4. Objectives, issues, and key strategic initiatives 2009-2011

Key Area 5: Physical environment

Objective: To enrich the total study and campus experience through provision of innovative and welcoming facilities that both stimulate learning and respond to study and research needs.

Ongoing Activities:

To provide study spaces which meet the differing needs of users for group and individual study.
To provide reliable high quality physical libraries, technology and workstations.
To provide a secure and safe environment.
To provide facilities for people with special needs.
To provide responsive hours of opening.
To house the collection to standards that ensure preservation of resources for long-term research value.

Issues: To date five of the Library’s ten branches have been either refurbished or newly-built in accordance with the Facilities Master Plan (Hargrave-Andrew, Berwick, Pharmacy, Malaysia and South Africa). Significant changes are being planned for the Gippsland Library, and planning is underway for a new Law Library as part of a new Law Faculty building. It is anticipated that the significant problems with the Caulfield Library will be addressed in this planning period, and the Matheson Library is seeking funds to establish a centre that would bring the University’s eResearch and eEducation Centres together with a re-conceptualised library.

Over the past six years the Facilities Master Plan has evolved to incorporate the shared services model of learning commons, as well as the Library’s changing needs, particularly since learning skills has been added to the suite of programs and services managed by the Library. This process of evolution is ongoing.

Key Strategic Initiatives

Strategies	Actions	Measures/Targets/KPIs	Responsibility
5.1 Improve facilities within available resources, adhering to the Facilities Master Plan. .	Review Facilities Master Plan in light of changing user behaviour.	Review complete and recommendations implemented.	Director, Central Services.
	Review staff accommodation, space and operational requirements and organise required works.	Staff appropriately accommodated. Provision of meeting and training rooms meets demand.	University Librarian; Directors, Client Services; Director, Central Services; Learning Skills Manager; Branch Managers; Learning Skills Advisers; Facilities and Purchasing Manager.
	Complete new staff and learning spaces in the Gippsland Library and review after one year.	Works completed. Review undertaken and design strategies modified if appropriate.	Branch library planning groups; Branch Managers; Directors, Client Services; Facilities and Purchasing Manager.
	Plan for the refurbishment of the Matheson Library.	Planning is ongoing.	University Librarian; Directors, Client Services; Director, Information Resources; Manager, Matheson Library; Facilities and Purchasing Manager.
	Prepare for refurbishment of the Caulfield Library.	Refurbishment is designed.	Branch library planning groups; Branch Managers; Directors, Client Services; Facilities and Purchasing Manager.
	Contribute to the design of the new Law library at Caulfield.	Design is completed.	Branch library planning groups; Branch Managers; Directors, Client Services; Facilities and Purchasing Manager.
	Implement recommendations of review on use of learning spaces.	Recommendations implemented.	Director, Central Services; Facilities and Purchasing Manager.
	Contribute to the University’s Shared Services Review	Relevant input is provided.	Director, Central Services.
5.2 Address storage and space issues at Monash University Library.	Develop collection management plans to make best use of this and campus based facilities. Plan for procedures to provide appropriate access to materials from off site store for all Library users.	Plans and procedures developed and implemented.	University Librarian; Director, Information Resources; Director, Central Services; Lending Services Librarian; Document Delivery Librarian.
5.3 Improve the student printing environment for Monash University.	Continue to investigate and work with Information Technology Services to provide a seamless student printing solution, including wireless printing.	Solutions implemented.	Director, Central Services; Library Budget Manager.
5.4 Continually review opening hours.	Implement review recommendations.	New hours implemented.	Directors, Client Services; Branch Managers.