l Re-establishing a separate Library Help Desk after an unsuccessful merger at a joint service desk with IT assistants, re-integrating and restoring the promi- nence of library services at one prominent central location.
l Persuading Information Services to move touch screen catalogues/informa- tion kiosks from the far fringes of library spaces to stand beside thoroughfares on the approach to book stock.
Impact beyond the library The Ideas Group has also contributed to projects and initiatives reaching beyond the library, involving other university departments and strategic planning, including:
l Collaborating with Sports & Recreation to introduce short relaxation sessions in the library to support student wellbeing.
l Coordinating wellbeing and sustaina- ble study promotional campaigns across the university and Students’ Union.
l Creating the Book Nook, opened by the Vice Chancellor, where students can relax and swap books.
l Proposing pollution and noise absorb- ing epiphytic wall coverings that are now being considered as part of the Future of the Building Review.
Small changes with big impact The smallest of changes often have the biggest impact on the client experience, either directly or indirectly by impacting staff morale and thereby the quality of service provided. These have included:
l Offering earplugs to students, which are now very popular and have reduced the number of noise complaints.
l Providing a full-sized keyboard for the Library Welcome Desk team.
l Establishing a community noticeboard and leaflet stand as an alternative to leaf- lets being left around the library making the space look untidy.
48 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL Ideas, concerns and proposals are gathered from student feedback channels.
l Introducing walkie-talkies that allow reception staff to contact building super- visors wherever they are working if they are asked for by contractors.
Ruling things out, as well as in The Ideas Group serves an equally useful function ruling out seemingly promising ideas as unsuitable or unworkable locally. For example, a task and finish group set up by the Ideas Group found the space and power supply in the library would not support installing mobile device charging lockers that were observed to be popular in other libraries. Installation of power sockets with integrated USB charging ports was recommended instead. The Ideas Group has also on occasion served as a trusted, independent and politically neutral third party mediator between staff and managers, providing politically neutral evidence-based recom- mendations to the management (which, to date, have all supported existing decisions).
Advice for those setting up an ideas group
Pick your chair with care. The chair must be organised, responsible, diplomatic, fair, considered but decisive, and able to engage people at all levels and across
all teams and sub-cultures within the library. They will ideally have both operational expertise and strategic insight, great interpersonal and meeting management skills, and be confident at setting standards, coaching and mentoring less experienced colleagues. They will need to lead the group and foster a culture of creatively solution seeking, while keeping meetings to time and discussions on track.
Pick your members with equal care. Every area of expertise needs to be represented and no-one should feel left out. Willing, well-informed, critically minded, creative and analytical minds are best. Better still are such people who are also well trusted across their teams, and who are capable of motivat- ing team mates to come up with new solutions and ideas for service improve- ments and to constructively challenge the status quo.
Tie roles or discussion topics to strategic objectives and communicate expectations clearly. Do this once in the terms of reference when setting up the group and you may never need to justify the Group’s existence again, except to show that it is fulfilling its agreed purpose.
Never stop seeking new ideas. Always March 2018
Ideas Group Portsmouth
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