Research libraries across North America are evolving to suit user needs and services, and UBC Library is no exception. As part of its strategic plan and budgetary forecast, UBC Library has announced a number collection and service consolidations at various campus branches and sites. While this process began in May 2012 and will take three years to complete, some changes are underway and take effect this fall. These transformative changes will allow the Library to strengthen its position as a valued partner in research, teaching and learning on campus.
The frequently asked questions below refer specifically to St. Paul’s Hospital Library and BC Children’s and BC Women’s Health Centre (Hamber) Library.
- What are the changes affecting the St. Paul’s Hospital and BC Women’s Health Centre (Hamber) Library?
- Why is UBC Library changing its service model at the St. Paul’s Hospital and BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital?
- How has UBC Library implemented these changes?
- What happens to the collections at the hospital libraries that are affected?
- Can faculty and students still access UBC Library materials after April 30?
- Where can faculty and students find updated information about the changes to the affected hospital library branches?
Q: What are the changes affecting the St. Paul’s Hospital and BC Women’s Health Centre (Hamber) Library?
A: UBC Library announced at a staff Town Hall in May 2012 that the two hospital library branches were no longer financially sustainable and a new service model would be developed for these locations.
These two libraries operate in spaces under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty of Medicine and UBC Library continue to work together to develop a new collaborative service model for these two locations
Q: Why is UBC Library changing its service model at the St. Paul’s Hospital and BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital?
A: The consolidation of services and branches is a key development of changes underway at UBC Library. This is in response to ongoing budgetary pressures and a need to centralize our resources and services so we can best serve UBC students, staff, faculty and the community.
In June 2012, the Library and Faculty of Medicine appointed a working group comprised of Library staff and faculty and student representatives from the faculty to review services at the hospital branches. Key drivers for this review included a decline in the use of on-site print resources, the preference of online resources and services increasing costs of operations, and insufficient annual budget.
Q: How has UBC Library implemented these changes?
A: The Library met with the Faculty of Medicine in May 2012 to discuss possible future scenarios. A working group met throughout the summer of 2012, and a usage survey and focus groups were launched in August. Survey results were released and options were submitted in September 2012, and the working group report was distributed to various Library Advisory Committees in November 2012.
In the intervening months, no additional funding for the Library facilities was forthcoming. A final decision was reached in March to discontinue the current service model on April 30, 2013. Discussions are ongoing between the Faculty of Medicine and UBC Library. A service model for the future is under consideration and will be finalized shortly.
Q: What happens to the collections at the hospital libraries that are affected?
A: A small core print collection will remain at each library branch. Remaining items will be relocated to the Biomedical Branch Library at the Diamond Health Care Centre or Woodward Library on the UBC Vancouver campus.
Q: Can faculty and students still access UBC Library materials after April 30?
Online access to UBC Library resources for UBC faculty and students remains uninterrupted by these changes.
Q: Where can faculty and students find updated information about the changes to the affected hospital library branches?
Further updates will be posted on the UBC Library website.