DOCSLIB.ORG

An Investigation Into the Role and Skills of Subject and Liaison Librarians

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Investigation Into the Role and Skills of Subject and Liaison Librarians Re-skilling for Research An investigation into the role and skills of subject and liaison librarians required to effectively support the evolving information needs of researchers Conducted for RLUK by Mary Auckland, OBE MSc HonFClip January 2012 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales License Contents Contents ................................................................................................................................................................................ i Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 About RLUK ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 1.2 The Project ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 1.3 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................... 10 2 ZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌƐ͛ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶĂŶĚŽƚŚĞr needs, and the role of Subject Librarians in supporting them ................... 13 2.1 Researchers and their information and other related needs ....................................................................... 13 2.2 Role of the Subject Librarian .......................................................................................................................... 15 2.3 ZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌƐ͛ŶĞĞĚƐĂŶĚƚŚĞƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐĂŶĚƐƵƉƉŽƌƚƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚďLJ^ƵďũĞĐƚ>ŝďƌĂƌŝĂŶƐ .................................... 16 2.4 Commentary ................................................................................................................................................... 32 3 Skills and knowledge ................................................................................................................................................. 34 3.1 The skills and knowledge set .......................................................................................................................... 35 3.2 The skills gap survey ........................................................................................................................................ 38 3.3 Validation of the set of skills and knowledge ................................................................................................ 39 3.4 'ĂƉƐŝŶ^ƵďũĞĐƚ>ŝďƌĂƌŝĂŶƐ͛skills and knowledge .......................................................................................... 41 3.5 Commentary ................................................................................................................................................... 44 4 DŽĚĞůƐ ŽĨ ͚ůŝďƌĂƌLJ͛ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ĨŽƌ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌƐ͕ ^ƵďũĞĐƚ >ŝďƌĂƌŝĂŶƐ͛ũŽďĚĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶƐ͕Žther research support posts and staffing structures ................................................................................................................................... 46 4.1 DŽĚĞůƐŽĨ͚ůŝďƌĂƌLJ͛ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĨŽƌƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌƐ ................................................................................................... 46 4.2 Subject Librarians - job descriptions .............................................................................................................. 51 4.3 Other posts supporting researchers .............................................................................................................. 55 4.4 Staffing structures ........................................................................................................................................... 57 4.5 Commentary ................................................................................................................................................... 58 5 Training opportunities ............................................................................................................................................... 60 5.1 Methods used to meet training and development needs ............................................................................ 60 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales License i of 112 5.2 Training providers ........................................................................................................................................... 62 5.3 Schools of Library and Information Studies ................................................................................................... 65 5.4 Commentary ................................................................................................................................................... 70 6 Alternative models of information support for researchers ................................................................................... 72 6.1 Commentary ................................................................................................................................................... 75 7 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................. 76 Appendix A: Steering Committee ..................................................................................................................................... 80 Appendix B: Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................. 81 Appendix C: Survey questionnaire ................................................................................................................................... 90 Appendix D: Checklist of job description and person specification items ..................................................................... 92 ƉƉĞŶĚŝdž ͗ &ĞĞĚďĂĐŬ ĨƌŽŵ ĚĞůĞŐĂƚĞƐ Ăƚ ƉĂƌĂůůĞů ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ͚^ƵďũĞĐƚ >ŝďƌĂƌŝĂŶ͛ ƐƚƵĚLJ Ăƚ Z>h< Conference 2010 ............................................................................................................................................................... 