This document summarizes a research project conducted by Jennifer Warburton to evaluate and improve the research consultation service at the University of Melbourne library. The project used a mixed-methods approach including analyzing existing service data, conducting client surveys, and staff workshops. Based on the findings, interventions like online research modules were developed and evaluated. The goals were to understand client needs, demonstrate the service's impact, engage staff, and use evidence for continuous improvement.

1. Librarians Conducting
Research
Researcher Librarian Partnerships
Satu Alakangas
Liaison Librarian (Research) Law
February 2016

2. 1. Research project
2. Research outputs
1. Partnering
Photo by Lauke / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The session

3. Assess the extent to which databases provide different results
using Author search for 146 University of Melbourne
professors and associate professors in Google Scholar, Web of
Science, Scopus.
Determine whether this is influenced by:
1. field
2. discipline
3. gender
4. level of appointment
5. academic age
Assess the databases’ coverage and stability.
Photo by Soren / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The Project

4. Publications
Harzing, A. W., & Alakangas, S. (2016). Google Scholar,
Scopus and the Web of Science: A longitudinal and
cross-disciplinary comparison. Scientometrics, 106(2),
787-804.
Harzing, A. W., Alakangas, S., & Adams, D. (2014). hIa: An
individual annual h-index to accommodate disciplinary
and career length differences. Scientometrics, 99(3),
811-821.
Research Outputs
Photo by Kabalack / CC BY-SA 2.0

5. Symposia
Harzing, A. W., & Alakangas, S. (2015). Citation metrics versus peer
review: A comparison of Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science
data. In T. Koehler, J. Billsberry & M. B. Cohen, Know Thyself:
Influences on the Careers of Management Academics. Symposium
conducted at the Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Academy of
Management, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Photo by clement127/ CC BY-NC-ND-SA 2.0
Research Outputs

6. The contacts in relationship building
– Researchers
– Staff in the Office of Research
– Associate Dean of Research
Note, support from your higher management is essential
Partnering
Photo by Alan / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

7. Partnering 101
– Be visible
– Be proactive
– Sell yourself
– Communicate your skills
– Show that you are a team player
Partnering
Photo by Rose / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

8. Benefits 1/2
– Increase the visibility of librarians and our
skills
– Contribution to research outputs
– Greater information exchange
Partnering
Photo by SilentMode / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

9. Benefits 2/2
– Skill building
opportunities
– Closer working
relationships
Photo by Nuwandalice / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Partnering
– Further partnering opportunities with other researchers

10. Email: satu.alakangas@unimelb.edu.au
Twitter: @SatuAUS
LinkedIn: http://go.unimelb.edu.au/as2a
For more information
Photo by M Cheung / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

11. Anish Nagpal
Associate Professor
Management & Marketing
Kristijan Causovski
Liaison Librarian (Research)
University Library
O

12. Article: McDonald’s feels the pinch, but fast food is fighting fit
URL: http://tinyurl.com/ze757p9
Topic: trends in fast food consumption
Series: Fast food reinvented
Collaboration between:
 Associate Professor Anish Nagpal
Department of Management & Marketing
 Kristijan Causovski
Liaison Librarian (Research)
Business & Economics
Research project
“Creative Commons McDonalds" by Zhao ! is licensed under CC BY 2.0

13. Opportunity arises…
“Creative Commons Librarian" by Musgo Is
licensed under CC BY 2.0
“Creative Commons professor" by Judy is licensed under
CC BY 2.0
“Creative Commons handshake" by 드림포유
is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Dr Anish Nagpal
Superpower: subject knowledge
Kristijan Causovski
Superpower: databases knowledge

14. Benefits v challenges: Round 1
Benefits Challenges
 Published article  Editor expectations
 Rapport with academic  Time
 Many article views  Recognition
 Similar opportunities in future  Tone & writing style
 New skillset  Copyright

15. Just some stats…
8,407 READERS!!

16. Lessons learned!!
“Creative Commons mployee " by Florida Memory is licensed under
CC BY 2.0
“Creative Commons Socrates by lentina_x is licensed under CC BY 2.0

17. Transforming our Research
Consultation Service:
An EBL research project
Jennifer Warburton
Program Leader, Research impact and training
Research & Collections

18. Evaluation
(Service)
Engagement
(Staff)
Evidence
(University
Management)
Project Drivers

19. Research Consultation Service Evaluation
Project aims:
• To gain a better understanding of client perspective
• what do they value?
• does our service meet their needs?
• To determine the impact or contribution of the consultation
service to their research
• To demonstrate service value to our community (and to
influence to university management)
• To engaging the staff in critical reflection & participate in
evidence-based decision-making

20. Research Consultation Service
• 1300+ consultations each
year
• Resource intensive
• Service data collected
since 2011
• Research project since 2013
• Client feedback survey since
Nov 2013

21. Mixed-method study
Multi-phased program of enquiry
Phase 1 (2013)
Examination of existing
evidence (service data)
Scoping review
Development of
methodology & client
survey (v.1)
Phase 2 (2014)
Dissemination of client
survey
Data collection
Data analysis
Quarterly reporting
Phase 3 (2015)
2014 data analysis/
interpretation
Staff workshop
Refinement of survey
and methodology
Formulation of
interventions
Phase 4 (2015-2016)
Revised survey (v.2)
& dissemination method
Pilot interventions
Evaluation interventions

22. 2014 service data analysed in 2015.
Survey (v.1)
• Add graphs

23. Challenge of evaluating service quality v.s impact
Quality Assurance
• Process-oriented: timeliness, relevance
Assessing Impact
• Outcomes-oriented: contribution to research
(impact)

24. Refinement of survey (v.2)
Limitation of original survey Solution for v2.
We asked how the consultation
contributed, but couldn’t link this
to the initial request
Q. When booking the consultation, what did you request
assistance with? (controlled)
Q. What was the most valuable aspect of your consultation?
No consistent measure of
whether the consultation
increased confidence
Q. Prior to the consultation, how did you rate your confidence
with xxxxx ?
Q. Following the consultation, how do you rate your
confidence with xxxxx ?
Satisfaction with library defined
standards
Gap analysis: Importance vs Performance
Measure of impact Q. How have you / will you apply your learning or the advice
received?
Dissemination method Survey sent out every two weeks to all ‘resolved’ consultations
in request management system

25. Interventions. e.g: Online Modules (flipped consultations)
 Intervention: development and delivery of online modules for ‘pre-consultation’ library
basics to allow each consultation to focus on in-depth research
 Rationale: high % of survey responses related to ‘awareness of resources’ and basic
overview of the library.
 Research question: By offering online modules prior to consultations, will we see a
difference in what clients find most valuable?
 Methodology: quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey data.
 Evaluation: Future questions for survey: pre & post-test: measuring skills and
confidence. Pilot with VCA_MCM research methods subject
 Delivery: Sem 1, 2016

26. Researchers Library staff University
Management
Research project benefits

27. Engaging staff in critical reflection /participative process
Developing a culture of EBL and continuous improvement
Create leadership opportunities for staff through
development of ‘intervention’ projects
Skills development: human ethics application process, survey
design, NVivo: e.g. developing coding schema
Better data = better decision making

28. Jennifer Warburton
jrwarb@unimelb.edu.au
Acknowledgments:
Colleagues Naomi Mullumby and Hero
Macdonald, Intervention project leaders,
and our team of librarians who contribute to
the development and delivery of our
awesome responsive research consultation
service.