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Please join the ALCTS Technical Services Workflow Efficiency Interest Group 
(TSWEIG) at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Time: Monday, June 27, 2016, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Place: Orange County Convention Center, Room W103A

Achieving staff buy-in: A collaborative approach for workflow analysis
Amber Billey, Metadata Librarian, Columbia University Libraries; Jeanene Light, 
Collection Development Librarian, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont; 
Donna O'Malley, Systems and Digital Projects Librarian, Dana Medical Library, 
University of Vermont

Three developments in the provision of technical services at the University of 
Vermont Libraries united to prompt a thorough workflow review. While the loss 
of technical services librarians and staff finally triggered this examination, 
the growing challenges of e-resources management and the lingering effects of a 
partial merger of technical services functions within the libraries also led to 
a sense of urgency. The Dean of University Libraries charged a task force in 
spring 2014 to "understand and evaluate acquisitions and resource description 
processes across University Libraries."
This cross-library task force conducted a literature review, interviewed each 
person in the library who performed any form of technical services work, held 
focus groups, and conducted a survey. The resulting qualitative data was used 
to develop themes: collection development and management, project management, 
electronic resources, cataloging, and serials. As a result of the work of the 
task force, the University of Vermont Libraries identified necessary changes in 
hiring, outsourcing, documentation, and communication.



Using Process Mapping to Analyze and Improve Workflows in Technical Services

Christine K. Dulaney, Director of Technical Services, American University 
Library



As part of an initiative to increase productivity, the Technical Services 
Department at American University identified workflows which were considered 
potentially problematic or inefficient. Using the technique of Business Process 
Mapping (BPM), staff members were able to map out workflows and identify areas 
of inefficiency or processes which lacked appropriate oversight. BPM is a 
visualization technique which creates a map of an activity which focuses on 
what people do and defines the key processes. The process map uses symbols to 
designate steps within a process and directed arrows to represent a process 
flow. Functional roles which are associated with a part of the process are 
marked with functional bands. Once a process is mapped out and analyzed, 
improvement opportunities become quickly identified. In this presentation, I 
will describe the project and its goals, the fundamentals of process mapping, 
how we used this technique, and how the process maps revealed problems in our 
workflows and procedures. As a result, we implemented changes which resulted in 
improved efficiency for processing resources as well as paying invoices.



BIBFRAME and the Technical Services Manager: What Can I do now?
Roman S. Panchyshyn, Catalog Librarian, Kent State University Libraries

The projected implementation of BIBFRAME and linked data systems has the 
potential to radically alter staffing and workflows in technical services 
departments. Technical services managers must prepare themselves to manage and 
implement these changes. However, no one is certain yet just what these changes 
will be and what kind of timeframe will be involved.

The presentation will focus on education and training as part of the 
preparation process. Managers must have conceptual knowledge of linked data 
concepts. They need to manage training for themselves and for staff. Managers 
also need to familiarize themselves with the pilot projects currently underway 
with BIBFRAME. They need to investigate what tools are available for 
experimentation and identify which vendors are active in this area. Managers 
need to start asking hard questions about the value of the work their 
departments will be performing in the future. The goal of this presentation 
will be to help managers think about how to best position their departments so 
that they continue to play an important role in the success of the library.

Cataloging Special Collections Materials: Methods and Strategies for Technical 
Services
Linda Isaac, Special Collections Cataloging and Metadata Librarian, University 
of Miami Libraries

Many institutions are still under severe budget cuts, which means many staff 
members and librarians in technical services are often tasked with performing 
work in unfamiliar areas (e.g., cataloging special collections materials). 
Special collections materials come with many challenges, but there are ways to 
meet these challenges by putting proper documentations in place for training 
purposes and managing multiple projects, streamlining workflows, and enhancing 
collaboration between technical services and special collections staff.
As a Special Collections Cataloging Librarian, I have held positions (at both 
public and private institutions) where I had to train non-special collections 
catalogers to catalog special collections materials, and I was also involved in 
a big grant project to catalog a large backlog where most of the team members 
had never cataloged special collections materials before. The purpose of this 
presentation is to help those who are in need of suggestions and/or guidance by 
sharing my experience.


Annie and Hayley

Co-chairs TSWEIG

Margaret "Annie" Glerum
Head of Complex Cataloging
Department of Cataloging & Description
Division of Special Collections & Archives
Florida State University Libraries
850-644-4839
agle...@fsu.edu<mailto:agle...@fsu.edu>

Heylicken Moreno
Resource Description Coordinator
University of Houston Libraries
114 University Libraries
Houston, TX 77204
713-743-8580|hmore...@uh.edu<mailto:hmore...@uh.edu>

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