Action Plan

Deliver Excellent Library Instruction; 1) Provide opportunities for library staff professional development
2) Use assessment data to direct and improve instruction
3) Develop instruction to meet emerging programs and user needs

Instruction Committee, departments delivering instruction

1) ongoing; 2) Summer 2019, ongoing; 3) ongoing

Staff development funds

Instruction program is improved and expanded by assessment and collaboration with library and campus departments and centers.

 Provide Students with Experiential Research and Learning Opportunities; 1) Expand Fondren Fellows Program for library research projects
2) Use interns, expertise to develop online materials, teach workshops, etc.
3) Support student worker skill development and expertise and provide teaching opportunities

Any department with student workers, Fondren Fellows program, Student Assistant Advisory Committee

1) TBD; 2) ongoing; 3) Summer 2019

Increased library budget for Fondren Fellows program and student assistants

Demonstrate student beneficial experience from skill development efforts; Increase number of library opportunities for student worker development and teaching

Create Online Learning Materials:  1) Train library staff in online accessibility standards and best practices; 2) Ensure that online learning resources meet accessibility standards;
3) Using UX methods, student input, and iterative evaluation, develop online learning objects for using library, including new OneSearch tool

1) Web Team, Accessibility Committee, library staff creating online learning material; 2) In collaboration with those working on Fondren Action Plan Goal #6 and library departments creating online material: Accessibility Committee, Web Team; 3) UX Office, Instruction Committee

1) Summer 2019; 2) Spring 2020; 3) Fall 2018

External accessibility evaluation, training (Rice Accessibility Office?)

Train library staff on online accessibility standards. Library online learning materials pass accessibility evaluations.

Develop research data services

Data Services team

Fall 2019

1) Staff training; 2) Staff time; 3) Technology infrastructure (e.g. data software, online booking system, etc); 4) Communications assistance

1) User needs analysis; 2) Staff skills survey; 3) Plan for further professional development in data; 4) Strengthened partnerships around data; 5) Services menu; 6) New and revaped data workshops; 7)  Prototype for Data Lab in GDC;  8) Simple way for users to book data consultations

Pilot a common service desk for Digital Scholarship Services to provide more streamlined user experience

Digital Scholarship Services

Fall 2019

1) Cross training; 2) Potentially funding for changes to Kelley Center service desk

Semester long experiment with service desk, plus evaluation

Implement a next generation digital repository

Digital Scholarship Services; Woodson Research Center; Fondren IT

Fall 2021

1) Staff time; 2) Technological infrastructure (e.g. server)

-Needs assessment
-Landscape review
-Recommendation for repository system  -Integration of Rice Digital Scholarship Archive content into Primo    
- Install and test new system 
- Migrate content

Provide support for open access publishing

Digital Scholarship Services; Technical Services; Research Services

Fall 2019

1) Staff time; 2) Technological infrastructure (e.g. server access)

1) publishing business plan outlining services & funding     2) robust publishing platform supporting at least 1 faculty & 1 student open access journal

Provide resources and expertise to help researchers to digitize and organize research materials

Digital Scholarship Services; Technical Services; Research Services; Fondren IT

Fall 2019

1) Equipment, e.g. book scanner; 2) Staff time

-Plan for digitization services
-Workflow for digitization services
-Online guides to digital workflows
-Ultimately, more productive, digitally adept researchers

Implement new Library Services Platform (LSP) (Alma) and Discovery Layer (Primo)

All library staff led by Alma Implementation Team

August 1, 2019

Commitment from Library Administration and staff; Dedicated laptops purchased for/assigned to Implementation Team Members; Bluetooth setup in 410 and Collaboration Space; Additional staff help for special projects (possibly including hiring of temporary staff); Allowances for lowering of service standards pre- and post-migration that are clearly defined, communicated, and recorded in writing.

The new LSP (Alma) will reduce many previously complex manual tasks, allowing staff more time to develop future services and explore new resources. The new library discovery platform (Primo) will allow for greater transparency of resources, using enhanced indexing terms. Through a single interface, users can discover resources that have been purchased by the library, relevant free resources identified by library staff, and resources that may be requested through ILL.

Pursue multiple strategies to make more strategic use of existing collection funds, e.g review current reference subscriptions for possible cancellations; review list of reference titles included in Credo Reference (to check for duplication); and engage CD librarians in conversations about academic dept. growth, new programs & realistic budget needs.

subject librarians

Starting Fall 2018, an ongoing process

Staff time

More strategic use of limited funds, especially subscription money.

Develop a process to harvest finding aids created in ArchivesSpace by the Woodson Research Center into the discovery layer (Primo).

Alma Implementation Team with assistance from the WRC

8/1/2019

Staff time, Ex Libris project team

Enable researchers to find, access, and use the rich collections of WRC

Review and develop a plan to enhance bibliographic records, from brief to full, for manuscripts available in the Woodson Research Center

Cataloging & Metadata Services staff and archives staff in the WRC

6/1/2019

Staff time

Enhanced discovery of unique resources held in the WRC.

Extend continuity planning by identifying most valuable physical collections to be preserved before or immediately after a disaster event.

Selectors & Preservation Librarian

6/1/19

Knowledge of most valuable portions of each selector's collection responsibility; space

Preservation of the most valuable parts of the collection to save before and after an emergency event.

Develop plan for enhanced service continuity through weather and utility interruptions

All library staff, led by Access Services and Disaster Recovery Team

6/1/19

Administrative approval, money, space and volunteers

Enhanced ability to continue library services during or immediately after an emergency event.

Set up a dark archive to support preservation of Woodson Research Center digital collections

WRC, DSS, Fondren IT

Fall 2018

Staff time; technical infrastructure

More streamlined process for digital curation for unique content

Study off-site storage options (cost per vol/staffing, customer service, logistics) ie: Utilizing the Data Center vs. a new LSC Module.

Sara Lowman, James Springer, (?)

Fall 2018

Greater utilization of Fondren Library space will allow opportunities for other changes.

Evaluate existing library spaces and analyze user need to design accessible spaces that promote study, collaboration and research & teaching needs. (with a time frame of 3-5 years).

UX Office, Jeff Koffler, Accessibility Committee, Fondren Administration

Fall 2022

People, Money

Greater satisfaction of users and effective use of existing spaces that may be renovated to accomodate changing needs.