The Network. The Reorganisation of Library and Information Services at UGent. Summarising Report. Lars Björnshauge University of Lund, Sweden

Transcription

1 The Network The Reorganisation of Library and Information Services at UGent Summarising Report Lars Björnshauge University of Lund, Sweden July 2003

2 The Network The Reorganisation of Library and Information Services at UGent Summarising Report

3 Table of contents 2 OLD STRUCTURES IN A NEW WORLD Introduction to the report The what p. 4 General context of the reorganisation The why p. 5 Drivers for change General developments in library and information services Drivers for change revisited Problems in the current setup of the library structure at UGent General problems The Tower of Books its collections and services The Digital Library The faculties and departmental libraries The when p. 7 What happened before? What else has happened? The VLIR visitation reports The what for p. 9 Purpose of the reorganisation The how p. 9 Research at the basis A NETWORK OF LIBRARIES The coordinated distributive model (CDM) A network of libraries p. 10 The whole is more than the sum of all parts Equivalence in diversity Central units Decentralised units Organisational charts p Equality in quality Decisions on decision-making Description and definition of units in the new model p. 16 The Central Library Overall management of the library organisation The Tower of Books The Digital Library The individual library unit Tasks and responsibilities of faculty and departmental libraries Minimum requirements of a decentralised library unit Funding structure p. 19 Funding the decentralised library units Funding the Central Library units

4 Table of contents 3 Organisation and decision-making p. 21 Role of the Board of Directors Role of the Interfaculty Library Board Role of faculty library committees Recommendations p. 22 Access to print collections Access to electronic resources Preservation of cultural heritage Decision-making and funding Optimising the use of resources Supporting the dissemination of the UGent research output Marketing LIS A strategic plan for LIS at UGent ORGANISING THE FUTURE Implementation of a new library structure Decisions related to the new model: organisation, funding, responsibilities p. 25 Decisions and actions in specific areas p. 26 Corporate storage arrangements Centralising and consolidating administration of journal subscriptions Digitisation of card catalogue(s) Maintenance of adequate physical conditions for preservation Academic bibliography electronic publishing institutional repository Quality control, performance measures and staff training BUILDING STONES Addenda to the report Addendum 1. Outlines of the research p. 29 Addendum 2. Who has been involved? p. 31 Members of staff interviewed Ghent University Library Departments Faculties

5 OLD STRUCTURES IN A NEW WORLD Introduction to the report Here we will see what the report is about and premedidate on how we have gone about the task. We will also learn about what happened before and why all those involved felt the need to reorganise the UGent library. The what General context of the reorganisation UGent is not the first university to realise that it will have to adapt itself to a changed and forever changing contemporary reality. All over Europe, you will find universities with large numbers of small libraries that are not always efficiently organised. This phenomenon is mostly linked to old universities rooted deeply in the 19th or previous centuries. They are often located in the heart of densely populated cities, with departments situated in many different places and usually in old buildings that are not easy to adapt to modern library services. We can find examples in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. In addition to the problem of lack of space, these universities are confronted with the new reality of electronic (or digital) library services. A digital library requires more expert knowledge and special training for the staff involved, while at the same time, and for funding reasons, it is felt the staff should be used more efficiently. It is in fact very unlikely that if a new university were to be founded today, the current systems of library provisions would be implemented. But since there is no real possibility of starting from scratch, we have to work with the inheritance of the past to build flexible structures for the future. All in all, it is no coincidence that so many universities have been or are going through the process of restructuring their library and information services. When UGent set out to investigate how it could restructure its library and information services (hereafter called LIS), it contacted several European universities that had either already gone through a reorganisation or were in the process of doing so. However, it was the contact with the University of Lund that took root. There were many similarities with the situation at UGent: the age of the university, the number of students, the way it is spread throughout the (medium-sized) town and not in the least the number of libraries it harbours. At the end of the 1980s, Lund counted approximately 190 libraries. In 2003, the number has fallen to 60 though the final goal is set at around 20.

