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![Cost and Value
“focusing on cost without being able to
demonstrate [service] value and quality …
leaves the initiative to people whose chief
concern is cost-control or profit: the funders
and the vendors”
Whitehall, T (1995)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/emeraldfinal-130919083601-phpapp01/85/A-University-and-its-Library-37-320.jpg)
Uploaded byStephen Town
A University and its Library
The document discusses the changing landscape for university libraries. It summarizes the context of higher education funding cuts in the UK and increased globalization and technology. It then provides an overview of the University of York library, including key facts, governance structure, and strategy to support research, teaching and learning. The library is focusing on developing services for researchers, teachers and students and measuring quality through surveys and indicators.
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A University and its Library
- 1. A University andits Library Stephen Town Director of Information University of York
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- 3. The questions posed… • Context – HE Funding – Globalisation – Technology • Repositories • Digitisation & use – Customer base • Business & Industry • Library • Provision decisions • Promotion • Value (of resources) • Proof of worth – Developing services for • Researchers – Literature evaluation – Bibliometrics • Teachers – Information literacy • Students – Basic academic skills – Plagiarism
- 4. Summary • HE Context •University Context, based on York • The University Library • Strategy, Quality & Value • Changing stakeholder needs – Current issues & service developments
- 5. UK AND GLOBALHE CONTEXT
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- 8. A LOCAL UNIVERSITYCONTEXT The University of York
- 9. • Founded 1963 •UK top 15; RAE 8th; World 103rd; Russell Group; WUN • 15,265 students • >30 departments in humanities, social sciences, science • Campus growth – Heslington East • Collegiate and inclusive The University of York
- 10. The University Plan •Excellence • Internationalisation • Inclusivity • Sustainability
- 11. University of YorkDistinctiveness • Excellence • Growth … but preservation of community • Global focus and reputation • Commitment to partnerships • Commitment to the locality and region • Making significant & increasing investments in information systems & services • Unique and distinctive academic foci and related collections
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- 13. • > 1mitems • >120 staff • Archives extensive & unique • Developing digital library expertise • Director of Library & Archives 2007; Director of Information 2009 • Part of a broader Information Directorate The University Library
- 14. Branch Libraries &beyond • York Minster: the oldest and largest Cathedral Library in the country – Operated under a unique partnership between the Dean & Chapter and the University of York • King’s Manor Library • Associations with – The Railway museum – Yorkshire Country House partnership – York Museums Trust
- 15. • Directorate bringing togetherLibrary & IT with some merged services • Aims: – Support the Director in strategy fulfilment – Ability to offer joined up services, particularly in new user facilities – Better structured to deliver University Information Strategy Information Directorate
- 16. Library Finance • Staff(50%) – Numbers 150; 100 fte – Cost £3.8m • Content (40%) – Books £0.6m (up through new fees) – Serials £2.3m (static) • Other expenditure (10%) £0.4m • Income (£0.4m), capital (£25m+) & new fees (£0.7m)
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- 19. STRATEGY, QUALITY &VALUE Performance
- 20. Strategy Triangle (Earl) •Top Down – Senior management & Business • ‘Inside out’ – Staff & technical creativity • Bottom Up – User views
- 21. Information Strategy 2008-13 •Core programmes – Information systems – Portals & access – Content – Infrastructure – Policy & process – Learning spaces • Enabling programmes – Relationships – Quality – Staff & culture – Resourcing – Collaboration & partnerships
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- 33. How we buildLibrary Value? • Library relational capital – within and beyond the University • Library tangible & intangible capital – including Human capital development • Library virtue – contribution to transcendent outcomes • Library momentum – quality maturity and pace of change
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- 35. Content Strategy • Academicrepositories • Digitisation – Resources – Service – Backfiles • Embedding into learning • Key texts • Modern media capability
- 36. Content decision making •Complex – No longer departmental alone – Proliferation of possible investments – Licensing • Still largely historic – Financial pressure dictates ‘one in, one out’ approach • Value – Little realistic ROI measurement – Cost per use a factor
- 37. Cost and Value “focusingon cost without being able to demonstrate [service] value and quality … leaves the initiative to people whose chief concern is cost-control or profit: the funders and the vendors” Whitehall, T (1995)
- 38. Quality & Datacollection • Quality assurance • Peer review & benchmarking • Performance indicators – SCONUL statistics – Balanced scorecard • Quality culture – User satisfaction measures & surveys
- 39. Library Survey Questions Affectof Service • AS-1 Library staff who instill confidence in users • AS-2 Giving users individual attention • AS-3 Library staff who are consistently courteous • AS-4 Readiness to respond to users’ enquiries • AS-5 Library staff who have the knowledge to answer user questions • AS-6 Library staff who deal with users in a caring fashion • AS-7 Library staff who understand the needs of their users • AS-8 Willingness to help users • AS-9 Dependability in handling users’ service problems
- 40. Library Survey Questions Libraryas Place • LP-1 Library space that inspires study and learning • LP-2 Quiet space for individual work • LP-3 A comfortable and inviting location • LP-4 A haven for study, learning, or research • LP-5 Space for group learning and group study
- 41. Library Survey Questions InformationControl • IC-1 Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office • IC-2 A library Web site enabling me to locate information on my own • IC-3 The printed library materials I need for my work • IC-4 The electronic information resources I need • IC-5 Modern equipment that lets me easily access needed information • IC-6 Easy-to-use access tools that allow me to find things on my own • IC-7 Making information easily accessible for independent use • IC-8 Print and/or electronic journal collections I require for my work
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- 43. LibQUAL+ 2011: allLibrary users
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- 51. 2012: Social Policy& Social Work
- 52. Library Survey: E-resourcecomments • The more books available electronically, the better, though being able to make copies of key texts at a reasonable price is a decent alternative. • For York Science Park residents it would be ideal if we could offer them access to all Library services and electronic journals. It would be fantastic if this could be offered as part of the value of being on the science park and involved with the University of York. • The things that matter by far the most to me in my research work are electronic access to journal articles and a good ILL service. • I use the electronic access facilities extensively - often to access publishers web sites via Shibbolith login
- 53. Library Survey: E-resourcecomments • The personal service is great, however i would like to see more electronic sources (especially key texts) and a more consistent web-search service • The system of accessing online journals and electronic resources from the library website is too long and complicated. I don't want the library website to be opening several tabs to reach one page, it would be good if this could be made neater. • Electronic access to journals is by far the most important service for me. • Electronic resources (particularly the ability to access PDF journals from my campus accommodation or from home) are very important to me. I really appreciate the ability to get certain books online.
