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Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library

Library Performance Metrics and Assessments 2005-2006

The Library Management Council developed the following performance metrics in accord with MCG strategic initiatives.  Specifically these will support significant progress toward a premiere health sciences library for the Medical College of Georgia and align institutional resources with its mission.

Budget

Need: As one of MCG’s top strategic priorities is to become a premiere health sciences institution (upper half of respective peers), significant growth in the Library’s total recurring dollars is needed to be in the corresponding percentage of medical school libraries.

Current: As illustrated in the composite health sciences library published in the 27th edition of the Annual Statistics of Medical School Libraries in the U.S. and Canada, MCG is 32% below the mean.  Ranking number 63 (n=127) amounts to $ 3,066,655.

Total Recurring Expenditures

 

 

    Variance

Medical College of GA (rank #  74)

(n=1)

$2,305,369

        -32%

*Composite Health Sciences Library

(n=127)

$3,032,119

 

Ranking #58

(n=1)

$3,066,655

-33%

*The Composite Health Sciences Library is constructed from the means for selected growth and activity counts published in the 27th Edition of the Annual Statistics of Medical School Libraries in the U.S. and Canada

Metric:  Achieve the total recurring expenditure mean of the composite health sciences library (n=127) through an additional recurring amount of $726,750.  Secure an additional recurring allocation of $761,286 to place library in upper half of peer group.

Personnel

Need: A department chair position is needed for a restructured emphasis on Content Management and librarians are needed to provide knowledge and skills in the areas of virtual library development and library educational technologies.  An IT support position needs to be filled to serve as MCG’s GIL server site coordinator and technical liaison with ITSS.

Current: Campus and library reorganizations have created knowledge, skill, and service gaps in several areas. Three national searches have been launched for the recruitment of three faculty.  The GIL server site coordinator was classified as a library position.

Metric: Actively recruit for faculty positions and fill classified IT specialist position.

Need: Meet the needs of MCG community within the context of their own environment and with specialized knowledge of their physical space, vocabulary and culture.

Current: Our Clinical librarian program is integrated within the hospital environment and our Library liaison role enables other librarians to accomplish this at various levels.

Metric: Examine the model of information specialist in context (ISIC) and determine if/how it may be implemented in the MCG environment.

Need:  As recruitment of new personnel will likely come from genXer ranks, our Library environment needs to increase envelopment of generational diversity with special attention to a Gen X – friendly work place.

Current: Recruitment at many levels will come from the genXer ranks, eventually replacing many baby boomers.

Metric:  Identify ways to increase environmental flexibility for Gen X learning and working styles.

Collections

Need: As the rapidly emerging trend of the digital library continues, library users expect rapid access to electronic resources directly from the desktop. The 2002 and 2005 LibQUAL+ survey revealed that faculty most desire electronic resources, especially journal titles.

Current: Based on FY04 data the library's number of total unique journal titles (2063) falls 25% below the median number of total unique journal titles of the composite library of AAHSL institutions (2,752).

Metric: Add mission relevant journal titles at 10% (206 new titles for FY05) per year until we meet the median of the composite health sciences libraries.

Need: The LibQUAL+ results indicated that some Library users are not aware of many of the Library’s online resources.  The Library needs multiple convenient and highly visible access points to online collections.

Current: Almost all electronic holdings are in ePubs. Some library holdings (Journals @Ovid) are in GIL.

Metric: Add core electronic journal holdings to GIL.  Add all e-book holdings to GIL. 

Need: An advanced electronic resources management system (ERMS) is needed to document Greenblatt Library electronic holdings, access, and licensing agreement data as a dynamic central source of data input and foundation for an open-url link resolver, a federated search engine, and an Internet-viewable list of online subscriptions.

Current: The Library is participating in the state process of evaluating and selecting new products that are designed to meet this functionality.

Metric: Implement an ERMS, preferably one supported by the USG, that best centralizes data for internal use, resolves links, produces lists, supports federated searching, and reduces duplication of effort for entering data in a single repository.

Need:   An open url link resolver is necessary to manage changing urls, article-level resolution, and seamless access between institutional subscriptions, state-wide GALILEO subscriptions, and open access articles.

Current: The state has proposed purchase and implementation of Ex Libris link resolver, SFX, as a GALILEO upgrade for research institutions.

Metric: Implement MCG’s unique instance of SFX and USG research libraries consortium holdings.

Need:   Users need to be able to search multiple databases simultaneously and effectively.  A federated search product that complements the selected electronic resources management system and open-url solution will provide the maximum access to local and state holdings.