6 Old Structures in a New World 5 A new library services structure was developed at the University of Lund in different stages during the 90s. In 1994, a new library network saw the light, which greatly improved the quality of services delivered. Nevertheless, a certain dissatisfaction remained concerning the functioning of the Central Library. In 1999, a committee which included Richard Hesseltine, UK recommended the construction of a still stronger network with decentralised units and services under the management of a coordinating head office. The Lund model can be seen as a variation on the coordinated distributive model the UGent Executive Committee [Bestuurscollege] has agreed upon. In this model, the faculties can decide for themselves how they want to set up the library services at faculty level, i.e. whether they want only one library or whether they operate several libraries within the faculty. The consequence of this autonomy lies in the fact that they themselves are responsible for the funding of their libraries. Present Director of Libraries at the University of Lund, Lars Björnshauge, has agreed to act as consultant for UGent. The why Drivers for change General developments in library and information services Since the mid-90s, when the transition from printed journals to electronic versions really took speed, a lot has been said about the approaching supremacy of the digital library. Today we know that electronic library services will develop side by side with existing library services, based on the collections of printed media built up over the centuries. The term hybrid library has become the normal way of describing modern library services. The evolution of the hybrid library requires new competences and flexible attitudes. Expertise in the maintenance and preservation of printed sources has to be combined with the development of new services based on electronic information resources. The upsides of electronic evolution are that libraries require less space for the collections and less personnel. It is however important to realise that a modern learning environment requires new, additional and modern facilities for students: a workspace equipped with workstations and professional support staff, i.e. learning centres. These are often collocated or even integrated into libraries. Accordingly, libraries have to be better organised to enable users to find the information available, and their staff better skilled to organise the available information resources. In addition, the development of electronic databases and journals has dramatically changed the relationship between suppliers and libraries. When libraries purchase printed sources, these become their permanent property whereas electronic journals, for instance, are licensed. This means libraries only buy access to the contents for a specific period of time and for a well-defined number of users in a certain setting (unit, organisation, firm). Ownership remains in the hands of the publishers. For libraries this has enormous consequences, not only in terms of future accessibility of resources or the preservation (archiving) of information, but also on

7 Old Structures in a New World 6 the level of financial planning. Information is becoming more and more expensive and due to the existing monopoly-like situation, library budgets are under pressure of commercial publishers pricing policies. As a result, we have seen the emergence of library consortia in recent years, i.e. libraries joining together to purchase electronic resources collectively. Another major change in attitude is slowly emerging on the part of research institutions all over the world: they have been striving to make their publications available in electronic archives that can be consulted for free (open access). So what are the users needs in this respect? Researchers want to be able to work from anywhere at any time, and students require as much access to the internet as possible, often preferring digital sources to printed ones when it comes to gathering information. Consequently in some faculties, while the typical library tasks of collection and loan management have become less important, there is also an increasing need for elaborate but flexible electronic resources management. Hence user support today implicates specialised attention from service providers and necessitates the development of more technical skills. This necessary change in competences and working methods cannot be realised overnight. Nor can we expect it to take place organically. It has to be supported with a plan and organised in phases so as to involve all stakeholders in its development and implementation, leading to a coherent, well-structured and efficient system. Drivers for change revisited Problems in the current setup of the library structure at UGent Based on interviews with decision makers and members of staff, and research of material and information available amongst other things, it has been possible to determine a number of problems or deficits in the existing LIS setup at UGent. These issues are to a certain degree expressions of the developments (drivers for change) outlined in the previous paragraph. General problems - Dispute over funding: there seems to be an unregulated battle between the faculties over shares in the common funding of media. The discussion about the allocation key has continued for years. - There is a feeling of a lack of transparency in decision-making structures. Existing organisational and administrative structures prevent flexible solutions. - There is no clear-cut strategy for the development of modern, coherent, effective library and information services. The Tower of Books its collections and services - As of today, no clear division of services has been made between the Central Library and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. - The precious and unique special collections at UGent require up-to-date physical conditions necessary for their long-term preservation.

