Planning for 2022

Strategic Planning

Strategic planning for 2022 has begun. This year a “light touch” approach has been taken, in part as a pragmatic approach to a disruptive year. Faculty staff and other key partners within the University, as well as Library staff, were asked to provide input to inform the planning process via an online survey. Great engagement and feedback was received. Library Leadership Team held two meetings on 2 and 10 February. A finalised plan will be available in March.

Please also note that an update on the 2021 Library Strategic Priorities was provided to the Library All Staff Meeting on 1 February.

Budget

The initial budget for 2022 has been finalised and Majella Pugh, Sarah Howard and myself met with our Finance Partner, Pauline King on 16 February to discuss the detail. Keeping in mind that a budget re-forcast is always possible, the initial budget is comparible to 2021 with no major reductions (including in the Library Resource Allocation). We are mindful however, that publishers have kept price increases to a minimum during the pandemic and this could change this year.

2021 QUT Staff Satisfaction Survey – Library responses

Overall, and comparitively, the responses received from library staff to the 2021 QUT Staff Satisfaction survey indicated high levels of satisfaction with the overall satisfaction rating for library staff being 19 points higher, on average, when compared to the results for the rest of the University. Favourable ratings were received for the following “focus areas: Engagement (80%), Inclusion (80%), Intent to Stay (79%), Wellbeing (76%). The least favourable result was for the following focus area: Experience v Expectation (41% satisfaction; 52% neutral). Communication with Senior Executives was an area where improvements can be made and which will be addressed over the coming year. For more information, please See my presentation and  also the Library Staff Update on 22 February.

COVID-19 Update

• During this time increased COVID-19 restrictions  and temporary work from home measures were in place – due to the spread of the Omicron variant in Queensland. The majority of services were delivered online and staff worked from home, where possible. Exceptions were:
  • access to library buildings and library collections remained available
  • Law Library Helpdesk remained open for most of Januray but closed from 24 Jan – 7 February. During this time online help was available and the Law Library uilding remained open.

• I attended the COVID-19 Coordinators meeting on 4th February.

• On 18th February I met separately with the Health and Safety Respresentatives for both the Gardens Point Library and the Law Library, along with staff from the Health, Safety and Environment Team, to discuss local work team concerns.  As a result:
  • Walk throughs were conducted by HSE Team partners of both Law and GP work team areas. The team confirmed that, following previous close consulation with the HSE Partner, good social distancing measures had been put in place in staff areas and service delivery areas at GP library (dropin and appointment spaces).
  • Surgical masks were purchased for all work areas across the Library, for staff (and where required, student) use.  While the university still requires staff and students to provide their own masks, these masks are available as a backup measure, where needed.
  • The GP Library is looking at ways to mirror student computer displays in the space that is used for appointments.
  • At the request of the Law HSR, the HSE team were speaking to FM in order to provide details of the current ventilation assessment of the Law Library.
  • The possibility of providing a perspex barrier at the Law Library Helpdesk is being re-examined, with input from the HSE Partner, and in consulation with the work area team.
  • Other minor adjustments to the Law Library Helpdesk were recommended and have been put in place.
  • I will make improvements in the way I communicate information about  COVID-19  to the HSRs and work groups. This will include ensuring all staff have an opportunity to read the minutes of the COVID-19 Coordinators meetings.

Meetings with Library Staff

I attended the following library staff team meetings during this time:

• LRS Team meeting  3 February
• Kelvin Grove Learning and Research Team neeting – 17 February
• Law Library Team meeting – 17 February
• KG L&R Team Meeting 17 Feb
• KG Collection Access Team meeting 23 February

Meetings with Senior Staff

Education Portfolio

I attended meetings with the Education Portfolio Leaders and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice- President, Professor Robina Xavier, on 8 and 24 February.

I met with the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Digital Learning, Kevin Ashford-Rowe, on 21 February.

I had a regular meeting with the Director of HiQ, Cindy Meyers, on 24 February.

I met with the Executive Dean, Faculty of Science,  Professor Troy Farrell on 17 February.

QUT Partnerships

This month there was a lot of discussion and planning around potential partnership opportunities. Below is a summary.

Sustainability Week 

I attended a workshop on 16 February to plan for university-wide activities for the QUT 2022 Sustainability Week (22-26 August). The Library is hoping to be involved through another Papermaker / Jewellery event in collaboration with Entrepreneurship. We are also talking to Leigh Burgess (Sustainability Manager, Facilities Management) about a Fashion Repair Cafe to be held during Welcome Week in the link between KG R and E Blocks. As well as possible community garden activities, and “seed library” activities.

Pasifika Students

I met with Cathleen Fetokai from Equity Services (14 February) to talk about ways the Library can support and welcome Pasifika students. As a first step, Pasifika students will have drop-in sessions – where they can get help with any questions around their studies from a team coordinated by Equity Services. This will happen in the KG Library – Learning Hub – for 2 hours each week during Semester 1.

