ARL System of ActionA key component of ARL's Framework involves catalyzing action within the broader context -- or ecosystem -- of higher education. Ann Pendleton-Jullian articulated the concept of a System of Action. In her forthcoming book, Design Unbound: A New Terrain, Pendleton-Jullian and her co-author, John Seely Brown, describe a System of Action as "made up of interrelated components that affect the way people do things. These components are also interdependent. A change to one component affects the response of all the other components. And they are interactional, meaning that single actions or events can reverberate throughout the entire system." It may be easier to conceive of ARL's investments in the future as individual initiatives within discrete systems. However, each initiative affects different parts of the research library ecosystem in ways that are ultimately interrelated. Strategies to address the System of Action have a critical characteristic -- they scale. Issues of scale are threaded throughout the initiatives proposed for initial attention and investment of ARL. Some initiatives, such as the SHared Access Research Ecosystem (SHARE), are already in play or in exploratory phases within other organizations. The domains for each initiative within the System of Action reflect areas for collective action as well as areas for individual institutional attention. ARL both catalyzes the collective response and enables the individual institutional response. Five initiatives are proposed as a focus for the near future ... recognizing that over time new initiatives will be identified.Association of Research LibrariesARL_e079d588-a5ea-4dc1-a10c-0551bce91419ARL ROLES: * Inspire, introduce, catalyze. * Broker, connect, mediate. * Facilitate, scaffold, structure, support. * Shape, design, influence, build. * Manage, run, and/or spin-off.Institute of Museum and Library ServicesThis work was made possible by grants from: Institute of Museum and Library Services & Andrew W. Mellon FoundationAndrew W. Mellon FoundationJohn Seely BrownThe ST&D process was framed by John Seely Brown's compelling articulation of the environment in which organizations exist today. Change is frequent, and previous strategies are no longer effective. He noted: * The challenges we face are both fundamental and substantial. * We have moved from an era of equilibrium to a new normal -- an era of constant disequilibrium. * Our ways of working, ways of creating value, and ways of innovating must be reframed.Ann Pendleton-JullianWorking with design consultant Ann Pendleton-Jullian, the ST&D process incorporated content analysis of library and institutional strategic plans, 10 regional meetings attended by over 360 participants ... and five design studios to give shape to the vision and a draft System of Action, a new action-oriented framework for the organization. Ultimately the ST&D Work Group molded the output of the process into a framework for the organization moving forward.ARL ST&D Work GroupStrategic Thinking and Design Work Group members included ARL member directors Susan Gibbons (Yale), Tom Hickerson (Calgary), James Hilton (Michigan), Anne Kenney (Cornell), Wendy Pradt Lougee (chair; Minnesota), Rick Luce (Oklahoma), Carol Mandel (New York), Jim Neal (Columbia), Susan Nutter (NCSU), and John Wilkin (Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); David Gift of Internet2; and ARL's executive director Elliott Shore and deputy executive director Sue Baughman.Sue BaughmanContributor to this reportDavid ConsiglioContributor to this reportLee Anne GeorgeContributor to this reportSusan GibbonsContributor to this reportDavid GiftContributor to this reportKaylyn GrovesContributor to this reportTom HickersonContributor to this reportJames HiltonContributor to this reportLori JahnkeContributor to this reportAnne KenneyContributor to this reportWendy Pradt LougeeContributor to this reportRick LuceContributor to this reportCarol MandelContributor to this reportJim NealContributor to this reportSusan NutterContributor to this reportAnn Pendleton-JullianContributor to this reportDawn SchmitzContributor to this reportElliott ShoreContributor to this reportElizabeth WaraksaContributor to this reportJohn WilkinContributor to this reportIn 2033, the research library will have shifted from its role as a knowledge service provider within the university to become a collaborative partner within a rich and diverse learning and research ecosystem._2e05b2ee-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703bTo chart a fresh, expansive path forward for the Association of Research Libraries and its members. _2e05b528-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703bCollective CollectionsMotivate the creation of platforms for ensuring that knowledge resources are accessible and sustained through federated networks._2e05b618-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b1ARL will motivate the creation of deep and wide platforms for ensuring that knowledge resources are accessible and sustained through federated networks of print, digital, data, and artifactual repositories, created and managed by collectives of institutions (e.g., HathiTrust) in North America and beyond. The SHARE initiative is a key part of this strategy, operating at the network level and unifying distributed resources. In all cases, the work of supporting the most effective access, retention, and preservation will take place through a collective investment that respects and supports local interests, while leveraging collective collections. ARL's work will not only seek to guide the creation of governance, shared protocols, best practices, trusted relationships, and financial models, but will in some cases extend to convening parties to pursue the creation of new entities that conduct work in this space._2e05b6ea-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703bScholarly Dissemination EngineMobilize efforts to achieve collaborative infrastructure and financial models for publishing._2e05b7da-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b2ARL LibrariesResearch InstitutionsIn order to promote wide-reaching and sustainable publication of research and scholarship, ARL libraries will