98 Table 1 How necessary do you think it is for Subject Librarians in your context to have the following skills and knowledge currently and in the future? .................................................................................................................100 Table 2 The extent to which Subject Librarians personally have the following skills and knowledge ..................103 Table 3 To what extent do you think Subject Librarians in general currently have the following skills and knowledge? ......................................................................................................................................................................106 Table 4 The extent to which the trainers provide, or could provide, training in the following areas ...................109 Table 5 The extent to which students opting for academic library options on postgraduate courses acquire knowledge/skills in the following areas ............................................................................................................111 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales License ii of 112 Preface It is clear that as the nature of research within our institutions changes, so must the role of the library in supporting research. The increasingly competitive research environment demands greater collaboration (across discipline, institutional, and national boundaries) and generates greater quantities of data than ever before. In addition, funders are placing increased emphasis on the demonstration of the impact of research outputs and engendering wide dissemination of research findings. As research activities evolve, research support must evolve with it. There has been much debate within libraries as to what form this evolution will take - but little consensus in terms of the part to be played by the library in general, or the role of library staff members in particular. What discussions there have been have tended to focus on support and liaison librarians as the natural constituency to fulfill the new research requirements. RLUK has been keen to determine what the new requirements of researchers are, and how best these needs can be met by the library. We want to place the needs of the researcher in the context of the liďƌĂƌLJ͛ƐĐƵƌƌĞŶƚŽĨĨĞƌŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚůŽŽŬĂƚŚŽǁǁĞŵƵƐƚĐŚĂŶŐĞƚŽĨƵůĨŝůůƚŚĞŶĞǁĚĞŵĂŶĚƐƉůĂĐĞĚƵƉŽŶƵƐ͘ This report, Re-skilling for Research, takes us a long way to mapping these requirements. It looks in detail Ăƚ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌƐ͛ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ ŶĞĞĚƐ ;^ĞĐƚŝŽŶ ϮͿ and begins to outline the skills and knowledge that are required to meet those needs (Section 3). Section 4 offers a comparison of different models of library support for researchers, with valuable comparisons of current job descriptions. Finally, the report explores issues around the training opportunities for subject
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Supporting Research in Area Studies: a Guide for Academic Libraries Lesley Pitman Librarian and Director of Information Services
    Pitman, L; (2015) Supporting Research in Area Studies: a guide for academic libraries. (First ed.). Chandos Publishing: Oxford (In press). Downloaded from UCL Discovery: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/ 1469352 Supporting research in area studies: a guide for academic libraries Lesley Pitman Librarian and Director of Information Services, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies Library, London, UK Contents Introduction 1. Area studies: the academic landscape 2. Area studies librarianship 3. Area studies collections 1: acquisitions 4. Area studies collections 2: collection management 5. Digital resources for area studies 6. Resource Discovery and Systems: barriers to access in area studies 7. Library support and services for area studies researchers Conclusion References Appendix: List of useful organizations for area studies librarians Introduction In this book I aim to set out the ways in which academic libraries can best support a diverse and challenging community of academic researchers; those working in area studies. In drawing on the latest thinking on research support as part of academic librarianship, I have attempted to show how the distinctive nature of area studies research and area studies librarianship might provide useful examples of good practice when considering how best to support our increasingly international universities. The book is aimed at students studying for a professional qualification, library staff charged with supporting an area studies centre or department, and senior library management considering the implications of supporting research that transcends boundaries between individual countries, disciplines and languages. Although it does not address directly the current debate around the role of subject support in an academic library, it does aim to keep the practical needs and experiences of researchers in the foreground at all times, while bearing in mind the rapidly changing environment for academic publishing and scholarly communication.
    [Show full text]
  • IMAGINE2030 a Library for Our Third Century the University of Manchester Library Is One of the Acknowledged Great Libraries of the World
    The University of Manchester Library National Research Library in the North IMAGINE2030 A Library for Our Third Century The University of Manchester Library is one of the acknowledged great libraries of the world. Originating in 1824, The University of Imagine2030 is one of the most A LIBRARY FOR OUR Manchester Library is the third largest research library system in the significant bodies of activity United Kingdom and sits at the heart of the country’s largest undertaken by The University single-site University. With more than ten million items it is the of Manchester Library in its largest non-legal deposit library, the only National Research Library in long history. As The University the north of England and holds the most extensive digital collections of Manchester moves into its THIRD CENTURY of any academic library in the United Kingdom. third century during the course of Imagine2030, the University Imagine2030 is The University of Manchester Library’s vision and priorities for will reimagine and confirm its the next period of its development. It is intended to engage and inform our status as the home of one of the many communities of researchers, students, visiting scholars, staff and public world’s great libraries. visitors. An operational plan underpins Imagine2030 and delivers our ambitions Professor Christopher Pressler for the Library estates plan, internationalisation, Equality, Diversity and John Rylands University Librarian Inclusion, a collections-led core business, an ideas-led workforce and on our & Director of The University of critical role in supporting the University’s core goals of Research and Discovery, Manchester Library Teaching and Learning and Social Responsibility.
