This has been an extremely productive and exciting time for the University of Sussex Library as we prepare for major changes over the next 18 months:

Library refurbishment

Following the award of a HEFCE grant for a major refurbishment of the Library at Sussex, the planning process is now in full swing. The architects, Woods Bagot, were appointed in January 2009 and are working closely with Library staff, English Heritage and other stake holders to develop a design that is both modern in terms of functionality, whilst remaining sympathetic to the original vision of the architect, Sir Basil Spence. The key objectives of the project are to:

• Provide flexible, accessible, technology rich learning space
• Implement RFID, including an automated book sorter, to facilitate all loan transactions
• Zone study areas to provide social, group, individual and silent learning spaces
• Provide a graduate study area
• Provide open access compact shelving
• Co-locate careers within the Library building
• Provide an upgraded café
• Redesign and refurbish existing office space
• Re-organise the library collections to improve accessibility and navigation.

The physical works are due to begin in December 2009, for completion Spring 2011 so it’s going to be a very busy 18 months.

Refining our collection and preparing for the refurbishment

We have begun a project to withdraw a substantial amount of our print journals for which we have bought, in perpetuity, the online content. We expect to take out around 1000 metres before the end of July 2009 and will continue to remove stock (for which we have online access) for the next twelve months. The majority of our print journals will move to a local store during the planned Library refurbishment later in the year. They will return to the library as a single at the end of the refurbishment.
Prior to this, however, Library staff will spend the summer tagging stock, or participating in other collection management projects to prepare for RFID and collection moves.

RFID

Again, as part of the Library’s refurbishment project we went out to tender in April for a RFID self-service implementation, which will include a book sorter, using the LUPC Framework Agreement for RFID. Briefings took place in May with supplier presentations on 1st of June and we hope to make an award of contract before the end of June.  Tagging will take place over the summer with self-service equipment being installed and tested in the autumn for going live in January 2010. Through implementing RFID we aim to:

• significantly increase the proportion of our self-service issue and return transactions to as near as 100% as possible;
• reduce the amount of staff mediated transactions, including fines payments, and so free up staff time for more pro-active user services;
• reduce shelving times by automating the sorting of returned items;
• improve stock management capabilities through utilising RFID based technology for stock checking and locating missing items;
• improve the ‘look and feel’ of our services;
• enhance the user experience and increase user satisfaction

Talis Aspire

Sussex is one of the pilot sites for the Talis Aspire project. First impressions of the new product are very positive, with academics in our focus group and their students agreeing that the look is a major improvement on the old TalisList, All our existing lists in Talislist have been converted to Aspire and are accessible from within individual course sites on the vle. Currently, academic staff have read only access as the reporting mechanisms to alert Library staff of changes made to a list have yet to be developed, but these mechanisms, we are assured by Talis, are underway.

Library staff are working extremely hard in testing the functionality of the system so far to identify areas that are not working as expected, and identifying areas for future development, which are then reported directly to Talis for resolution/consideration.

Archival Management System

We have recently purchased an Archival Management System. This will give us the facility to efficiently record, manage and cross search all our extensive archival collections for the first time. We are confident that this will open up our Special Collections to more researchers (both at Sussex and beyond) and to new teaching opportunities.

Sally Faith
Head of Library Administration
University of Sussex 

Content of M25 e-bulletin Summer 2009 Edition