November 17, 2015 Meeting of User Services Advisory Committee (USAC)

Agenda not yet available.

JoAnn Jacoby, Mara Thacker, Jim Dohle (minutes), Beth Sheehan, Alex Cabada

• Approval of October meeting minutes: (to be completed via email)
• Discussion topics
  • Budget planning
    • Background
      • Dean’s recent email on reductions: 3, 5, & 7% reduction scenarios
      • Total target: $900,000 (for all Library)
      • For User Services, budget is all staff
        • Will try to leverage vacancies from retirements or lapsing positions
        • No information yet available on voluntary separation/retirement program from campus
      • User Services reduction estimates: 3% =$250,000; 5% = $450,000; 7% = ~$583,000 (more information forthcoming when Business Office finalizes the spread sheets in the next week)
      • JoAnn will share the User Services budget reduction model built in preparation for FY16
    • Soliciting ideas to reduce budget without cutting services
      • Possibly closing/merging library locations
      • Eliminating book delivery to faculty offices via campus mail
        • In lieu of individual office delivery, can the library deliver and pickup books at ‘locker locations’ in several places around campus? (Mara)
      • Reduce staff @ central circ desks
        • Are more self-checkout machines across all libraries a possibility?
      • Some other research libraries have merged circulation and reference staff; are there any opportunities for the Library to try this?
        • Moving the main info desk to the first floor of the Main Library
          • better aligned and more forward facing services
          • Opportunities to right size staff and become more flexible with ‘on call’ expertise & not just reducing # and quality of services
          • Main Library unit heads were enthusiastic about this, would involve upfront cost
        • Single circulation point the Main library
          • Streamlining circulation services offered at the individual libraries within the Main Library
          • Challenges: remodel of first floor to create single entry point could be extensive and costly
          • Also, will need to retrain/cross-train staff who currently perform specialized circ functions at some libraries
      • Is the Library reducing or eliminating security staff? If so, need to be careful as Library service point staff are restructured/reduced.
        • JoAnn: several steps to this process

1. Security guards management were transferred from Library Facilities to Campus safety a few years ago
2. Payment for security were transferred from Library to Campus safety at the start of this fiscal year
3. Security guards quantity can be flexibly/seasonally adjusted (future)

• How to get feedback from users on possible budget cut impacts?
  • Bookmarks slid into checked out books with link to online survey (Mara)
  • Focus groups with faculty and grad students—looking for qualitative feedback on possible service reductions (Mara)
  • Separate focus groups for faculty and grad students (Beth)
  • Dean has a very engaged University Librarian Student Advisory Committee (ULSAC)—possibly leverage this group for feedback on impact on possible budget cuts (JoAnn)
  • Next steps for budget reduction planning
    • JoAnn has meetings scheduled with divisions and unit heads to discuss budget reduction scenarios
    • JoAnn: feel free to contact her to discuss new or alternative ideas
    • Beth: some possibilities to realize even greater budget savings in SSHEL if the Main Library first floor info desk becomes a reality

• Disaster Response Planning
  • JoAnn: table this topic for the near future
  • Focus of the next few months: planning for budget reductions
  • Disaster response planning efforts ramp up in Spring 2016 semester as more staff bandwidth is available

• Other updates
  • The Dean’s current ULSAC committee is very engaged & interested in touring libraries and establishing liaisons to different libraries across campus. JoAnn will be in touch as opportunities to engage this group arise.
  • GREAT service guidelines
    • Working with Staff Development and Training team to close loop on submitted GREAT feedback – making sure units get training on responding to feedback and know that JoAnn is happy to celebrate successes and troubleshot issues.
    • Beth Woodard requests an online version of the GREAT form for virtual users and those who don’t want to current use paper feedback methods
      • Plans underway to create online form
    • JoAnn’s experience @ Heathrow Airport, London
      • Improved attention to customer service
      • Satisfaction survey advertised on digital signage
        • Requesting information on overall user satisfaction, timeliness, cleanliness of bathrooms, etc.
        • Dashboard with customer service targets and current measurements
        • Appreciated the soliciting and subsequently showing results from feedback (on digital signage)
    • For next meeting (December 2015)
      • Mara: question about organizing Library outreach and engagement (with Sarah Christenson)
        • Sarah creating draft charge for group
        • Mara wants to see group organized and working, lots of people interested
      • JoAnn: could approve as a working group of the User Services Advisory Committee
        • Advantage: can form faster and more efficiently
        • Disadvantage: not as visible as an EC charged committee
      • Next steps:  Bring charge and membership for discussion at our next meeting