Competing Priorities How Can Research Libraries Respond

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Competing Priorities How Can Research
Libraries Respond?
John Burger, ASERL Executive Director
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ASERL Libraries

• The same, but different
• 37 members in 10 states
• Some of oldest academic institutions in the
  country, well-established programs populations
• Some are relatively new, and growing fast
• Wide variety of academic programs, cultures

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The 8 million shoestring budget

• Budgets in ASERL libraries vary from 8m - 35m
• All feel pressure to do more with less

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Differing Populations
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Differing Collection Sizes
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All have Two Major Audiences/Client Groups

• Researchers/Grad Students
• Relatively few in number
• Grant needed for research programs
• Believe they are responsible for universitys
  reputations

• Undergrads
• LOTS of undergrads
• Tuition needed for operating monies
• Believe they are responsible for universitys
  rep, too

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Clients with Differing Requirements/Wants/NeedsFr
om Their Libraries

• Researchers/Grad Students
• Demand highly specialized research materials
  costly, relatively low usage
• Low usage of library facility
• Dont really care about the librarys physical
  environment
• When lib is used, its usually for personalized
  research

• Undergrads
• Expect access to marketplace materials less
  costly, more usage
• High usage of library
• Expect library to be welcoming cool
• Used for group study, social learning

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Clients with Differing Requirements/Wants/NeedsFr
om Their Libraries

• Researchers/Grad Students
• Want specialized, personalized assistance from
  librarians/staff
• Technology needs dont change often
• Dont need library to provide core technology
• Emerging need for data curation, preservation of
  digital info
• Decreasing reliance on print, esp for STM
• Probably will not start searches at library

• Undergrads
• Need help from librarians and staff with basics
• Technology wants change often
• Want library to provide needed technology
• No thought about long-term storage of their
  materials
• Print? Whats print?
• Almost certainly will not start searches at
  library

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Some Things in Common

• All libraries feel increasing pressure from
  administration for assessment, prove worth to
  institution.
• Books is the library brand, even though books
  are often not why patrons come to the library
• Expect everything in the library to be free
• Expectations for speed convenience.
• If not fast/convenient, other options exist.
• Libraries need to market services to both.

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Where to Spend Librarys ?

• Spend on technology? Desired by undergrads,
  less by researchers/grad students
• Spend on specialized research materials?
  Desired by researchers/grad students, less by
  undergrads
• Spend on facility upgrades? Desired by
  undergrads, less by researchers/grad students
• What to do with legacy print collections?
• What to do about preservation needs, for both
  print electronic info?

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If the library cannot support all of the
wants/needs of important client groups, how to
determine the method for allocating the librarys
time/money/attention?