Challenges
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Large number of training sessions in a short time
period
Each site requires more in-depth subject training
Standards Enforced: shadowed, observed and
feedback from librarians
Referral system (training, feedback and updates)
Absorbed extra desk hours by re-allocation of
circulation work
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Converted student wages to hire half-time staff devoted to
working the desk, allowing us to provide higher level service
(2004)
Some staff work shifted to student workers
(coordination of shelving activities)
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The Future
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Continue to respond to customer
feedback
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LibQual+
Library Report Card comments
Moving away from the concept of
traditional Circulation Services, focusing
more on providing Information and
Referral
“One Stop” for customers
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The Future
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Continue working out the glitches and
increasing the amount of unmediated
transactions through self-service
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Turned over billing fees to Bursar and Collection
Agency
Circulation of laptops
Continue exploring and implementing “My
Library” services
E-Commerce for paying fees (July 2006)
Self Check-out and Self Check-in
Streaming Video for Course Reserves
(Fall 2006)
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