May 8, 2015 Meeting of User Services Advisory Committee (USAC)

Agenda not yet available.

Susie Duncan, Joe Lenkart, Lynne Rudasill, Sue Searing (chair and notetaker)

1.  GREAT update.

The Staff Development and Training Advisory Committee has arranged for a GREAT customer service training workshop on June 17.  An announcement went out on LIBNEWS yesterday.  Prior to the general announcement, Sue announced the workshop to the heads of user-facing units, encouraging them to send at least one person to it.  Several SDTAC members will participate with the intention of leading future GREAT training.  The comment cards, poster, and bookmark designed by Lindy Wheatley are being printed and will be distributed at the workshop.

 

2.  Strategic planning Teaching & Learning Deep Dive.

Sue missed the Deep Dive on May 1 due to illness.  Susie and Lynne reported on the activities and the themes that emerged.  Ideas expressed by the student panel included the value of library employment and relationships with librarians that foster learning.  There is a follow up Deep Dive discussion scheduled on Monday, May 11, 12-1:30pm, in 428 Main Library.

 

3.  Budget reduction planning.

Sue explained that John Wilkin asked the Associate University Librarians to model 1%, 3%, and 5% cuts in their areas.  To facilitate this, all Library units and employees were mapped to one of the three AULs or to the Dean.  The AULs’ and Dean’s budgets were calculated based on a snapshot of faculty, academic professional, and classified staff, plus student wage budgets.  Supplies, graduate assistantships, and other centrally-managed costs were not included.  The User Services FY15 budget is $8,713,077.  The budget reduction targets are:  1% = $87,131; 3% = $261,392; 5% = $435,655.  A 5% cut equals approximately 8-10 positions.

Sue has given each unit head in her area their own 1%, 3% and 5% reduction targets as an illustration to jump start discussions.  However, actual cuts will not be made across-the-board.  Sue has scheduled many discussions during the next two weeks with clusters of units to look at potential reductions and opportunities for collaboration.

A mechanism for formal involvement of divisions in budget planning has not been outlined.  Sue encourages divisions to organize their own discussions and bring forward ideas.  At USAC’s recommendation, she will send the spreadsheets and targets she prepared to the two division coordinators who are not unit heads (Lynne Rudasill, Area Studies, and Susan Avery, Central Public Services).

USAC members emphasized the importance of clear and frequent communication from the Library administration throughout the budget reduction planning process.  Regular updates (even if there is nothing new to report) and town hall meetings were recommended.  Sue will share these recommendations with the Dean.

The group also expressed a desire for a speedier strategic planning process, or at least an outline of the report as soon as possible, to tie into the budget reduction planning.