8 Old Structures in a New World 7 The digital library - The absence of a central management of journal subscriptions has led to an uncontrolled proliferation of these subscriptions, with the probable consequence that UGent is not getting value for money in this respect. - The development of new electronic services is inhibited by the lack of an effective information environment for library staff. The faculties and departmental libraries The following deficits were mentioned by several of the decision-makers and members of staff interviewed: - inadequate access to existing collections; - inadequate overview of collections in the faculties, departments, seminar rooms, professors offices, etc.; - waste of expensive space currently employed for less frequently used (and inaccessible) collections; - unequal commitment from the faculties towards library services; - inadequate staffing and demand for greater competence and qualifications of the library staff in the faculties and departments; - small departmental libraries are not effective and rationalisation is necessary; - opening hours are very limited in a large number of departmental libraries and access to them is often restricted; - large proportions of books and journals purchased through research grants and contracts are regarded more as the private property of those who ordered them rather than a part of the university s collections; - there is an unbalanced willingness to take a corporate view of the provision of library services. It seems that some members of academic staff are still primarily concerned with servicing their own departmental research needs, regardless of the needs of their students or colleagues in other departments. The when What happened before? The need for a reorganisation of library services appears on the agenda of the Board of Directors (Raad van Bestuur, called Raad van Beheer up until recent years) meeting as early as the mid-80s. This resulted in a first study in 1988 by R. Suys entitled Bedrijfsorganisatorische studie van de Centrale Bibliotheek RU. Gent [ Business Organisation Study of the RU.Ghent Central Library ]. The academic authorities, and more specifically the then Administrator, Walter Van Espen, asked Suys to conduct this research. It was carried out within the context of the reconstruction scheme, which included a recruitment freeze amongst other things. At the Board of Directors meeting of March 24th 1989, it was decided to found a study group to scrutinise the librarianship at the RUG (now UGent) and formulate a reform proposal. On November 10th 1989, the Board of Directors decided on a number of concrete measures:

9 Old Structures in a New World 8 - the librarianship of the RUG would become decentralised, implying greater autonomy for the faculties; - the faculty library services would be considered independent or would be founded as such, as had already happened with the PC facilities; - Faculty Library Councils and an Interfaculty Library Council [IFBR or Interfacultaire Bibliotheekraad] would be established. The IFBR met for the first time on September 3rd In his letter of April 25th 1996, Rector Jacques Willems brought this library plan to the fore once more, within the context of the policy plan for the administrative and technical staff (ATP). At the Executive Committee meeting of October 13th 2000, an acting head librarian was appointed and a request was made for a new policy and organisational plan for the modernisation of the librarianship of the University of Ghent, to be implemented by September 30th The deadline for a preliminary report describing the baselines and a number of plan options, was set for January At the Board of Directors meeting of November 14th 2000, the mutation of the reading room staff and the cataloguers of the Central Library to the faculties was approved as of December 1st The aim was to incite the faculties and make them responsible for the functioning of their library. Hereby an agenda point of the Board of Directors meeting of July 9th 1999 came to a conclusion. As a result, an adhoc working group was founded to look into the problems of accounting and the responsibility of the CB staff now appointed to the faculties. At the Executive Committee meeting of June 21st 2001, one specific concept was approved: the coordinated distributed model (CDM) which included the digital library. This CDM is based on the existence of a Central Library on the one hand and a group of decentralised libraries on the other (one or a small number of libraries per faculty or per group of faculties). The faculty libraries are hierarchically dependent on the faculties, but are also functionally guided by the Central Library. As soon as this CDM was elaborated into tangible texts, bilateral consultations were held with the faculties. The Registrar was asked to examine the possibility of appointing an external specialist or consulting agency for this elaboration. At the Executive Committee meeting of October 26th 2001, it was agreed that negotiations with Lars Björnshauge concerning a cooperation agreement with the University Library of Lund, would continue. The Executive Committee also wanted to appoint a new head librarian as soon as possible. After allocating the consultancy assignment, the new head librarian would start the reform process, in agreement with the Director of Research Affairs, the Registrar and the Interfaculty Library Board. The Director of Research Affairs would perform the role of project manager. In 2003 the de facto cooperation between UGent and Lars Björnshauge was consolidated into a contract between UGent and Lund University. A copy of this contract will be added to the Final Report as Addendum 2.

10 Old Structures in a New World 9 What else has happened? The VLIR visitation reports The need for reorganising university library services is a nationwide phenomenon not solely linked to the situation at UGent. It was confirmed by a study carried out in recent years by the VLIR [Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad] or Flemish Interuniversity Council, consisting of visits to and consultation of all Flemish universities. An overview of the general VLIR findings will be added to the Final Report as an addendum. Nevertheless, the VLIR study also confirms the situation at UGent to be problematic. Out of 31 departments consulted over a period of time from 1995 to received a negative evaluation of library services and infrastructure. In eleven cases it was said that this was due to too much fragmentation (spreading of library services over too many libraries) and that the solution had to be sought in merging library services into bigger structures. In another ten departments (partly the same), the general functioning of university libraries was thought to be inadequate while in eight cases, opening hours were said to be too limited. The least that can be said is that whatever reorganisation process takes place at UGent in years to come, it will have to concentrate on disposing of the present widely recognised causes of malfunction. The what for Purpose of the reorganisation The principal goal of reorganising the library system at UGent, is to create a new and modern structure that will be able to adapt itself to future changes. The mission of the restructuring plan is therefore an ambitious one. It wants to lay out the framework which libraries complying to an agreed set of minimum requirements can fit into to form a modernised network i.e. a state-of-the-art provision of LIS and thus feed a high quality superstructure of research and educational activities at UGent. In the following chapter, we will elaborate on what we mean by a state-ofthe-art LIS and formulate recommendations about how it could be achieved. The how Research at the basis Addendum 2 of the present report consists of a quick overview of research actions taken upon which to build our analysis and recommendations. The Final Report will contain a large chapter with detailed research results including comments on it. Here we will simply name all UGent staff members who cooperated in the research by way of thanking them too. As mentioned before, UGent has been aware of the necessity of library reorganisation for a long time. In the present Summarising Report, we will only highlight the more important steps taken in the decision-making process. For a full managerial overview of all deliberations and decisions of both the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, please refer to Addendum 1 of the Final Report (expected later this summer).

