From Structure to Strategy: Building Future-Ready Library Teams at UAB

The UAB Libraries are committed to delivering an enhanced user experience while reinforcing their central role within an evolving information ecosystem, shaped by continuous technological advancements, generational transitions, and profound social transformations. To meet this challenge, we launched a strategic project four years ago with a clear objective: to review and redesign the organizational structure of library staff, aligning it with the future needs of our academic community. The first phase involved an approach based on the Library Service process map, analysing the expected evolution of each process, identifying operations being phased out or representing new opportunities, determining key activities, and mapping them to job categories. We introduced a data-driven methodology, creating a detailed grid covering 11 processes and their activities, complemented by indicators and weight analysis to ensure objective assessment. This framework provided a top-down view of organizational dynamics, enabling evidence-based decision-making. The outcome was a comprehensive report structured around a 4-helix analysis, integrating process data, job categories, performance indicators, and trends identified in the literature on university libraries. The second phase focused on adaptive workforce design, redistributing staff across libraries according to the study’s findings, updating professional profiles, and introducing new roles to address emerging challenges such as digital scholarship, data management, and user experience design. This step emphasizes flexibility and future-readiness, ensuring alignment with evolving academic priorities. The third phase, following approval of the model by the university board and unions, is currently in progress and focuses on developing a two-year implementation roadmap. To provide context, the UAB Library Service comprises seven libraries, central services, and Library Management, supported by a team of 166 professionals. This project has impacted 87% of the staff (145 individuals) through a comprehensive review of their profiles. Notably, 77% of these positions (112 roles) have received category and salary upgrades. Furthermore, 13 basic positions have been reclassified as technical roles, strengthening the team’s expertise. By integrating data analytics, strategic foresight, and role design, this project positions UAB Libraries as a proactive agent of change, ready to deliver high-impact services in a rapidly shifting academic landscape.