LIBRARY & LEARNING SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN 2015/16 TO 2017/18

Transcription

1 LIBRARY & LEARNING SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN 2015/16 TO 2017/18 Vision To inspire learning and connect our academic community to the world s knowledge. Library values Collaboration with others Excellent customer service Staff development Technological innovation Transparent, inclusive and equitable services Professionalism in service delivery Open and clear communication Flexibility and a positive approach to change SWOT analysis Strengths New and refurbished spaces Strong links with academic staff Standardised procedures across campuses Trusted and committed staff Visibility within the University Successful institutional repository Opportunities 1. Restructuring of academic departments 2. Expansion of electronic resources 3. Sion Hill master plan 4. More students resident on campus 5. Digital literacy programme 6. Learning Commons 7. Collection development and management policy 8. New Minerva functionality 9. Increased number of international students 10. Open Access policies Weaknesses No room for expansion Shelf capacity and study spaces, particularly at smaller libraries Demand on WLC capacity Limited vacation opening hours Lack of research collections Staffing for School liaison and repository Threats 1. Above inflation increases on electronic resources, VAT 2. Rapid changes to publishing models and platforms 3. Lack of staff skills to match strategic vision 4. Speed of change in University as a whole 5. Budgetary unpredictability 6. Increased student numbers generally 7. Potential for non-compliance with licences 8. Library management system consortium dissolved

2 Risk analysis Very High O7 T6 T8 O1 O10 T5 L I K E L I H O O D High Medium O4 O5 T2 T7 O2 O6 O8 O9 T1 T3 T4 O3 Low Very Low Very Low Low Medium High Very High IMPACT

3 Strategic objectives 2015/16 to 2017/18 A review of the objectives for 2012/13 to 2014/15 is included at Appendix To manage and satisfy student expectations of Library & Learning Services (University Strategy: Internationalisation; supports Curriculum, Research) This will provide students, home and international, undergraduate and postgraduate and on all our campuses with the best services, resources and facilities we are able to provide. It will also enhance the student experience and help equip Bath Spa graduates with lifelong skills and knowledge to enhance their future lives. Example KPIs: NSS, PTES, PRES, ISB scores, annual Library survey 2. To consolidate and build on the staffing restructure to improve services and equip, recruit and retain staff with the skills necessary to meet our strategic aims (University Strategy: Our staff community) This will capitalise on the investment in our staff and equip them to engage with up-todate pedagogical approaches to information and digital literacy skills, changing methods of working and emerging forms of electronic information. Also, a review of the library management system will focus attention on the future requirements of staff workflows and needs of our users. This, in turn, will improve the student experience and assist academic staff to better exploit our e-resources. Example KPIs: Staff survey 3. To develop a Learning Services and Digital Literacy strategy (University Strategy: Graduate attributes; supports Curriculum, Research) This will enhance and improve the Library s offering to Schools by a defined strategy and approach to School liaison, academic writing, information and digital literacy and critical thinking, both face to face and online via Minerva and the Library web pages. This will also contribute positively to the establishment and accomplishment of the graduate attribute set. Example KPIs: no. of sessions and teaching hours, hits to Minerva pages and website, WLC and Subject Librarian tutorial statistics, NSS, PTES, PRES 4. To formulate a Collection Development and Management policy, including a Reading List strategy and the continued development of our electronic resources (University Strategy: Operations; supports Curriculum, Internationalisation) Given the limited shelf space in all campus libraries, this will focus on expanding and maximising the return on investment to date in our electronic provision and making best use of the Library web pages, Minerva and the CLA licence to enhance the Library s online presence. This will additionally address student satisfaction by improving reading list accessibility and help meet the diversified needs of different cohorts of students (undergraduate, postgraduate; campus-based and transnational, etc.). Example KPIs: NSS, PTES, PRES, ISB scores & comments, annual Library survey, usage

