D_Evidence_1

Team #: 2
Type of Information Organization: Academic Library
Team Leader: REDACTED
Researcher: REDACTED
Action Plan Leader #1: REDACTED
Action Plan Leader #2 Melissa Townsend-Crow

UC Merced Library

Strategic Plan

Submitted for LIBR 204

On October 28, 2012

Section #1: Overview

The External Environment:

The Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library at the University of California, Merced has served the students, staff, and faculty of the research-based campus since it opened in 2005. UC Merced is situated in the San Joaquin Valley, placing it near both progressive and beautiful areas such as San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Yosemite National Park. As a member of the University of California system, UC Merced operates under the UC president and is governed by a 26-member board known as The Regents.

The university contains three main schools: The School of Engineering, the School of Natural Sciences, and the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. The young university also has plans for a School of Management and a School of Medicine. In addition to these formal schools, UC Merced has also established four special research institutes and has formed collaborative research partnerships with other institutions. These include the Health Sciences Research Institute, Sierra Nevada Research Institute, UC Merced Energy Research Institute, and the UC Advanced Solar Technologies Institute. Students conduct stem cell, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy research. It is thus a scholarly community committed to cutting edge research and education.

In fall 2012, 5,431 undergraduate students and 329 graduate students (totaling 5,760 students) were enrolled. The library also currently serves 318 faculty members and 858 staff members. In terms of actual users, the library’s 1100 individual study and collaborative carrels and seats are often full to capacity during peak hours.

The library serves an impressively diverse community of students, faculty, and staff at the university. In fact, UC Merced proudly claims to be the most diverse campus within the UC system. The undergraduate students are almost evenly split in regards to gender, but the difference in gender percentages is much greater among graduate students. The graduate student body is currently 38.9% female and 61.1% male. The fall 2012 campus enrollment broken down by ethnicity is as follows:

Ethnicity	Students	%
African-American	361	6.3
Asian	1,538	26.7
Hispanic	2,191	38
Native American	18	.3
Pacific Islander	36	.6
White	1,053	18.3
Nonresident Alien	193	3.4
Two or more races	223	3.9
Decline to state State/Unknown	147	2.6

The Internal Environment:

The UC Merced Library employs 12 staff members, 9 librarians, and 39 student assistant workers who work a combined total of over 500 hours each week.

The library reports to the chancellor by way of the university provost.  Internally the university librarian is advised by the department heads that makeup the executive team.

Figure 1: UC Merced Library Organization Chart. (http://ucmercedlibrary.info/images/stories/pdf/lib_org_chart_aug_2012.pdf)

The organizational structure of the library is relatively flat. The library is broken up into the following functional groups: Access Services, Collections, User Communication and Instruction, and Digital Assets.  The library’s interlibrary loan department and internal IT group operate under Access Services.  There are student employees that work in each department, the majority of them however work for Access Services manning the circulation desk.  There are no full-time staff members or librarians at this desk.  This allows for greater flexibility in scheduling, saves money on staff and produces a more approachable desk, especially for first generation college students.

Like the campus as a whole, the school is on the cutting edge of environmental design for its building. It was awarded LEED Gold Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The building addresses a variety of environmental concerns: Water conservation, ozone-safe chemicals, recycled building materials, and energy-efficient lighting.

The UC Merced Library budget for the 2012-13 year is $3,508,045.699. The breakdown is as follows:
                                           

Base Budget	FTE	Amount
Non-Academic Salaries	15.75	783925.56
Academic Salaries	6	412078
General Assistance		223000
Supplies & Expense		1659885
Travel		5000
Benefits		382721.1392
Special Items		41436
TOTAL BUDGET	21.75	3508045.699

               

The library has ten iMac public workstations intended for users wanting to check their e-mail, access the catalog, or quickly print from.  In addition to the website the library maintains a mobile site as well as a separate site that allows users to reserve library space for collaborative work.  Each of the fourteen collaborative rooms has wall-mounted monitors that students can use.  Two of the three larger meeting rooms are equipped with either a SmartBoard or a projector. The library also has a robust supplemental class resource (SCR) program providing digitization services to faculty wanting to give their students access to text resources using UCMCrops.  Internally the library maintains a content management system used to track projects and assign tasks.