    [Show full text]
  • A National Monograph Strategy Roadmap
    A National Monograph Strategy Roadmap 4 September 2014 Author Ben Showers “A National Monograph Strategy Roadmap ” Author Ben Showers © Jisc Published under the CC BY 2.0 licence creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Contents Introduction 4 About this roadmap 4 The Vision 5 Context 6 Background 6 The Monographs Landscape 7 Collection Management and Strategy 7 The Policy Landscape 9 Web-based tools, services and infrastructure 10 In conclusion 10 Aim 11 Benefits 12 Problems 13 The Solution 14 National Monograph Vision 14 The Roadmap 16 1. A National Monograph Knowledgebase 17 2. Measuring the Impact of Monographs 18 3. A Shared Monograph Publishing Platform 19 4. New Monograph Business Models 20 5. A National Digitisation Strategy 21 6. A National License for Monographs 22 7. A Systemic Changes Think Tank 23 The call to action 24 Acknowledgements 25 A National Monograph Strategy Roadmap 4 Introduction Introduction The scholarly monograph - the book-length result of dedicated research - finds itself in a precarious position. As library budgets diminish, and are further squeezed by the increasing costs of journals, there is little left for purchasing monographs. What budget remains is often spent on duplicates of books This roadmap describes a series of practical, doable ideas; that are available at other academic libraries. More unusual ideas that will evolve and respond to changing contexts, or important local collections risk being side lined or user needs and the results of prototypes and pilots. Over undervalued. the next few months the project will begin to develop plans for these potential pilots and prototypes. While the monograph remains a critical part of the scholarly dialogue, especially within the humanities and social But all of this will remain ideas without action: action by sciences, sales are falling and as a result researchers find it us, by you and by anyone who has a stake in, or an increasingly difficult to publish their book-length research.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards a Shared Print Collection in UK Research Libraries
    BIBLIOTHEK – Forschung und Praxis 2017; 41(3): 367–374 John MacColl* Towards A Shared Print Collection in UK Research Libraries https://doi.org/10.1515/bfp-2017-0048 tannien, um die ‚kollektive Sammlung‘ ihrer Mitgliedsbi- bliotheken zu analysieren und die Implikationen einer Abstract: This paper1 describes a recent project by Re- gemeinschaftlich verteilten Sammlung für die Gemein- search Libraries UK to analyse the ‘collective collection’ of schaft der Zukunft verstehen zu können. Die Arbeit von its member libraries, in order to understand the implica- OCLC Research, die die WorldCat-Datenbank der OCLC für tions for the community of a collectively-managed print ihre Analyse verwendet, wird diskutiert. Dabei werden resource in the future. It discusses the work of OCLC Re- sowohl fehlerhafter Datenabgleich und als auch dessen search in using the OCLC WorldCat database for this analy- Auswirkungen untersucht. Des Weiteren wird im Artikel sis, taking account of inaccurate data matching and its sorgfältig geprüft, wie die RLUK-Analyse durch Jisc lan- effects, and considers how the RLUK analysis feeds in to desweit genutzt wird, um eine ‚National Bibliographical broader work across the UK, led by Jisc, to create a UK Knowledgebase‘ zu entwerfen. Es werden die Ergebnisse National Bibliographic Knowledgebase. It compares the dieser Studie mit einer früheren, ähnlichen Studie über findings of the OCLC Research study to those of an earlier Forschungsbibliotheken in Nordamerika verglichen. Die similar analysis of the collective Association of Research Komplexität der Regierungs- und Forschungsförderung in Libraries collection in North America. The governance and Großbritannien wird beschrieben, die Herausforderungen funding complexity of the UK is described to account for eines nationalen Ansatzes für die ‚kollektive Sammlung‘ the challenges inherent in taking a national approach to werden aufgezeigt und die UKRR wird als ein Beispiel the problems of managing a collective collection.
