Library Summit I
Why hold a Library Summit?
- to present the current state of library service quality to the University community
- to generate new ideas for change and improvement
- to determine the role of the library in the future of the University
- to find out how the library can best contribute to teaching and learning
The University of Texas at Austin Libraries held a very successful Library Summit on March 26, 2004.
The qualitative data gathered at the Summit are being used in the Libraries strategic planning process and
to better allocate scarce funds and staff. Major ideas gathered at the Summit include creating a library web
site that functions more like Amazon.com™ with personalization, seamless linking and alert services;
a proactive library staff that "roams" the library looking for opportunities to help users; and better
marketing of library services to the University community.
The Summit generated increased support and a better understanding of library issues across the University community. Maintaining continued goodwill depends upon continued responsiveness, so a list of measurable objectives and a timetable for meeting them are posted here to allow library constituents to track our progress.
We are working with the information gathered from the roundtable discussions to build a list of measurable objectives and a timetable for meeting them.
The input from the Summit will help us make the changes and improvements necessary to advance our vision of providing superlative information resources and services, creating inviting, functional spaces and meeting the needs of the University community.
The following is a brief list of the major themes we drew out of the hundreds of comments and discussion points recorded during the roundtable discussions.
In the area of Personal Control, our users want:
- more services and notifications accessible online through the library web site, UT Direct and email
- the library web site and UTNetCAT to function more like Google and Amazon.com with additional personalization, seamless linking and alert services
- well-designed, easy-to-use searching and help interfaces on the library web site and UTNetCAT
- more accessible instruction in how to use library resources both online and in-person
- books and other materials to be delivered to campus addresses
To improve Library as Place, our users want:
- a coffee bar in both PCL and UGL
- the library to more actively enforce cell phone and noise policies
- fewer and more clearly defined service points in PCL and UGL
- more couches and comfortable chairs in all library facilities
- ubiquitous wireless access in all library facilities
- to get rid of the revolving door in PCL
- longer business hours in a number of library facilities
- better photocopiers with additional functionality
- both quiet spaces and areas where you can talk and work in groups
For better Access to Information, our users want:
- more information of all types available online
- complete journal runs both in print and online
- multiple copies of high-use items
On the topic of Affect of Service, our users want:
- library staff to be friendly, courteous and approachable
- the library to better market services to the University community
- better access to subject specialists
- library staff to be more proactive, to "roam" the library looking to opportunities to help users and to more actively promote services to faculty and departments
