ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 Introduction ............................ 2 Mission statement ...................... 4 Collections .............................. 6 Service & Sta! ........................... 20 Digital Initiatives ......................... 30 Spaces .................................. 36 Communications ....................... 42 Outreach ................................ 48 Governance .............................. 60 Installation of the A-Z of the Bodleian Libraries Bodleian Libraries hoarding outside the Weston Library UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Photograph by John Cairns by Photograph IntroductIon The 2013/14 academic year was a period Other major achievements were the The fast-changing environment of communication and consultation, such underpin the core work of the library. We of both transition and great change for planning and preparations for the scholarly communications, driven by as the Committee on Library Provision also remain grateful to our many donors the Bodleian Libraries. The leadership opening of the Bodleian K B Chen policy changes from research funders and Strategy (CLiPS) and Curators of the and funding bodies who continued to of the organisation was settled with China Centre Library in the University’s in the UK and beyond, has seen a University Libraries, provided a vital forum support the Bodleian during this critical my appointment in January 2014 prestigious new China Centre, and for the vigorous response from the Bodleian for constructive dialogue, but the sta! of year in our history. Without them we as 25th Bodley’s Librarian, following opening of the Leopold Muller Memorial in the provision of training, advice and the Bodleian remain highly attuned to would not have been able to add to our six months when I served as Interim Library – our new library in the Clarendon new services in support of Open Access the needs of the academic community collections, improve our buildings or Librarian. Subsequent changes to the Institute, delivering collections and and Research Data Management. These in Oxford who use our collections enhance our services during the 414th management team began to follow, and services in Hebrew and Jewish Studies. developments will continue to be a key and services, and we maintained an year of our existence. at the same time, major projects begun component of the ‘Digital Shift’ in our astonishingly high quality of service during the librarianship of Dr Sarah The Bodleian exhibitions programme collections and services. throughout the year. This was once again Thomas were continued or brought to broke records for its summer and winter recognised by the graduating cohort a conclusion, and the implementation exhibitions, and saw major travelling The care and maintenance of our ranking Oxford’s libraries the highest out of the new strategy was commenced, exhibitions open in Hong Kong and collections – both physical and digital – of all UK universities for the second year Richard Ovenden, with an increased focus on service New York. Bodleian exhibitions served as remained a central focus of the Libraries’ running in the National Student Survey, Bodley’s Librarian improvement, and a greater emphasis on centrepieces for Oxford University Alumni work, both through preventative a testament to the breadth and depth of digital developments. events in Hong Kong, New York and in actions such as environmental academic materials and library provision Oxford itself. monitoring, improved security and our o!ered to students of all subjects. Among the achievements of the year boxing programme, and also through was the "nalisation of detailed planning During the year we extended opening painstaking conservation work on The academic year 2013/14 saw and preparation for the opening of the hours in a number of libraries, and were individual items. continued pressure on the "nances of research spaces in the Weston Library, able to make signi"cant additions to the library, as we successfully maintained which began at the end of September our general, electronic, and special Our priorities over the year have been a balanced budget in the face of 2014. Critical elements of this work collections. Behind the scenes our sta! informed by feedback from our readers increased costs. Sta! across the Libraries included meticulous planning of the made important improvements to SOLO, and this year we continued to address were diligent in managing budgets and move back of collections and sta! our online catalogue, and developed and issues raised in our 2012 reader survey, prudent in their endeavours. They were Richard as well as working closely with students, Ovenden, into the building, and planning and expanded our digital services to both supported by a strong performance