UWA Perth: library strategy and strategic teams

When I had a meeting with Jill Benn who is the University Librarian (library director) at The University of Western Australia (UWA) and with Scott Nichols who is the Associate University Librarian, they were talking to me about the library's organisational structure, about their work with the library strategy, and - most interesting - about the different strategic teams.

Regarding the organisational structure, I don't have an updated chart for the library. The main reason is that one is working on a new structure for the whole university, including the library. But I have a print document describing the various positions, functions and sub-functions. And, there is an interim management structure for UWA and it is very interesting that the library is organised under the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research. It is also interesting that there is no Vice-Chancellor Education (but a Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education Innovation). The reason for that is the focus on research at UWA. If you are interested, have a look at the structure here:
http://www.governance.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2915615/Interim-Mgmt-Structure.pdf


The most important item we were talking about were the Strategic Teams at the library. These teams are cross-functional teams and there are five of them:

• Research Strategy Team
• Education Strategy Team
• Collection Strategy Team
• Marketing and Communication Strategy Team
• IT and Inquiry Support Strategy Team

For each team there is a list of members, scope and responsibilities of the team and information about the meeting frequency, email address of the group, who the team reports to and which librarians are collaborating with this team.
As an example, here you have the scope and responsibilities of the Research Strategy Team:

Scope: 
"The team will provide a strategic direction for the development of innovative library research services to support the University's strategic goal to be recognised as a global leader in internationally renowned research. This will include establishing relationships with and working with:
Researchers, research centres/institutes and research groups to develop an on-going understanding of researcher needs.
The ORE (Office of Research Enterprise) and GRS (Graduate Research School) to ensure that University requirements relating to research are met and supported.
Other relevant areas of the University to promote and market library research support services and initiatives.
External organisations (including vendors) to ensure knowledge and awareness of new and innovative research related systems and tools."

Responsibilities: 
"The team will have responsibility for the following in relation to the research portfolio:
1. Monitoring developments, best practice, and innovations in research locally, nationally, and internationally.
2. Identifying opportunities for development of research support services and innovation.
3. Developing an understanding of the client needs.
4. Developing activities to promote and communicate research support and services, including training sessions for staff and students.
5. Gathering and analysing statistics and feedback to ensure key objectives are being met.
6. Identifying research support skills needed by Library staff and coordinating training to meet these needs.
7. Ensuring research support procedures are documented and current.
8. Partnering with relevant areas across the University to ensure research support services delivered from the Library are complimentary and support wider goals of the University
9. Developing and maintaining relevant webpages, signage, and publications related to research support.
10. Making recommendations on policy to the Library executive. 
11. Monitoring progress of operational planning projects relating to research support."

That is really a lot of responsibility, but I think it is necessary to push development and make sure that library services are aligned with the university's strategies and goals.

I hope that our library can establish cross-functional teams again, so that we can ensure that all branch libraries and all staff offer the same services and support, and also to be able to focus on the development of our services!!!

Jill, Scott and I also discussed the work on the Library Strategy.  
At UWA Library they establish different groups for the different strategic directions (five in the newest plan). These groups then write a paper about the topic (i.e. internationally-renowned research) and send it to all staff for feedback and ideas. In this way the management ensures a proper involvement of all staff in the strategic plan!
Afterwards there is the process of operational planning and all staff can come up with proposals for projects!

Isn't this fantastic???

Here you have the University Library Strategic Directions 2015-2010:
http://www.library.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/2778114/University-Library-Strategic-Directions-2015-2020.pdf
I also have a print version and I think we can learn a lot from this strategy (layout and phrasing).