Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the restructuring process of the University of Arizona libraries. The paper focuses more specifically on the research support services (RSS) team, one of the librarian teams, that moved from a subject liaison model to a domain model focused on different work areas. Design/methodology/approach -The paper details the three phases of restructuring: building the general frame of change by the restructuring team, staffing outline by the implementation team, and how the resulting team, the research support team, managed its assigned work. Findings -The restructuring resulted in a few changes to the library as whole but the largest change was the creation of the RSS team and the move from a subject specialist model to a domain model. The RSS model has allowed the team to accomplish their work with fewer staff. Originality/value -The paper provides a new approach of how a research university is responding to economic and technological challenges.
PurposeThis paper aims to discuss the development of a core set of information resources management (IRM) competencies and to detail a plan for their acquisition by IRM librarians of a large academic university library.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the work of librarians who manage information resources at the University of Arizona Libraries to inform the development of a set of core competencies. The planned implementation and assessment of a series of training sessions for developing these competencies is also discussed, as is the role of individual librarians who have been assigned specific tasks related to broader issues not easily addressed by a training session. Finally, a prioritized list of mastery‐level competencies for future development is defined.FindingsBy defining in detail the information resource‐related tasks for which IRM members are responsible, the authors were able to develop a plan for training modules that are designed to ensure core competencies for all team members.Originality/valueThis paper is a detailed plan for developing competencies needed to manage information resources at an academic library.
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