RLI 278 March 2012 Research Library Issues: A Quarterly Report from ARL, CNI, and SPARC With this issue of Research Library Issues (RLI) we are introducing a new streamlined look that minimizes the amount of white space on each page and copies easily in black and white. The new look is also an opportunity to remind readers that RLI’s goal is to briefly highlight issues that are strategically important to research libraries, focusing on current and emerging topics. The articles explore topics, share information, pose critical questions, and provide examples. An editor, as many of you know, is continuously on the lookout for interesting topics and the authors to write about them. In addition to your feedback about RLI’s new look, please send your ideas for articles and authors to sue@arl.org. Shirley K. Baker, recently retired as Vice Chancellor for Scholarly Resources and Dean of University Libraries, at Washington University in St. Louis, writes about the strategies for managing time that she learned over the course of her career. One of her goals in retirement is to write a book tentatively entitled, Leadership: The Art and Craft of Making Things Happen. Time management is a critical aspect in the life of a director. The ability to deal with the high level of demands made on a leader’s time has been much discussed by management authorities like Peter Drucker. Contextualizing the topic for academic/research library leaders is of much interest. Baker’s article, “Leading a Full Life: Reflections on Several Decades of Work, Family, and Accomplishment,” illustrates strategies for making the most of your time with humor and personal examples. A number of libraries are using ARL’s 2030 Scenarios within their planning processes. Jennifer Church-Duran and Deborah Ludwig, from the University of Kansas, in their summary introduction, “Scenario Planning: Developing a Strategic Agenda for Organizational Alignment,” speak to the importance of “navigating the complex and uncertain environments in higher education.” The authors discuss the University of Kansas Libraries’ planning process using the 2030 Scenarios in “Bringing Scenario Planning Home to KU.” Their insights into the challenges and rewards in using the scenarios provide an in-depth view that will be useful to other libraries. Two other libraries, Johns Hopkins University and McMaster University, have integrated the 2030 Scenarios with their balanced scorecards. In “The ARL Balanced Scorecard Initiative Meets the ARL 2030 Scenarios,” the opportunity for ongoing strategic discussion and responsiveness to the changing environment is emphasized as a key reason to incorporate the 2030 Scenarios into planning processes. The McMaster University Libraries used the scenarios to test their current strategic plan, resulting in modifications to existing initiatives. The Johns Hopkins’ Sheridan Libraries used the scenarios to encourage staff to think more creatively and strategically. We hope you find helpful insights from this issue of Research Library Issues. We look forward to hearing your suggestions for topics for future articles. Sue Baughman, Editor In This Issue Leading a Full Life 2 Scenario Planning 8 Bringing Scenario Planning Home to KU 12 The ARL Balanced Scorecard Initiative Meets the ARL 2030 Scenarios 17
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