The ‘New normal’: leveraging technology to improve service provision and the student experience

The new Library at Macquarie University has provided a unique opportunity to completely rethink our approach to service provision, to leverage technology to improve the student experience and to deliver client-centred services. The first use of an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) in a library in Australia has enabled us to make our physical collection accessible onsite in the most efficient way, while increasing the variety, quantity and flexibility of study spaces for students. We have leveraged technology to enhance the clients' experience of finding and accessing resources through a ‘virtual bookshelf’ and a resource discovery tool. The new Library has provided the impetus for a more client-centred approach to service provision and the development of a new service model. We intend to build on what has become, as a result of this major change, the ‘new normal’, by continually reviewing services, responding proactively to changing client needs, and supporting the cultural change required to achieve this. This paper details the introduction of a range of technologies we have used in the new Library to improve service provision, explores the challenges we have encountered, and discusses the involvement of our clients and their response.