COLD Public Services Working Group Charge
June, 2011
background and purpose Academic libraries are responsible for offering relevant, valuable and valued public services that connect their users to the world of scholarly information, in ways that meet or exceed users’ expectations. This has become increasingly challenging over the last several years, with seismic changes in user behavior, institutional expectations, technology, and library budgets.
The COLD Public Services Working Group will serve as a forum for those responsible for leading public services units in the COLD libraries to communicate and work together where possible to advance how libraries carry out functions including circulation, instruction, interlibrary loan/document delivery and reference in multiple modalities (e.g. synchronously and asynchronously, with “tech” and “touch”). Other areas of discussion may include marketing and outreach, community relations, technology support and other forces and factors influencing how libraries provide public services.
membership
Each COLD library will identify one or two persons most directly responsible for overseeing public services functions to participate in the group (i.e. at the Assistant/Associate Dean/Director/UL or other appropriate level depending on organizational structure). Leadership will rotate among the membership.
work
The group will meet twice annually and use an email list and conference calls to discuss how each library is addressing or wishes to address common and unique challenges in providing public services. Methods will include comparing policies, procedures, assessment methods, training programs and other professional development, resource allocation, data and trends in libraries and higher education. The group will report to the Council of Library Directors annually.
outcomes
* greater communication and collaboration between COLD public services leadership generally (knowing people to ask and work with)
* greater support for building buy-in within individual libraries for changes in services (increase/reduce/eliminate)
* greater dialogue around and understanding of forces and factors influencing public services and how libraries are responding
* greater understanding of how users work and wish to work, and how libraries can facilitate that
* improved public services for users at Michigan universities