From Bolshie To Beaming – the cultural and operational transformation of shelving at the UQ Cybrary

In 1997 the University of Queensland Library carried out an internal review of shelving operations and benchmarked with other libraries. The results indicated there were a number of problems, both in efficiency and in health and safety. In the year following, an external consultant was employed to assist with developing a solution. After some industrial challenges, the majority of full time shelvers were replaced with part-time staff. Since then the process has continued to improve the shelving rate has increased substantially and the number of shelving staff with muscular-skeletal injuries is greatly reduced. One of the advantages that was unplanned in the initial stages, has been an incredible change in culture amongst the shelving staff. We have gone from having staff with very little pride and next to no interest in their work to a group of staff who are proud of their achievements and are always looking to improve their efficiency.