    [Show full text]
  • Strength in Numbers: the Research Libraries UK (RLUK) Collective Collection
    Strength in Numbers The Research Libraries UK (RLUK) Collective Collection Constance Malpas and Brian Lavoie Strength in Numbers: The Research Libraries UK (RLUK) Collective Collection Constance Malpas Research Scientist Brian Lavoie Research Scientist © 2016 OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ June 2016 OCLC Research Dublin, Ohio 43017 USA www.oclc.org ISBN: 978-1-55653-515-4 OCLC Control Number: 950534748 Please direct correspondence to: Constance Malpas Research Scientist [email protected] Suggested citation: Malpas, Constance, and Brian Lavoie. 2016. Strength in Numbers: The Research Libraries UK (RLUK) Collective Collection. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC Research. http://www.oclc.org/content/dam/research/publications/2016/oclcresearch-strength-in-numbers-rluk- collective-collection-2016-a4.pdf. Cover image: Map depicting the approximate locations of the 37 institutions comprising the RLUK membership. The ten RLUK members located in the London area are represented by a single large dot. FOREWORD Researchers and students all over the world benefit from the collections held by RLUK member libraries. These collections have grown over centuries: through purchases and donations, strategic subject building and happy accident, through collaboration and serendipity, all supported by a robust legal deposit system. We have exceptional individual collections, but we are becoming increasingly interested in the total collection within the UK. We are asking strategic questions about the preservation and storage of print books, the best use of library space, the range and effectiveness of digital surrogacy, and the nature of collecting. Our colleagues at OCLC have harnessed the unique possibilities offered by WorldCat to provide us with a window into what they have coined the “collective collection” across RLUK institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Leeds University Library Annual Report 2018-19
    BE INSPIRED THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ANNUAL 18REPORT 19 CONTENTS Librarian’s introduction 03 Harnessing technology to transform services 04 Outstanding student opportunities for skills development 07 Students at the heart of our library 10 Helping to increase the impact of research 15 Collections driving scholarship 19 Engaging with communities beyond campus 23 Developing a more effective organisation 26 Esteem factors 30 Statistics 2018–2019 33 Visit our website: library.leeds.ac.uk Librarian’s introduction FROM THE LIBRARIAN The stand-out event of the academic year 2018–19 has been introducing a new library management system, Alma. It was unveiled in July but its preparation dominated work for the previous twelve months. Library management systems are now We have improved our support for research absolutely essential to the operation of funding applications through improved libraries. The library catalogue still sits at literature searching. We continue to find its heart, providing information about the innovative ways to create opportunities books, databases, academic journals and for scholarship within our collections. other electronic resources upon which staff Our galleries have staged a series of thought- and students depend for their learning and provoking and visually stunning exhibitions. 3 research. But modern systems do much, Dr Stella Butler, much more than this. They enable readers We want the Library to be a supportive and University Librarian to borrow from our rich collections or stimulating place to work. Our preparation for and Keeper of download the article or resource they need; the Investors in People standard enabled us to the Brotherton library staff order and purchase books and stand-back and consider how we communicate Collection electronic resources through the system; and collaborate, and examine the values we the library system is also central to how we adhere to and promote.
    [Show full text]
  • University Library Annual Report 2011-2012
    University Library Annual Report 2011-2012 Foreword Academic Year 2011-12 brought with it another period of turbulent change – most of it positive – for the University Library. The major and very tangible difference for our Library users was the arrival of a new and contemporary décor in Level 2 of the Main Library – the entrance level. All of a sudden, a building which had seemed unfortunately trapped in the 1970s was jolted forwards to take on the features of an early 21st century academic library, with a strong emphasis on meeting the expectations and improving the experience of our sophisticated student users. It did so by introducing an increased provision of self-service facilities, a café, contemporary furnishings and fittings and a recognition of the need to provide zones within the building for different types of library user behaviour: a ‘general zone’ on Level 2, where we permit mobile phone use, conversation, and food and drink consumption (within limits), and silent zones on our two upper levels. Space for 150 additional study spaces on Level 2 also helped to cope with the constantly growing demand from our student community, and a raised floor permitted power and data points to populate the space sufficient to cope with the strain placed on it by ubiquitous student mobile devices and the desire for instant connectivity. Even long-belated change can produce nostalgia, however, and there was a degree of regret expressed by some users over the fact that most Library staff were now removed behind partition walls (or downstairs to Level 1) to open out the optimal space to reader use and new facilities.
