View source for Campus Reports

== UCSF ==

LAUC-SF Campus Report
April 2, 2010

Like our colleagues across the UC Libraries, UCSF has responded to significant budget cuts by reducing library hours.  Our location on the Parnassus campus closes at 10 PM rather than midnight Sunday-Thursday, and the Mission Bay library is now closed on the weekends.  

From September to February the Parnassus location was completely closed on Saturdays.  However, we are now open from 8 AM-8 PM on Saturdays in the Hearst reading room, which provides an attractive and convenient place for UCSF students to study.  There are no other library services available during this time.  For further information, please see the Library news item about Saturday hours: http://www.library.ucsf.edu/node/2163.

Thus far we have absorbed minimum job losses, and no LAUC-SF members have lost jobs.  We have frozen recruitment for the previously valuable bioinformatics specialist position, in response to budget concerns.

For the last several years library and other campus leaders have worked to develop a new Teaching and Learning Center on the second floor of the Library.  This Center will feature additional classrooms for the campus, as well as a more flexible and interactive teaching lab for library staff.  Construction of this Center is now underway and is expected to be completed by January 2011.  Funding was secured by dedicated state bonds, which is why construction is proceeding in the midst of dire budget circumstances. More information about the Teaching and Learning Center is available here: http://tlc.library.ucsf.edu/ 

On an educational note, the Library is working to enhance patron access to mobile resources (many of our licensed resources now have mobile versions designed for smart phones), and to develop a version of our web site optimized for viewing on mobile devices.  I will be happy to provide LAUC members with additional information as these projects advance.

Respectfully submitted, 
Marcus A. Banks
LAUC-SF Chair



== UCLA ==

LAUC-LA Campus Report 
April 2, 2010
 
As with libraries across the UC system, the UCLA Library has cut hours throughout its units.  With the exception of the Management and Law Libraries, UCLA Libraries are now closed on Saturdays.  Early in Fall Quarter 2009, the Night Powell Services, which enables members of the UCLA community to utilize certain study areas and a computing lab within Powell Library between 11:00 pm and 7:30 am five days a week, was discontinued.  However, the UCLA Undergraduate Student Association, working with the University Librarian and an anonymous donor, supplied funding to reopen this service for the remaining of the academic year, and, it appears, for the upcoming academic year. 
 
As of March 2010, there are 28 librarian and 50-60 staff positions which are vacant.  Because of the budget cuts, the Library has engaged in only limited, targeted recruitment this year, but hopes to begin filling more positions in the near future.  Spring 2010 will see the departure of the current AUL for public services, and the entry of a new AUL for digital initiatives and Library IT services.   Portfolios and assignments for all AULs are being readjusted to streamline reporting lines and raise organizational efficiency.
 
In Fall 2009, teams consisting of AULs and librarians were formed to study the impact of closing the physical units of the UCLA Arts, Chemistry, and Geology libraries, and integrating their collections and services into other appropriate units.  Reports have been presented to the UL and the Cabinet, but at this time, no decision has been finalized.
 
The Young Research Library is currently undergoing major renovations on its first and second floors.  Renovation of the basement is near completion, and in operation.  The library remains open to the public and all services are fully functional.  More information on the YRL renovation, as well as other topics relevant to the UCLA Library can be found on the University Librarian’s blog: http://blogs.library.ucla.edu/universitylibrarian/
 
LAUC-LA activities this year have concentrated on enabling more open communication among librarians of the various units, and between librarians and library administration.  One activity the LAUC-LA Chair and Chair-elect has initiated is a ‘listening tour’ in which we visit librarians in their units for two hour discussions.  The purpose of these visits is to clarify the role of LAUC, encourage more interest in LAUC participation, to hear from the librarians themselves about their work and their units, and to hear their ideas on how and on what LAUC should be advising the administration.  So far, we have visited nine library units and spoken with approximately 30 librarians.  All comments are strictly anonymous, and we have been able to incorporate many of the comments and suggestions into our monthly meetings with the UL.  
 