The library boasts an impressive set of resources and services that takes advantage of today’s technological advances in electronic information. As a University of California campus, the library works in conjunction with the California Digital Library to provide access to 70,000 online journals, 580 databases, 3.9 million e-books, electronic course readings and supplemental materials. The library also has access, through interlibrary loan services, to the 36+ million items in the UC system, in addition to its own collection of 102,000 books. The MELVYL catalog provides access to the entire system’s holdings.

Internally the library communicates via e-mail or in person meetings. The organization is small enough that communication flows seamlessly. Face-to-face interaction is common: individuals often will simply walking over to each other’s desk or office when they have a question. The organization holds an all staff meeting and a coffee hour once a month.  These meetings allow for greater sharing of information than might otherwise be achieved.  

The organization is dedicated to providing excellent customer service and operates off of the core values reflected in the University’s principles of community: Fairness, professionalism, integrity, respect, and cooperation. A major part of customer service in the library is our continuous effort to expand instructional classes. The library holds focus groups each year consisting of graduating students in order to better understand what users want.  Often acting on these suggestions, the organization strives to better meet the expectations and desires of the community when possible. The library is especially committed to serving those individuals with disabilities by retrieving items, gaining access to the building, and providing proxy and digitization services.

Section #2: Vision and Mission

Vision Statement: The UC Merced Library plays an active role within the scholarly community and promotes academic research through its studious environment, extensive resources, and state-of-the-art services.


Mission Statement: In order to keep with the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service, the mission of the University of California, Merced Library is to provide patrons with a fair, professional, respectful learning environment and meet the diverse research, teaching, and public service needs of UC Merced researchers (students, faculty, and staff) through its targeted, quality collections and relevant services which effectively and efficiently support the research life-cycle of finding, using, creating, and managing information.

Section #3: SWOT

Internal Strengths:

1.    Small, tight knit community both within the library and on campus

2.    Access to all of the UC’s holdings as well as support from California Digital Library (CDL)

3.    Peer to peer interaction at circulation and with Roving Reference

4.    Provides most of the on-campus space for individual and group study

Internal Weaknesses:

1.    Facilities provide limited space for users and staff

2.    Overburdened career employees

3.    High noise volumes from patrons socializing that inconvenience more studious users

4.            Wi-Fi connection capability becomes inadequate as the number of connected devices increases - individual users connect multiple devices (i.e. laptop, iPad, Smartphone) and overload the connection

External Opportunities:

1.    Grant money to fund initiatives with local and regional institutions

2.    Open Access program

3.    Potential for growth in synchronicity with future technologies

4.    Staff have the opportunity to participate in system-wide/professional groups more often

External Threats:

1.    Loss of funding due to decreasing state support

2.    Staff positions remaining unfilled

3.    Campus-wide tenants acquiring more space within library building

4.    Increased cost of database and e-resource subscriptions

Section #4: Strategic Outcomes and Strategies

Strategic Outcomes:
1. Expand access to the library for a larger number of student and community users.
2. Increase community ties with local businesses and institutions
3. Maintain efficient use of physical library space

4. Strengthen collaboration and scholastic dialogue within the Library

Strategies and Support Statements:

Strategy Area #1: Public Relations
Supporting Statement: We will initiate changes to the physical dimensions of the library by developing satellite social and study spaces through partnerships with local institutions and businesses.

Strategy Area #2: Study Space
Supporting Statement: We will diversify our study areas and policies by leveraging existing space to better meet the widely varied study environment preferences among students.

Strategy Area #3: Staffing
Supporting Statement: We will develop staff knowledge and experience through training programs to meet the needs of students and community members.

Strategy Area #4: Technology
Supporting Statement: We will expand and implement technologies that improve access to resources and services, as well as technologies that support student collaboration.

