December 6, 2019

The facts: UOW's Future-ready library

University corrects NTEU / Illawarra Mercury claims

The University of Wollongong (UOW) rejects claims made by National Tertiary Education Union UOW Branch President Georgine Clarsen published in the Illawarra Mercury (Where are all the books: 200,000 volumes gone as UOW guts library, Agron Latifi, 5 December 2019).

The University of Wollongong is developing a ‘future ready’ library to meet contemporary student and staff needs in response to careful consideration of usage data, feedback, benchmarking and consultation.

CLAIMS OF NO CONSULTATION OR AWARENESS UNSUPPORTABLE BY EVIDENCE

NTEU Branch President Clarsen reportedly said: “…I was pretty surprised when I walked in the library and thought where are all the books,” and "We aren't fully aware of what the university's plans are and haven't been consulted about the changes.”

This is a concerning lack of awareness for a research academic and staff representative considering these changes:

1. Respond to recommendations in the report of a widely publicised 2017 study tour, sponsored by the McKinnon Walker Trust, which examined campus experiences at world-leading universities. This report has been available online since 28 March 2017;
2. Were outlined in the Future Ready Library Strategy presented to University and faculty leadership in 2018, was widely promoted to UOW staff and was published online on 17 July 2018;
3. Reflect the University’s Collection Development Policy which is publicly available online;
4. Were presented to staff at the Vice-Chancellor’s planning forums in July 2018 and July 2019;
5. Have been mentioned in news posts on the UOW Library website since August 2019;
6. Have appeared in articles on the UOW staff news site Universe over the same period;
7. Have been promoted via signage around the library for many months; and
8. Are fully detailed in a dedicated project website that has been live since November 2019.

The changes have been shaped by analysis of usage data and international trends in world-leading university libraries. They have also taken into account feedback from students and staff. A July 2019 call for input about future needs netted approximately 600 pieces of feedback. This was followed by facilitated discussions with a representative focus group chosen from responders, which was held in the library on 10 July 2019.

Faculty leaders have been informed of the changes throughout the planning stages and consultations have been undertaken with specialist collection stakeholders including education and music.

QUESTIONING OF EXPERTISE REJECTED – CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL AND APOLOGY

The University also wholeheartedly rejects Associate Professor Clarsen’s questioning of the qualifications and competence of those staff leading and overseeing these changes when she said:

“Of course changes have to happen but what we see happening is decisions are made by managers who don't necessarily have the expertise that we have and make decisions based purely on financial considerations.”

These changes are being led by the Director of Library Services, Ms Margie Jantti. Ms Jantti has served in the University of Wollongong Library for 26 years, having worked in public libraries for a decade before being employed by UOW. She has held the post of Director of Library Services for nine years.

Ms Jantti is a former Chair of the Council of Australian University Librarians and has played a key role in establishing the International Alliance of Research Library Associations and delivered positive sector-wide outcomes in these significant leadership roles. She has been published in scholarly journals and presented at academic conferences on matters relating to university libraries.

The changes Ms Jantti is leading, and the decisions she has taken, have been overseen by Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joe Chicharo OM, who is an internationally recognised academic and university leader. He previously held the posts of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Strategy), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Pro Vice-Chancellor (International).

Prior to these roles Professor Chicharo had a distinguished academic career in the field of information and communications technology, culminating in his appointment as Dean of Informatics (2003-2008) before joining UOW’s senior executive.

UOW rejects NTEU Branch President Clarsen’s public assertion that University management does not have the expertise to make decisions about library services, including UOW’s Future Ready library project. The University calls on NTEU Branch President Clarsen to publicly withdraw her remarks and apologise.

MISLEADING JOB LOSS CLAIMS REJECTED

NTEU Branch President Clarsen is quoted as saying: “…the union understood there would be job losses”.

There have been no job losses as a result of the Future Ready Library project.

The University is going to great lengths to ensure those staff impacted are being consulted and adequately supported to equip them for their changed responsibilities. The NTEU has been engaged in discussions about these changes and is fully aware that no job losses have occurred and none are foreshadowed to occur.

The University wrote to the NTEU’s staff industrial officer, Mr Martin Cubby, on 2 September advising of the nature of the changes and have invited the NTEU to consultation discussion meetings, in which he has participated.

The public inference of imminent job losses at UOW by the NTEU is misleading and careless, particularly at this time of year.

The University has written to the NTEU and the Illawarra Mercury to formally advise them of the inaccuracies in this article and seek an appropriate correction of the public record and apology.