An ad hoc task force was appointed by the University Librarian in consultation with LAUC-LA leaders to review and report on the definitions and criteria used by each UC library in awarding distinguished status, discuss UCLA’s current language, and recommend to the UL revisions to the UCLA Librarian’s CALL as appropriate.  The formation of this task force in October 2009 is the result of the need to clarify and establish criteria that would satisfy both librarians and administration.  The group hopes to complete its task by Spring 2010.
 
A task force was appointed by the LAUC-LA leadership in February 2010 to create a viable LAUC-LA Procedures Manual.  The desired outcome is a web-based resource containing the collective policies, procedures, and timelines for LAUC-LA regular activities that is available to the membership in order to ease the learning curve and transition of new committee chairs and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge onward toward re-building the institutional memory. Recommendations for archival policies and future maintenance responsibilities will also be generated.  The manual will be mounted on the LAUC-LA Webpage and operable for AY 2011-2012.

This year the LAUC-LA Committee on Plans and Policies was charged with investigating the issue of security in the UCLA Library on two levels: on a material level, as it relates to the security of the books and other items housed in the open stacks; and on a personal level, as it relates to the personal safety and well-being of library staff.  They held brown bag which was well attended by both librarians and library staff to gather concerns and ideas, and are working with the Deputy University Librarian to develop recommendations for policies to improve stacks security, building security, and training of librarians in dealing with difficult, angry, or threatening patrons.
 
On April 7, LAUC-LA members will meet to discuss specific topics within the future of the UC Libraries and Librarians framework.  Summaries of these discussions will be shared with appropriate Statewide bodies by April 16, 2010.
 
Respectfully submitted,
Diane Mizrachi
LAUC-LA Chair 2009-2010 




== UCSD ==

LAUC-SD campus report
April 2, 2010


Beginning in November 09, a broad based Strategic Planning Working Group (SPWG) was charged to develop a process for strategic planning, coordinate that process, and prepare a draft strategic plan for library administration and library management group review. The SPWG held meetings gathering input from staff of individual library departments as well as with other library groups, such as LAUC-SD. The Group is also meeting with external groups, such as the deans, faculty, and student government associations. The Group will analyze and synthesize this input so as to present a draft strategic plan at the end of March with a final draft due the end of May.

In response to staffing and budget shortfalls the following have or are planned to occur. The Science & Engineering Library service desk (circulation/reserves) was consolidated with the main Geisel Library service desk. Also consolidated were several ILL units, there will only be one. Discussions on consolidating archives processing are ongoing. The Libraries reduced late night hours at Geisel, the main library, from 2 am to midnight. All libraries are now closed on holidays and hours at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and at the Medical Center Libraries reduced to one shift (effectively reducing evening and weekend hours). Overall library hour reductions amount to 11%. Further library hour reductions may be considered once budget cuts for 2010/2011 are known.

Our IT department has also instituted some cost reduction strategies: moving some servers to the San Diego Supercomputer Center, lengthening computer replacement cycles by one year, and reorganized its services and staff so as to take advantage of services provided by campus computing staff. On the collections side, the Libraries cancelled 750 print serial subscriptions and reduced the binding budget.

There is an Academic Affairs Division freeze on all recruitments. All vacancies are now strictly reviewed by library administration and only those with a strongly demonstrated critical need are considered for recruitment. If approved by Library Administration, a request for an internal-to-the-campus recruitment needs approval from the Vice Chancellor’s office. Outside-the-campus recruitments would also need VC approval, but we have yet to ask for permission (leaving positions unfilled to meet our budget cuts). Over the past two years and forecasting through this June, the Libraries have/will hold vacant or eliminate 42 positions of which 11 are librarian positions.

Over the last two years, the UCSD Libraries have taken about $6 million in cuts (~4.8 in services/operations, ~1.2 in collections), of which about $3 million, or 10%, are a permanent reduction. Per campus request, the Libraries are submitting budget scenarios for a 10, 15, or 20% cut for the coming year.