11 A NETWORK OF LIBRARIES The coordinated distributive model (CDM) Here we will propose a model for the reorganisation of the university libraries, and make recommendations as to what steps and decisions should be taken in order to implement the model. A network of libraries A coordinated distributive model essentially aims to create one unifying structure in which all substructures participate as equal partners. The central structure serves as a virtual meeting point where ideas, working methods, plans, strategies and missions are agreed upon by all partners. Through its coordinating function, it enables the (re)distribution of knowledge and method in an effective way. Hence its name of coordinated distributive model or CDM [gecoördineerd gedistribueerd model]. In terms of the process being carried out at UGent, the CDM has to be fed by communication, consultation and dialogue. Out of these roots grows the stem of consensus, which itself branches off in the form of decisions taken. The overall structure we have in mind matches the image of a temple. The coordinating and distributing partner (the Central Library) can be seen as the foundation, and the different cooperating partners (faculty and departmental libraries) as the pillars that support the dome. The dome then stands for the function a university has in society: to be a breeding ground for education and research. But in the 21st century with the proliferation of communication technologies, we have to take the comparison further. From the existing static old building, we have to move to the new and flexible structure that is the internet. The unifying factor is the protocol, the language that everyone agrees will be used for communication: general policy decisions, strategies, working methods belonging to the domain of the Central Library. Protocol is the foundation on which every existing information network is based, without which it cannot work. On the other hand, every network is fed by information and services from cooperating partners. The old pillars of our temple (the faculty and departmental libraries) have become servers in that they bring together information in an organised way, manage it and serve as distributed nodes from which it can be accessed by users. Protocol and servers together are the conditio sine qua non for the existence of a superstructure, the intangible dome of university education and research. This is what we mean when we speak of the Library Network or the Network in short. The basic characteristics of such a structure are:

12 A Network of Libraries 11 - the whole is more than the sum of all parts. Individual servers following an independent course do not contribute to the strength of the network, nor do they profit from it; - there is equivalence in diversity. It is important that the servers differ from each other, so as to meet the specific needs of their users. At the same time they are seen as equal partners in the decision-making process on protocol and standards; - there has to be equality in quality. The whole is as strong as the weakest point: the superstructure can only grow stronger if each and every partner keeps to the protocol and the standards (the minimum requirements for faculty and departmental libraries) agreed upon. The whole is more than the sum of all parts The mission of the CDM is an ambitious one. It wants to lay out the framework which the UGent libraries can fit into so that together, they form this modernised network i.e. a state-of-the-art provision of LIS and thus feed a high quality superstructure of research and educational activities at UGent. Put in more concrete terms, the overall goals of implementing the CDM can be identified as follows: - to optimise the use of resources; - to increase the accessibility of media (printed and electronic); - to increase researcher/student faculty responsibility for library services; - to enhance the level of user services: they should be of better quality, faster and easier to access (for instance more opening hours, remote access to more information resources, etc.); - to enable UGent to explore and take advantage of existing opportunities offered by adequate information resources, thus saving time for researchers and students to search and retrieve information and consequently contribute to the quality of the output (research and education) from UGent. In short: the goals of the new model are to increase the volume, quality, speed and accessibility of LIS for the users at UGent. This report aims to show how UGent could go about the process of achieving these goals. Based on the outline of general drivers for change and specific issues to address in the present setup of library services at UGent, we will propose a model where on the one hand, the faculties decide how the structure of library services should be organised at faculty level. However, this autonomy has to be based on an agreed set of minimum requirements for faculty and departmental libraries qualified for the Network. On the other hand, the model ensures that common library services and infrastructural measures will be implemented in order to guarantee the development and effectiveness of these modern LIS. Equivalence in diversity The most important feature of the new model is to establish a clear distinction between the responsibilities of each partner in the structure and a clear division of tasks. Therefore the model proposes a distinction between central units on the one hand and decentralised units on the other. We refer to the organisational charts on

