Managing relationships during a collection transformation: Lessons learned from a consortium withdrawal

Background: In 2019, our library withdrew from a long-standing consortial health sciences collection agreement. Per the agreement, most programs on our campus did not have access to the resources provided by the consortium, so we withdrew in order to direct those funds toward health sciences resources that would be available campus-wide. This decision resulted in some dissatisfaction with the library and a perceived loss of identity and status for the programs that did have access to the consortial collection. We needed to manage complex relationships through this change in order to regain library users' trust and satisfaction.

Description: We learned important lessons about change and relationship management while working with both library administration and library users through this transition. The process of withdrawing from a consortium requires advance planning, data analysis, and - most importantly - strong communication with library users. This poster will provide tips and best practices for collections change management, which are included in the Conclusion section of this abstract.

Conclusion: Provide relevant data in an easy-to-digest format to explain the decision.
Do not assume that silence after the announcement of a change equals acceptance of the change.
Develop allies among the library users.
Have one-on-one conversations with stakeholders.
Listen empathetically to the concerns of users and address them whenever possible.
Make sure the library's message is consistent.
Take responsibility for the decision and be clear that it is final.
Focus on the positives and opportunities for growth without glossing over the negatives.
Advocate for the equity of campus-wide access over the prestige of being part of a well-known consortium.
Conduct proactive marketing to ensure users are aware of existing resources.
Seek support from library and university administration as needed.