This study looks at how 53 academic libraries, especially research universities, use personnel teams drawn from more than one and often many departments and divisions of the library.
The study helps its readers to answer questions such as: how effective are such teams? What are they generally used for? Does effectiveness vary by function? When do they fall apart and why? How many cross functional teams do academic libraries have? Who is able to form a cross functional team? What are the lines of authority and to whom do team leaders report? How open are the team members to active participation? When are they enthusiastic and when not?
The study was devised and the data summary written by Susanna Cowan, Coordinator for Library Research & Assessment, UCONN Library.
Data in the 82-page report is broken out for type, enrollment size, tuition level, library employee level and public/private status of the institutions, and gender, age and library title of the individuals responding to the survey.
Just a few of the report’s many findings are that:
- More than 36% of the research university libraries in the sample had more than five cross functional teams.
- Divisional directors and department heads viewed nearly 23% of their employees as resistant to joining cross functional teams.
- For 22.64% of libraries sampled, only senior library leadership could create cross functional teams.
- Colleges in higher tuition ranges were more likely than those in lower ranges to view cross functional teams as critical to their mission.
Table of Contents
THE QUESTIONNAIRE
PARTICIPANT LIST
- Characteristics of the Sample
SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS
- Summary of Main Findings
- Organizational Structure
- Structure of Functional Work
- Number of Cross-Functional Groups
- Charging Cross-Functional Teams/Groups
- Significance of Cross-Functional Teams
- Most Significant Current Cross-Functional Team/Group
- Participation in Teams
- Why Don’t Teams Work & Advice for Developing and Implementing Cross-Functional Teams
List of Tables
Table 1.1 How would you describe your organizational structure?
Table 1.2 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by work title
Table 1.3 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by number of employees
Table 1.4 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 1.5 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by public or private college
Table 1.6 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 1.7 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 1.8 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 1.9 How would you describe your organizational structure? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 2.1 Not including the work of supervisors. most functional work in the library is assigned
Table 2.2 Not including the work of supervisors. most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by work title
Table 2.3 Not including the work of supervisors. most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by number of employees
Table 2.4 Not including the work of supervisors. most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 2.5 Not including the work of supervisors, most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by public or private college
Table 2.6 Not including the work of supervisors, most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by tuition, $
Table 2.7 Not including the work of supervisors, most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by student enrollment
Table 2.8 Not including the work of supervisors, most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 2.9 Not including the work of supervisors, most functional work in the library is assigned Broken out by age of respondent
Table 3.1 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.).
Table 3.2 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by work title
Table 3.3 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by number of employees
Table 3.4 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 3.5 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by public or private college
Table 3.6 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by tuition, $
Table 3.7 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by student enrollment
Table 3.8 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 3.9 How many permanent “cross-functional” groups exist in your library (i.e., groups comprising staff from more than one major organizational division. such as staff from both Technical and Public Services.). Broken out by age of respondent
Table 4.1 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library?
Table 4.2 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by work title
Table 4.3 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by number of employees
Table 4.4 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 4.5 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by public or private college
Table 4.6 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 4.7 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 4.8 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 4.9 How many project-based or other temporary “cross-functional” teams or groups exist right now in your library? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 5.1 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library?
Table 5.2 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by work title
Table 5.3 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by number of employees
Table 5.4 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 5.5 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by public or private college
Table 5.6 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 5.7 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 5.8 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 5.9 Who can create and charge permanent cross-functional teams/groups in your library? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 6.1 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library?
Table 6.2 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by work title
Table 6.3 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by number of employees
Table 6.4 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 6.5 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by public or private college
Table 6.6 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 6.7 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 6.8 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 6.9 Who can create and charge project-based or other temporary cross-functional in your library? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 7.1 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission?
Table 7.2 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by work title
Table 7.3 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by number of employees
Table 7.4 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 7.5 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by public or private college
Table 7.6 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 7.7 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 7.8 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 7.9 How critical is work on permanent cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 8.1 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission?
Table 8.2 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by work title
Table 8.3 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by number of employees
Table 8.4 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 8.5 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by public or private college
Table 8.6 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 8.7 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 8.8 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 8.9 How critical is work on project-based or other temporary cross-functional teams to your library’s mission? Broken out by age of respondent
What do you consider to be the most significant/important current permanent “cross-functional” team or group in your library? (if you have no such teams, enter NA)
Please briefly describe the work/importance of this team
What do you consider to be the most significant/effective current temporary “cross-functional” team or group in your library? (if you have no such teams, enter NA)
Please briefly describe the work/importance of this team
To whom does this team report?
To whom does this team report? Broken out by work title
To whom does this team report? Broken out by number of employees
To whom does this team report? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
To whom does this team report? Broken out by public or private college
To whom does this team report? Broken out by tuition, $
To whom does this team report? Broken out by student enrollment
To whom does this team report? Broken out by gender of respondent
To whom does this team report? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 10.1 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons?
Table 10.2 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by work title
Table 10.3 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by number of employees
Table 10.4 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by type or Carnegie class
Table 10.5 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by public or private college
Table 10.6 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 10.7 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by student enrollment
Table 10.8 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 10.9 About what percentage of your library's professional personnel are generally openly or passively resistant to participation in Teams due to fears of erosion of responsibility, overwork or other reasons? Broken out by age of respondent
Why have some Teams fallen apart or not worked as hoped?
What advice can you offer to your peers about developing and implementing cross functional teams in academic libraries?
Samples
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Companies Mentioned
- Bentley University
- Buffalo State
- Charleston School of Law
- Chicago State University
- Christopher Newport University
- Clarke University
- Collin College
- Dakota State University
- Davenport University
- Eastern Illinois University
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Emory University
- Florida Atlantic university
- Florida Memorial University
- Florida National University
- Fort Peck Community College
- Frederick Community College
- Hamilton College
- Indiana University Northwest
- Iona College
- Iowa State University
- Kent State University
- Lawrence Technological University
- Lehigh University
- Livingstone College
- Loyola Marymount University
- Mansfield University of PA
- Murdoch University
- Oregon Tech
- Ozark College
- Rhodes College
- Rush University
- Samford University
- Shoreline Community College
- Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
- Southwestern Law School
- SUNY Oswego
- Syracuse University
- Temple University Library
- University of Iowa
- University of Kentucky
- University of Louisiana at Monroe
- University of New Mexico
- University of North Dakota
- University of Sheffield
- University of Southern Queensland
- Vanderbilt University
- Western University
- Worcester State University
- Wright State University
- Yeshiva University
Methodology
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