Section #5: Action Plans

Action Plan 1: Furniture Purchase and Remodeling
• Action Plan Leader’s Name: REDACTED

• Rationale:

The University is in a position in which space is at a premium.  The Kolligian Library is no exception.  On an average weekday it isn’t uncommon for there to be over 700 people in the building studying, attending class or socializing.  Currently the building has seats for 1000 individuals.  This includes meeting rooms, classrooms, and study spaces.  It is our belief that greater numbers of individuals would use the library spaces available if they had a place to sit and be productive.  Individuals frequently sitting on the floor, and in multiple locations, indicates that they do not feel as though there is table space or a seat available. It could also be that these individuals are not comfortable sitting alongside strangers.  Either way, these are issues that can be solved by providing additional seating and workspaces.  Further, we propose that mobile furniture and whiteboards would allow students to use them in conjunction with the existing furniture.  

Making twenty or so chairs available on each of the top three floors would add another sixty seats.  There is simply no room to add more chairs at the first floor café area.  These chairs would afford users the opportunity to circle around the tables already in the Library, creating larger study groups. This temporary rearrangement is something that the staff has already observed happening, except that the users are currently taking seats from the collaborative study rooms.  Groups would also be able to form spontaneously, pulling chairs together in a group around an occasional table or just in the middle of a space where they could have a discussion.  Purchasing mobile whiteboards in addition to the chairs would give the users a work surface to gather around and collaborate on.  They could also be pulled up to the existing furniture as well.  Currently the library has two small mobile whiteboards that are rather cumbersome, sitting on telescoping legs rather than a wheeled base.

Investing in the library as a space, rather than just a source of information, isn’t without merit. Antell and Engel show that younger students and scholars especially value the library as a place that facilitates idea creation and is conducive to productivity (Antell K. and Engel D. 2006). This is what we are hoping to accomplish with this plan: Provide the opportunity for a larger number of students to utilize the library space more comfortably. The ideal solution would be to build another space or recondition the current one such that it accommodated greater traffic on its wireless network, in addition to seating more individuals.  These options are cost prohibitive. As such, we have opted to suggest that the Library buy more furniture.

The furniture that was chosen for this project in particular is almost entirely from Steelcase, already a vendor with the University.  The only item that is not from Steelcase is the Luxor adjustable whiteboard.  We wanted to provide a cheaper alternative for that component and Steelcase did not provide one.

The Cobi chair by Steelcase was chosen because the library already has 48 of them in use on the second floor.  The Node was selected because it has options that include a base with space to store a book-bag and a folding desk surface.  They are cheaper than the Cobi chairs, although with a different aesthetic.

The Steelcase Groupwork Mobile Screen was chosen for its mobility and workspace.  It has the ability to act as a mobile workspace and ad hoc barrier if need be.  This allows users to partition themselves from the rest of the space to a certain degree The Luxor product is cheaper and offers less workspace per side.  

• Steps/Timeline/Responsibility:

Step #1: Figure out total project budget
Timeline: 2 weeks
Responsibility:  Kolligian Library Executive Team

Step #2: Identify the exact products that the organization wants to purchase
Timeline: 2 weeks
Responsibility: Eric Scott, AUL Library Operations

Step #3: Get a quote from vendors
Timeline: 2 weeks
Responsibility: UC Merced Purchasing Department

Step #4: Place the order
Timeline: 1 week
Responsibility: Eric Scott, AUL Library Operations

Step #5: Receive and deploy furniture
Timeline: 10 weeks
Responsibility:  Brent Patrick, Night and Weekend Supervisor

Step #6: Evaluate furniture use and reconfigure if necessary
Timeline: 4 weeks
Responsibility: Brent Patrick, Night and Weekend Supervisor

• Budget:

Of the products that we have outlined in this plan there are four distinct options.  Each option demonstrates the costs in a different combination of chair and whiteboard that we’ve identified as being able to meet the needs of the Library.  The funds for this project would come from the Library’s Supplies and Expense fund.  Individually they range from 0.99% - 1.81% of the fund.  Whether or not there is room for this project within the organization’s existing budget isn’t yet known.  

