This document summarizes a discussion on best practices for bibliometric services in universities. It began with an introduction and proposed agenda, then broke participants into groups to discuss four statements related to challenges in bibliometrics. Some example statements discussed were whether librarians are best suited to provide bibliometric services, and whether libraries or research offices are the best place for such services. The groups discussed each statement and reported conclusions. Key discussion points included determining the minimum set of bibliometric indicators, debates around tools like the h-index, and whether bibliometric units should advise or provide services. Overall the document focused on balancing researcher needs with demands from managers and funders when providing bibliometric analysis.

1. How to deal with the unsettling
realities of bibliometric services in
universities
Erasmus University Rotterdam, University Library
Gert Goris, Gusta Drenthe & Judith Gulpers
Wageningen UR Library
Wouter Gerritsma
5 September 2014

2. Proposed agenda
• Short introduction
• Statements
• Breaking up in groups
• Plenary discussion > best practices

3. Bibliometric practitioners at
universities are “mangled” between ....
• Research
management
office(r)s
• Deans
• Research directors
• Funding agencies
• Available databases,
tools and software
Researchers,
who just
want to be
evaluated
adequately
What are best practices?
Image credit:calamityreseachlabs.blogspot.com

4. Work out
• Select 4 statements
• Discuss a statement in small groups for 5 minutes
• Confront the conclusions plenary for 5/7 minutes
• Repeat this for statements 2-4
• Draw final conclusions
• The outcomes will be shared on slideshare
(http://slideshare.net/wowter)

5. Some statements: what do you think?
1.

6. • Which indicators are required to do a proper
analysis?
• H-index is a bad idea, but you still end up
helping to calculate the h-index
• What is the role of the bibliometric unit:
giving advice or providing the services?
• When you have to choose, how do you decide
between Scopus/SciVal or WoS/InCites? Who’s
involved?

7. Some statements: what do we think?
1. Librarians are predestined for providing central services
tailored for scientists, research managers and science
policy makers, including bibliometrics. Gumpenberger et al. doi: 10.1108/01435121211217199
2. Academic libraries could educate faculty and staff,
especially research managers, in the basics of bibliometrics
3. Librarians should be present when commercial data
providers, like Elsevier (sciVal) and Thomson Reuters
(InCites) visit research management office(r)s of
universities.
4. Decisions on the acquirement of a research analytics suits
has serious repercussions for the selection of A&I
databases in universities

8. 1. What is the minimum set of
indicators we should use?
% in top 1 articles
Normalized citation rate
> We are asked to provide indicators, we don’t set the minimum set of
indicators.
Depends on field, for example law – top %, citation data doesn’t make sense
– output
Problem with access to databases, online versions don’t allow to do
advanced calculations
Needed: clean academic bibliography
Minimum set should have these types: Productivity, impact, applied indicator
(depending on the field), social impact
Context, benchmarks, normalized
It depends: objectives, questions, type of analysis
Evaluation – more problematic
Managers ask for a certain analysis, you have to perform it
Important to have good ‘rules’ for bibliometric services

9. 2. What is the best place for a
bibliometric service in a university?
• Both in the library and policy office
• Library can be disconnected from the research processes > preferably in
the policy office
• ‘start from scratch: the library ‘brave new world’
• Neutral place
• Also libraries have their own goals
• In libraries there are not just librarians working
• National differences in the status of librarians Support staff or part of
faculty? Certain autonomy, not ‘slaves’.
• It doesn’t matter where it is based, but it should be an autonomous
department/position
• Wageningen: library and research office. Close cooperation is essential,
also with the researchers being evaluated.
• Use the expertise of CWTS and apply that in your own institution
• Is own research necessary?

10. Feedback?
Erasmus University Rotterdam, University Library
Gert Goris Goris@ubib.eur.nl
Gusta Drenthe drenthe@ubib.eur.nl
Judith Gulpers: gulpers@ubib.eur.nl
Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre)
Wouter Gerritsma: wouter.gerritsma@wur.nl