    [Show full text]
  • Covid-19 and the Digital Shift in Action
    l Covid-19 and the digital shift in action Matt Greenhall Deputy Executive Director, RLUK COVID-19 AND THE DIGITAL SHIFT IN ACTION © 2020 Research Libraries UK Published: July 2020 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Suggested citation: Greenhall, M. (2020). Covid-19 and the digital shift in action, RLUK Report Contact the author: RLUK Room 257, Senate House Malet Street London WC1E 7HU [email protected] COVID-19 AND THE DIGITAL SHIFT IN ACTION CONTENTS Overview: Covid-19 and the digital shift in action 4 Organisational context 7 Skills and leadership 13 Scholarship and collections 17 Physical and digital spaces 22 Moving forward 26 Further reading and useful links 32 Appendices 33 Appendix I List of contributing RLUK members 33 Appendix II Overview of interview process 34 3 COVID-19 AND THE DIGITAL SHIFT IN ACTION COVID-19 AND THE DIGITAL SHIFT IN ACTION This report provides an overview of the experiences of RLUK members in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, it explores the extent to which the period of the Covid-19 pandemic represented the ‘digital shift in action’ amongst research library services, operations, and collections. This report forms both part of RLUK’s wider work surrounding the experience of its members during the Covid-19 crisis and its activities around the digital shift. OVERVIEW: THE DIGITAL SHIFT The digital shift is used as an umbrella term for the analogue-digital transition of many library services, operations, collections, and audience interactions.1 This work around the digital shift forms part of RLUK’s current strategy, Reshaping Scholarship, and very broadly, relates to the impact of digital technology on the research library: Collections: reflecting the increasing volume of digital collections within research libraries, whether as born-digital archives, digitised content, data, research outputs contained within repositories, or electronic books and journals (e-print).
    [Show full text]
  • MARC Codes for Organizations in the UK and Its Dependencies
    MARC codes for organizations in the UK and its dependencies Last updated: 02 September 2019 Current MARC codes for organizations This table lists current MARC codes for organizations in the UK and its dependencies. It is arranged in alphabetical order by organization name. Active MARC Codes MARC code Normalised form Name Variant or Address Town/City Postcode previous name(s) UkLHu uklhu A. J. Hurley, Ltd. Hurley, Ltd. 119-121 Charlemont London SW17 Rd. UK-AbCCL ukabccl Aberdeen City Council Library Aberdeen City Central Library, Aberdeen AB25 1GW and Information Service Libraries; Rosemount Viaduct Aberdeen Library & Information Services StAbUL stabul Aberdeen University, Library University of Bedford Road Aberdeen AB24 3AA Aberdeen StOlALI stolali Aberdeenshire Libraries Aberdeenshire Meldrum Meg Way Oldmeldrum AB51 0GN Library and Information Service; ALIS WlAbUW wlabuw Aberystwyth University Prifysgol Hugh Owen Library, Aberystwyth SY23 3DZ Aberystwyth, AU; Penglais Campus University of Wales, Aberystwyth; Prifysgol Cymru, Aberystwyth UK-LoALL ukloall Academic Library Limited 20 Cambridge Dr. London SE12 8AJ UkAc ukac Accrington Public Library Accrington UkMbAM-D ukmbamd Adam Matthew Digital Ltd Pelham House, London Malborough SN8 2AA Road UkMbAM ukmbam Adam Matthew Publications Pelham House, London Malborough SN8 2AA Ltd Road StEdAL stedal Advocates Library Parliament House Edinburgh EH1 1RF UkLoJL uklojl Aga Khan Library IIS-ISMC Joint 10 Handyside Street London N1C 4DN Library; Library of the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (Aga Khan University) StEdALDL stedaldl Agency for the Legal Deposit ALDL 33, Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SL Libraries UkLiAHC ukliahc Alder Hey Children’s NHS FT Education Centre, Liverpool L12 2AP Eaton Road UkLAC uklac American College in London, 110 Marylebone High London W1M 3DB Library St.
