My first session at MARAC was “Switch! How to Change Things When Change is Hard”. The first speaker, Desider Vikor from the University of Maryland. He shard his experiences restructuring all university archives, rare books and special collections departments to create a more cohesive singular service point that could address all types of user inquiries. Vikor described how the departments changed from units competing for funds, etc. to staff members working together to strengthen all collections. In his words, the department used to perform in row boats and after the restructuring worked together on a large masted ship.
However, as an audience member, I had difficulty envisioning how the departments functioned before the change. It seems that by cross- training subject librarians to be able to answer any question posed, would take up precious time. I would rather know who to refer a researcher to than possibly provide faulty information. I believe as archivists and information professionals, we best serve our users when we admit we don’t know the answer but can provide an informed referral to a colleague.
The second speaker, Patrick Connelly who works for NARA and described the massive changes the organization has experienced over the past year. Largely driven by new national archivist David Ferriero, NARA is working to make its operation more open and transparent to the public and remove layers of bureaucracy to create a hierarchy more receptive to staff comments.
Most interesting for me was Connelly’s discussion of how the organizational chart changed from being organized by geography and is now structured based on job junctions. I think NARA archivists no matter where they work best serve the profession and their users by working together, rather than being hemmed in and structured by the geographic location.
NARA’s change from geography to function mirrors the changes many libraries are implementing.
While I had hoped this session would provide concrete strategies and suggestions for implementing change, I left encouraged by NARA attention to becoming a more open organization- but also skeptical of whether the changes enacted by both the University of Maryland and NARA will stand up to staff and the public’s assessment.
The second speaker