Research On The BPR Models Of University Libraries

Along with the forming of digital information environment based on digital information technology and digital information resources, the production, storage, and utilization of information have transformed revolutionarily, leading to profound changes of resource base, technical means, working mode, and user need on which library’s service is based. Library has changed from a traditional one in the past which mainly depends on manual operation to a digital one which uses computer and Internet widely. Under such a circumstance, university library is now facing with such difficult position as information media development, change of user’s information needs, transformation of user’s access to information, and slow progress of itself. Confronted with such crises, university libraries at home and abroad have taken the initiative to reform in order to break through the development bottleneck; moreover, international organizations and academic conferences have discussed extensively over the reform and restructuring of university libraries. In the meanwhile, it is necessary to reform and restructure university libraries in China as it will help promote the advancement and prosperity of our socialist culture as well as boosting the reform and progress of China’s higher education. It is imperative to summarize the practices of university libraries’business process reengineering (BPR) to form scientific theories in order to guide our practice.This thesis conducts relevant theoretical researches on BPR modes in the university libraries. It makes extensive surveys of related documents of home and abroad concerning library’s BPR by using literature research method, collects data from university libraries, university teachers and students, as well as librarians by using questionnaire method, and analyzes the feasibility of various reengineering modes by using case analysis method in order that the theories can withstand the tests of practice. On such a base, the thesis builds three modes which will help complete existing theories about libraries’management and expand the scope of current knowledge management theories. It is also beneficial for university libraries to alleviate their crises and to adapt to the changing environment.The first chapter is theoretic explanation of university libraries’BPR. It first gives concept and characteristics about the BRP and defines the concept of BPR in light of this research, holding that gradual BPR, i.e. reconstruction and optimization mainly towards business flow, is what this research is targeted at. It then discusses the feasibility and necessity of libraries’introduction of BPR, and uses system theory and knowledge management theory as the theoretical foundation. This thesis holds that the research on university library’s BPR should be conducted according to the following three principles: BPR centering on teaching and scientific research, BPR that put users in the center of the entire business process, and priority reengineering of critical processes.The second chapter is survey and analysis of current BPR in university libraries. Based on the investigation samples of libraries in75universities which are subordinated to the ministry, the thesis conducts surveys on business processes of conventional paper documents and of digital documents, and on conditions of including users in the business process and of the establishment and reorganization of institutions supporting the libraries’business process; besides, it also surveys on the reorganization conditions of university libraries with external organizations. Through analyses of these survey data, the thesis finds that there are three major problems existing in the current business process of China’s university libraries:putting emphasis on things rather than people in traditional business process, ineffective coordination of traditional business process, and rigid set-up of functional departments. The very existence of these problems makes it necessary for us to conduct reform and gain break-through by carrying out business process reengineering.The third chapter is about causes behind the BPR of university libraries. In addition to the reason discussed in the second chapter about problems existing in university libraries, there are several other factors for BPR. The first is digital information environment as well as technological development and change. It mainly includes changes of libraries’processing modes by digital environment and changes of their work flow by using new technology. The second factor is transformation of academic exchange mechanism. It includes changes of traditional academic exchange mechanism and direct participation of libraries in academic production business. The third is changes of libraries’processing contents. It includes expanding processing objects, shifting work focus, cooperating with other institutions and users to conduct business. The fourth is librarians’requirements for transformation of current business process. The fifth is low acceptability of university teachers and students to current process. The last but not the least one is the changes of user’s information needs, such as needs for digital information, mobile information, and one-stop information. Along with these changes of environmental factors and service recipients, the BPR of university libraries is an imperative matter.The fourth chapter discusses the BPR mode of university libraries which are to extend their functions. It is mainly about the new BPR mode after extending functions, and the characteristics are that the mode puts main emphasis on interior conditions of university libraries, make major discussions over BPR methods to adapt to extended functions, and is targeted at the BPR inside the libraries in face of newly added functions. The thesis makes analysis of the mode’s applicability, and concludes that extended functions of libraries are digital business, mobile and subject services. It then conducts researches on contents of the mode’s BPR and offers several ways in this regard:building business process based on knowledge content, adding business processes for users’ participation, reengineering business process centering on university’s teaching and scientific research, in particular, embedment of library’s business process into teaching and scientific research practices. In the meanwhile, this chapter also probes into requirements of this mode for library’s institutions and librarians, and builds, based on BPR, an optimized mode of business departments to support new business process. Last, by selecting the library in Wuhan University as a typical case, the thesis makes analysis of the mode put forward in this chapter and also makes effectiveness analysis of its BPR.The fifth chapter is about the BPR mode of university libraries based on certain project. This chapter mainly discusses the BPR mode for certain project between university libraries and between libraries and other related information management organs. The characteristics are that this mode emphasizes the external reorganization of libraries, and discusses the BPR brought about by project’s cooperation. The thesis makes analysis of the applicability of this mode, and concludes that the mode is mainly seen in such businesses as joint construction of information resources and construction project of digital library. It then elaborates on the mode’s BPR contents including establishing new business process for academic exchange, building uniform search interface for certain project, and conducting business process by renting software system of cooperative institutions. Besides, this chapter also probes into this mode’s requirements for library institutions and librarians in three aspects, namely, setting up unified management committee, establishing inter-departmental project teams in the library, and emphasizing both independence and cooperation among project teams. Last, it selects HathiTrust project as the mode’s typical case for analysis with main attention being focused on the effects of BPR. It concludes that practices of promoting the HathiTrust projects in member libraries to gather resources and services and of conducting BPR are well-received by users and also member libraries.The sixth chapter is about the BPR mode on the base of combination of university libraries and other institutions. This chapter discusses mainly the BPR mode after combination, and the characteristics of the mode are:internal BPR brought about by external combination, emphasis on combination between institutions rather than BPR brought by cooperation. Businesses conducted after library’s combination with other institutions mainly include:combining to conduct conservation business, academic production business, information technology services, and classroom education for users. The thesis then introduces contents of this mode’s BPR in four aspects, that is, building business process that can manage institution’s resources after combination, establishing process that can ensure one-stop discovery of resources, setting up convenient process to support technology, reengineering business process backed by institutional reform. Last, this chapter makes analysis of the typical case of library in Stanford University, and concludes that this library has improved itself obviously by reengineering its business processes from gathering material to searching.The seventh chapter is about conclusions and prospection. This chapter summarizes major research results, points out the inadequacies of the researches, and prospects further studies in this regard.There are183,785words,30diagrams,5tables are included in this thesis.This thesis is research result of the Key Program of Key Research Institute in Humanities and Social Sciences, which was supported by the Ministry of Education of P. R. China (Project Name:Library Management in Digital Information Age, Project No.07JJD870221).