Our theme is Operational Excellence, which is all about tackling inefficient and wasteful processes in order to deliver effective services, making the most of our resources in the context of the needs of our institutions. We are very fortunate to be part of a NAG community where innovation flourishes and an appetite for sharing experience is very healthy. A full programme will be available to download soon but we already have the following details of some of the interesting speakers we have lined up:
Matt Durant and Ted Spilsbury from the University of the West of England will be presenting their new approach to PDA, which further reduces expenditure on unused stock while streamlining Acquisitions processes. We’ll find out about the implementation of this initiative and how PDA data is being used in the analysis of user behaviour.
Amjad Husain’s paper focuses on the challenges following a reduction of staff resource in the Acquisitions Department at the University of Bradford Library. Many of us will identify with this difficult situation and we’ll discover how this team have devised innovative ways of dealing with workload by changing workflows and embracing new technology.
Gavin Phillips from Imperial College London will be speaking about improving reading list processes using a team-based and iterative approach known as a Rapid Improvement Exercise. Gavin will talk briefly about the context and methodology of the project before moving on to the details of the process improvements made, the ‘continuous improvement’ nature of the project, and the benefits delivered to the College.
Joe Schulkins and Rachel Schulkins will concentrate on a Chrome plugin, developed especially for the Acquisitions Department to handle book requests at the University of Liverpool. The initiative ensures that adequate and standardized information is always supplied so that the team can work effectively. We’ll learn about the development of the tool, how the use of it was embedded into Library teams, and how they plan to develop it to bring further service benefits to the institution.
Kevin Wilson from Goldsmiths College will be telling us about their approach to using an increased number of on-demand video streaming services. This initiative aims to use a blend of different platforms and purchase models to reduce reliance on physical media and address the challenges of space restrictions, limited budget, and a changing student expectation of on-demand streaming resources.
The seminar will also offer an opportunity for delegates to work together in a breakout session, the details of which will be confirmed at a later date. We experimented with this in 2016 with two sessions that were well received and generated some great constructive feedback. You liked the variety that the breakouts added to proceedings, though more opportunity to feed back to each other on the day was also requested. Among other improvements, you identified a need to ensure that all tables have a good mix of relevant experience as well as the value of having an experienced facilitator. We are taking this feedback on board as we design the interactive element for 2017.
Your general feedback indicates that we are doing a good job in ensuring a varied mix of content relevant to the academic library sector and presenting it to you in a professional manner. Of course, the opportunity to get together with our peers from around the country is also extremely valuable for us all. We will endeavour to retain all of this value while making improvements based on your feedback and experimenting where we see potential.
Though aimed primarily at academic libraries we welcome all delegates from all points in the supply chain who are interested in the content. The seminar is an excellent opportunity for networking and dialogue between librarians, vendors, and publishers.
In recognition of the difficulties in the sector, we have frozen prices from 2016 and NAG members also receive a significant discount. The cost to NAG members is £160+VAT, non-members can attend for £210 + VAT. As you can become a NAG Individual Member for just £55, the benefits of membership are clear, particularly if you're thinking of attending Conference in November too! If you are unsure whether your Library is already a NAG member, just email the office to check.
The venue received good feedback last year so we are returning for 2017. It is just a short walk from Birmingham New Street Station, and provides great facilities for the day including WiFi. We will be using Glisser to share slides and as an option for questions again so please do bring your laptops and tablets.
A full programme will soon be available but we currently plan to open registration at 10:00 with a start time of 10:30 and a finishing time of 16:00 for those needing to plan transport.
The booking form is available here.
Opportunities for NAG Members to sponsor elements of the Seminar are available; more information is available here.
Administrator, National Acquisitions Group www.nag.org.uk
12 -14 King Street
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF1 2SQ
@UKLibrariesNAG
Please use email to contact us wherever possible, as we will generally be able to respond more quickly to this than to a phone message.
However, if you do wish to speak to somebody personally, the numbers are 01924 383010 and 07587 133012