SPEC Kit 327: Reconfiguring Service Delivery · 37
saving approximately $140,000 per year, mostly from salaries for vacant positions that the relocation will allow us to
eliminate, and also from equipment and supplies.
The combined needs of the library and IS&T services were addressed by the university providing the resources to
renovate the library space and install a new thin client computer installation with the shifting of service points.
Renovation provided the opportunity to reconfigure and relocate reference desk as Research Center.
The consolidation involved moving staff to a new service point. The development of the teaching commons was
accomplished with a new librarian hire and hiring additional student hours.
The libraries budget has been impacted over the past few years so we are always looking for ways to utilize our staff in
the most efficient manner possible.
The Libraries experienced a 10% permanent budget reduction effective in 2009–10, which had a significant impact on
collections expenditures as well as staffing/hours of service at certain service points.
The Libraries sustained several rounds of budget cuts during this period—1.5% (mid-year recission), 12%, 5%, and
2.4%. We met the personnel budgets through elimination of vacant positions as much as possible, but did have to do
some layoffs as well. As a result, we had to realign the distribution of resources, including staff, to areas of growth and
high demand.
The library had a reduction in force (RIF) prior to the implementation of this service point, which was a factor in
determining the need for a merged service point and the timeline for implementing it.
The library, along with the rest of the university, has experienced budget cuts for the past three years. One area in which
we have some flexibility is the casual-hourly budget for student workers, and we have reduced this budget considerably.
Since our service desks are staffed almost exclusively by student workers on evenings and weekends, consolidating (or
closing) service desks is a way to save money.
The Libraries budget was reduced by 15% over the course of three fiscal years. These budget cuts reduced library
service hours, reduced the size of our collections budget, and reduced the size of our organization.
The opportunity for the libraries to collaborate with the university’s IT department, the provost’s office, and student
government helped make this a reality. The initial funding was shared among all groups and ongoing funding is shared
between the libraries and the IT department.
The university’s budget was cut. Consequently, so was the library’s. A hiring freeze was instituted at the university.
This change did happen during the economic downturn and with many retirements in the offing, it was acknowledged
that staff would need to be moved around. It has not been possible to hire to replace those who retired or otherwise
departed.
Two of the primary government documents paraprofessional staff retired. They provided the majority of the hours on the
service desk, along with the government documents librarian. We were unable to continue staffing a separate desk. The
user demand at the government documents desk had also been dropping dramatically. Since the main reference desk
and the documents desk were on the same floor, we decided to consolidate services and merge the two departments.
The government documents librarian trained all the general reference librarians and worked closely with the political
science librarian (who was himself a former government documents librarian). The integration of services (which
included instruction) has worked very well. We have not received any complaints from faculty or students and the
librarians are able to provide the research-level assistance needed.
Two years of across the board cuts to the library’s budget necessitated loss of both staff and vacant staff lines.
saving approximately $140,000 per year, mostly from salaries for vacant positions that the relocation will allow us to
eliminate, and also from equipment and supplies.
The combined needs of the library and IS&T services were addressed by the university providing the resources to
renovate the library space and install a new thin client computer installation with the shifting of service points.
Renovation provided the opportunity to reconfigure and relocate reference desk as Research Center.
The consolidation involved moving staff to a new service point. The development of the teaching commons was
accomplished with a new librarian hire and hiring additional student hours.
The libraries budget has been impacted over the past few years so we are always looking for ways to utilize our staff in
the most efficient manner possible.
The Libraries experienced a 10% permanent budget reduction effective in 2009–10, which had a significant impact on
collections expenditures as well as staffing/hours of service at certain service points.
The Libraries sustained several rounds of budget cuts during this period—1.5% (mid-year recission), 12%, 5%, and
2.4%. We met the personnel budgets through elimination of vacant positions as much as possible, but did have to do
some layoffs as well. As a result, we had to realign the distribution of resources, including staff, to areas of growth and
high demand.
The library had a reduction in force (RIF) prior to the implementation of this service point, which was a factor in
determining the need for a merged service point and the timeline for implementing it.
The library, along with the rest of the university, has experienced budget cuts for the past three years. One area in which
we have some flexibility is the casual-hourly budget for student workers, and we have reduced this budget considerably.
Since our service desks are staffed almost exclusively by student workers on evenings and weekends, consolidating (or
closing) service desks is a way to save money.
The Libraries budget was reduced by 15% over the course of three fiscal years. These budget cuts reduced library
service hours, reduced the size of our collections budget, and reduced the size of our organization.
The opportunity for the libraries to collaborate with the university’s IT department, the provost’s office, and student
government helped make this a reality. The initial funding was shared among all groups and ongoing funding is shared
between the libraries and the IT department.
The university’s budget was cut. Consequently, so was the library’s. A hiring freeze was instituted at the university.
This change did happen during the economic downturn and with many retirements in the offing, it was acknowledged
that staff would need to be moved around. It has not been possible to hire to replace those who retired or otherwise
departed.
Two of the primary government documents paraprofessional staff retired. They provided the majority of the hours on the
service desk, along with the government documents librarian. We were unable to continue staffing a separate desk. The
user demand at the government documents desk had also been dropping dramatically. Since the main reference desk
and the documents desk were on the same floor, we decided to consolidate services and merge the two departments.
The government documents librarian trained all the general reference librarians and worked closely with the political
science librarian (who was himself a former government documents librarian). The integration of services (which
included instruction) has worked very well. We have not received any complaints from faculty or students and the
librarians are able to provide the research-level assistance needed.
Two years of across the board cuts to the library’s budget necessitated loss of both staff and vacant staff lines.
