Enhance User Services

Understanding and addressing user needs are central to the work of the Libraries. We support a diverse community with a variety of learning and research styles in an information environment that is highly complex and constantly changing. We use our knowledge of best practices, emerging trends and technologies to design and provide services and infrastructures in a timely and responsive manner. We strive to be an “Anytime, Anyplace” library. We aim to enable users to function self-sufficiently on their own terms while also providing personalized expert guidance as needed. We are as nimble as possible in meeting new and emerging public service needs.

2007 Initiatives are shown in Bold Italics.

A. Meet user needs by providing access to resources and services at the point of need and in the users’ environments

1. Build or integrate new tools and services for information discovery and delivery.
2. Refocus emphasis from our portals to pushing our offerings into the user's information environment (Push v. Pull).
   1. Syndicate new services and resources into a number of venues--not just on our web site
   2. Work to surface library resources and services through a variety of learning ware such as Catalyst and Blackboard
   3. Strengthen and syndicate our digital reference and instruction services
3. Implement social networking features to our software to enable, user-created reviews and tagging.
4. Ensure links from major web search engines to library content/services.
5. Integrate access to library resources and services with authoring tools (e.g., MS Office), etc.
6. Strengthen existing delivery services, both physical and digital, while developing new, more rapid delivery services; Remove barrier, policy and cost, to the delivery of materials.
7. Increase involvement of subject librarians in academic units.

B. Enhance and strengthen support for interdisciplinary and multidiscplinary teaching and research

1. Implement recommendations of the Task Force on Biosciences Services and Resources Planning.
2. Develop an international programs plan to support UW Global Affairs and other global initiatives.
3. Enhance and strengthen the Libraries support for UW’s scientific research infrastructure (e-science, e-research, data curation, open data, institutional repositories, large datasets).

C. Enhance library services and leadership related to undergraduate academic affairs and student life

1. Prepare students for lifelong learning by promoting critical inquiry and information literacy.

D. Environment and Facilities

1. Recognize and improve library spaces as centers of teaching and learning
   1. Create transformative library spaces, both physical and virtual, that enhance collaborations and bring together access to intellectual resources, discovery and delivery tools, and technology responsive to changing user needs.
   2. Redesign on-campus library spaces given expanded Sandpoint shelving facility.
2. Update the Libraries Facilities Master Plan
   1. Continue transformation from bricks and mortar libraries.
   2. Consolidate collections to enhance discovery, delivery, and access, reflecting the ever increasing growth of multidisciplinary research and learning.

E. Continue and expand the rigorous use of service and program assessment to ensure that university needs are addressed

1. Conduct Triennial Survey 2007
2. Conduct data inventory

F. Review organizational structure and efficiency to ensure responsiveness to changing information and campus environments

1. Review Suzzallo-Allen services, space and collections