4. Digital Innovator
Behaviour: Implementing new practices
Why is innovation important in collection management?
Stereotypical representations of collection management have sometimes inaccurately presented an isolated, non-progressive part of the library profession, that focuses too much on the resource lifecycle and tidy discovery. However, in recent years, the changes in organisational structures, budget efficiencies, and the growing importance of digital collections, have led to collection management being at the forefront of disruptive activities. Collection management is now a collaborative part of the library service, and it is not uncommon for those involved in its management to take the lead in working with liaison colleagues and the academic community, to ensure resources are relevant, and present value for money, teaching and research. The resource landscape is ever changing, just look at the way the delivery of resources and budgeting of content has changed over the last 10 years. It is important that those involved in collection management are aware and responsive to the changes that are on the horizon, this is another quality of digital leadership. Also the language of collection management regularly changes reflecting new initiatives that arise, Patron Driven Acquisition, Open Access and ERM, could be seen as examples of this. Given the complexity of some of the new ways of delivering and accessing resources, you will need to take the lead in articulating new trends clearly to colleagues, which entails gaining an understanding before doing so. You should also maintain an awareness of activities across the profession as well as the Higher Education sector, so that you can play an active lead in the conversation representing collection management interests within the institution and beyond.
Read
2016 Top Trends in Academic Libraries
122 Things You Will Be Able to Do in the Library of the Future
Watch
Do
Look at the events and webinars pages on UKSG web site and choose 1 subject that you would like to know more about, undertake some research in this areas, and write a short synopsis for somebody who does not know anything about the area.