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Building partnerships with our users was
pivotal to the library’s efforts in 2005 as we worked to modernise
and improve facilities and services and be more dynamic in our
response to user needs. The completion of the refurbishment of the
Hargrave-Andrew Library in November was an important milestone in
the updating of our library branches, setting the benchmark for a
new era Monash University Library experience. The increased
quantity of workstations and data points, flexible seating for a
variety of study styles, contemporary open plan layout and
architecture, improved signage and a co-ordinated theme to the
artworks on display all contribute towards our goal of providing
users with a library space that is a pleasure to use. The enhanced
service and support possible and the enthusiasm of our staff in
their new environment have also set the standard for the
refurbishment of our other libraries.
Design of new library
buildings in South Africa and Malaysia was also concluded in 2005,
and the first steps taken in planning for the refurbishment of the
Sir Louis Matheson and Pharmacy libraries due to take place from
2006 to 2008. The Berwick Library and Learning Commons, adopting
the design principles of the Hargrave-Andrew, has led the way in
an innovative combined Library and Information Technology Services
offering. Library information and loans as well as computer
account and password queries and other related information
technology matters are all handled from one central point,
creating seamless interaction with users. The learning commons
concept will be extended to other branches in the coming years.
Technology was once again at the forefront of the library’s
achievements for 2005. Major improvements to the library website
include making it more relevant and easier to navigate and,
following a usability study, the catalogue received a major
overhaul. The new design, incorporating a user friendly interface
and improved search options, has been welcomed by users.
Other progress includes the significant
extension of the Monash University Lectures Online service and the
installation of wireless capability in all branches.
The ePress, launched in 2004 as a pioneering project in the
publishing of scholarly material, has gone from strength to
strength with four new titles published during 2005. A number of
breakthroughs made in the sourcing and customisation of software
resulted in the creation of an innovative and efficient business
model and enabled an outstanding output from the small ePress
team. The ePress will focus on building content, finding its
markets and developing partnerships over the coming years.
The ARROW project, in which Monash is the leading institution,
also made some critical advances in 2005 in its efforts to identify and test software and solutions to
support best practice institutional digital repositories.
Moving from being a behind the scenes assignment to a far more
visible and high profile venture, it is an example of the
library’s commitment to supporting the university’s strategic
research focus. More than 1700 digitised images from the Centre
for Gippsland Studies Picture Collection are now housed in the
repository and available via the internet. This is
a good practical example of the value
the repository can add by storing and making scholarly material
available to a wide audience, and demonstrates some of the
capability of the repository. Development has progressed to the point that the repository
will be fully tested and ready to support the university’s
collection of research material
for submission to the upcoming Research Quality Framework.
The library has continued with its efforts to work in partnership
with teaching staff by integrating information literacy programs
into faculty courses and curricula. The resulting improvements in
students’ ability to find and use information and apply approved
methods in practices, such as citing and referencing, is being
progressively recognised by a number of faculties. The transfer of
the university’s copyright advisory function to the library also
demonstrates the wider role the library now plays.
The Rodski library
user survey conducted in 2005 showed that the Monash community’s satisfaction with the library has
increased since the survey was last conducted in 2003. The highest
performing area was ‘staff’, while ‘communication’ showed the most
improvement. ‘Facilities and equipment’, the lowest performing area,
is being aggressively addressed through the library’s refurbishment
plans and the upgrade of computer equipment and resources.
In conclusion I would like to acknowledge and thank the library’s
dedicated staff, without whom the achievements recorded in this
annual report would not have been possible. Development of our staff
to meet the needs of the changing user environment continues to be a
high focus, while a number of secondments to key positions during
the year provided opportunities for cross-skilling and sharing of
expertise across branches. The Monash-wide staff survey conducted at
the end of 2005 positioned the library staff satisfaction score in
the top five out of the 30 faculties and departments surveyed. I
believe this result is a reflection of our ongoing efforts to create
a fair, stimulating and satisfying work environment that in turn
enables the library to play a meaningful role in supporting and
advancing the university’s goals.
Cathrine Harboe-Ree,
University Librarian |