13 A Network of Libraries 12 pp. 13 to 15 for the visualisation of relations between the different units. In the Final Report, we will link this to an estimate of staff allocation for the tasks performed by the central units. Central units are: - the Library Network Management Unit, - the RepositoryLibrary ( Tower of Books ), with its rare collections, its general and expert services and its management of corporate storage, - the Digital Library. Decentralised units are: - libraries at faculties and departments operating according to a set of minimum requirements outlined on page 19. The distinction between central and decentralised units is basically influenced by three considerations. First of all, modern library and information services for research, teaching and learning have to be tailored to the specific needs of a given user population. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all library. Nowadays, teaching and learning are developing towards greater activity and responsibility on the part of the students themselves. This means they require more advanced support from their information services. Secondly, the setup, operation and maintenance of digital library services requires coordination, consolidation and management in order to be efficient when it comes to user services and allocation of resources. Thirdly, it makes sense to concentrate a number of services from and around the older collections in the Central Library. The same goes for different expert functions to support faculty and departmental libraries in matters of preservation, cataloguing, inter-library loans (ILL), library sciences, etc. The model ensures that each faculty can decide for itself how library services within the faculty will be organised. However, the implementation of the CDM and the plan connected to it aims to quite drastically reduce the number of units so far called libraries (+300 today!). Therefore, relevant decision-making bodies will state the minimum requirements for libraries as well as minimum service level agreements, which should be implemented, monitored and evaluated. Organisational charts On the following pages you will find brief organisational charts illustrating the basics of the proposed model.

14 A Network of Libraries 13 Organisational Chart The Library Network Board Of Directors INTERFACULTY LIBRARY BOARD Faculty Library Faculty Library Faculty Library CENTRAL LIBRARY Common Library Services Faculty Library Faculty Library Library Network Management unit Faculty Library Faculty Library Digital Library Repository Library Faculty Library Faculty Library Faculty Library Faculty Library

15 A Network of Libraries 14 Organisational Chart Central Library Common Library Services IFLB Management Unit providing support & services Chief Librarian Digital Librarian Repository Librarian active digital collection digital archives cultural heritage archives collection Electronic Resources User Training Special Collections Storage Services Academic Bibliography Acquisition & Licensing Website Reading Room Services Cataloguing ILL Library Automation Open Archives Techn. Support & Development Reproduction Preservation Restauration Loan

16 A Network of Libraries 15 Organisational Chart Central Library Management Unit IFLB Management Unit providing support & services Chief Librarian Digital Librarian Repository Librarian Development of the Network of Libraries Management Unit is policy making - provides support and services, contains Chief Librarian, Digital Librarian, Repository Librarian and an administrative unit with amongst others a planning officer. It can form special committees for special projects containing people from all levels and all libraries. Special Projects Quality & Evaluation Human Resources Administration & Planning

17 A Network of Libraries 16 Equality in quality Decisions on decision-making To arrive at a fully functional and high quality network, it is necessary to reach a consensus on what level of quality we are striving for. Logically enough, this consensus has to start on a diplomatic level. Certain decisions have to be taken as to which tasks, procedures and processes are most efficiently taken care of by decentralised units (i.e. faculty and departmental libraries) and which ones should be taken care of by the common service units (i.e. the Central Library). Everybody recognises that in an organisation such as a university, the ongoing discussion about allocation of funding and resources is an immanent factor. From this it follows that the balance between university-wide policy making and decentralised autonomy is very fragile. This is why we will make recommendations on matters of funding further on in this report (see pp ). Especially when it comes to LIS, it is very important that general tasks taken care of by central units (and in this case centrally funded units) are clearly identified, and that all key stakeholders agree that such tasks are best taken care of by such units. From the point of view of faculties and departments on the other hand, two things are important: that the operation and development of LIS match the specific demands and needs of library services encountered in each faculty and that they themselves can have a sense of control on the scope, profile and economic aspects of the services. It is quite easy to identify a number of specific LIS best suited to central management (we will return to this point later) while there are also good reasons for some other library services to be delivered by units close to the users within the faculties or departments. Therefore, one of the first things that must be clarified is which parts of the LIS are best taken care of either centrally or locally. Description and definition of units in the new model As we have seen, the goal of the new model is to organise the LIS at UGent as a network of libraries. This network will be composed of strong faculty and departmental libraries on the one hand (decentralised units) and a high quality infrastructure centred around the Central Library on the other. Here we will try to describe how we envisage the division of tasks and responsibilities between the different units. The Central Library The central infrastructure will contain the following units: - the Library Network Management Unit for the management and development of the library network; - the RepositoryLibrary ( Tower of Books`) with its special collections and expert services to take care of these collections, and the opportunity for corporate storage of less frequently used material; - the Digital Library managing the digital library services.