mobilize efforts to achieve collaborative infrastructure and financial models for publishing. These efforts will ensure that the publications produced retain and enhance rigor and quality, embed a culture of rights sympathetic to the scholarly enterprise, and use financial models that are sustainable. These publishing efforts will focus on the widespread and critical dissemination of scholarship as a permanent record of research institutions._2e05b8ac-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703bLibraries that LearnIncubate coalitions of libraries that make decisions through evidence-based investments._2e05b992-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b3ARL-organized enterprises will incubate the design, funding, and building of coalitions of libraries that make decisions through evidence-based investments enabling the creation of new concepts, theories, and operational designs in support of research and learning environments. These projects will seek to employ integrated analytical strategies that will mine data for guidance in transforming those environments._2e05ba82-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703bARL AcademyFoster the development of an agile, diverse workforce and the inspiring leadership necessary to meet present and future challenges._2e05bb5e-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b4ARL AcademyAcademic LibrariansAcademic FacultyARL will foster the development of an agile, diverse workforce and the inspiring leadership necessary to meet present and future challenges. Requisite expertise and skills will come from new as well as traditional domains, stimulating opportunity and challenging existing research library culture. Coordinated action within ARL will continue to focus on critically important diversity initiatives and leadership programs. To ensure the development of the talent and expertise necessary for future success, ARL will seek partners in establishing a formal, potentially credentialed curriculum for library professionals and for those new to libraries. ARL could further explore partnerships to develop agile research nodes or centers of excellence that would engage leading academic librarians and faculty to take on research and develop projects._2e05bc3a-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703bInnovation LabDevelop an incubator for new ideas and the seeds of change._2e05bd20-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5ARL will develop an Innovation Lab, an incubator for new ideas and the seeds of change. A fluid, multi-institutional enterprise, the Innovation Lab will take the form of coordinated, collective activity that supports principled opportunism regarding new developments. ARL, through its coordinating role, may secure new capital and use investment to spur innovation. The partnering institutions will seek ways to organize their collective capital, funding projects that, when collected and curated, are greater than the sum of their parts. Strategies for the Innovation Lab may include: events addressing cutting-edge questions and technology; documenting best practices, advising institutions with regard to projects; supporting impromptu innovation labs and experiments; gathering, holding, and disbursing funding for new ventures in publishing and archiving; and scouting to keep abreast of new innovation or best practices. This effort will create a culture of innovation, learning from partial successes and failures as necessary in establishing a new era of creative R&D in research libraries.EventsConduct events addressing cutting-edge questions and technology_2e05be06-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5.1Best PracticesDocument best practices_2e05beec-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5.2ProjectsAdvise institutions with regard to projects_2e05bfe6-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5.3Labs & ExperimentsSupport impromptu innovation labs and experiments_2e05c0cc-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5.4FundingGathering, hold, and disburse funding for new ventures in publishing and archiving_2e05c1b2-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5.5ScoutingScout to keep abreast of new innovation or best practices._2e05c2b6-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b5.6InitiativesEngage ARL members and other experts in developing the System of Action initiatives through an iterative process._2e05c3b0-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6ARL MembersAdvancing the System of Action -- The System of Action initiatives will be developed through an iterative process that engages members and other experts. Each initiative working group will engage in the following steps to create an implementation plan:Design TeamIdentify a design team that includes those invested in working to conceptualize a prototype, key experts in critical areas, and creative/imaginative individuals who will combine vision and pragmatism._2e05c496-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.1BriefCreate a provisional "brief," a document containing the guidelines, conditions, and constraints that contextualize the design process._2e05c59a-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.2PrecedentsIdentify precedents of similar and analogous entities, including analysis of similarities/differences, successes/problems, and innovations._2e05c694-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.3RevisionRevise the brief._2e05c798-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.4Workshops & CritiquesDesign workshops and critiques._2e05c8e2-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.5Design processes must incorporate considerations of who will lead a prototyping, as well as institutional support, funding costs and avenues, and implementation and operations plans.Funding & StaffSecure funding and designate staffing._2e05c9dc-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.6Accountability & ReviewOutline a review and accountability process._2e05cacc-4c61-11e5-9282-552de89d703b6.72014-08-312015-08-26http://www.arl.org/storage/documents/publications/strategic-thinking-design-full-report-aug2014.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net