Presented at CONUL conference, May 2017, Athlone, Ireland

1. “Are we communicating effectively, and fully engaging
with our research community, a case study at
Maynooth University Library”
CONUL 2017
CIARÁN QUINN, RESEARCH SUPPORT LIBRARIAN
FRANK BRADY, ACADEMIC SUPPORT LIBRARIAN

2. Maynooth University
PG Enrolments & Academic Staff
 2015/2016
 PhD's: 334
 Prof Doctoral: 27
 Research Masters: 54
 Taught Masters: 937 (Education largest group-381)
 556 exc Education
 Total: 1352
 Academic Staff:
 FTE’s 368
 Contract Research Only Academic Staff FTE’s: 109
 Total: 477

3. How are we currently Communicating?
 Research Support Librarian & Subject Librarians
 Personal Consultations
 Organising training events/Workshops/Seminars
 E.g. Research Skills Development Programme, Bibliometrics, Academic Writing
 Attending Research Committees, L&T Committees & Faculty Meetings
 Website/Lib Guides/Blog (Research Support & Academic Writing)
 Email Lists, Social Media/Knowall Enquire, Library Chat, Moodle
 Liaison/Partnership with Graduate Studies Office/Research Development Office
 Inductions, Graduate Skills Modules & Research Skills Programme
 Bibliometrics/Scholarly Communication support
 Focus Groups/Surveys: Lib-Qual Surveys & Quality Review
 Library Reps /Collection Development

4. However feeling amongst Colleagues is
 Good uptake of services but also !
 Low level of initiation of contact with the Library by PGR’s
 Lack of awareness of Library resources by many
 Low level of search skills yet not interested in skills training
 Over confident?
 Many using Bibliographies in key articles to develop their research & Google
Scholar/PubMed Not the electronic resources search tools from the Library
 Quite Basic level questions/queries
 Are interested in specific/relevant sessions e.g. Lit Reviews, Ref Management,
Writing, Bibliometrics. Not more general sessions
 Academics referring PGR’s to PubMed & Google Scholar !
 Academics supplying articles via Moodle (PDF’s & links)
 Low level of Academic referrals or requests for training for PGR’s

5. So we need more clarity !
 Developing Questionnaires
 PGR Survey developed first
 Based on impromptu focus groups with PGR’s & Academics at
seminars/workshops
 PGR Survey provoked many questions about how Academics communicated
with PGR’s
 2nd survey developed for Academics to investigate this

6. Questionnaire Themes
Survey of PGR’s & Academics
 How do the PGR’s/Academics perceive us?
 Have we contacted them?
 Are they clear about the services we offer?
 Is what we offer relevant/timely?
 Do we need to focus on particular topics @ particular times?
 Do the PGR’s & Academics see the Library as a point of contact?
 Are PGR’s aware of the resources?
 Are they using the resources?
 Are the Academics aware of/using the resources?
 Are they passing this knowledge onto the PGR’s?

7. PGR Survey Questions
(7 Questions, 60 Respondents)
 Q1: At What stage of your research do you think you’ll need or have needed support from the Library to help you
find research material? Please be specific. (58 Reponses)
 55 needed us/Mixed response to “Stage”= specific issues & specific times
 Specific Issues
 Literature reviews (11)
 Books/Articles (ILL’s) (4)
 Research Skills (7)
 Writing paper (4)
 Methodology (2)
 Reference Management (1)
 Specific time in research: huge variation (Research is not a linear process !)
 Outset, Early Stage, Middle, 2nd Year, Final Year, All the way through !
 Don’t Need (3)
 All ILL’s (2)
 “so far I’ve been able to muddle through myself” !
 Majority do need and value the Library

8. Q2: What is your main source of research information? (60
Respondents)
1. Academics
2. Supervisor
3. Peers
4. Other
5. Librarian

9. Q3: What is your favourite research tool/database?
(58 Respondents)
1. JSTOR (23)
2. Google Scholar (18)
3. Single mentions ATLA, PubMed, ERIC, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of
Science, ACM, IEEE, ASC, Library Search, Classic Catalogue, Mendeley,
Newspaper Archive, Dublin Castle Records, Cambridge Online, Research
Gate
 Quite a divide in awareness
 Most Reponses just Google Scholar or JSTOR
 Some mention a selection of Databases

