海角视频

Libraries are constantly evolving to meet new demands, transforming their services, spaces, and staffing.

This evolution often includes adding services like data management, renovating spaces, and consolidating departments. Libraries are more than just places to study; they support research, writing, data, communication, media, and more. Students who use library resources tend to perform better academically and are more likely to graduate. One study found that students who used library resources were 1.44 times more likely to graduate than those who didn鈥檛. 

Creating a next-generation library involves understanding its value in not only accessing information but also in creating and sharing it. This means shifting space from stacks to study areas and incorporating partners in student success from across the institution. 

海角视频 engages institutions in planning for the future while developing actionable strategies for today. This is done by facilitating workshops with students, faculty, and staff to forecast needs and build consensus around a vision for the future experience. These workshops are complemented by observational studies, online surveys, and a thorough knowledge of trends and benchmarks to see the complete picture. 

By engaging in this comprehensive and collaborative approach, 海角视频 helps libraries transform into dynamic, future-ready spaces that support the diverse needs of their communities. Some of the common shifts we help libraries make include:

• 1 – Embracing an expanded value proposition from storing and accessing information to also creating information by bringing together people, spaces, services, information, and technology. 
• 2 – Providing flexibility to accommodate different uses on a daily basis (e.g., furniture), short-term basis (e.g., technology), and long-term basis (e.g., new functions) through large floor plates, large bays/columns, and infrastructure like raised floors. 
• 3 – Shifting the proportions of public user space (increasing) to collections space (decreasing) 鈥� new research libraries are often 50% user space and 25% collections, whereas legacy buildings are 25% user and 50% collections (staff generally consistent 10-20%, building support 5%, partners 0-10%). 
• 4 – Creating a greater variety of spaces (vs. traditionally: reading rooms + stacks + carrels) and organizing them into 鈥渘eighborhoods鈥� that bring together diverse spaces (in terms of scale, atmosphere, open/enclosed) so users and staff can flow easily between them. 
• 5 – Embracing proactive and predictive staffing that gets library staff out from behind desks and out working with users through consultations, programming, and side-by-side work, as well as by roving throughout spaces (often drawing inspiration from retail spaces). 
• 6 – Active programming that engages users through workshops, classes, lectures, activities, projects, and exhibits as ways to build and support community, showcase new projects/spaces/collections, and reach different audiences. 
• 7 – Integrating digital and physical content and services since these are experienced together by the user (similar to museums), including content access, wayfinding, communications, access to services, and digital displays. 
• 8 – Making the invisible visible so that digital content, ongoing initiatives, events, services, new collections, and products/outcomes of work are more visible and discoverable. 

Through this process, 海角视频 develops the library鈥檚 mission and vision and design future experiences for users and staff. We create space programs and plans, service and staffing models, new organizational designs, and learning and development programs. Our entire process involves collaboration with our clients and partners, ensuring that each project results in something we鈥檝e created together. Through this experience, we鈥檝e identified five key steps to align your library鈥檚 offerings, organization, and operations.

1. Create the strategy to guide services and structure: University of Oregon 

The University of Oregon Libraries Strategic Plan for 2023-2028 emphasizes the creation of a comprehensive strategy to guide services and organizational structure. This strategic design outlines a clear vision and mission, focusing on enhancing user experience and fostering a culture of innovation and inclusivity. The plan includes specific goals and strategies aimed at improving access to resources, supporting research and learning, and integrating new technologies. By aligning services with user needs and promoting cross-departmental collaboration, the strategy ensures that the library remains a dynamic and responsive institution. This approach not only enhances the library鈥檚 role in the academic community but also supports its broader mission of advancing knowledge and fostering lifelong learning. 

2. Identify and align on what you offer: University of Miami Learning commons 

The University of Miami Library Learning Commons鈥� report emphasizes the importance of identifying and aligning the diverse services offered to meet the needs of its users. The report outlines a comprehensive service strategy that categorizes services into eight key areas, including General Library 海角视频 & Technology Support, Learning Support & Digital Literacy, Conduct Research, Write, Create & Communicate, Work with Data, Collaborate & Discuss, Publish, Present & Promote, and Discover & Explore. By clearly defining these categories, Learning Commons ensures that users can easily navigate and access the resources and support they need. This strategic alignment not only enhances the user experience but also fosters collaboration among service providers, creating a cohesive and supportive environment for learning and research. 

3. Create and categorize the services to meet needs: James Madison University Library Service Model  

The James Madison University (JMU) Carrier Library Service and Staffing Strategy Report emphasizes the importance of creating and categorizing services to effectively meet the diverse needs of its users. The report presents a detailed service portfolio that categorizes library services into six key competency areas: Research & Scholarship, Creativity & Exploration, Teaching & Learning, Collections & Access, Distinctive Collections, and Programs & Spaces. This structured approach ensures that each service is clearly defined and easily accessible, enhancing the overall user experience and supporting the library鈥檚 mission to foster academic and creative growth. This categorization aims to provide clarity and ease of navigation for users, ensuring they can quickly find and access the services they need. By aligning services across multiple departments and promoting interdepartmental collaboration, the library can offer a more cohesive and user-friendly experience. This supports the library鈥檚 broader goals of fostering research, creativity, and learning within the JMU community. 

4. Forecast Staff Needs: Columbia Libraries  

The Columbia University Uris Library Benchmark and Program Study emphasizes the importance of forecasting staff needs to ensure the successful delivery of services and operation of spaces in the future Uris Library. The report outlines the new and shifting roles essential for supporting digital scholarship. This includes roles such as space hosts, events and marketing staff, student program directors, and technical leads for audio and video production. The study highlights the need for additional staff to manage emerging technologies and partnerships, ensuring that the library remains at the forefront of innovation. By increasing the full-time equivalent (FTE) staff from 20.5 to 28.5, the library aims to provide robust support for its diverse user base, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous learning. This proactive approach to staffing is crucial for meeting the evolving needs of students and faculty, ultimately enhancing the library鈥檚 role as a dynamic hub for research and learning 

5. Reorganize the team to align to services: Miami University  

The Miami University Libraries Master Plan emphasizes the need to reorganize the team to better align with the services provided. This reorganization involves restructuring departments around new service categories such as Create & Innovate, Advise & Instruction, Access & Borrow, and Share & Showcase. By aligning the organizational structure with these service categories, the libraries aim to enhance clarity of roles and responsibilities, improve service delivery consistency, and foster greater collaboration among departments. This user-centric approach ensures that staff are better positioned to meet the evolving needs of patrons, ultimately creating a more efficient and responsive library system. The plan also highlights the importance of cross-training, transparency, and accountability to support this new structure and drive the libraries鈥� mission forward. 

With these shifts and steps in mind, you can create the strategy that aligns your spaces, services, staffing, and structure 鈥� and with that enable student success, impactful research, engaging student life, and productive work!