Personnel/Human Resources Strategic Plan

Committee members: Linda Langschied, Ann Montanaro, Lynn Mullins, Roger Smith met December 20, 2004 to develop a statement of strategic directions relevant to personnel/human resources in the libraries framing where we will be in the next 5 years. We considered the digital technologies, the Rutgers Repository, working environment, changing demographics of the library workforce, faculty and staff issues, communications, the Libraries HR operation/service, grants and staffing as areas that will affect strategic directions for human resources in the next 5 years. Based on this discussion, we see the following as directions for personnel/human resources:

Recruitment for RUL's Digital Future

• Recruit for librarians who will be grounded in digital library trends and will provide a foundation for the expertise needed for digital projects.

• On the staff side, recruit qualified tech people, (programmers, graphic designers, and systems analysts) with an emphasis on hiring or mentoring from within.

• Investigate alternative career tracks and new criteria for advancement for junior tenure-track librarians, as required, based on the changing nature of academic librarianship in the digital age.

Educating and Training a Technological Workforce

• Provide opportunities for library staff and faculty to learn and grow with the new technologies integrating their activities and job duties in alignment with the needs of the Rutgers Repository and other new technology - based projects.

• Allocate adequate funding for training so that all levels of library employees are trained. Provide funding for professional development both internally and externally. Ensure that employees are up-to- date with the new technologies in the Rutgers community and nationally.

• Provide funding for training employees to work on the new Rutgers Repository.

Structural and Cultural Environments to Promote Innovation and Efficiency

• Build and develop a strong Human Resources department that is an integral part of the restructuring, fully involved in future library planning and operations and supported by expanded staff in an office environment that supports the human resources needs of the library community.

• Foster a culture where the work of staff professionals and faculty is integrated, where diversity is fully valued and staff has a visible presence and involvement in library matters.

• Integrate faculty and staff into the systemwide work of committees and councils to support collaborative efforts.

• Review staff work through performance appraisal, reclassifications, and evaluations, and write job descriptions that best reflect the changing nature of staff work due to technological change and work formerly only performed by librarians.

• Provide additional support for work with grants and for establishing a grants infrastructure.

Sandra Troy, Chair
1/26/05