Current: The state has proposed WebFeat for GALILEO plus Metalib for research institutions.

Metric: Implement federated searching in collaboration with USG research libraries.

Need: The unprocessed collections relevant to the history of MCG and health care need to be preserved and made accessible to the public for research and record retention. XmetaL software is needed to meet Encoded Archival Description state standards for online access to the finding aids.

Current: Historical Collections and Archives have many unprocessed and unpreserved collections relevant to the history of MCG and medicine.  New donations are received regularly according to policy.

Metric:  Purchase XMetaL software to place finding aids online. Create at least two new online finding aids for Historical Collections and Archives.

Services

Need:  LibQUAL+ 2005 survey results indicate that MCG faculty members desire a significant level of information control regarding a virtual library and tools to find information on their own.

Current: The Library has planned a pre launch focus group and post implementation web usability survey for ongoing feedback. 

Metric:  Launch a new web presence based on user needs and preferences late summer 2005.

Need: Library services should be well accessible, usable and seamless for the user.

Current: Feedback from the LibQUAL+ web survey revealed that some users continue to be unaware of library services.

Metric:  Sustain marketing and promotion of library services.  Feature services regularly on the redesigned Library web site.

Need:  Professional assistance needs to be available at non-traditional times and by non-traditional means.

Current: Users seek information at all hours, whether co-located or remotely.  By itself, scheduling of personnel onsite can provide neither optimal customer service nor the optimal use of personnel resources.  A peer institution is ready to collaborate to take advantage of different time zones and shared expertise to provide reference service.

Metric: Initiate and develop virtual (real-time) reference service, in partnership with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, to complement and extend the mix of traditional reference services with an off-hour, just for you chat program.

Need:  A managed centralized collection of digital objects, an institutional repository, would preserve MCG’s intellectual heritage and promote its intellectual identity to the world.

Current: Many of MCG’s intellectual assets are disorganized and undiscoverable, distributed as they are on department servers, unsustainable individual computers, and unstable portable and temporary memory devices.

Metric: Lead a pilot institutional repository implementation on a DSpace platform in collaboration with ITSS and USG research institutions.

Need:  Develop classes to serve best our liaison community.

Current: Some classes have been created to meet needs of liaison areas.

Metric:  Continue to develop new classes and tutorials tailored to the specific liaisons:  CE/CME for AHEC; online classes for distant users (clinical faculty, nursing); face-to-face for on campus users, blogs to promote new databases or new information resources and technologies, etc.

Need: The Library serves more than 200 patrons who are distance students, i.e., learners who take MCG courses but are neither on the Augusta campus nor have all the benefits of local students.

Current:  These priority customers have restrictions on circulation and document delivery privileges, including lack of online access to the GALILEO/proxy server password and to the GIL Express service.  

Metric:  Restore Voyager online system functions to distance students.

Need:   The National Library of Medicine traveling exhibit, Changing the Face of Medicine, needs significant marketing and promotion.

Current: The Greenblatt Library was selected competitively to host the NLM traveling exhibit from March 8, 2006 to April 21, 2006. The hosting responsibilities entail two programs for the public.

Metric: A campus-wide committee will design two public programs and promote and publicize the exhibit.

Facilities

Need: Students indicated in the 2002 and 2005 iterations of LibQUAL+ that they need more individual and collaborative learning space and a more attractive and comfortable place to meet, learn and study. The Library needs an overall face-lift and renovation to include contemporary, comfortable and flexible design for the diverse needs of users.

Current:  A popular seating area was refurbished with state of the art lighting and new furniture, yet the remaining furniture and lighting is below today’s standards. The Library has identified collections that can be placed in compressed shelving to create more public space.  With the increase of electronic journal access, the need for physical shelf space is decreasing.

Metric:  In collaboration with Facilities, implement compressed shelving plan and plan overall face-lift to include contemporary, comfortable and flexible design for the diverse needs of users. Reduce and reorganize unbound journal and reference shelving areas.

Need: Planning considerations for a coffee bar in the Library need to be reviewed collaboratively with Auxiliary Services.

Current:  The current vending area is considered passé (last century) by Generation X and those beyond.  The Library is amidst planning with Auxiliary Services regarding a contemporary coffee bar setting and updated lounge as an informal gathering place.

Metric:  Assess options for a coffee bar in the Library with comfortable casual seating.


Please email comments, suggestions or questions to: tlee@mcg.edu

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Copyright 2005, Medical College of Georgia, All rights reserved.
September 08, 2005