    [Show full text]
  • Uk Open Access Case Study
    NOVEMBER 17, 2014 UK OPEN ACCESS CASE STUDY PASTEUR4OA PROJECT JISC Mafalda Picarra UK Open Access Case Study UK Open Access Case Study Summary Recent Open Access (OA) policy developments in the United Kingdom (UK) have caused stakeholders such as universities and academic libraries to have to consider how to adapt to distinct funders OA policies and to ensure compliance with those policies. Following an independent study on ‘how to expand access to research publications’, also referred to as the Finch Report, the UK Government adopted a new OA policy and the Research Councils UK (RCUK) revised their OA policy. The newly adopted OA policies require research findings to be made OA through publication in open access or hybrid journals (Gold OA). More recently, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced that its OA policy for the next Research Evaluation Framework (REF) – the system that assesses UK universities research – will require the deposit of research findings in institutional or subject repositories (Green OA). By and large, the two distinct paths being currently promoted by the UK Government and RCUK (Gold OA) and the Funding Councils (Green OA) require that continued efforts be made to ensure that advice and support are provided to universities, academic libraries and researchers. They also require that coordinated efforts endure so that progress towards making research findings freely available online continues. Despite the distinct OA policies adopted by policymakers and national research funders, the UK’s movement towards OA has been a result of stakeholders coordinated efforts and is considered a case of good practice.
    [Show full text]
  • 9 Rare Book Librarianship and Historical Bibliography
    9 Rare book librarianship and historical bibliography K. E. Attar Introduction The rare books world saw considerable activity in the years 2011–2015, and, especially through Research Libraries UK (RLUK) initiatives, enjoyed a high profile. Particular emphasis was on digitization, rendering texts available out- side library walls. Concurrently, libraries plunged themselves into ‘engage- ment’ (the buzzword supplanting ‘promotion’ and ‘outreach’ as a traditional core activity of rare book librarianship, and consciously including ‘public engagement’ beyond a library’s main stakeholders), whereby the celebration of printed objects through exhibitions, publications, and teaching emphasized the continued value of the printed artefact. Such activity, alongside acquisi- tions, concern at disposals, and projects to house special collections in new environments, conveyed a clear and triumphant message amidst challenges that rare books and special collections matter. RLUK initiatives A strand on ‘promoting unique and distinctive collections’ within RLUK strategy 2011–2014 gave special collections particular prominence. The purpose was to maximize ‘the potential of these collections in all formats held by RLUK members’, including ‘activity on public engagement, fundraising, promotion, resource discovery and delivery, and digitisation, and … encom- pass[ing] value, impact and staff skills’.1 The main resulting report was ‘Unique and distinctive collections: opportunities for research libraries’, which defined unique and distinctive collections (‘UDCs’),
    [Show full text]
  • Collection Management at Bristol University Library Library Services at the University of Bristol Are Committed to Preserving Ou
    Collection Management at Bristol University Library Library Services at the University of Bristol are committed to preserving our heritage legacy collections and participating actively within an emerging national collection management framework. We also acknowledge the pressures on our library estate as we both respond flexibly to space requirements across the campus, and to further enhance the student experience. This document explains the rationale used to inform how Library Services manage our print collections. Background The relationship between library stock and the space it occupies is dynamic and requires careful management, both day to day and strategically. Student growth has led to significant pressure on library space and there is a need to redefine the nature of spaces within library buildings. As increasing space and financial demands are made on academic libraries, it is no longer practical, or economically possible, to adopt a policy of retaining the last copy of every title on the basis of possible future need. At the national level academic research libraries are working towards the collective management of their low-use print collections. This important work has the potential to transform the definition of a ‘research library’, and to create a more open, reciprocal and cooperative community within Research Libraries UK (RLUK), of which Bristol is a member. Bristol is actively engaged in these discussions, which encompass potential service delivery models, data management models and tools, and working cooperatively to define a shared agenda across institutions. Bristol and the UK Research Reserve (UKRR) Library Services are a member of UKRR. This membership allows us to benefit from participation in a distributed national research collection, and to withdraw lesser-used print journal runs when titles are already held in UKRR, secure in the knowledge that they remain available both locally and nationally.
    [Show full text]