Library workforce planning and leadership development: a case study in the context of organisational change at La Trobe University

Ainslie DeweUniversity LibrarianLa Trobe University1 December 2010

About La Trobe University• One of Australia’s pioneering

universities for 40 years• More than 30,000 students

including about 7,600 international students from over 90 countries.

• Named after Charles Joseph La Trobe, Lieutenant-Governor of the colony of Victoria, 1851-54

• 330 hectare campus includes world-renowned library, research and development park, restaurants, shops, sports facilities, art museum, residential colleges, Melbourne Wildlife Sanctuary

La Trobe Vision 2015

• La Trobe University will transform the lives of students and communities through learning and knowledge creation. We will be nationally and internationally acclaimed in socially responsible teaching and research

• Four overarching strategic objectives will guide La Trobe to achieve its vision over the next five years:– Transform student lives through learning– Create new and useful knowledge– Support and reward staff excellence– Operate sustainably and ethically

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University Administrative Change Program

Objectives Improve the quality of administrative service delivery - innovation and

sharing “good practice” Reduce expenditure on administrative support activities through:

• Increased efficiencies and reduction in salary expenditure• Reductions in non-salary expenditure

Establish a service culture – Admin staff will:• support and enable the University’s teaching, learning and research• be guided by shared values and norms which foster effective and

efficient support• be highly valued by all in the University

Overarching principles:organisational reform at La Trobe University

• implementing an integrated professional and administrative infrastructure;

• achieving and overall reduction in expenditure on administrative activities; 

• applying best practice standards benchmarking;• developing flexibility & adaptability in organisational structures;• embedding a strong culture of service and a high standard of service

delivery in all areas of the University;• facilitating appropriate delegation of authority;• establishing ongoing review of processes , systems & performance.

Library Principles

• Concept of ‘one Library’• Consistent, appropriate services across campuses• Maintain reputation for service

Library Strengths

• Reputation for scholarly print collection of over 2 million volumes• Provide multidisciplinary access to knowledge• Library brand as trusted, authoritative resource• Library space a safe, learning environment• Service-oriented staff culture – professional, collaborative• Flexible approach to shift from print to digital - building the library

into virtual learning and research environment• Evaluating and incorporating new library technology and Web 2.0

features into services

Library Challenges

• Print collection needs to be preserved but use declining• Digital collection needs to be continually expanded• Pressure on space for research/study vs. housing print• Fluctuating exchange rate – most expenditure in last two months of

the year • New responsibilities in curation and preservation of research

outputs and research data require shifts in staff capacity

What the Functional Review told us:

Strategic planning process• Expand e-books collection, digital collections• Align collections with research strengths • Review federated search• Improve OPAC• Generic online info literacy embedded in curriculum• Provide research skills programs• Ensure long-term building plans• Long-term storage solutions for print• Advise on management of research data• Provide self-deposit for digital theses, research outputs• Develop staff development and workforce planning strategy• Conduct library staff perception survey• Develop communications strategy

What the Functional Review told us:

Library and University staff feedback• Preserve Library expertise and acknowledge Library role• Meet postgraduate needs; Meet all student needs• Address space issues• Address staff issues, staff continuity• Library to maintain expertise in e-content and retrieval

Functional Review Group• Don’t lose sight of aspirational goals• Acknowledge and maintain Library expertise in managing e-content• Maintain Library service reputation

Putting the recommendations into practice

Developing an Organisational Change Impact Statement (OCIS)

• Sets out the University’s rationale for, and details of, a proposed organisational change.  

• Reviews the current organisational structure, the proposed new structure and how the changes are proposed to be effected– Focuses on functions and positions, not specific or current

incumbents of roles– Sets out a timeframe for consultation steps to occur– Seeks staff responses on proposed changes

New Library structure – some key points

• No further redundancies following voluntary redundancy scheme (sufficient savings already achieved)

• Coherent structure to take us into the future• Informal discussions with staff important for OCIS development • New or renamed sections created to achieve Functional Review

recommendations• New reporting lines for many staff• New position descriptions written adhering to the revised template

provided by People and Culture

University Librarian

                   

     

Associate University Librarian

Associate University Librarian

Associate University Librarian

Information Services Collection Services Infrastructure Services

● Learning & Research Services

● Collection Provision

 ● Quality &

Planning  

● Bendigo Campus Library

● Collection Development

 ● Digital

Infrastructure  

● Albury-Wodonga Campus Library

● Collection Delivery & Facilities

● Digital Projects, Teaching Collections

● Shepparton Campus Library

   ● Workforce

Planning  

● Mildura Campus Library

     ● Finance &

Resources  

           

        

Proposed new structure

Design for Learning (DfL) at La Trobe

• In May 2009, the University’s Academic Board approved an ambitious program of curriculum review and renewal across the University

• Design for Learning: Curriculum Review and Renewal at La Trobe University

• From 2009 – 2013 La Trobe University will review and renew every undergraduate course under the auspices of the Design for Learning (DfL) Project

• The project will address, amongst other things, the first year experience, curriculum design guidelines, course mapping, and evaluation of learning outcomes and standards

Collaborative learning spaces in 2009

Library opening - 20 September 2010

Library – collaborative learning 2010

Library change principles in new structure

• Consolidate staff into teams, with teams forming sections, rather than staff working in isolation

• Take account of talents and abilities of staff when structure shifts capacity into new areas of librarianship

• Replace Deputy titles with the opportunity for any direct reports to gain experience of deputising in the absence of their Team Leader, Manager, Associate University Librarian or University Librarian

• Increase focus on staff development for all staff to meet current and future career aspirations

• Initiate staff development opportunities to meet future Library workforce requirements

• Develop future leaders and managers• Use consistent titles across all campus libraries• Collaboration between Campus Library Managers and another

functional Manager/s on library-wide strategic areas

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Implementation Roll-Out

• Embed new

organisational

structures

• Review & refine org. structures

& processes/systems.

•Demonstrated

improvements

in service delivery

•Savings already realised

through VRS

• Populate new org.

structures (matching

or expression

s of interest)

DRIVEN BY CONSULTATION/DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN DIVISIONAL MANAGERSAND THE P&C IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT AND COORDINATION TEAM

• OCIS & PD

development

• Map staff

positions

onto new

structure

• Consultatio

n

MARCH MAY JUNE/JULY JULY/AUGUST SEPTEMBER +

Training and development brief

• Training for staff in supervisory positions (team leaders). • Training for supervisors and managers in the LTU performance

management systems • Team building workshops for the new teams formed across the

Library• Training for the new management team, with focus on strategic

leadership

Next steps

University Strategic Plan Objective 2011• Support and reward staff excellence

Library Operational Plan Action 2011• Create a new Staff Development Plan, incorporating:

– Required capabilities for current and future needs– Skills audit and identification of training needs– Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance

Thank you