1. Agile Management
Strategies for Success in Rapidly Changing Times:
an Australian University Library perspective
Andrew Wells, University Librarian
LIASA 2013
2. Outline - part 1
• Agility
– What is it?
• Agile management
– The concept
– Does it apply to libraries?
3. Outline - part 2
• Agile management and Australian university libraries
– The higher education system in Australia
– Examples of agile approaches
• Case study – UNSW Library
– Enabling agile approaches
5. Five ‘ways’ of agile management
1. Use peripheral vision
2. Encourage dissent
3. Experiment
4. Simplify and flatten
5. Act quickly
6. Australian higher education
• 39 Australian universities (population = 23 million)
• 3% of total university expenditure on libraries (2010)
• Was 3.4% in 1996
• Enrolments increased 60% between 2000 and 2010
• Library spend per student decreasing
7. Digital Transition
• Electronic preferred policies from early 2000s
• Stop taking print: release space
• Study seats increased 26% over a decade
• An example of Using peripheral vision (1st way)
• An example of Experimenting (3rd way)
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14. Repositories and the future
• Australian Digital Theses Program 2001
• Repository projects – ARROW 2004-2008
• Research data management – ANDS
• Libraries used peripheral vision
• Lots of experimentation
15. UNSW and UNSW Library
• Major research-intensive university
• Large enrolment growth
• Special library structure in print environment
• Needed to simplify structure
• Example of Simplify and flatten (4th way)
16. Scenario planning
• A slow process, not agile! Some dissent (2nd way)
• Reduce duplication across special libraries
• Address major changes in information environment
• Move resources away from print to digital services
• Abolished special libraries
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18. New structure
• Simple
• No ‘front-room/back-room’
• Structure reflects importance of digital information
• Simplify and flatten (4th way) has led to use of agile
management techniques
19. No service desks
• Help Zone
• Use peripheral vision (1st way)
• Learn from customer service models in other places
• Implemented quickly (5th way)
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24. Self-help
• Self-help suits online environment
• 90% of borrowing is self-help
• RightNow software
• Knowledge Base develops in response to client needs
25. Stop doing things
• No information literacy classes
• Develop new services
– Research impact
– Research data management
– Research publications management
– Direct support for academic staff
• Find resources to experiment (3rd way)