With the final approval of the LAUC Bylaws, locally we have set up a committee to review and update our local bylaws to be in compliance with the state bylaws and to make other changes as we find appropriate. To continue the work begun last year, we reconstituted and recharged our “Finding Community Website” committee, created in response to a need to provide potential candidates information about San Diego. The website provides information about the various communities of San Diego, some of it from official websites, but a good portion from library staff.

In the fall we inaugurated two ongoing librarian recognition events, one initiated by LAUC-SD, the other by Library Administration. In an effort to recognize professional achievement, Library Administration is now hosting a reception to honor Librarian achieving  Distinguish Librarian status during the past review cycle. To recognize service to the Libraries, LAUC-SD established the Librarian Service Recognition Program. Librarians celebrating a five-year increment service anniversary are now honored with a reception, a certificate of service, and posting of their name in the library newsletter (noting years of service) and on our local website. This is modeled after the similar campus annual staff recognition ceremony sponsored by UCSD administration.


Respectfully submitted
Adolfo R. Tarango
LAUC-SD Chair



== UCSC ==

*McHenry Building Project: The project looks as though it will finish on time.
We should be moving staff and collections into the finished space by December
2010. To see some images of the new building:
http://library.ucsc.edu/about/locations/mcadd/mchenry-addition-images-and-floorplans

*Photo survey: For the past couple months we've been working on a photo
survey, based on a photosurvey done at the University of Rochester.  We asked
students to tell us how they use the library, how they like to study, places 
in
the library they love, places in the library where they feel lost, et cetera.
We are going to use their feedback to inform the furniture we purchase for
the new McHenry building.  For details: 
http://library.ucsc.edu/2010-photo-survey

*Grateful Dead Archive: We are in the process of hiring an Associate
Librarian (or Librarian) to serve as the Grateful Dead Archivist. We are also
hiring a Project Manager for the Grateful Dead Archive.

*student unrest: Student actions continue on campus.  The most recent was the
March 4 strike, which resulted in a suspension of all campus services. The
most disruptive event (from the library's perspective) remains the Friday,
November 13-14 takeover of the Science & Engineering Library.  We were very
fortunate that students and library staff were able to remain peaceful for the
duration of that takeover.

*budget cuts: For the most part the library is observing a hiring freeze. This
has resulted in increased cross training between departments to meet the
workload left from vacancies. We reduced library hours this year (we are
closed Saturdays and close at 10pm Sunday-Thursday).  We have also reduced
staffing levels on our Reference Desks. We ended some services this year as a 
direct
result of the budget cuts, such as Document Delivery and Link+.  We were able 
to get a
library fee referendum on the student ballot, which would go directly to
staffing longer building hours.

*LAUC social events:  Given all the budget cuts, and the fact that we all get
so busy and don't really know what other people are working on, we decided to
plan events to create a sense of camaraderie and collegiality.  Once a quarter 
we
meet after work at a local restaurant for snacks/drinks and talk about our 
work.  We usually have
two or three planned speakers but if the conversation is rolling along 
organically we just
go with it.


Thanks,

Sarah
LAUC-SC Chair

==  UCSB ==

LAUC-SB Campus Report
April 5, 2010

The net budget cut to the UCSB campus for 2009-10 is $13.9 million, to be distributed as permanent reductions.  Impacts include reductions in faculty and staff as well as a reduced instructional budget, with larger and fewer classes and less TA support.  Scenarios for the campus 2010-11 budget range from $12 million in further cuts to $10 million restored, the latter depending on adoption of the 2010-11 governor’s budget that includes $305 million restored to the university.

