University Libraries Spotlight
The University Libraries are a key academic partner of the Finance Division and have been instrumental in the implementation of several financial systems, contribute directly to key university savings efforts, and actively collaborate as part of several key user engagement groups. In this Key Contributor Spotlight, we chat with Kim Dolan, Head of Resource and Discovery Services, Gretchen Graff, Chief Business Officer, UEIS and Joelle Pitts, Principal Librarian.
Q: What department(s)/ areas in the Finance Division have an important upstream/downstream connection to your work?
A: We work across and with multiple areas within the Finance Division. Procurement Services, Accounts Payable, Taxation, etc. are all partners we value and rely on daily in the University Library (UEIS) – which includes Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), Integrated Design, Arts, and Technology (IDeATe), and the CMU Sustainability Initiative operations.
Q: What are some ways that you have successfully worked with or partnered with the Finance Division? Provide concrete examples if available.
A: One example would be early user testing of the Oracle Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) tool. We offered feedback to the development team, but also gained valuable experience in the new system that helped us better navigate fall and spring financial review using the tool.
Another example would be our ongoing partnership with Procurement Services on library materials subscriptions and purchasing. Publisher contracts and journal subscriptions are a bit different and often more complicated than a lot of the other purchasing that happens in higher ed. We’re lucky to have experts in this niche area of library operations and have become national leaders in Open Access Agreements and we’re grateful to our friends in Procurement Services for helping us to facilitate these contracts.
We are also members of the Lead Buyers group, which serves as liaisons between Procurement Services and campus buyers and meets regularly to identify and address purchasing-related issues while strengthening policy and process compliance. One Library-led initiative raised the bid summary threshold from $3000 to $5000, reducing the burden and workload on buyers across the university. We were also members of the Automation Allies Group, where we tested and provided feedback on automating the Accounts Payable system.
Q: What valuable expertise and knowledge do you bring to your engagement and collaboration with the Finance Division?
A: In addition to advanced degrees in business and management, between the three of us we have a combined 45 years of financial experience at CMU! Because UEIS also spans academic programs, service units, and administrative units, we have involvement with just about every financial activity at the university at some level.
Q: The University Finance Center of Excellence (part of the Finance Division Strategic Plan) is an inclusive ecosystem of both central and departmental finance experts and stakeholders that partner to provide leadership, best and equitable practices, research, analytics, support and training for all financial matters. Which Finance COE value does the University Library best exemplify and how?
A: We drive efficiency by managing financial processes from end-to-end, effectively integrating finance and business aspects of procedures and optimizing collective efforts. As we consolidate financial and operational activities across UEIS, we have gained efficiency and consistency around a number of our financial activities. Our centralized structure allows us to communicate about and manage funds at both a micro and macro level.
Q: What impact does your work have on the overall financial health of the university?
A: We take our responsibility to be good stewards of the university’s resources very seriously. From large initiatives and projects like financial review to small everyday purchases, we approach financial activities thoughtfully and with great attention to detail. We consider ourselves good partners and take pride in the level of organization and documentation we’ve achieved in the last few years. We work closely with our publishers and suppliers to negotiate the best possible deals, saving the university over $223,000 so far this year. These savings are reported to Procurement Services to include in their Savings Tracker tool.
Q: What's an app, tool, or productivity hack that has become your secret weapon at work?
A: We love spreadsheets around here, but have been experimenting with AI tools to help manage emails, meetings, and reports. We’re excited about what might be possible in the next few years in terms of forecasting and trend analysis.
Thank you to Kim, Gretchen, and Joelle for participating in the spotlight and for all the incredible work they do as key stakeholders and collaborators in the university financial community!