The prices shown for each item were retrieved from vendor websites; those URLs are located at the end of this plan.

Item	Price/Unit	Quantity	Total
Steelcase Cobi Chair	$449	60	$26,940
Steelcase Node Chair	$249	60	$14,940
Steelcase Groupwork Mobile Screen	$339	9	$3,051
Luxor Whiteboard	$159	9	$1,431
Option 1
Steelcase Cobi Chair	$449	60	$26,940
Steelcase Groupwork Mobile Screen	$339	9	$3,051
Total			$29,991
Option 2
Steelcase Node Chair	$249	60	$14,940
Steelcase Groupwork Mobile Screen	$339	9	$3,051
Total			$17,991
Option 3
Steelcase Cobi Chair	$449	60	$26,940
Luxor Whiteboard	$159	9	$1,431
Total			$28,371
Option 4
Steelcase Node Chair	$249	60	$14,940
Luxor Whiteboard	$159	9	$1,431
Total			$16,371

• Evaluation:

Indications of success include an increase in the number of library users during the busier parts of the day, greater circulation of dry erase markers, and qualitative evidence that suggests that patrons are using the space differently or in general are more satisfied. Additionally success of this project is dependent upon the life of the furniture.  It is expected that the chairs would last at least ten years.  

Access Services student employees will gather the numerical data when they do walkthroughs each hour.  Whereas qualitative data will be collected by librarians conducting focus groups consisting of graduating seniors and graduate students at the end of ever academic year.

• Documentation:

All Whiteboards. (n.d.). Luxor – L270. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://www.allwhiteboards.com/Whiteboards/Luxor-22-34W-X-34-34H-REVERSIBLE-HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE-PORCELAIN-STEEL-MAGNETIC-WHITEBOARD-ALUMINUM-FRAME-L270-49052.html?a=ABSFRG&utm_campaign=plusbox-beta&gclid=CLnagrW0i bMCFQTZQgodaFUAbA

        Annotation: Whiteboard purchase option.

Antell, K., & Engel, D. (2006). Conduciveness to scholarship: The essence of academic library as place. College & Research Libraries, 67(6), 536-560.

Annotation: The authors conducted a survey concerning the differences between using the academic library resources remotely and using the library’s physical space.

Bardyn, T., Resnick, T., & Armstrong, A. (2010). Utilizing undergraduate student focus groups to navigate difficult budget times. Library Leadership & Management, 24(3), 82-87.

            Annotation: Used for action plan evaluation section.

Loder, M. W. (2000). Seating patterns and improvements in a small college library: A case study. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 7(2), 83-94.

           Annotation: This article analyzes the effectiveness of various library seating options.

Steelcase. (n.d.). Groupwork Mobile Easel by Steelcase. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://store.steelcase .com/products/groupwork-mobile-easel/

Annotation: Study supply purchase option.

Steelcase. (n.d.). Office & desk. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://store.Steelcase .com/products/chairs/office-desk/

            Annotation: Furniture purchase option.

Action Plan 2: Space Expansion
• Action Plan Leader’s Name: Lisa Townsend-Crow

• Rationale:

Insofar as the University of California-Merced is a new University within the UC System, the potential for growth beyond the feasible ability of the University Library to serve the ever escalating needs of the most diverse campus population in the UC system is inevitable. Throughout the campus, space is at a premium and the threat of other departments encroaching on much needed library space is ever looming. The cost of expanding facilities is, at this time, prohibitive. Therefore, the Strategic Planning committee proposes a plan to use available space to its maximum efficiency while preserving the intimate atmosphere valued by library staff and user alike. At the same time, the plan will help guide future programs, services, funding, staffing, and facilities decisions in the direction of facilitating academic support to the students of UC-Merced.

In addition, the plan for outreach to and collaboration with the community surrounding the University will foster greater customer service and goodwill. In the long-term, it is the hope that community leaders and businesses which benefit from increased revenues as a result of this plan will increase the prosperity of the University through donations which will facilitate the building and expansion of the campus, alleviating the difficulties caused by lack of space.

