Who needs libraries anyway? Researchers use of academic libraries and their services Alma Swan Key Perspectives Ltd Truro, UK Research Information Network Workshop, London, 30 April 2007
metadata roles and responsibilities access availability e-research digitisation e-journals curation training interdisciplinary research skills branding GoogleGoogle communication archives special collections research pools Key Perspectives Ltd
Aims of the study Snapshot of the situation at T 0 Views and expectations about T 1 On occasions, a look back Key Perspectives Ltd
Methodology Online surveys: researchers: librarians: 300+ Telephone interviews: 30 researchers librarians library educators information specialists Focus groups: librarians: 4 researchers: 6 Key Perspectives Ltd
Themes Digitisation The library as a place Use of resources Finding of resources Way work is done Access Roles and responsibilities Communication Key Perspectives Ltd
A sense of place Is the library a real place at all anymore? Key Perspectives Ltd
Weekly visits to the library Key Perspectives Ltd
Why go at all? Access print resources Order inter-library loans Talk to a subject librarian The library as a laboratory Key Perspectives Ltd
Key issues relating to the library space Opening hours Browsing Quiet study The library is now an undergraduate space Key Perspectives Ltd
Roaming Reading rights:47% Exercise borrowing rights:30% SCONUL Research Extra:11% Considered a major advance in providing access Those as yet unaware are very interested N.B. Those working away from their home institution are increasing Key Perspectives Ltd
Digital content Print Key Perspectives Ltd
Usefulness of print resources Key Perspectives Ltd
Digital information Print e-journals Digital finding aids Key Perspectives Ltd
Digital finding aids Key Perspectives Ltd
Do they find what they want? Not at all expert: Use what theyve always used Use Google – a lot Good enough tendency Contrary: ask for FT d/bs and then say WoS is enough Easily deterred: Remote holdings Locally held microform, microfilm Locally-held print Key Perspectives Ltd
Seeking an article Electronic full-text locally Google for an easily located version a friend in another institution author ILL Subject librarian Level of need vs effort Key Perspectives Ltd
Inter-library lending Static or declining Decline particularly marked for journal articles Decline gradual for conference papers More or less static for books, theses, AVM Becoming more challenging to fulfil Increasingly associated with rise of interdisciplinary research? Key Perspectives Ltd
The way work is done Interdisciplinary research Big science / e-research Medium-to-small science / research pools VREs Demands: New and different resources New ways to assess and plan for needs Awareness that these researchers may not know themselves what they need or should consult Data Key Perspectives Ltd
Open access Librarian awareness is high Researcher awareness is low Key Perspectives Ltd
OA education tools Key Perspectives Ltd
Copyright Key Perspectives Ltd
Roles and responsibilities Custodian of information Manager of institutional repositories Administrator of information purchasing and delivery services Subject information expert Teacher of information literacy skills Manager of data Technology specialist Key Perspectives Ltd
Future roles for librarians: researchers views Key Perspectives Ltd
Future roles for librarians: all groups views
Measures and metrics New roles – critically important What will be the outputs? Will we be able to measure them? How will we assess competence and excellence? Key Perspectives Ltd
Channels, communications Key Perspectives Ltd Researchers Research managers / funders LIBRARY Institutional management
Branding the library Why? As what? In whose eyes? How? Key Perspectives Ltd
Thank you for listening Key Perspectives Ltd