Bookmarks Fall 2010.Indd

Vol. 6 No. 1 Fall 2010 A LKEK LIBRARY NEW S Texas State University-San Marcos Strategic Planning Initiatives Begin in the Library In the last issue of Bookmarks, I described The Information Technology Division numerous changes that have marked a peri- hosted a planning retreat for the od of profound transition and growth for IT Leadership Council during the both Texas State University and the Alkek late spring and early summer with a Library. With the beginning of a new aca- focus on emerging trends in the areas demic year, it is clear that Texas State con- of academic libraries, instructional tinues to grow in terms of students, faculty, technology, and technology resources in academic programs, and excellence. higher education. To move the university forward, a new Successful strategic planning processes institutional strategic planning process was in higher education must provide an announced by President Denise Trauth opportunity for input from faculty, stu- at the Fall Convocation with the goal of dents, and staff. To position the library producing a five-year plan for the period of to contribute to the university planning 2012 – 2017. The process will begin this fall process, strategic planning for the Univer- with an environmental scan. Review of the sity Library began this summer. Eighteen university’s goals and college and divisional members of the Alkek staff met for two plans will follow. Academic and administra- days in late August. The planning group tive departments will also be involved in conducted a SWOT analysis, identify- developing plans. By fall 2012, a new uni- ing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, View of Old Main from the versity plan will be announced. Defining a and threats, and outlined our steps for 7th floor of the Alkek Library university’s aspirations and goals will require developing a new library strategic plan that active participation from all members of the will support the institutional plan. During The participation of faculty, staff and academic community. the coming year, we will seek input from stuents is crucial to our development of a new library strategic plan that is meaning- With that in mind, Dr. C. Van Wyatt, library users and staff, analyze trends in academic libraries, review our mission and ful and relevant. I welcome your input in vice president for Information Technol- the coming academic year — your ideas, ogy, has set the stage for strategic planning. vision, and identify the strategic directions for the library to ensure that we continue comments, and suggestions on the library’s to support the mission of Texas State and role, collections, services, and strategic are the key information resource for the initiatives — and I hope you will take the IInsidenside Texas State community. Our strategic time to share your thoughts with me. 22.. RRestructuringestructuring tthehe AAkekkek LLibrary:ibrary: planning process will be paced to parallel The process of reflection serves mul- TTwowo DDirectorsirectors AAppointedppointed development of the institutional strategic tiple purposes: an opportunity to celebrate 33.. LLibraryibrary --sponsoredsponsored GGrantsrants plan and the Information Technology advancement and achievement; an opening NNewew OOrderingrdering SSystemystem IIntroducedntroduced Division’s planning process. to thoughtfully consider the possibilities of the future and to set new directions in 44.. GGovernmentovernment IInformationnformation CCelebrateselebrates Dr. Wyatt emphasizes the challenges ahead, an ever changing, challenging, and exciting 5555 YYearsears aass DDepositoryepository LLibraryibrary “In recent years, the Alkek Library has embraced technology as a way to improve environment. Our goal is to ensure that our 55.. TThehe WWittliffittliff CCollectionsollections PPresentresent TTwowo our patron services and business processes, vision and mission serve Texas State Uni- MMajorajor EExhibitionsxhibitions and greatly expand our access to digital versity’s current and future reality as well as 66.. RRoundound RRockock HHigherigher EEducationducation holdings. A key challenge of the future it to its commitment to excellence. I anticipate CCenterenter LLibraryibrary SServiceservices more fully leverage our technological invest- sharing our progress over the next several ments to derive even greater impact on our months and seeking your input, both for- 77.. VVaverekaverek RReceiveseceives AAwardward mally and informally. PPlace:lace: OOurur TTexasexas SStatetate WWorldorld services while knowing that we never really ~Joan Heath, LLanguageanguage LLearningearning CCollectionollection “arrive” given the ever-changing technical environment.” Associate Vice President, University Library 88.. PPopularopular PPeriodicalseriodicals aandnd NNewspapersewspapers BOOKMARKS: ALKEK LIBRARY NEWS Restructuring the Alkek Library: Two Directors Appointed Planning for a major restructuring of the Albert B. Alkek Library kek Library. During her tenure at Texas State, Lori has served on organization began in late 2008 in response to the significant growth a number committees and task forces including the Faculty Senate experienced by Texas State University. As the number of students Subcommittee on Librarian Pay and Status from 1996 to 2004 as and faculty has grown along with the number of academic programs well as a number of library committees on space planning, human and the addition of master’s and doctoral level graduate programs, resources, staff training and development, and collection develop- the library staff has grown in size and expertise. Development of the ment. new management team is based on the organizational structures of similar university libraries with comparable environments and en- rollments and reflects current trends in academic libraries. Photo by Tara Spies Smith Restructuring the library organization began with the identification of four key areas — Administrative Services, Research and Learn- ing Services, the Wittliff Collections, and Technical Services. Devel- opment of this organizational structure implements a new level of management to oversee each of the four major functional areas of the library and establishes a senior management team for the Alkek Library. New senior managers have been or will be recruited to fill the four Director positions which report to Joan Heath, Associate Vice President for the University Library. Since the initial planning began, the library has appointed two of the four directors in the areas of Administrative Services and Re- search and Learning Services. Lori Hughes was promoted to director of Administrative Services in August 2009, and Pat Hawthorne was appointed as director of Research and Learning Services in April 2010. Recruitment for the director of the Wittliff Collections is in progress. A search for the Technical Services director position will be Director of Administrative Services, Lori Hughes launched in the coming months. and Director of Research & Learning Services, Pat Hawthorne Administrative Services As director of Administrative Services, Lori Hughes provides lead- Research & Learning Services ership, direction, and development for all administrative services As director of Research and Learning Services, Pat Hawthorne oversees including financial management and fiscal oversight, facilities plan- the public service operations of the Alkek Library. Her areas of respon- ning and management, and human resources management. She sibility include Government Information, Interlibrary Loan, Instruc- oversees a staff of six. tional Services, Reference Services, and Access Services (Circulation, Prior to her promotion, Lori served as head of Administrative Ser- Stacks, and Reserve/Periodicals/Media), which consists of a staff of 27. vices from 2004 to 2009. She began her career at Texas State more Prior to joining Texas State, she was the director of Library Human than 20 years ago when she joined the library as library assistant in Resources for the UCLA Library System for eight years with respon- Circulation. She has served in many positions in the library since sibility for all aspects of human resources; including recruitment and that time, including evening reference librarian, bibliographic in- employment, employee and labor relations, and learning and devel- struction/reference librarian, periodicals and microforms supervisor/ opment for a workforce of more than 1,000 librarians, staff, and stu- reference librarian, and serials acquisitions librarian. dent employees working in 22 libraries on the UCLA campus. Lori received a bachelor of science in education in 1990 from South- She previously worked in public services and administrative western University and a master of science in information studies in positions at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Flori- 1994 from the University of Texas at Austin. da, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San An- An active member of the Texas Library Association, Lori was selected tonio, and the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. as a member of the 2008 TALL (Texas Accelerated Library Leaders) Pat holds a master of arts in Adult & Higher Education from the Texans Leadership Institute. She has chaired the Texas Library Asso- University of Texas at San Antonio, a master of science in Library ciations Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee (2007 Science from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and a bach- – 2010) and currently co-chairs the newly formed Professional Issue elor of arts in English & Journalism

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