PowerPoint slides for History UK - TNA Research Resilience event, April 2021.

1. Resilience at Leeds University Library
Special Collections
Tim Procter
Collections & Engagement Manager (Archives & Manuscripts)
T.J.Procter@leeds.ac.uk

2. Since July 2020 – digital researcher services
Access images
• 4000 per month
• Defined as “quality
that you would take
yourself with your
phone, not studio
quality, not suitable
for anything other
than personal
research.”
• As many images as can
be taken in an hour
Image credit: Leeds University Library

3. Since July 2020 – digital researcher services
Virtual consultations
• An hour of mediated
online access
• Taken up by
academics, PhD
students etc.
• Also depositors and
stakeholders –
Phoenix Dance Co.,
Leeds Playhouse
• Still developing best
practice!
Image credit: Leeds University Library

4. Since July 2020 – digital researcher services
Equipment
• Staff personal phones for access images
- what a researcher might use
• Samsung Galaxy Tab As for access images
and virtual consultations
• Also Canon G7Z PowerShot
• Consultations via Teams – screen sharing
for mediated catalogue consultations
• Trialled a webcam (Veho Discovery vms-
004) – too small, inadequate zoom
Image from samsung.com
Image credit: Leeds
University Library

5. Serving the digital and in-person
As soon as we were able, set up socially distanced, limited space reading
room – in the original 1930s special collections room!
The Brotherton Room – images Leeds University Library

6. Serving the digital and in-person
Restricted reader considerations
• Who to prioritise? University of Leeds academics and PhDs on
externally funded projects with tight deadlines
• Follow regional / national restrictions – no externals, local only
• Can’t encourage people to travel
• Quarantining material for 72 hours either side of use
• Rein in normal helpfulness – can’t simply lend someone a pencil!
• Encourage virtual consultations first or instead of a visit

7. Serving the digital and in-person
Researcher point of view
• Grateful for any efforts
• Lots of take-up of access images and virtual consultations
• Kept in-person visits limited – absolute necessity
• Some rights / GDPR frustrations – we can’t always take and disseminate
access images
• Generally very understanding – little pressure for us to do more or
make special arrangements (common to other institutions?)
• Researchers balancing family / health / finances just like everyone else

8. Lockdown projects – discoverability, digital scholarship
• Wikipedia articles on our collections
• Experiments with Wikidata
• Adding records to Archives Hub and
participating in Names Project
• Automated transcription of South Bank
Show production archive using MS Stream
• Projects aimed at long-term benefits for
research / digital scholarship
• Not “just keeping staff busy”!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_University_Library%27s_G
ypsy,_Traveller_and_Roma_Collections#/media/File:The_Came
ron_family.jpg

9. Informing our new teaching and event space
• Project to build new teaching and event room
• Delayed for a year
• Lockdown experiences informing design and fit-out with AV
• “Hybrid environment” – lots of different meanings
Image: ADP Architects / Leeds University Library

10. Leeds University Library​
Leeds, United Kingdom​
LS2 9JT​
Library no​
library.leeds.ac.uk
https://leedsunilibrary.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/supporting-
researchers-remotely/
https://library.leeds.ac.uk/info/1607/projects/195/special_collections_
research_centre
Tim Procter – t.j.procter@leeds.ac.uk