18 A Network of Libraries 17 The tasks and services provided by the Central Library fall into the following parts. Overall management of the library organisation In order to keep the network of libraries together and guide the future development of the network, we propose that a separate unit the Library Network Management Unit should be set up. A planning officer, a new function to be created, should be added to this unit, which would be led by the Head of Libraries. The unit will have the following tasks: - to manage and guide the operation and development of the network; - to initiate, monitor and document evaluation and quality control of the LIS provided by the entire network (i.e. generate and present user statistics, costs, etc.); - implement, monitor and follow up on the strategic plan; - prepare the annual budget and the annual balance for common library services; - prepare cases for decision-making on the interfaculty library board (i.e. policy decisions on operating the network); - to plan and run competence development programmes for the staff in the entire library network. The Tower of Books Maintenance of the collections and services related to it An important part of the common library services in the library network is the preservation of the precious collections in the RepositoryLibrary ( Tower of Books`). UGent possesses unique collections of cultural heritage. These collections are an extremely valuable asset for the university and deserve adequate conditions for their future preservation. But just as important as preservation are the opportunities for actual use of these collections (reading room services, etc.). The library network will need certain expert functions to assist faculty and departmental libraries with cataloguing or ILL for instance, and to advise on collection development (weeding, remote storage, preservation, etc.). The collections and services of the RepositoryLibrary should be regarded as an organisational unit within the Central Library. A new position bearing the title RepositoryLibrarian should be created to manage it. Corporate storage arrangements and services Furthermore, the RepositoryLibrary operates today as storage room for less frequently used material primarily for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and some other faculties. However, there is a demand from all faculties for more space to store less frequently used material collected by them. At present, this material is dispersed over the numerous departmental libraries, seminar rooms, professors offices, etc. Furthermore, many books and journals are stored in cellars and are not accessible; there are not even any records stating exactly what is in these collections.

19 A Network of Libraries 18 As proposed elsewhere in this report, an infrastructure for corporate storage should be set up in the Beta and Gamma faculties for material relevant to them. This new setup will establish a system of corporate storage. It will cover collections from all faculties which would have to be managed by the Central Library as a whole, possibly outsourcing the operation to an appropriate faculty library. In any case, this should provide efficient and cheap storage for faculties and departments, thus freeing expensive space in their own quarters. These corporate units should also be provided with modern document delivery services. The Digital Library The Digital Library is also an organisational unit within the common library services located in the Central Library. The main tasks of the Digital Library Unit are: - to set up and maintain the technical infrastructure for the provision of digital library services; - to provide the administrative infrastructure for the management of electronic resources; - to provide training for library staff in using digital library services; - to assist library staff in the network in providing end-user training in the use of digital library services; - to operate the UGent Electronic Publishing Services (incl. the Academic Bibliography). The Digital Library Unit should be led by a Digital Library Manager, another new function to be created. The individual library unit Tasks and responsibilities of faculty and departmental libraries The most important components in the new library structure are the faculty and departmental libraries. The day-to-day library services for students and researchers are carried out by the decentralised library units, designed and operated by the appropriate body (faculty, department, group of departments,... The most important tasks and services provided by the faculty and departmental libraries are: - the acquisition of books, printed journals and other media not financed by the Central (Digital) Library; - the processing of the above-mentioned media (cataloguing, etc.); - providing services based on the collections directly available as well as providing document delivery and ILL from other collections inside UGent and elsewhere; - providing user training in the use of the library services in general (including the digital library services); - assisting users in their search for information and setting up tailored information services, including training for users in using the services provided by the Digital Library; - managing and maintaining the local website in accordance with rules agreed upon for the central website; - marketing library services.

