Context: Western Washington University Libraries consolidated two previously separate information technology units into the Technology & Discovery Services Division and appointed a faculty member to serve as the Director. In this role, the Director is responsible for all IT operations and the strategic growth of the entire program. Spurred by a complex array of unmet organizational needs in a specific area of IT operations, this merge also allowed personnel to express frustrations and concerns. In the first month of the new appointment, the new Director conducted Listening Sessions across the Libraries to gather collegial feedback about the transition and the desired outcomes associated with the organizational change. These Sessions (which numbered four in total) highlighted several areas of concern and opportunities for action / improvement.
Results? Upon concluding the Listening Sessions, it was clear that the organization faced a significant challenge: The lack of an integrated information technology program ensured that the library was, at best, merely responsive to existing technological needs. Furthermore, the lack of consistent practices in daily IT operations had resulted in inefficiencies, confusion, and low morale. With this user-informed understanding of the organizational context, the Director created a multiyear, proactive, and stakeholder-driven roadmap for the future development IT services and programs within the library.
Resources: If you are interested in conducting Listening Sessions at your own institution, you are welcome to use the materials given below. Have questions? Don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail (marralr@wwu.edu).
All resources are Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0).
