Technical Services Program Review
TSD 2006 Vision
It is June 2006, and a visitor arrives in Technical Services. The following is a vision of what our visitor would find in the TSD of 2006 in terms of these major areas: Products/Outputs (our measurable results), Processes (how we do our work), People (assignments, skills, relationships, etc.), and Physical plant (equipment and space).
PRODUCTS / OUTPUTS
- We acquire/catalog/process less print format material, more nonprint materials - and 50% of the material we handle is digital/electronic
- Our output is mainly electronic - records, resources, forms, orders, payments etc.
- Our outputs are measured by well defined turnaround times & controlled minimal backlogs
- Materials are processed within 3 days of receipt; print-on-paper format materials are processed and on the shelf within one week
- We produce a higher percentage of original cataloging and more authority records than we did back in '01
- Conservation and preservation programs, including brittle materials & reformatting, have been well developed to deal with the extent of deterioration in the collections.
- Mass deacidification of collections continues at a level that makes significant inroads against acid paper and embrittlement of collections.
- Preventive preservation efforts, such as staff and user training in care and handling of library materials, have grown to levels appropriate to the size of the collections and numbers of staff and users.
- We have strong ties between UMCP & LC - contributing to national programs
- We are a training ground for new TS professionals (GA'ships)
|
PROCESSES
- We have paperless Acq processes - ordering, receiving, paying - Processing is mainly manipulation of records, forms, etc.
- The notion of "cataloging" is expanded & includes creation of non-MARC records
- Staff work closely together - more consulting, less handing-off
- "Processing" for a piece or item involves few people per item (i.e. items are processed by few hands)
- We are doing more conservation of print material than back in '01
- We are service oriented and responsive to the end user.
- Much of our work is initiated "automatically" by our vendors
- Physical pieces spend very short time in TS and require little in-house manipulation
- UMCP processes materials for USMAI libraries (but not all)
|
PEOPLE
- We live in a learning environment
- A team based organization is fully developed
- TSD Staff and faculty have core competencies needed to deal effectively with systems and digital resources, as well as with traditional library functions, and the leadership skills necessary to move forward in a level, team environment.
- Highly-trained paraprofessionals and highly inter-skilled staff at all levels
- Student employees are an important part of the TSD staff
- TSD staff assume different roles regularly - each staff member works on at least two functional teams
- TSD staff are key players on all library teams
- There is a close working relationship between subject specialists in Cat & Coll Mgt & Public Services
- We have a well-established mentoring program for new TSD members, GA's & interns
- Training & skill building occurs regularly for all - Staff take advantage of 5 hours of learning each week
|
PHYSICAL PLANT / INFRASTRUCTURE
- TS staff/faculty have the flexibility to accomplish their work within the division, or on location at other units, to maximize efficiency.
- All documentation is readily available on each person's workstation
- Staff have ergonomically 'correct' personal & work station spaces
- Library environments (HVAC, light filters) maintained to avoid damage to collections
- We are experimenting with teleworking
|
|
|
|
© 2001 University of Maryland Libraries
Last Revised: June 8, 2001
|