20 A Network of Libraries 19 Minimum requirements of a decentralised library unit It is obvious that in the proposed new structure, and given the tasks outlined above, the faculty and departmental libraries should comply with a set of minimum requirements. It is important as well, that certain incentives should be built into the model to motivate faculties to merge existing smaller units into bigger and more appropriate ones. As of today, this evolution towards more self-contained and well-equipped libraries is well underway at a number of faculties. The principal requirements for decentralised libraries to be qualified for the network are the following: - opening hours: 40 hours a week; - each faculty should have 1 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) of educated library staff level A, this being the head of the faculty library or of the faculty library services; - each faculty library with full LIS services (acquisition, cataloguing, ILL, user training) should have at least 3 FTE library educated staff apart from the head of the faculty library; - each departmental library should have at least 2 FTE library educated or trained staff; - the library should have its own budget, specifying staff costs, allocation of resources to printed material (books & journals) and other media not covered or handled by the central (digital) library (video, films, special maps, etc.); - the library should have its own website fitting in with the general layout of LIS websites; - the library should have its own library committee; - the library should have its own plan for the development of services. Services offered to users should include as a minimum: - loans from local and remote collections (ILL); - photocopying equipment and services; - workstations for user access to digital library services; - library training. Some of these services could be bought from or outsourced to other parts of the library network (i.e. the central library and/or another library) based on agreements. We do not expect all libraries to be able to comply with the minimum requirements overnight, but we recommend that the requirements should be fulfilled over a two and a half year period.

21 A Network of Libraries 20 Funding structure Implementing the proposed new model for the LIS at UGent will mean changes in the present funding. In what follows, we will look into which general principles are to be applied in the funding of different services in the new structure. Funding the decentralised library units We have seen in the above presentation of the new model that the structure of the LIS at faculty level will be decided upon by the faculty board. It should be obvious therefore, that funding of these services lies in the hands of the decision-makers namely the faculties. We are aware that this will mean some changes in the funding compared to the present situation. Today, the faculties/departments pay for the staff allocated to library tasks and for parts of the media bought for these libraries. However, one third of the media purchased by UGent is financed by the common budget for media administered by the central library, and distributed by means of an allocation key. We are also aware of the fact that the allocation key is currently under discussion. There will be a split in the acquisition of media, based on the model. Electronic information resources databases and electronic journals (in package agreements) will be handled and decided upon centrally in the future (monitored by the Inter Faculty Library Board) whereas printed media (books, journals and other) will be handled, decided upon and paid for by the faculties/departments. Therefore, parts of the current common budget should be redistributed to the faculties for the purchase of printed media. This redistribution could probably be derived by means of the new allocation key. Another issue will arise. In the new model certain tasks so far taken care of by the Central Library will no longer be a centralised responsibility, but will be decentralised to the faculty libraries (acquisition and ILL). This will probably mean that a reallocation of staff from the Central Library to e.g. the faculty library of Arts and Humanities should take place. The factulties can of course also buy these services (ILL and acquisition) from the Central Library or from another faculty library. Finally, I would like to underline that it would probably be a good idea to allow the housing costs to be more visible, in so far that one of the recommendations is to merge libraries and relocate less-used materials in remote storage, thus freeing expensive space that could be used for other purposes. Funding the Central Library units The functions of the Central Library the overall management of the network of libraries, the Digital Library and the services provided by the RepositoryLibrary are defined as common services. We will consider these services as a form of infrastructure, which in general caters for LIS for all users at UGent. Therefore it makes sense to propose that the costs of these services should be funded by the university as such.

22 A Network of Libraries 21 The overall management functions in the library structure are tasks and services which should keep the network of libraries together. The contents of these services are outlined elsewhere. We propose that these functions should be funded by means of government funding for the university. Services provided by the RepositoryLibrary mainly concern the preservation of special collections. They also cater for the management of corporate storage of collections not frequently used and for some expert functions for the network. We also propose that these services should be funded by means of government funding for the university. The Digital Library basically has two different kinds of expenses. One part concerns the technical and administrative infrastructure of the digital library. This should also be funded by the government grant to the university. The other part is the actual costs for the licensing of databases and electronic journal packages. The costs for these information resources media costs managed centrally should be funded by means of the allocation key. The reason for this distinction in the funding of the Digital Library is that in the years to come, UGent will like other universities experience a gradual shift from printed media (in the proposed model funded by the faculties) to electronic media. In order not to disturb or undermine a new funding structure, it is important to secure that a new balance in the funding of media costs will not be disturbed by this gradual transition. This would also reduce the chance of conflicts between faculties that would generate problems for the necessary transition from printed to electronic media. Organisation and decision-making In the new structure, a clear decision-making structure should be implemented involving the Board of Directors, the Interfaculty Library Board and Faculty Library Committees. Role of the Board of Directors In a new LIS decision-making structure, it should be the role of the Board of Directors to take policy decisions as to: - the organisational structure in general; - the division of responsibilities between the different units in the structure; - funding mechanisms and allocation keys for the funding of common library services; - the annual budget for common library services; - general policy issues. It is also the Board of Directors task to instruct the Interfaculty Library Board. Role of the Interfaculty Library Board In the new library structure, there is a need for a body that can guide and direct the implementation of the new model and secure the development of library and information services.

