The Significance of Organizational Development in Academic Research Libraries

More and more academic research libraries are applying organizational development (OD) concepts in their organizations. The outcomes of focusing on and utilizing this management approach are described, including how OD has made significant differences in these libraries. To assess the current state of OD in academic research libraries, interviews were conducted in July–August 2003 with twelve individuals who have some part of OD in their job responsibilities or are library directors. The approaches to implementing OD vary. In some organizations, it has been a complete library-wide undertaking, while in others the changes started in one or two units, sometimes with an overarching plan and sometimes with no intent to shift the entire organization. What is evident is that there is not a linear progression of OD from one step to another and it is a continuous process of change. Within the university structure, libraries have been given the leeway to be “different,” with the library becoming the focal point for demonstrating new ways to work in the academy. Most of those who have undertaken OD initiatives believe that their organizations would not be responsive or flexible if they had not committed to change. As increasing numbers of academic research libraries are implementing organizational development (OD) concepts in their organizations, it is important to assess the results of focusing on and utilizing this management approach, as well as significant changes in these libraries due to OD. Because of the relatively new application of OD in the academic library arena, there is not an abundance of literature from which to draw conclusions Karen Holloway, Team Leader, Financial and Human Resources, University of Arizona Library, PO Box 210055, Tucson, AZ 85721–0055 6 library trends/summer 2004 on the effects of OD in these organizations. To supplement the literature that is available, I conducted interviews in July through August of 2003 with individuals who have some part of OD in their job responsibilities or are library directors. These individuals were identified through several means: journal articles and books; participation in an OD online discussion group; and presentations at a series of conferences on organizational change in libraries.1 Thirty-one academic libraries in North America and Europe were identified as having instituted some type of organizational change within the last ten years; of those identified, twelve individuals from nine libraries in the United States agreed to be interviewed. The resulting list of interviewees is by no means a scientific sample since the total number of academic research libraries that are implementing some form of OD is not known. The interviews were conducted in order to create a sampling of the rationale, activities, and trends that OD represents in these libraries. The questions asked in the interviews appear in Table 1. Responses have been aggregated to form the basis of observations and conclusions in this article. The interviews were supplemented with publications describing libraries’ forays into OD, and these are cited accordingly. Definitions There are many textbook definitions of OD, as well as many approaches to implementing OD. Over thirty years ago, Richard Beckhard published Organization Development: Strategies and Models, in which he notes more organizational leaders have realized that it is not enough to carry out piecemeal efforts to patch up an organization problem here, fix a procedure there, or change a job description. Today there is a need for longer-range, coordinated strategy to develop organization climates, ways of work, relationships, communications systems, and information systems. . . . It is out of those needs that systematic planned change efforts—organizational development—have emerged.” (Beckhard, 1969, p. 8) In my research for this article I have found that academic libraries are Table 1. Interview Questions 1. Define organizational development as it is used in your organization. 2. Why is organizational development a part of your organization? When was it initiated? 3. What elements of organizational development are in place or in the planning stages? 4. How have organizational development initiatives made significant differences in your organization, specifically in areas of individual (employee) learning and growth, internal processes, financial/budgeting, and customer focus? 5. By what methods has your organization measured the success of these initiatives? 6. What is your role in the organization? Do you see the organizational development position as necessary in the long term? How do you think it will evolve? 7 holloway/organizational development using the term “organizational development” both in a formal manner, i.e., there are individuals or units in libraries that have OD as part of their titles, and in an informal manner when organizational development is part of an individual’s or unit’s function but the OD designation is not formally applied. Additionally, the term “organizational effectiveness” is being used in some quarters to connote a broader, ongoing initiative that is beyond the “development” stage. “Effectiveness” could also be viewed as a response to the economic climate, in that organizations have to demonstrate more accountability in order to secure dwindling resources. The various answers to the question of how the term “organizational development” is used in an organization range from no definition, to systemwide engagement, to plans for the future. In more than one library the definition of OD is embodied in the work of an OD staff person, even if the larger staff population does not know or understand the term itself. Often OD is not understood as a succinct concept, even by those who are practitioners. There appear to be many pieces that make up OD; Table 2 contains some of the elements that contribute to the definition, as used in academic libraries. The verbs used in Table 2 are intentionally in the active tense. What is apparent is that OD is a continuous process and, in many cases, a cyclical process. A definition of OD that has stood the test of time and captures most of these elements is that of Higgins: “a deliberate process of planned change which incorporates a long-range effort to improve an organization’s problem-solving and renewal processes, particularly through a more effective and collaborative management of organizational culture” (Higgins, 1982, p. 333). Table 2. Elements of OD Putting decision-making closer to people doing the work. Expressly understanding user needs and desires. Improving group dynamics, organizational structure, and organizational culture. Developing shared accountability and responsibility. Learning how to work collaboratively and across hierarchies.