Art Museum

Sarah Howard and I met with Renae Belton Engagement Officer) and Vanessa van Ooyen (Director) from QUT Art Museum (8 February) to discuss partnership opportunities. We agreed that the Library and the Art Museum have much in common, with a good track-record of parterning,  and discussed ways to increase partnerships in 2022. As a first step, we have planned to partner to hold the Indigenous Literacy Foundation Book Sale again – planned for Semester 2 O’Week (Friday 22 July). We have also agreed to look for ways we can support the Texta Book Club. The Museum would also like to have more artworks in library spaces, but have some restraints due to staff resourcing.

Indigenous Author Talks

I met with Associate Professor Deb Duthie, Kevin Yow Yeh and Kate Yerbury from Faculty of Health on 22 February to discuss possible author talk ideas for 2022. Possible dates include NAIDOC Week and Pride Week. We are currently contacting potential authorsas well as facilitators. Please reach out if you have ideas for either.

Campus Services

Sarah and I met with the Director of Campus Services, Rebecca Pritchard, on 9 February. Rebecca’s portfolio includes campus security, the retailers and the bookshop. Many opportunities were discussed, including closer partnerships with the bookshop, with food retailers as well as support for 24×7 opening.

Data Management Checklist

Along with Stephanie Bradbury, Ginny Barbour and Philippa Frame I attended a workshop organised by eResearch and Professor Matthew Bellgard and his team to discuss ways the Library and eResearch can collaborate on a date management tool that incorporates the best features of the Data Management Planning Tool and the proposed Data Management Checklist (10 Feb).

Co-Lead LGBTIQA+ Stream – 2021 QUT Staff Satisfaction Survey

I have been asked to co-lead the LGBTIQA+ Stream with the Registrar and Vice President, Leanne Harvey. This work stems from the 2021 QUT Staff Satisfaction Survey. As a first-step, we met with the QUT Staff Pride Network and drafted a survey that will be sent to all staff. “Listening sessions” and meetings with staff will also form part of this work.

Sector Engagement

Copyright Amendment (Access Reforms) – Letter of Support

QUT Library submitted a letter of support for the Universities Australia response to the Copyright Amendment (Access Reforms). Many thanks to the University Copyright Officer, Katya Henry, for her work on this submission and her advice.

QULOC University Librarians Meeting – 18 February

I attended the first meeting of the year for the QULOC University Librarians group. The new QULOC Convenor, Chelsea Harper (University of Sunshine Coast) welcomed the group.

The main topics discussed were:

• feedback about the University Librarians Forum – overall, positive, people liked the topics and the online event. But there was discussion about having local opportunities to socialise with librarians from other institutions, after the event (e.g. Griffith, UQ, QUT face-to-face event)
• The Digitisation Working Group, chaired by Jill Rogers, is moving to become a separate ALIA Group in order to have a national focus. Jill and the group were thanked for the work they had done while part of QULOC.
• A new model for QULOC was proposed in 2020, at the same time that QULOC moved to become an ALIA Group. The model stemed from work done by a small working group – which I was part of – in response to the “QULOC at a Crossroads” survey and the options paper that followed. That work was put on hold during 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will be resumed this year. 2022 will be a transition year with a new structure proposed to be in place for 2023. The plan involves setting up a small number of new groups, chosen by the University Librarians, to progress shared strategic priorities and professional development opportunities. It is also planned for Working Groups to transition to Communities of Practice, with minimal reporting requirements and the ability to include more members. More communication will be sent to Working Party Convenors. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

I also attended the following meetings with external organisations:

• Proquest eBook Central Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board (16 February)
• Research Support Community Day (1 February – 3 February)
• Meeting with the University Librarian, UNSW, (21 February)
• Open ACcess Australasia Annual General Meeting (24 February)
• CAUL Procurement Team Annual Meeting (23 February)

From Joanna Logan (Quality and Planning Manager)

Strategic Planning and Service Management

• Prepared for and co-facilitated LLT Strategic planning meeting
• Planning for InSync client survey with Sarah and Nicole – to be held 5-18 Sept.
• Facilitated the first Service Managers Community of Practice meeting for the year – thanks to all the Service Managers for completing their Service Visions.  Nicole gave an overview of strategic planning. All Service Managers will present a brief update of the their service in a Library Staff Update session.
• Attended L&T Group meeting

Data Insights

• Liaison Engagement database finalised and released. Presentation at LLT to demo the database.
• In contact with each Service Manager to ensure the top level statistics recorded for each service is still fit for purpose.  Working through changes. Also attended OSC meeting regarding OSC statistics.
• Planning for Library Snapshot Working Group – EOI email sent out to all library staff inviting them to join – 4 responses, all accepted. First meeting 8 March.

Information Management

• Attended SharePoint committee meeting with Sami, with MS experts to discuss issues with committee site templates.
• Discussed SharePoint lists vs Excel options for IRC with Majella and Jean

External

• Attended the second meeting of the CAUL Analytics Review Working Group. Provided feedback on draft CAUL statistics dashboards developed using Tableau.