- 54. Social Science clusterissues • Data sets demand; costs prohibitive • Advice and support for data management – Content very different across disciplines – National vs local options • Interdisciplinary – Inter-institutional partnerships eg DTCs – Journals cross-department – Journal cost sharing?
- 55. CHANGING STAKEHOLDER NEEDS Currentissues & service developments
- 56. The Future … •of research • of the university • of the research library • of scholarly communication
- 57. ARL Scenarios 2030 •What values are assumed in the scenarios? • How does this link to value? • What is the resulting library value proposition?
- 58. Scenario 1: ResearchEntrepreneurs • Competition and outsourcing • Information value high • Personality cult relationships • Linking stores and discovery
- 59. Scenario 2: Reuseand Recycle • Collaboration • Information value low • Relationships across groups • Research management and professional training
- 60. Scenario 3: Disciplinesin Charge • Specialised Universities • Data stores high value • Political skills valued • Research information decoupled & disaggregated
- 61. Scenario 4: GlobalFollowers • End of Western hegemony • IP looser? • Relations with East critical • Global communal library?
- 62. Academic virtue cycle “Weencourage reading, because people who read more write more, people who write more get cited more, and people who get cited more get more grants, and reputation for themselves and the University”
- 63. But … • “Needsare endless…” (Thorhauge, 2010) • The journal article is now not the only answer to scientific communication • The academic journal could be seen as meaningless in the e-environment if no longer freighted with reputation • Publishing adds value, but a large component of this value is provided by Universities themselves
- 64. Key Research developments •Research support inconsistent • Research management systems not in place • Research Information Systems for – Publications (Repositories) – REF evidence eg PURE • Research services for – Open Access – Research Data Management
- 65. Other areas to“catch up” • Infrastructure especially wifi provision • End user training and awareness to unleash benefits • Quality of content to attract staff and research income • Communication & colllaboration tools • Investment in the website • Reporting from business systems (e.g. Agresso, SITS) • Supporting core business in learning and teaching • Student recruitment and marketing using online tools
- 66. Information Services SWOT Strengths •Building / Physical Space • Creativity and Collaboration • Embedding Academic Liaison into departments • Partnerships and Collaborations Weaknesses • Celebration/Communication of achievements • Patchy engagement with student bodies • Links with planning (MTP/LTP) • Fragmentation with staff in different office buildings
- 67. Information Services SWOT Opportunities •Student experience funding • New forums for engagement - Academic Co-ordinators, GSA Forum, Student/staff liaison groups • Membership of RLUK Threats • Above inflation increases in content subscription costs • Raised expectations in new funding regime • Needs for funding with student growth • Open Access
- 68. Resulting current Libraryissues • Change and staff culture & capability • Extension of traditional role • Digital media, services and curation • Pedagogical change & technology • Relationships • Information policy • Publishing
- 69. Recent additions tothe portfolio • Open access publishing management • Research data management • Digital archiving (multimedia) • Widening participation outreach • The University Art collection • Digital signage
- 70. Forthcoming Developments • CustomerService Excellence • Open Access Publishing • Research Data Management • Implementation of new Library Management System (Alma) • 10th Northumbria Conference, 22nd-25th July • Digitisation of core/unique resources
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- 72. Conclusions 1 • Costsmust be controlled – Individually – Institutionally – Collectively • Purchase choice must shift to value – Quantitative measures insufficient – Qualitative evaluation critical to debate – Understanding and influencing of new user behaviours
- 73. Conclusions 2 • Maximisingreturn – Better awareness – Active exploitation – Intermediate guidance • Minimising overheads – Licensing, compliance and bureaucracy – Active engagement with publishers at all levels – Charging back for University contributions? – Managing expectations