SUNY-Wide Forum on Enriching the Library Collection

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Enriching SUNY Library Collections

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[Editor's note: the Flickr images (provided by Jennifer Smathers, Brockport) are of brainstorming session materials used to evoke ideas. They should be viewed as such.]

The SUNYConnectAdvisory Council (S.A.C.) organized a SUNY-wide forum January 8, 2009 as a follow-up to the SUNY Borrowing Task Force report. Invited participants worked on an action plan not only to enhance access to the SUNY library collection, but also to increase the size, scope and diversity of that collection.

Previously, the SUNY Borrowing Task Force had stated, "The purpose of the [SUNYLA pre-]conference was to present information on the Task Force recommendations given to S.A.C. last year, and to discuss the idea of building a more diverse collection as the reward strategy for the Borrowing Initiative. Having a reliable and robust resource sharing environment will allow SUNY libraries to utilize purchase on demand programs, just in time acquisitions and cooperative collection development to build the SUNY collection in new ways that better meet the needs of our faculty and students."

Groups represented at the forum included S.A.C., the SUNY Council of Library Directors, SUNY Librarians Association, SUNY Collections and Access Council, the comprehensive colleges collection group, the Information Delivery Services Project, the Borrowing Task Force, Faculty Access to Computing Technology, and additional faculty representatives.

The January 2009 event was held at the Center for Professional Development in Syracuse. S.A.C. Chair Rebecca Thompson (Potsdam) introduced the participants and indicated that "the goal of the day is to identify action items that will move SUNY libraries forward in building a richer SUNY-wide library collection."

Geneseo Associate Library Director, Cyril Oberlander provided a framework for the discussions with his presentation entitled "Diversifying SUNY Collections -- A 'Conversation among Stakeholders." Cyril reminded participants about changing realities revolving around online request systems, web-based capabilities and increased user expectations based on these experiences in the wider commercial web.

"I don't really want to know how it works, I just want to 'push a button' and receive a good quality copy of the material that I need," Dr. Craig Lending, FACT Chair (Brockport).

The presentation urged a greater focus on user request-based acquisition of new library materials, regardless of whether that it is an I.L.L., purchase, scan request, etc. Acknowledgement was made regarding the degree of change that is implied, "In order to have transformation, we are likely to need to change the organization itself (i.e I.L.L., acquisitions' staff functions as well as more SUNY-wide change)."

Participants then worked on brainstorming and priority-setting sessions focused on the following,

"How do we build a SUNY-wide collection?
 How do we get buy-in from stakeholders?
 How can we coordinate acquisition processes?
 How do we address the issue of coordination/collaboration among libraries of varying size, mission, and resources (e.g. financial and human)?"

The resulting start on an action plan highlighted,

• Begin working with willing campuses to create a pool of money and processes for request-based acquisitions;
• Inform stakeholders; increase the number of"champions" of the plan;
• Creation of workflow tools and prototype systems;
• Work on standardizing practices.

Look for more on the SUNY-wide Collection Initiative from S.A.C.

Asked for final comments, faculty representative, Don McNutt (English/Communications, Potsdam) complemented the current SUNY I.L.L. and delivery system. Dr. Bill Pfaff (Music, Plattsburgh) said, "I've been interested to look behind the scenes as to all that goes into this process; for me and my research receiving library materials -- it's always been just like Christmas; I appreciate getting a chance to learn more."