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Re-Framing Staff Roles Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Ken Roberts Chief Librarian (until June)
Hamilton
• 520,000 Population • Former industrial giant • Financially struggling
• Virtually no assessment growth in almost 20 years •No library budget cut in almost 20 years.
Disclaimer . . .
1. Everyone is talking about re-framing roles 2. We all face the same problems 3. Anyone who says they can solve all of those problems . . . 4. There are ways to affect change more easily
•
.... "'' J
Three initiatives
1. RFID (never raised as a L/M concern)
2. Changing role of “the librarian” 3. Emerging Technologies 4. Next Steps
RFID
• Board commitment to staff (Five years ago) No
job loss due to RFID but . . .
• Education fund
• Attrition/new positions that are better paid.
RFID - TODAY
• 23 locations • Definite impact on jobs
• 2006 - 40 jobs required H.S. education only • 2012 – 4 jobs require H.S. education only • 2012 – 25 new positions that require more
education • 2009 – Opened 25,000 sq foot branch with no new
staff • 2013 – 15,500 sq foot branch with no new staff
What We Learned
• Be Upfront
• Pilot solutions (and be prepared to change)
• Find the “wins”
• Establish constant change as a a cultural reality
#2 Role of Librarians
1. Process – Evidence-Based Rationale for change • Reference Study
2. Re-deployment of librarians/re-writing of their roles • Community-based librarianship (Can’t outwait) • Need to Pilot
Is the Social Sector Thinking Small Enough, Sohrab Vossoughi, HBR, December, 2011.
Role of Librarians (and other staff)
Today
1. 8 more librarians in branches
2. Community-based
3. Training to be future managers
4. Book a librarian is common
5. Different staffing model for Central
What We Learned
• Others are aware of the problem
• You cannot wait for people to “retire”
• Just Do It
#3 Emerging Technology
iPads for All Managers • Cost analysis • NO Exceptions • Methodology worked out • Paid for from Community Foundation • “Staff only” wifi network in all locations
.
Emerging Technology
Reference Desk
2011
Emerging Technology
Reference Desk
2012
#4 Next Steps
e-Readers for all public service staff “Empathic Lab” in Central Library Build onto concept of library as Creation Space
Big Lesson #1
The shift from supporting consumption of material to
supporting the creation of material
QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION
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