Initiate electronic publishing efforts, seizing the opportunity afforded by current technologies to contribute the Library's unique and historical materials to the virtual worldwide scholarly record. Connect each member of the Brown community with a 'personal librarian', assigning Library generalists as 'mentors' for undergraduates, and Library discipline specialists as consultants for graduate students and faculty. Utilize the information management expertise of Library staff, in collaboration with other partners on and off campus, to develop the information literacy skills that will permit Library users to be lifelong learners and critical thinkers. Create an extensive infrastructure for digital initiatives and increase the technological competencies resident within the Library staff. Reorient the Library's organization and staffing around the 'core activities' of Library users, moving toward laterally integrated flexible work groups and teams and away from the functional and format-based hierarchical organizational model.
Several challenges lie ahead.
This Plan requires the Library to use the extensive knowledge of its staff much more directly in intellectual and human connections with the members of our community. We must make this transformation in the work because it is the knowledge that Library staff possess that contributes the most value to Brown University. Most of what is outlined in this Plan can be accomplished by existing staff, with significant training and support and adequate compensation. However, this vision relies to an extraordinary degree on the development and application of a variety of technological innovations while the Library currently lacks either depth or breadth of technical competencies. It is critically important that new resources be secured, or existing financial resources be redirected, toward several key technical staff positions.