In 2023, our Acquisitions department evaluated existing position descriptions for how well they met the current needs and challenges of the department and the broader library landscape. We found that staffing in our serials unit was still skewed toward print management even though over 80% of our subscriptions have moved to an electronic format. Several positions were redesigned to incorporate NASIG Core Competencies, especially related to the print and electronic resource life cycles. By using the core competencies to distribute print and electronic responsibilities among multiple staff members, we balanced the workload and prepared our area to better face future trends. This session will discuss the new position descriptions, the benefits of incorporating built-in cross-training, and how we worked with our campus HR office to build a job-family grid which provides opportunities for staff advancement.
Acquiring electronic resources for academic libraries has evolved into a complex and multifaceted process. Juggling numerous requests from faculty, negotiating with vendors, managing budgets, and ensuring timely access. This presentation will explore how leveraging Jira, a robust project management software, can help you re-imagine the e-resource acquisition workflow, transforming it from a chaotic process into a streamlined and efficient operation. Jira, with its customizable workflows, robust tracking capabilities, and seamless communication features, provides a powerful platform for managing the entire lifecycle of e-resource acquisitions including trial workflows. We will delve into how Jira can be configured to: Streamline Request Processing Establish clear and concise workflows for each stage of the acquisition process, from initial request submission to final approval. Automate tasks, such as sending notifications and assigning requests. Utilize custom fields to capture essential information about each request, such as consortia options, trial availability, authentication method, usage statistics availability, VPAT availability and rating, and history of ILL requests. Enhance Communication and Collaboration Facilitate seamless communication and collaboration between library staff processing requests. Utilize built-in messaging and notification features to keep everyone informed about the status of requests and resolve issues promptly. Increase Transparency and Accountability Provide a clear and transparent view of the acquisition process for all stakeholders. Enhance accountability by tracking progress, identifying bottlenecks, and ensuring timely decision-making. By implementing Jira, libraries can significantly reduce staff burden, improve efficiency, and enhance the overall user experience. This presentation will provide practical tips and best practices for implementing Jira in an academic library setting, including customization options, and workflow design including trial workflows.
During the Fall and Winter quarters of 2024, librarians at UC Santa Cruz were faced with the challenge of tracking perpetual access for titles canceled for an ongoing serial cancellation project due to a budget shortfall. This required consolidating information from various spreadsheets and other sources, some of which were still being updated. This session will review the tracking process that we used, including how we consolidated the perpetual access information, how we verified our access with vendors, how we addressed subscriptions with print + online coverage and share tips for if another library is faced with this type of project.