10. Q4: Is there any specific training/support you'd like the
Library to provide? (47 Respondents )
Yes (29) NO (18)
1. Writing/Assignments (Most Common request)
2. Referencing/Reference Management (2nd most common)
3. Department /Subject Specific Induction/training
4. Hands on “Effective Searching Sessions”/Navigating Online Resources
5. Literature reviews
6. Research Methods
7. Advanced Word
8. Research Data Management
 Time issue mentioned by several respondents & the difficulty in arranging
training that suited them. Many are part time !
 No mention of specific databases (do they know about them?)

11. Q6: Have you contacted the Library for support?
(49 Respondents )
 If yes, what support did you need? (52%)(31)
 Diverse response (mainly general queries)
 Lack of books/ordering delays, finding books, Inter Library Loans, Mendeley (Ref
Mgt), Databases, looking for sources, Off Campus Login, Journal storage shelves,
 Was the outcome useful? 51% (25) Yes (Personal Consultation, Training
Session, Book found)
 Most had no detail and 6 were incorrectly answered
 If Not, (48% No) (24)
 Why Not? Supervisors & Lecturers provide good support (2), Obscure research
topic (2), No need (10), lack of Library staff/queue’s (2), Too busy (2) Too
difficult to get in touch (2), Didn’t know how to (1), Unaware of support services
(1)Limited collection (1)

12. Q7: What do you think is the best way for the Library to
communicate to researchers?
 Vast majority = Email (53 answered, 37 for email)
 Confirms personal experience using Faculty & PG Lists
 Face to face (2)
 Moodle (1)
 Newsletters (2)
 Dialog Box (1)
 Short workshops (1)
 Department (1)

13. Observations
 Many happy with services/resources
 Many unaware of services/resources
 No ideal time of the year to contact PGR’s
 Main source of information Academics, Supervisors, Peers
 High demand for specific practical sessions such as Academic Writing, Lit
Reviews. Ref Management, with specific subject focus !
 Many feel they don’t need training
 Narrow range of preferred Databases
 Preferred Communication Tool = Email

14. Academics Questionnaire
15 Questions, 56 Respondents
 Are they using resources?
 Which ones?
 What knowledge do they have?
 Do they need/want training?
 Where do they source information?
 Have they contacted the Library?
 Are they recommending resources to PGR’s?

15. Q1:Research Support for Academics (55 Respondents)
 Do you actively use the Library resources for your research?
 Yes (97%)(54)
 No = 2, Lack of Time & Prefer Google Scholar
 Majority mention Journal Articles & books/eBooks
 Minority mention specific databases (6)
 Project Muse, Scopus, Web of Science, T&F, JSTOR, SSCI, BSC, ASC, ATLA, ProQuest,
Business databases, Safari
 Subject Librarian mention (1)

16. Q2: Do you actively use the Library to support your
teaching? (53 Respondents)
 Yes (98%)
 Upload articles to Moodle
 Direct links to journal articles
 Textbooks (Print Books, Ebooks)
 Most don’t mention any specific databases
 One mention each for Safari & LexisNexis
 If Not Why? (3)
 Put most of material on Moodle as PDF’s
 Not needed

17. Q3: Do you recommend to your PG researchers that they
use the Libraries resources? (55 Respondents)
 Yes (95%)
 If Yes, what resources do you recommend?
 EBook's, EJournals
 Few mentions (recommendations) of specific databases
 Yet favourite research tools Q6 shows they are aware of them and use them
personally !
 If Not, Why not?
 Assume they already used them !

