The Pro-Vice-Provost’s View

New SMT and associated Working Groups

On 10 August, I wrote to expain how the Library’s Senior Management Team was being restructured and enlarged. The role of the SMT is to oversee policy developments and the daily operation of the Library. The SMT will also meet regularly as the Library Strategy Committee, to oversee the development and implementation of the new Library Strategy. The new SMT comes into being on 1 September. Its membership and Terms of Reference can be found here.

As SMT, the new Committee will meet monthly (rather than every 2 weeks). It will also act as parent for a series of Working Groups, the purpose of which is to support the business of the SMT.

The Working Groups do not supersede and are not substitutes for established Library Services committees and groups, such as the Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. SMT WG chairs will be responsible for ensuring appropriate join-up between their Groups and any relevant established committees.

Broadly, the SMT Working Groups will have 4 functions. These are as follows:

• To advise SMT on new developments and future strategy in their respective areas of business
• To ensure that SMT and UCL policy decisions are implemented effectively and equitably across Library Services
• To take ownership of matters of operational detail in their respective areas on behalf of SMT
• To make regular reports to SMT through their chairs.

The following Working Groups are proposed, each with a chair and membership drawn from SMT:

• Budget Executive Group (Chair: Paul Ayris)
• HR Working Group (Chair: Martin Moyle)
• Estates Oversight Group (Chair: Ben Meunier)
• Survey Response Team (Chair: June Hedges)
• Staff Training and Development Strategy Group (Chair: Kate Cheney)

The full Membership and Terms of Reference for each of these Working Groups will be circulated via a LibNet Blog posting once signed off by the new SMT in September.

Good governance is essential to the successful running of the Library and the wellbeing of our staff and students. I look forward to the enlarged SMT playing a full and successful role in the daily life of UCL Library Services.

Paul Ayris

Pro-Vice-Provost (UCL Library Services)