23 A Network of Libraries 22 The existing Interfaculty Library Board could probably take up this role based on a clear instruction from the Board of Directors. The Interfaculty Library Board should take decisions as to: - standards for cataloguing, etc.; - minimum service levels for libraries; - the acquisition of electronic resources; - rules for the use of general library services (Aleph, etc.); - the policy and guidelines for storage or weeding of less-used material. and should be responsible for: - monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the organisation; - the preparation of the annual budget for common library services, for the Digital Library and for the services and expert functions run by/from the Tower of Books ; - the preparation of a strategic plan for the library services as such; - the preparation of cases to be decided upon by the Board of Governors. Role of faculty library committees It is appropriate for each faculty to appoint its own faculty library committee. Please note we use the term committee not board to indicate that the faculty librarian is referring not to the committee, but to the dean of the faculty. The primary tasks for a faculty library board are: - to give advice to the faculty librarian about the overall profile of the services; - to give advice about collection development; - to prepare the budget for the faculty library services (be it in one or more libraries) to be discussed and decided upon at the faculty board; - to draft a plan for the library services at faculty level; - to evaluate the quality of library services. Recommendations Access to print collections The goal set here is to increase and facilitate access to print collections. To do this, the following actions need to be taken: - defining of and deciding on minimum requirements for faculty and departmental libraries belonging to the network; - creating incentives for faculties to stimulate them to merge existing libraries not complying with the agreed requirements, into larger and more self-contained libraries complying with the defined requirements; - digitising card catalogue(s) in order to allow remote access to existing collections, facilitate search and retrieval actions and make more effective use of the collections, thus saving valuable time for researchers and students. To make the most effective use of space and staff, and to maximise the value-formoney of the collections, corporate storage arrangements will be needed for less frequently used material. Based on an agreed weeding policy and a service level agreement, such corporate storage would free significant (and expensive) space in faculties and departments. This could pave the way for the recommended merge

24 A Network of Libraries 23 of departmental libraries, while at the same time contributing to the creation of libraries with fresh collections by reuniting currently displaced parts of existing collections. For these reasons it is necessary to: - investigate the amount of books and back volumes of journals (earlier issues of journals) to be either weeded or relocated in corporate storage organised along the Alpha, Beta and Gamma setup; - to draft and agree upon a common weeding and storage policy; - to look for adequate locations for corporate storage for the Beta and Gamma Faculties. Access to electronic resources To increase and facilitate access to electronic information resources UGent needs: - to centralise the management and administration of electronic information resources (databases and electronic journals). Only this way can the most be made of existing opportunities, e.g. by activating electronic access to single journal subscriptions or taking advantage of possible package deals with leading journal publishers; - to integrate digital library services into a one-stop-shop for search and retrieval of information. This will help users serve themselves, thus saving staff time and contributing to the enhancement of the quality of the university s primary products i.e. research and education and to draft and implement an integration project to ensure existing digital library services such as the union catalogue, databases, electronic journals and SFX linking, are better geared towards one another than they are today. Preservation of cultural heritage UGent possesses unique collections of books, coins, drawings, manuscripts, maps, medals, papyri, posters, etc., that require special conditions to prevent their gradual deterioration and preserve them in the long run. Key actions to be taken in this respect are: - draft a plan for the creation of adequate physical conditions for the preservation of special collections; - evaluate the existing collections and decide which are in most urgent need of special care and treatment. Decision-making and funding The proposed model requires a clear division of work and responsibilities between the units in the library network. Accordingly, there is a need for a clear decisionmaking structure and delegation principles to be combined with a clear funding structure. Thus, UGent will have to: - implement a clear decision-making structure involving the University Board, the Interfaculty Library Board and Faculty Library Boards; - reallocate funding according to the model proposed, amongst other things, by means of a revised allocation key.