4 statistics, results of usability testing 5. To formulate a Communications and Marketing strategy, to include outreach activities, print, electronic and social media. (University Strategy: Operations; supports Curriculum, Research) This will make staff and students aware of the range of services and facilities available to them from the Library and what Library staff can offer them in support of teaching, learning and research, thereby improving our profile in the University. Example KPIs: NSS, PTES, PRES, ISB comments, annual Library survey, number of Twitter followers, electronic services usage 6. To continue to lead on Open Access and ResearchSPAce and contribute to other research-related initiatives (University Strategy: Research) This will enhance the visibility and impact of the University s research. Compliance with external open access requirements, such as those of HEFCE and RCUK, will help the University s efforts to attract more research income. It will assist with collation and presentation of research outputs for REF2020. Example KPIs: number of full text deposits and downloads 7. To monitor, assess and adapt collections and learning spaces in the campus libraries, the Learning Commons and the Digital Literacy suite (University Strategy: supports Graduate Attributes, Curriculum) This will enhance the student experience across our estate by enabling, as far as possible, the diverse provision needed for successful learning. This will also allow for the repurposing of our spaces to react to University strategy, student needs and increasing the usage of our limited space. Example KPIs: NSS, PTES, PRES, ISB comments, annual Library survey

5 Appendix 1 Progress against objectives 2012/13 to 2014/ To manage and satisfy student experience of Library & Information Services The National Student Survey results are up 17% over the period of the plan, stabilising this year at 82%. The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey for 2014 improved 14% over the previous year. A chat service has been introduced to increase accessibility and take-up is increasing. There has also been an increase and improvement in the supply of e-books which helps to satisfy need for high-demand texts. 6.2 To review the staffing structure and skills of Library & Information Services The staff restructure has been undertaken, decoupling operational from subject liaison duties and increasing the number of librarians and senior library assistants. The department has been renamed Library & Learning Services to reflect changing strategy. Job descriptions continue to be revised and updated and responsibilities re-assigned and re-organised. The Writing and Learning Centre is now integrated into LLS, which has diversified the Library s available skill set and provided the WLC with a permanent base: as a result, they have seen large increases in business - 145% increase in enquiries and 100% increase in 1:1 sessions. A Deputy Director for Learning Services and a Digital Literacy Librarian have recently been appointed to carry forward the LLS and University strategies in this area. Another Deputy Director for Electronic Services was appointed in 2012 who is responsible for Sion Hill Library and who, amongst other matters, has taken responsibility for the library management system, the institutional repository and the copyright portfolio from Central Services, enabling and improving compliance with the CLA licence. 6.3 To continue to improve Library accommodation at Newton Park Newton Park Library has now been completely refurbished, including repainting, renewed toilets, new furniture and the re-carpeting of the main book hall in summer Staff continued to be actively involved at every stage of planning for the new Commons building which provides over 400 additional study spaces. The Learning Commons is currently being staffed by Library Assistants and student helpers and is being well used. As Commons is open 24/7, the Library has revised opening times so that access to the book hall is now available until midnight, Monday to Friday. We will continue to monitor and assess the usage of the various spaces and the deployment of staff. 6.4 To formulate a communications and marketing strategy Unfortunately, due to other pressing priorities, this has not been achieved and will be carried forward. However, marketing and promotion of the Library and its services has begun to be undertaken, including pop-up libraries at various key times and events, promotion of electronic resources, organising events with Schools and other departments and regular communications via BSU This Week and student campus updates.

6 6.5 To capitalise on the development and progress made with e-resources The e-journal strategy was approved by Learning & Teaching Committee and is being taken forward. Additional suppliers of e-books have been researched and added to our list to enable better coverage and availability, especially since DawsonEra has proven less reliable than previously and some publishers have increased prices by up to 100%. The institutional repository (ResearchSPAce) has been implemented, more than tripling its content over the last 12 months and assisting in the REF2014 submission; academic staff profiles also now populate from ResearchSPAce. The Library has benefitted from the updating of the University website and, with the introduction of a discovery service, continues to improve access to our e- resources with over 420,000 full-text downloads in 2013/14. Recent enhancements and extra functionality for Minerva (BlackBoard) will be exploited to further improve Library services. 6.6 To align all campus library services with LIS processes and policies and the relevant academic activities Corsham Court Library has been established and staffed with a regular, twice weekly transport system between all three campus libraries. There have been several reorganisations of the stock in order to accommodate new subject areas and more up-to-date material but this is to be expected of a new service point. A developmental post has also been introduced there, increasing staff opportunities for advancement. Sion Hill and Newton Park Libraries have continued to standardise their processes and procedures which has been very productive during recent, lengthy sickness absences.