- The number of librarians in PSED has dropped from 11.5 to 6 within the past 10 years. Tim Cole and Bill Mischo serve in other capacities within the library for up to 50% of their time, and Mary Schlembach covers the Physics Library with 50% of her time from Grainger Engineering Library due to the loss of that Librarian nearly 3 years ago. PSED has and continues to consolidate the duties and responsibilities of its librarians, contributing also to the greater good of the Library by taking on new responsibilities.
- The Geology Library is undergoing significant discussions concerning a change in its service model. Under consideration is the possibility of moving approximately 50% of the book collection to Oak Street and migrating to electronic access for periodicals and continuation series books where applicable and where quality images are available. During the transition period, full staffing will be needed along with additional help to process materials and assist with cataloging of maps and the adding of analytics or table of contents to existing monograph cataloging records. It is not yet clear where staffing levels will need to be in an eventual new service model.
- The Physics Library is transitioning to a more electronic access model for journals. It is also in the process of returning space to the Physics Department and consolidating Reserves. It, too, needs time to assess the changes currently proposed and gauge the response of its clientèle. Current staffing levels must be maintained throughout this transition.
- The Grainger Engineering Library is down to approximately 1.5 librarians while Bill Mischo is acting AUL for IT. (Mary Schlembach is part time in Physics and Nikki Wright also serves other library units). This is the lowest number of librarians to ever serve in this unit. At opening, Grainger had 6 librarians; it is proposing hiring a new librarian, but will fund this position from grant funding and other staffing positions.
- The Chemistry Library has repositioned itself in the past year, focusing on online access and using physical space for group study, wireless Internet access, and becoming a “clean, well-lighted place.” Patron counts are up phenomenally. Staffing levels have remained the same in recent time, but a proposal has been made to use one full-time staff member as a half-time “floater”, a CAMELS member to use within the Division and in units such as E-Reserves as needed, or to work on Technical Services-directed projects from workstations in the Chemistry Library. The unit has also volunteered to use its staff/students to help process Geology materials for Oak Street or STX, as determined by that unit. We can easily wheel over carts and have our students process them using pick and scan and ship them out from Chemistry.
- The Mathematics Library has added wireless Internet to its space, resulting in higher numbers of users. In addition, Tim Cole has reassigned 50% of his time to Digital Services and Development (DSD), and this assignment could be extended. Grainger and Mathematics are sharing Graduate Assistant hours, reassigning a person to help in Math while Tim is focused on DSD.
We note that there are many models for consolidation and new service points. Each of the libraries in our division is well-aware of the changes taking place in libraries and is working to provide the best possible service to our clientèle effectively and economically.