When complete, the plan will present a new vision and a plan for achieving it that builds on the strengths of the University Library system, reflects the diverse needs and strengths of the students and the community that it serves, and enhances adaptability and resilience in an age of ever-accelerating change through growth.

The plan will engage in a community outreach, specifically, to seek out partnerships with local businesses in the community willing to accommodate student needs for socialization and study space by offering students discounts or extending hours of operation; in return, these businesses can enjoy increased revenue from student patronage.

• Steps/Timeline/Responsibility:

Step #1: Library Staff will conduct a survey to determine which local businesses such as coffee shops, bookstores, restaurants, etc. are popular among students who use the library. The survey should be conducted for three months to ensure as large a sample as possible.

Timeline: Three months

Responsibility: Selected Strategic Planning Committee members

Step #2: Based on results of the survey, contact the five most popular businesses to initiate collaboration.

Timeline: One week

Responsibility: Donald Barclay, Interim University Librarian 

Step #3: Obtain by donation or purchase coupons and/or small gift cards ($2.00 - $5.00 each) for two or three of those businesses willing to accommodate students' needs by extending hours or offering discounts, donating coupons or gift cards.

Timeline: Two weeks

Responsibility: UC Merced Purchasing Department

Step #4: Distribute gift cards and/or coupons to those library users interested in receiving them, especially those using the library for purposes other than academic support.

Timeline: One to three weeks (or until all gift cards are distributed)

Responsibility: Student assistant staff members

Step #5: Contact participating businesses to follow up on amount of patronage.

Timeline: One week

Responsibility: Eric Scott, AUL Library Operations

Step #6: Conduct evaluation survey and make adjustments to the plan as needed.

Timeline: One month

Responsibility: Selected Strategic Planning Committee members

• Budget:

The cost of Community Outreach and Collaborative activities with the community outside the campus of UC Merced should be nominal and well within the allocated funds for Special Items in the operation of the University Library. Cooperation from local business may be obtained by goodwill or by referral to their business through such programs as printed coupons or flyers available in the library. Purchase of gift cards will be the main expenditure in this part of the plan, as well as travel expenses and staff time devoted to its implementation. The budget is allocated thus:

• Staff hours estimate (depending upon staff or faculty status of committee members, paid from both academic salaries and non-academic salaries line item expenditures, in addition to student hours):
  University Library staff: 120 combined hours

Student assistant staff: 90 combined hours

• Purchasing of gift cards (paid from Special Items line item expenditures): $2500

• Travel Expenses (paid from travel line item expenditure):

$250.00

• Evaluation:

Post-implementation surveys of Library staff, faculty, students, non-student community users, participating businesses, and other stakeholders will serve to evaluate the success of the plan and illuminate areas where improvements may be made in the system.

The ideal survey vendor used will be libQUAL+, a web-based survey suite that allows us to solicit and track students and other users opinions about the partnerships we are initiating. The free alternative vendor is Survey Monkey, another online survey site that allows clients to customize surveys to fit their local needs. We can provide links to these surveys on the website, in addition to traditional printed surveys available in the library or at the businesses themselves.

 

• Documentation:

Bell, S. (2012). Here come the rules police: From the bell tower. Library Journal. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/02/opinion/steven-bell/here-come-the-rules

-police-from-the-bell-tower/#_

Annotation: Evidence that some use the academic library for socializing instead of studying, and many students wish for quiet space.

Lewis, D. W. (2007). A strategy for academic libraries in the first quarter of the 21st century. College & Research Libraries, 68(5), 418-434.

            Annotation: This article affirms that the library must be the primary informal learning space on a campus, not necessarily a socializing place.

Suarez, D. (2007). What students do when they study in the library: Using ethnographic methods to describe student behavior. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 8(3).

            Annotation: Affirmation that academic libraries are often used as a social environment, and some students are bothered by this.