18. Q5: What is your main source of research information? (53
Respondents)
1. Peers/Other Academics
2. Other
3. Other Researchers
4. Librarian

19. Q6: What are you favourite research tools/databases? (54
Respondents)
(Results suggest good awareness but not being passed onto students !
Though GS & JSTOR matches PGR’s preferences though Library Search Popular with Academics)
 Google Scholar (12), Library Search (10), JSTOR (7)
 Single results others multiple
 Scopus (5), ATLA (3), Web of Science (2), PubMed (2)
 Academic Search Complete (2)
 Classic Catalogue (2)
 IEEE (2)
 One mention in results for
 Science Direct, Ebrary, SSCI, Arxiv, Westlaw, Psych Info, ERIC, MathsSciNet, WorldCat, Bildi, SPIE,
SpingerLink, LibrarySearch, Newspapers, Business Databases, RILM,SSCI etc
 “Researchers in the Humanities require Books & Journals”

20. Q6: Why? (38 Respondents)
 Ease of Use/Free
 Accessible
 Widest number of results
 Time
 Content
 Best subject results
 “Google has got much better”, “Very pertinent to my research areas, good search possibilities”,
“Library Search does not help me find things I can read; the other resources are not for doing
research but are career tools, which I regard as very much a secondary interest and scarcely the
business of the library” “I find the library search a fantastic resource for locating a huge range
of publications. If there is ever materials I can't find I find (ASC) a fantastic second option. I
highly recommend both tools to my students on an ongoing basis”
 Comments suggest a good awareness of resources !

21. Q8: Have you requested database training from the
Library?
(46 Respondents)
 If yes, which database(s)?(8)
 Scopus (4)
 Endnote (1)
 If not why not? (38)(82% !)
 Don’t need it
 Self taught
 Straightforward to use
 Don’t have time
 Didn’t think of it
 Didn’t know they could (3)
 “Probably because I think I’m doing ok as I am”
 ” I think it is rather straightforward to use the databases”

22. Q9: Is there a specific resource you need that the Library
does not have? (36 Respondents)
 No (10)
 Yes: mainly specific Journal Titles also
 More Full text Journals
 Broader Collection
 More online journal/eBook access
 BMC Open Access Journals (to help reduce publishing costs)
 A look inside function (like on Amazon) for books
 Link up the Library with the writing & maths centre to improve support

23. Q10: Do you think the Library is useful for your PG
Researchers?
(52 Respondents)
 Yes (94%)(49)
 Good access to Journals & books
 Core Database access
 Good internet access
 Essential service
 Good holdings & Online Access
 “They can find the books and Journals they need to read. Please don’t lose sight of this as the
main function of a University Library”
 “Yes it still contains some books”
 No (5)
 Lack of:
 Specialist Material
 Industry specific databases
 Book collection weak in some areas/”could have more books”

24. Q11: Is there any specific training/support you’d like the
Library to provide?
(34 Respondents)
 For you? (29 responses)
 No (14)
 quite a few unaware of service
 Yes (14) Systematic Reviews, Some databases, Bibliometrics, Open Access, Impact, what's new updates.
 “The library provides training, I need to take more of the available opportunities”
 For PG’s (27 Responses)
 No (11) Yes (16)
 many marked “as Above”
 Some databases/collections
 More on Plagiarism
 EndNote
 LIST available to them “the Library already offers training through the LIST service”
 “incorporate workshops on databases, publication metrics into one or more generic modules of the structured PhD
programme” already doing this !

25. Q12: Have you contacted the Library for support?
(45 respondents)
 If yes, what support did you need? (36 yes)
 Interlibrary Loans (most common)Workshops for PGR’s, ALCID, EndNote,
Bibliometrics, Classic Catalogue (finding it!), Book Ordering, Institutional Repository,
Databases, PG Support, Web Chat
 Suggests a very traditional view of the Libraries role !
 Was the outcome useful?(35)
 Yes(77%)
 If not, why not? (11)
 No need of support/self taught (8)
 Dead links eBooks (1)
 “It would have been helpful to receive confirmation from the library when the books
ordered became available on the catalogue. “

26. Q13: Has the Library contacted you offering Research
Support?
(38 Respondents)
 If yes did you receive any support/training?
 38 responses: Yes 20, No 16
 Rest: Not Sure
 All would have been emailed
 Topics:
 Training, Bibliometrics, Literature Reviews, Scopus, EndNote, Databases, LIST,
Researcher Profiles/Author Identities, Academic Social Media Platforms, Journal
Impact metrics.
 Note: They don’t mention personal consultations just more formal Seminars/Workshops in
their feedback, so the actual contact figures would be much higher.