Bodley’s preparedness for scholarly use of the increase access to our collections and researchers and other users of the from the income-generating areas of Librarian building. support researchers across all disciplines. Bodleian. Our formal structures for the Bodleian, whose surpluses help to 02 03 mIssIon statement This year our annual report presents our work throughout As the University of Oxford aims to lead the world in research and education, so the Digital Initiatives Outreach 2013/14 within the context of the Bodleian Libraries aims to support the University in its mission by providing a world- r%FWFMPQEJHJUBMTFSWJDFTUIBUCFOFñU r1SPNPUFUIF#PEMFJBOTDPMMFDUJPOTUP organisation’s strategic objectives; leading library service. research, teaching and learning a wide audience through exhibitions, these strategies fall under seven events, publications, tours, products and r1SPWJEFBSPCVTUEJHJUBMJOGSBTUSVDUVSF MISSION STATEMENT other initiatives major headings. In the pages that that supports innovative services follow we present examples of The mission of the Bodleian Libraries is to provide an excellent service to support the r6TFEJHJUBMUFDIOPMPHJFTUPTIBSFUIF learning, teaching and research objectives of the University of Oxford; and to develop r&YQBOEBDDFTTUPDPOUFOUVTJOH projects, initiatives and core work collections and maintain access to Oxford’s unique collections for the bene"t of scholarship and established and emerging platforms r$POUSJCVUFUPMPDBM OBUJPOBMBOE across our libraries and service society. r)FMQTIBQFMFHJTMBUJPOBOEQPMJDJFT international cultural life that demonstrate our e!orts relating to digital resources towards achieving these strategic STRATEGIES objectives. This list is not exhaustive Governance Collections Service & Sta! Library Spaces as the volume, range and breadth r.BOBHFUIF#PEMFJBO-JCSBSJFTSFTPVSDFT r1SPWJEFBXFMMJOGPSNFETUBíBCMFUP r&OTVSFPVSTQBDFTNFFUPVSSFBEFST of activity across our service is vast; r"DRVJSFCPPLT BSUJDMFT TPVSDFNBUFSJBMT e!ectively & safely and special collections in all formats help readers and other users receive requirements r4FDVSFGVOETBOEHFOFSBUFJODPNFUP but it provides a useful snapshot of and across all disciplines to support the best possible service r$BSFGPSBOEFOIBODFIJTUPSJDMJCSBSZ further the work of the Libraries and the the work taking place to continue teaching and research and to preserve spaces r$PMMBCPSBUFXJUIBDBEFNJDTBOE University the Bodleian’s tradition of being at cultural and scienti"c heritage students to support and contribute to r.BJOUBJOBTUSPOHMFBEFSTIJQSPMFJOUIF the forefront of library service. r$BSFGPSUIF-JCSBSJFTDPMMFDUJPOT research, teaching and learning Communication international library sector r*NQSPWFUIFBDDFTTJCJMJUZPGNBUFSJBMT r4VQQPSUUIFQSPGFTTJPOBMEFWFMPQNFOU r6OEFSTUBOEUIFOFFETPGSFBEFSTBOE r1VSTVFQBSUOFSTIJQTBOETIBSFE through cataloguing, digitization, of library sta! through training, best other users through consultation and initiatives with academics and publication and academic initiatives practice and innovation analysis of data and feedback organisations to mutual bene"t and in r4VQQPSUUIFDVSBUJPO QSFTFSWBUJPOBOE r$PNNVOJDBUFOFXT QPMJDJFTBOE support of the University’s mission accessibility of research data generated services in a clear and timely manner by the University Bodleian Library, Old Schools Quadrangle Photograph: John Cairns 04 05 0#+&$5*7&"DRVJSFCPPLT BSUJDMFT TPVSDFNBUFSJBMTBOETQFDJBMDPMMFDUJPOT JOBMMGPSNBUTBOEBDSPTTBMMEJTDJQMJOFTUPTVQQPSUUFBDIJOHBOE ColleCtions SFTFBSDIBOEUPQSFTFSWFDVMUVSBMBOETDJFOUJöDIFSJUBHF $FOUSBMUPUIFXPSLPGUIF#PEMFJBO-JCSBSJFT This year the Radcli!e Science Library JTTVDDFTTGVMMZNBOBHJOHBOEFOIBODJOHUIF undertook a major review and rationalising WBTUBOEJOUFSOBUJPOBMMZJNQPSUBOUDPMMFD- of the book collection housed there to ensure UJPOTIFME%VSJOHUIFZFBSXFDPOUJOVFEUP that materials on open shelves remain current NBLFJNQPSUBOUBOEQSPNJOFOUBDRVJTJUJPOT and aligned with usage by readers. This IJHIMJHIUTPGXIJDIBSFOPUFEJOUIFUFYUCPY was supplemented by a major purchasing CFMPX initiative in subject areas in which the stock bene!ted from updating. During the seven- An agreement was reached with Oxford month project more than 65,000 titles were University Press to obtain access to all of transferred out of RSL and new items were their e-book collections (OUP Handbooks, Bibliographies, etc.) with new content acquired; the total purchase value of new including the Oxford Scholarly Editions, or updated titles, and additional copies, Very Short Introductions, Social Explorer totalled almost £60,000. The goal to alleviate database, British Academy Publications and overcrowding in certain areas of the collection 453"5&(*$0#+&$5*7&4 e-books from 14 partner university presses. has been achieved; a side bene!t has been This includes