Section #6: Resource List

Section A: Strategic Plan Resources

Articles:

ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee. (2010). 2010 top ten trends in academic libraries. College & Research Libraries News, 71(6), 286-292.

            Annotation: Valuable general information on academic libraries, also used in the SWOT. (One of the initial 3 sources)

Booth, M., Schofield, S., & Tiffen, B. (2012). Change and our future at UTS library: It’s not just about technology. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 43(1), 32-45.

Annotation: Based on student survey information, the authors reported student preferences on topics such as furniture layout, noise levels, and technology. This information was used in developing action plan ideas.

Carter, T. M., & Seaman, P. (2011). The management and support of outreach in academic libraries. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 51(2), 163-171.

Annotation: This article discusses academic library outreach in terms of committees, mission statements, budgets, and activities. Strategies and Action Plan 2 focus on library outreach.

McClamroch, J., Byrd, J. J., & Sowell, S. L. (2001). Strategic planning: Politics, leadership, and learning. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 27(5), 372-378.

            Annotation: A successful model of strategic planning at Indiana University Bloomington Libraries. (One of the initial 3 sources)

McMillan, C. (2012). Annual accountability report shows strengths, challenges.University of California. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/28315

Annotation: Budget information about the whole UC System.

McNamara, P. (2011). Teaching and learning spaces; Refurbishment of the W K Hancock Science Library at the Australian National University 2011. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 43(1), 46-55.

Annotation: The university library in this article focused on improving the physical space of the library by increasing flexibility through furniture and study rooms. Background information for developing action plan ideas.

Schneider, T. M. (2002). Academic libraries and regional library systems: How do they stand today? The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 28(3), 141-146. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0099133301003044

Annotation: This article gives context for academic libraries in regional library systems, much like UC Merced is a part of the UC System.

Shill, H. B. & Tonner, S. (2003). Creating a better place: Physical improvements in academic libraries, 1995-2002. College & Research Libraries, 64(6), 431-466.

            Annotation: This article discusses library users and the physical space of academic libraries. Used as background info in developing action plans.

Shill, H. B. & Tonner, S. (2004). Does the building still matter? Usage patterns in new, expanded, and renovated libraries, 1995-2002. College & Research Libraries, 65(2), 123-150.

          Annotation: This is a companion article to the one above.

Wayne, R. (2011). The academic library strategic planning puzzle. College & Research Libraries News, 72(1), 12-15.

            Annotation: A discussion of strategic planning processes and goal setting. (One of the initial three sources)

Web Sites:

Hadro, J. (2010). Interview with 2010 ACRL academic/research librarian of the year: Maureen Sullivan. Library Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6719366.html

Annotation: A discussion of the future of academic librarians and the importance of strategic planning.

Oder, N. (2010). Permanent shift?: Library budgets 2010. Library Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6713137.html

            Annotation: Nationwide library budget trends and statistics.

Matthews, S. (2010). 21st century library strategic plan - forecast. 21st Century Library Blog. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from

http://21stcenturylibrary.com/2010/07/26/21st-century-library-strategic-plan-%E2%80%93-forecast/

Annotation: An informal discussion of SWOT analysis and strategic planning.

The Regents of the University of California. (2004). The regents of the university of california UC SWOT. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/minutes/2004/swot.pdf

Annotation: University of California SWOT prepared by the Regents of the UC. Used for our own SWOT.

UC Libraries. (n.d.). Library budgets. The University of California Libraries. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/library_budgets.html

Annotation: Evidence of the effects of state budget cuts on UC libraries. Used for SWOT threats.

UC Merced. (2012). Campus enrollment by ethnicity - Fall 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from http://ipa.ucmerced.edu/docs/campus%20enrollment/Ethnicity.pdf

            Annotation: Student ethnicity statistics used in Overview.

UC Merced. (2012). Campus enrollment by gender. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from http://ipa.ucmerced.edu/docs/campus%20enrollment/Gender.pdf

            Annotation: Student gender statistics used in Overview.   

UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Library facts. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from

http://library.ucmerced.edu/about-the-library/library-facts

Annotation: Collection, capacity, and staff information used in Overview.

UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Library mission statement. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from http://library.ucmerced.edu/about-the-library/library-mission-statement

Annotation: Used as a springboard for the mission statement.

UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Library principles. Retrieved October 2, 2012, from http://library.ucmerced.edu/about-the-library/library-principles

Annotation: Used principles for vision and mission statements.

Welcome to UCMCrops. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from https://ucmcrops.ucmerced.edu/library/skin/Merced/home.html

Annotation: UCMCrops information used in Section 1.

Wolf, L. (2010). An easy way to jumpstart your strategic plan: SWOT. California Digital Library. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.cdlib.org/cdlinfo/2010/09/29/an-e asy-way-to-jumpstart-your-strategic-plan-swot/

Annotation: A discussion on the procedure and benefits of completing a SWOT.

Action Plan Resources:

Action Plan 1

Articles:

Antell, K., & Engel, D. (2006). Conduciveness to scholarship: The essence of academic library as place. College & Research Libraries, 67(6), 536-560.

Annotation: The authors conducted a survey concerning the differences between using the academic library resources remotely and using the library’s physical space.

Bardyn, T., Resnick, T., & Armstrong, A. (2010). Utilizing undergraduate student focus groups to navigate difficult budget times. Library Leadership & Management, 24(3), 82-87.

            Annotation: Used for action plan evaluation section.

Loder, M. W. (2000). Seating patterns and improvements in a small college library: A case study. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 7(2), 83-94.

           Annotation: This article analyzes the effectiveness of various library seating options.

Web Sites:

All Whiteboards. (n.d.). Luxor – L270. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://www.allwhiteboards.com/Whiteboards/Luxor-22-34W-X-34-34H-REVERSIBLE-HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE-PORCELAIN-STEEL-MAGNETIC-WHITEBOARD-ALUMINUM-FRAME-L270-49052.html?a=ABSFRG&utm_campaign=plusbox-beta&gclid=CLnagrW0i bMCFQTZQgodaFUAbA

            Annotation: Whiteboard purchase option.

Steelcase. (n.d.). Groupwork Mobile Easel by Steelcase. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://store.steelcase .com/products/groupwork-mobile-easel/

Annotation: Study supply purchase option.

Steelcase. (n.d.). Office & desk. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://store.Steelcase .com/products/chairs/office-desk/

            Annotation: Furniture purchase option.

Action Plan 2

Articles:

Lewis, D. W. (2007). A strategy for academic libraries in the first quarter of the 21st century. College & Research Libraries, 68(5), 418-434.

            Annotation: This article affirms that the library must be the primary informal learning space on a campus, not necessarily a socializing place.

Suarez, D. (2007). What students do when they study in the library: Using ethnographic methods to describe student behavior. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 8(3).

            Annotation: Affirmation that academic libraries are often used as a social environment, and some students are bothered by this.

Website:

Bell, S. (2012). Here come the rules police: From the bell tower. Library Journal. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/02/opinion/steven-bell/here-come-the-rules

-police-from-the-bell-tower/#_

Annotation: Evidence that some use the academic library for socializing instead of studying, and many students wish for quiet space.

Section B: SWOT Data Sources

SWOT Data Sources:

Strengths:
1. Small, tight knit community both within the library and on campus

Source: Sarjeant-Jenkins, R. (2012). Why market? Library Leadership & Management, 26(1), 1-8.

Annotation: This article discusses the idea of a physical library’s space as a community hub for learning, researching, and collaborating.

2. Access to all of the UC’s holdings as well as support from California Digital Library (CDL)

Source: California Digital Library. (n.d.). About CDL. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www.cdlib.org/about/

            Annotation: The CDL connects UC Library users with extensive online collections.

3. Peer-to-peer interaction at circulation and with Roving Reference

Source: UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Library facts. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://library.ucmerced.edu/about-the-library/library-facts

Annotation: There are far more student employees than career employees. Specifically, there are 9 librarians, 12 career staff, 39 student employees (Library Facts web page information is outdated; Solomon knows the most current information since he is currently one of the career staff).