27. Q14: What do you think is the best way for the Library to
communicate to you?
(47 Responses)
 42 Email
 Face to face (1)
 Library Webpage (2)
 Login notifications (1)
 Messaging (Like FB 1)
 “let me access the catalogue of printed materials without obstacles”

28. Q15: What one word do you think best describes the
Library? (44 Responses)
 Mainly positive
 Essential, Friendly, Support, Enlightening, Helpful, Approachable, Access, Knowledge,
Well-Resourced
 “friendly and efficient (I cheated that is two!) “
 “great service but under-utilised; not sure if it's because everyone is too busy and we all
just use the resources we have always used/are familiar with “
 Some negatives: e.g. cold, noise, overambitious

29. Observations
 Complimentary and appreciative of the Library Service but don’t seem to really understand what is available/traditional view of services
 Timeliness of offerings is a challenge
 Services need to be relevant/specific to needs to be utilised
 Perception of provision is an issue. Need to be clear and consistent.
 Good knowledge of database resources
 However Google Scholar & JSTOR amongst the most popular like the PGR’s
 Unlike PGR’s “Library Search” is popular with Academics
 They have clear views on why they use what they use !
 Academics feel they are actively using the Libraries resources for their Research and in Learning and Teaching
 Like the PGR’s the main source of Information for them is Academic/Peers/ & other Researchers
 They are confident in their abilities and don’t feel they need training
 Not recommending databases training to students, they are recommending (or supplying links/PDF’s) mainly eBooks and EJournals
 Email is the best way to communicate with them
 Yet nearly 50% don’t think we’ve contacted them !

30. So What did we learn?
 The Library is appreciated & highly used BUT!
 PGR’s go to Academics/Supervisors/Peers not the Library for their information
 We need to be part of/ interrupt the conversation between PGR’s and Academics
 Many PGR’s are still confused about the services the Library offers
 Academics are very aware of the Library resources & use them personally
 Use a much broader array than PGR’s
 Sophisticated in their research choices
 Academics need to pass their knowledge of databases onto PGR’s
 Academics not generally referring PGR’s to Library for databases/advanced searching
 Referring for EJournals/Books etc.
 Adding PDF’s & Links to Moodle
 “Library Search” more popular than we would have thought & PubMed less popular with
Academics
 Huge popularity of Google Scholar & JSTOR with PGR’s & Academics !
 PGR’s and Academics are overconfident in their knowledge & abilities
 82% Academics feel they don’t need database training

31. What else did we learn?
 Clear divide in types of resources used by different faculties
 Need to consider this when training offered
 Need to focus on specific/relevant training as opposed to general
 PGR’s need to see an obvious benefit in attending
 Training needs to be offered throughout the year/research process not just at certain times
 Contacting Library for traditional needs (Books, Journals, ILL’s, ALCID) not searching skills
 Lots of positive ILL feedback
 Email is the preferred method of communication
 This confirms our observation
 However many still think they haven't been contacted !
 Maybe Google Scholar is more valuable than Librarians like to think as a discovery tool !
 Need to be more critical of the research tools we promote e.g. Summon, WOS, Scopus, Ebrary

32. What now?
 Increase focus on Academics as a potential conduit of information
 Increased contact/more regular throughout the year
 Email various lists & more face to face (Pop ups !)
 One third responded they had not been contacted
 Develop more relevant/specific seminars that will grab their attention
 Both Academics and PGR’s
 Be subject specific
 Consult with regard to content
 Work on perception of provision/clarity & consistency
 Promote specific databases & focus on departments. Need to be clear and consistent in what we offer to
get the message across.
 Liaise more with other Librarians and Academics with regard to collection development & getting the
balance right
 Investigate appropriateness of the current research tools used
 Be open minded to issues raised by PGR’s & Academics

33. The End !
 Contacts:
 Ciarán Quinn, Research Support Librarian,
 Ciaran.Quinn@nuim.ie Tel: 01 7086151
 Frank Brady, Faculty Librarian for Science & Engineering,
 Frank.Brady@nuim.ie Tel: 01 4747137