This is the Georgia Tech MOU for cooperative governance of the Commons. I have made some modifications to reflect local conditions. This is intended to be a jumping off point for us to get the conversation started. (gc)

 

 

Library Commons Memo of Understanding

Introduction: The Library Commons is an important collaboration between the University Library

and Information Technology Services to define the vision and the design of the Library Commons in the

renovated McHenry Library. The Library Commons is composed of the second floor combined service desk, computer workstations, and 

open study spaces, the ground floor Media Center, and group study spaces on the ground, third, and fourth floors.

This memo of understanding outlines the essential service,

funding, leadership and governance elements that sustain the endeavor, mitigate confusion and conflict,

and clarify responsibilities of the parties to assure uninterrupted success.

 

Teamwork and governance:

Operational leadership is shared between the Library’s Head of Teaching and Learning Services Department and ITS’s

Director of the Instructional Technology Group. These individuals: promote cross-cultural understanding and reduce the

negative effects of cultural differences between ITS and the University Library; reduce “turf ownership” and

exclusivity; coordinate centralized support for consistency, continuity and reliability; and reduce service

failures due to confusion of responsibility.

 

The Library/IT Partnership Steering Committee monitors the convergence of technical, informational, instructional and research

support; assists the development of procedures and policies; and oversees the appointment and

facilitation of staff and teams to create and successfully deliver needed services.

 

The University Librarian and the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology are sponsors of the shared services and provide strategic direction, support at the

campus executive level, funding and organizational support as well as a vital connection to all UCSC

constituencies affected by the expanded services.

 

Partner responsibilities:

The shared project represents a genuine collaboration between Information Technology Services

and the University Library.

 

TBD

 

ITS

OIT provides a Liaison for Library Support who is housed in the Library, as well as a Multimedia Studio

manager. OIT also provides staffing within the building in the form of undergraduate assistants, co-op

students, and with contributions from permanent OIT staff from various areas of the organization.

Together these staff provide the bulk of technical and applications support at workstations. The level and

duration of staffing contributed by OIT anticipates the technical and instructional support required by

students in the collaborative spaces. OIT provides staff in the Productivity Center and in the Multimedia

Studio from 8 am to midnight Monday through Thursday, 8 am to 6 pm Friday, 9 am to 6 pm Saturday,

and noon to midnight Sunday.

OIT finances shared workstations, servers, and productivity software. OIT strives to keep 100 % of

workstations, peripherals and servers in operation at all times, and an escalated solution path for

equipment that is not easily repaired.

OIT provides technical experts in a timely manner from inside and outside OIT to maintain workstations

and servers, and to trouble-shoot and develop solutions.

OIT finances software applications for student production and for systems support that are appropriate to

the needs of students using the shared spaces, and in accordance with Student Computer Ownership

committee standards. The various applications at standard and multimedia workstations are upgraded

and modified in a timely manner to satisfy student emerging needs as identified and agreed-to by both

parties. A review of existing and requested software applications is conducted each semester by a small

group appointed by both partners. A desiderata list is maintained throughout the year.

OIT finances basic consumables like printing paper and toner.

Note: See the attached Continuous Improvement plan for specific business processes and procedures as

related to the operation of the labs in the shared spaces.

Library

The Library staff at the Information Services desk sustain service every hour the Library is open. The

Head of Information Services is housed in this area, along with a complement of career information

assistants. The level and duration of staffing contributed by the Library anticipates the information

support, and to a lesser degree, the technical support required by students in all shared service areas.

The Library pays for information resources that complement pedagogical technology, and multimedia and

special productivity demands.

The Library provides and sustains comfortable and well-maintained spaces to house the expanded

services, with appropriate furnishings and facilities. The Library also provides office space for the OIT

liaisons.

 

Assessment and evolution: The Library Commons will be an iteration of space, technology and service at a particular

moment in time, and provide a starting point for elements that will promote and support student productivity

and learning outside the classroom. The Library and ITS will continue to identify opportunities to launch

collaborative services that inform the programming of the Library Commons. This may take

the form of re-imagining spaces in the Science & Engineering Library, or providing training and exposure for students and faculty to

support learning and emerging pedagogies. New directions will be grounded in careful observation and

assessment of the experiment(s), and informed by the direct input of students and faculty.

 

New partnerships: The Library and ITS will actively seek new partners to advance student learning and

productivity, and to inform the programming for the Library Commons. The services provided by each partner in the Commons

are overseen by a manager or director.

These individuals are members of the The Library/IT Partnership Steering Committee and may attend any meeting at their discretion.

Library Commons representatives will be encouraged to attend a quarterly review meeting where their

operations and associated issues will be discussed.

The evolving partnerships will be observed over time to determine if the calculated mix of assistance,

resources and services effectively support students in their academic endeavors. As occupancy is

sustained over longer periods of time, and as students take advantage of services offered, elements like

communication / public relations / marketing; staff orientation / training; informed referrals; security; and

all aspects of customer service will be continually assessed and refined. The annual assessment of the

partnerships will incorporate these entities.

 

Convergence and collaboration: Sustaining a genuine convergence of the two organizations will

positively influence the service and support provided in the shared spaces. The Library/IT Partnership Steering Committee will

promote cross-unit mentoring, cross-unit participation on teams, and appropriate training opportunities.

Staff with special skills that advance productivity and learning will be hired as circumstances indicate and resources allow.

 

Public relations: All announcements and communications that showcase or elaborate on the partnership

will be coordinated between ITS and the University Library. Each partner will keep the other informed of all publicity

related to the service areas. Customers, staff, the University, funding agencies and the media-at-large

will receive targeted information that is timely, focused and verifiable. All public comments, reactions and

questions sent to the Library homepage “comments” utility will be reviewed by representatives of both

units and replied-to by the most qualified individual(s).

 

Evaluation & assessment: In addition to regular operational reporting and assessment, an annual

review will be undertaken to:

• review management and disposition of operational issues to date, and

• engage sponsors, contributing staff and customers in an assessment of the effectiveness of the

service

 

Periodic review of Memo of Understanding: The Library/IT Partnership Steering Committee annually will review the conditions

set forth in this Memo of Understanding. Changes to this document may be mutually agreed to at this

annual review, or at any time the partners agree that changes or additions to the terms are beneficial.