Impacts of the UCSB Library’s 2009-10 budget cut of $873,000 include the loss of eight staff members through VSO separation, a significant reduction in GA funding, and cuts to travel, furniture, and binding.  The collections budget has remained flat.  Given the campus-wide hiring freeze, most vacant staff positions remain unfilled, but exceptions have been made for critical positions in fontline access services and IT.  Three librarian positions became vacant this year and will remain unfilled, in addition to two from previous years, for a total of five.  We received an exception for the map librarian position, which was recently filled.

Reductions in building open hours have been limited to the Arts Library, which is now closed Thursday evening and all day Saturday, and opens one hour later on weekdays.   Open hours for Davidson Library (the main library) have remained unchanged, but hours for most service points have been reduced.  The greatest change has been to the Sciences-Engineering Reference Desk, whose weekly hours have been reduced from 68 to 24, with signs posted referring patrons to the main reference desk.  There was also a library-wide furlough closure for six days during Winter break and one day during Spring recess.  

The search committee for a new UL has been convened and had its first meeting on March 18.  The LAUC-SB division chair was appointed to the search committee in response to a request from the executive board to Executive Vice Chancellor Gene Lucas that LAUC-SB be respresented.  One other librarian, Dave Tambo, Head of Special Collections, is also a member.

For 2009-10 the LAUC-SB Committee on Appointments, Assignments, and Reassignments has been charged to incorporate new interview procedures into the LAUC-SB document “Procedures for Appointment and Review, Librarian Series, UCSB.”  The committee has further been charged to review this document and make recommendations for additional revisions if it determines that such are needed. The new procedures, approved by the UL in August 2009, require phone interviews in lieu of written references after the pool of applicants has been narrowed to a short list by the LAUC appointment advisory committee, supervisor, and line AUL.  It also specifies that the line AUL conduct telephone references following the in-person interviews, and CAAR is working to modify this language to enable the AA committee to audit these calls.   A draft of the revised procedures document is due to the LAUC-SB executive board this month.

Also in progress is a local policy and procedures document for librarian emeritus status.  Shortly before she left UCSB on February 12, UL Brenda Johnson had approved a document drafted by the LAUC-SB executive board and submitted it to the Executive Vice Chancellor.  The executive board is currently reviewing revisions that the EVC made to this document.  As part of this effort, we are gathering information about emeritus and non-emeritus retiree privileges across the campuses.

Respectfully submitted,
Eunice Schroeder
Chair, LAUC-SB, 2009-10

== UCD ==

LAUC-D Campus Report 2009-2010:

Another year of change at UCD.

Facilities: Last summer's proposal to close the Physical Sciences and Engineering Library and merge the biological, agricultural, life, and health sciences departments and collections at the Health Sciences Library has been tabled for now.

Library Services: Hours have been cut at the campus libraries.  Shields Library is currently offering "trial" general reference services, with subject specialists, instructional librarians, and special collections librarians rotating through a single point of service.  Reference hours have been reduced, and eliminated entirely on Saturdays.

Campus and Library Administration: Following the retirement of our UL, a search for a new UL is currently underway.  There is a LAUC-D member on the search committee, representing LAUC.  Campus administration is currently working on convening a task force on the library, at this time filled by members of campus administration, the Academic Senate, and the Academic Federation.  We have requested LAUC-D representation as well.

Budgets: While the Library was granted a reprieve by the new chancellor at the beginning of the fiscal year, we are waiting for the May revise to see whether the library will face budget cuts of between $300,000 - 1.2 million (approximate).  While no layoffs have been announced, they have not been ruled out, as no cuts to the collections budget are planned.  The budget has been flat for a number of years, and we have had a de facto hiring freeze for librarians for several years.  A good number of FTE positions have been relinquished to the campus over time.

LAUC-D: Standing committees are status quo.  The LAUC-D executive board is reviewing standing committee sizes as an opportunity to revise divisional by-laws to reduce committee sizes, if possible, given the declining number of LAUC-D members.  The division is preparing a call for nominations for a LAUC-D Distinguished Librarian award.


