Transform Physical Collections (Strategic Initiative)

Project Objectives

• Increase electronic access to collections and expand study space available to students.

Project Linked to the Following University Library Strategic Objectives

• #3:   Create World-Class Teaching and Learning Spaces

Project Leads

• Janice Adlington
• Wade Wyckoff

Consult with:

• Marlene Mastragostino (budget)
• Kathy Ball (assessment)

 Project Scope (work the project will include or not include)

• The project will:
  • Report progress in ongoing collection work
  • Identify opportunities for reducing the size of the physical collections; assess the resources needed to implement; risks and benefits; make recommendations to the Leadership Group
  • Include some discussion of storage.
• The project will not:
  • Initiate new work on removing physical collections prior to the Leadership Group review.

Project Risks (circumstances or events outside the project team's control that will have a high adverse impact on the project if they occur)

• Projects identified may require significant new or reallocated funding (e.g., for resource purchase / subscription, digitation or services)
• Projects may require more staffing than is available to complete them in a timely manner.
• E-resource providers may have a monopoly on content (e.g., we can't cancel an e-resource without losing control due to print removals).
• Will require a clear plan for communicating changes.

Obstacles / Constraints (known constraints imposed by environment, management, etc.)

•  Time - both project participants will be heavily engaged in ILS migration over next several months.
• Calculating staffing and funding requirements will be complex process.

Critical Milestones / Achievements                                      Proposed Dates

• Document work completed to date (e.g., eliminating duplicate titles in the book collection, withdrawing print journal backfile following purchase of stable electronic versions, weeding the reference collections (August 2011)
• Pick 3 top projects for further work.  Cost projects out - including purchase price of electronic and staff costs associated with removal of print (Dec. 2011)
• Present recommendations to Library Leadership Team (Jan. 2012)

Preliminary Assessment Plan (what quantitative or qualitative tools will you use to determine if you are successful?)

 Project Status Update May 1, 2011