Planning for New Library Service Models

Principles for Decision Making

Library Logo

The Library is shaping its future programs and services through the development of new service models. These service models will be based on a synthesis of ideas from the Library faculty and staff paired with strategic priorities. The University Librarian, in consultation with the Budget Plus Group, will create new service models using the following set of principles.

New service models will enhance user services and provide opportunities for financial benefit, including reallocation of human or capital resources to other strategic priorities.

New service models will facilitate regular communication and collaboration among faculty, students, librarians, library staff, and members of the public.

Responsible stewardship of content in all forms must incorporate a life-cycle approach to all programs and services. This includes thoughtful selection and acquisition, provision of access, preservation, and active curation, particularly in the case of special collections.

New service model outcomes must be both measurable and predictable (to the extent that they accomplish the intended program goals). All programs and services must demonstrate adherence to a schedule of milestones, outcomes, and completion dates, and progress must be measured using rigorous assessment programs.

Recognizing the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of academic inquiry, new service models will focus primarily on the creation of “hubs” that provide coordination and access to human expertise and content across disciplinary clusters, including both print and digital resources from the Library system. While physical space may play some role in these changes, digital information resources and new service delivery models will play a primary role in the development of these models.