New dates for SMT surgeries and launch of online SMT feedback form

It seems like another lifetime when we launched a pilot of Senior Management Team (SMT) surgeries (actually July 2019) via this blog https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/libnet/2019/07/11/launch-of-smt-surgeries/.  This was one of a range of measures we had discussed to address feedback from colleagues via the last Library Staff Survey and other channels that the SMT weren’t as visible as you would like and that it wasn’t always clear who we are and what our roles are. You can find out (along with a bit about what we each do) here https://www.ucl.ac.uk/libnet/about-us/committees-and-working-groups/senior-management-team.  You can access the minutes of regular SMT meetings from this link if you are interested.

While the number of staff who attended the pilot SMT surgeries was quite small, they were well received and we will continue to offer them on a monthly basis (alongside other channels of communication).  Dates have been scheduled until the end of the year.  We will hold them on Teams for the moment, and once ‘normal’ service is resumed they will be offered alternately online and f2f.  All members of the SMT have been timetabled to run these surgeries and the dates are below.  In addition we will be briefly attending team meetings over the next couple of months to talk about the surgeries and we will be in touch with managers of teams across the service to make sure this happens. Please email to book a slot.  We will send a monthly reminder email via Liblist.

• 28th April 2021 2 – 3 pm:  Rozz Evans, Karen Jeger, Andy Pow  (email rosalind.evans@ucl.ac.uk)
• 25th May 2021 12 – 1 pm: Peter Dennison, June Hedges, Martin Moyle (email p.dennison@ucl.ac.uk)
• 21st June 2021 3 – 4 pm:  Sarah Aitchison, Rozz Evans, Ben Meunier (email s.aitchison@ucl.ac.uk)
• 29th July 9.30 – 10.30 am: Paul Ayris, Kate Cheney, Andy Pow (email a.pow@ucl.ac.uk)
• 29^th September 2021 2 – 3 pm: Karen Jeger, Margaret Stone, Michelle Wake (email k.jeger@ucl.ac.uk)
• 25th October 2021 11 – 12 am: Jennifer Brown, Lara Speicher, Martin Moyle (email jennifer.brown@ucl.ac.uk)
• 23^rd November 2021 10 – 11 am: Anna Di Iorio, June Hedges, Ben Meunier (email j.hedges@ucl.ac.uk)

We will also be running an evening surgery if there is demand.  Please email rosalind.evans@ucl.ac.uk if this would be your preferred option and we will organise it.

People also expressed the desire for more opportunities to interact with us directly, formally and informally.

We have created a new online SMT Feedback form https://ucl-global.libwizard.com/f/smt-feedback.  You can choose to submit comments, questions and suggestions via this form.  If you give your name you will receive an email response although you can also choose to do so anonymously.  We will take all comments and suggestions seriously and regular updates will be shared regarding feedback received at the termly full meeting of the SMT and more widely as appropriate.

We’d also like to establish far more regular visits to teams and sites.

In order to find out what you would like from us we will begin by setting up meetings with groups of team managers to talk and share ideas about how to develop this.  We understand that while some may want to hear more about the area of responsibilities of particular SMT members or receive briefings on particular developments, others would welcome the opportunity to show what they have been doing within their sites and teams. Others would like something even less formal – maybe to invite a member of SMT to their team meetings or just for a coffee and chat?  In the meantime we are always pleased to be invited, so please free to email any of us individually or via our group email (lib-smt@ucl.ac.uk).

We are always interested in your ideas about this as one of the most important things about working for UCL Library Services is that no matter what our roles we are united in our wish to be the best we can be.  Please do make full use of the range of opportunities to help us improve in this area. However you do it, please do make sure you have your say!