Analysis and news


combined with a reimagined office space. We’re in the process of moving to a new


office building, one that fits our new way of working better. Working with Interaction, we’ve designed a space that provides a collaborative and social hub with space for quiet work. From an environmental perspective, our new building has an outstanding environmental performance and we’ve been very conscious of keeping our waste from the move to a minimum by recycling or reusing all the fixtures, fittings and furniture.


One of our most important responsibilities


is to ensure that colleagues don’t feel side- lined if they’re not working in the office. Technology really helped to level the playing field during the pandemic and so we’re investing in the latest hybrid conferencing technology to make sure everyone is clearly seen and heard, no matter where they are. Smart building technology will be instrumental in helping us adapt. We’ll have a simple but effective digital solution for desk and room bookings, and the latest in presentation and AV equipment for meeting rooms and hot offices. We’ve set- up an internal steering group to ensure we implement and maintain the technology that will meet the needs of all colleagues across the business. We’re proud of what we’ve put in place so


far, but we certainly don’t presume we have found the golden egg – we’re in uncharted territory. We’re a learning organisation and are always focused on improving what we do and how we do it. We’ll keep listening to colleagues and continue to review, adapt and improve our approach.


Antonia Seymour is chief executive at IOP Publishing


Working in the library post-pandemic – Lancaster University case study


Libraries have long been perceived as an industry that would not be suitable for working from home. After all, we deliver services on site and in person. But the pandemic has heralded a new way of working, even for library staff. It became clear that many employees could work effectively and productively at home, assisted by the right technology. We learned that expensive travel abroad was not always necessary, and higher education programmes could be delivered online. In addition, we discovered working from home could contribute to wider organisational agendas, such as sustainable practices, by rethinking the use of the library building and a reduction in travel. At Lancaster University we realise we can’t just simply go back to the way we worked pre-pandemic. It would be a step back to return to how we worked before without embracing the positives that have emerged. The challenge is to bring in greater flexibility and trust for colleagues, whilst making sure the campus experience and collegiality isn’t lost. We are a small, research-intensive university and part of our unique offer is the strong


community on campus. Making sure our campus remains vibrant where people can connect will also help us maintain income from the shops we have on site. But we do need clarity for both our organisation and employees as to how we will work


in the coming years. We’re currently taking the first steps to determine what the guiding principles are for successful and sustainable agile working at Lancaster University. As we adapt to a digital learning environment, we are curious to hear how other


libraries are shaping their ‘new normal’. We will focus on how to better work with people and how we can support their wellbeing in the face of continuous change. Currently, our shelvers are the only people who still need to work full-time in the


library. All other roles – even our front-of-house colleagues – for at least part of the week support students from home via the library chat. The role of the librarian has changed dramatically in the past few years, with new


roles and activities being created, and it is evolving with the emergence of new technology. But the core of our duty remains: to connect people and help them expand their knowledge.


Andrew Barker, director of library services and learning development


www.researchinformation.info | @researchinfo


Summer 2022 Research Information 21


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