== UCM ==

LAUC-M Campus Report
April 9, 2010

UC Merced avoided substantial cuts to the library budget for 2009-2010.  However, a flat budget for three years in the face of an annual 20% increase in student enrollment has significantly impacted the library.  Insufficient funding combined with the rapid growth of our campus continues to present challenges for the library as we attempt to respond to the demand for materials and services. 

Recruitments for a Programmer Analyst and Technology Manager were delayed because of the hiring freeze, however we later received exceptions for these positions and they have been filled.

Hours at the Kolligian Library have remained unchanged except for being closed one additional week during winter break.  This closure had been considered in prior years since classes on the semester system don’t resume until the third week in January, so the decision to remain closed was only partly financial.  

Minor revisions to the UC Merced LAUC Bylaws were approved by the membership in August 2009.

The UC Regents accepted UC Merced’s 10-year $1.13 billion capital improvement plan on March 25, 2010.  This was positive news for the entire campus as we expect to enroll and additional 650 students a year through 2013-2014.  Projected enrollment for 2020 is 11,000 students.  More information about the capital improvement plan is available here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/04/03/1372718/uc-merced-campus-construction.html



Respectfully submitted,
Susan Mikkelsen
LAUC-M Chair

== UCR ==

LAUC-R Campus report, April 20, 2010
Over the last 20 years student enrollment at UCR has more than doubled, growing from 8,400 in 1991 to 19,439 students enrolled in 2009. Library FTE levels have stagnated: as the student population increased 130%, the librarian population only increased 21%. This has resulted in a student/librarian ratio that has almost doubled, from 302 students per librarian in 1991 to 548:1 in 2009.

*The temporary budget reduction in FY2009 was $1,260,000. For FY2010 it is 1,179,000 with the FY 2010 reduction made permanent for FY 2011. The funding cuts made during the past fiscal year have already impacted several of the Libraries’ basic and strategic programs in the following ways:

*The Libraries have been forced to reduce operating hours and the Palm Desert Branch has closed indefinitely. The Science Library is closed on Saturday, Rivera Library has shortened hours Sunday-Thursday, and the Music and Multimedia Libraries have closed on the weekends and reduced weekday evening hours.

*We have lost both librarians and library assistants, as retirements or resignations have occurred. We lost seven library assistant IV/V due to retirement; we do not know if we will be able to fill any of these positions. 

*Last summer we lost one reference librarian, and will lose two this spring; we only expect to fill two of those librarian positions.

*Technical Services staffing has decreased by 26% in 4 years with few lost positions likely to ever be rehired.  This major staffing deficit has required major reorganizations. The Acquisitions Department, Electronic Journals & Continuations Dept, Cataloging and Metadata Services, Processing and Government Documents processing merged into 1 new department with 41% fewer staff than these individual departments commanded. The Collection Development Department has also lost 36% of its staffing. 

*The collections budget was reduced by $1M in 2008/09 and continued with this $1M reduction for 2009/10.  The monographs budget went from $1.2M in 2007/08 to $420K in 2008/09 to $300K for 2009/10.  Nearly 2200 journals and standing orders were cut for a “savings” of ~$800K. Several databases were also cut. 

*The UCR Libraries slipped in national comparative rank from 93rd  place, held in 2004-05, to 101st place out of 116 of the member libraries in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in 2007-08.

*On the positive side, as a result of LAUC-R initiative, the UCR Libraries was represented on 3 subcommittees of the UCR 2020 Strategic Action Plan Commission. The current draft of its final document, UCR 2020: THE PATH TO PREEMINENCE (http://strategicplan.ucr.edu/documents/UCR_2020.pdf) includes the sentence: “The infrastructure for information services, including the UCR libraries, will be planned and supported in ways that will advance UCR’s national reputation and ranking and position the campus to achieve the profile of an AAU institution.” Whether UCR administration will act upon this statement, remains to be seen.

Respectfully submitted
by Gwido Zlatkes, Chair, LAUC-R