November 1, 2011
Dear Colleagues,
Today’s Library Transition update focuses on the Library’s Shared Services, Library events and a funding opportunity. As you know, the Library Transition will ensure that the Harvard Library remains the preeminent research library in the world.
I am very aware that Library staff members are concerned about what role they can play in the Transition. We have made significant progress, as outlined in last week's update, but we recognize that there is still much to be done. One key effort we are undertaking includes a review of the Library’s Shared Services—functions that occur across most of the individual Harvard libraries—Access Services, Technical Services and Preservation and Digital Imaging Services. There are several opportunities for staff to participate in this work.
The Access Services review, headed by Matthew Sheehy, is analyzing the patron-facing and internal processes relating to access across libraries, in close consultation with an advisory group of Library staff. The review includes verifying existing processes and services, engaging in future mapping sessions, looking at similar and divergent practices and exploring areas to build upon existing services for faculty, students and staff. A next step in this area is to convene focus groups, and Matthew sent an open invitation last week to Library staff to participate in them. They will be held in Room G-55 in Widener Library through November 4. If you are interested in joining a focus group, RSVP to matthew_sheehy@harvard.edu.
The review of Technical Services, headed by Scott Wicks, is analyzing the current process of acquiring and cataloguing content across libraries, identifying leading practices and producing options for driving innovation. The project has worked closely with an advisory group of Library staff. One of the next steps for this analysis is to work with focus groups, and Scott is in the process of inviting Library staff in related areas to participate in these.
A review of Preservation and Digital Imaging Services, headed by Franziska Frey, has just started and will involve an advisory group and Library-wide engagement. We will share more on this work in coming weeks.
I attended several wonderful Library events in the last week, including a reception with Lady Solti to honor her gift of Sir Georg Solti’s scores to the Music Library and the opening of the Cabinets of Curiosity and Rooms of Wonder exhibit at Houghton. These events, together with the Andover-Harvard Theological Library Centennial Open House the Library Lab Showcase in Lamont, demonstrate the range and depth of the Harvard Libraries, and showcase some of the very best of our work.
Mary Lee and I hope you will attend one or more Library events
scheduled this week, including:
-
Library Community Conversations, which intend to provide an
opportunity for all Library staff to ask questions and discuss
the transition to a new Harvard Library.
-
Access Services Focus Groups, which explore key Access Services
functions.
Last, we encourage Library staff to apply for a
2012-2013 Hauser Fund Grant. These grants award support to
cultivate and advance learning and teaching innovations across
Harvard’s schools, and promote effective teaching and learning by
funding pedagogical activities that might not otherwise occur, and
are innovative and evidence-based.
I hope to see you soon, and please feel free to contact me
directly at helen_shenton@harvard.edu
or 6-4585.
Sincerely,
Helen Shenton