4. Library Provides most of the on-campus space for individual and group study

Source: UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://library.ucmerced.edu/images/stories/091112ucmercedcampusmap.pdf

Annotation: The campus map is evidence that there is no student union building on UC Merced’s campus, and the library has become that main space for interaction and study.

Weaknesses:
1. Facilities provide limited space for users and staff

Source: UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Library facts. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://library.ucmerced.edu/about-the-library/library-facts

            Annotation: 1,100 seats available, and they are all usually full.
2. Overburdened career employees

Source: UC Merced. (2012). Historical enrollment graph - fall term. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from http://ipa.ucmerced.edu/docs/campus%20enrollment/Enrollment%20History%20Graph.pdf

Annotation: Graph shows the historical student enrollment growth. The library career employees are having to serve a significantly increasing number of students each year.

3. High noise volumes from socializing that inconvenience more studious users

            Source: Bell, S. (2012). Here come the rules police: From the bell tower. Library Journal. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/02/opinion/steven-bell/here-come-the-rules

-police-from-the-bell-tower/#_

Annotation: Since the library also serves as the makeshift student union center, some students get frustrated with the noise levels. This source reports on student dissatisfaction and desire for noise control.

4. Wi-Fi connection capability becomes inadequate as the number of connected devices increases - individual users connect multiple devices (i.e. laptop, iPad, Smartphone) and overload the connection

Source: Brown-Sica, M. S. (2012). Library spaces for urban, diverse commuter students: A participatory action research project. College & Research Libraries, 73(3), 217-231.

Annotation: This article addresses electricity, outlet, and Wi-Fi difficulties in an academic library.

Opportunities:
1. Grant money to fund initiatives with local and regional institutions

            Source: The University of California Libraries. (2009). UC digital library services task force 2009 SWOT document. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from

http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/sopag/dlstf/Appendices/sopag_DLTF_SWOT_july242009.pdf

Annotation: Grant money mentioned in strengths section of the UC Digital Library SWOT.

2. Open Access program

Source: UC Merced Library. (n.d.). Open access. Retrieved October 19, 2012 from http://library.ucmerced.edu/about-the-library/open-access

Annotation: This web page explains what Open Access is and how the UC Merced Library supports it.

3. Potential for growth in synchronicity with future technologies

            Source: Same as Opportunities #1.

Annotation: Technological tools mentioned in the opportunities section of the UC Digital Library SWOT.

4. Staff has the opportunity to participate in system-wide groups more often

Source: Library Admin. (2012, October 23). Re: Current staff involvement in system wide groups [Fabricated electronic mailing list message].

            Annotation: A fabricated memo listing the staff committee and group involvement.

Threats:
1. Loss of funding due to decreasing state support

            Source: University of California. (2012). Pillars of quality: UC at a crossroads. University of California Budget News. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://budget.universityofcalifornia.edu/files/2012/03/pillars_of_quality_032612.pdf

Annotation: Challenges of UC campuses - growing enrollment and eroding state financial support.

2. Staff positions remaining unfilled
            Source: Same as Threat #1.
            Annotation: Challenges of UC campuses - stagnant or shrinking staff community

3. Campus-wide tenants acquiring more space within library building

Source: Barclay, D. (2012, September 12). Re: Campus administration seeking Kolligian Library space. [Fabricated electronic mailing list message].

Annotation: A fabricated memo explaining that campus officials want to use library space for their own non-library purposes.

4. Increased cost of database and e-resource subscriptions

Source: Bosch, S., Henderson, K., & Klusendorf, H. (2011). Periodicals price survey 2011: Under pressure, times are changing. Library Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/newslettersnewsletterbucketacademicnewswire/890009-440/periodicals_price_survey_2011_under.html.csp

Annotation: The article discusses the upward trend of periodical subscriptions and projects cost increases for EBSCO’s Academic Search Premier.