What is Access and Who are the Researchers? JIBS User Group Meeting WALK-IN USERS - TIME FOR A STEP CHANGE? University of Birmingham 20 May 2008 Sally Curry RIN CCM Programme Adviser

RIN Who are the Researchers? What is Access? Big steps forward Further steps still needed

Research Information Network RIN: set up in 2005 by 4 UK HE funding bodies, 8 Research Councils and 3 National Libraries. Funding now extended to 2011 Role: to develop the evidence base, provide authoritative advice and guidance and support change where it is needed to ensure best access to research information and data Range: all disciplines, subjects and information sources, formats - and all interested parties

RIN activities Search and discovery Use of information services Scholarly communications Digital content and e-research Collaboration between libraries

What and who is the library for? To support the mission and objectives of the institution To support learning and research by the institutions staff and students To contribute to the national, strategic approach to research? To the knowledge economy, lifelong learning & encouraging participation in tertiary education? To work with local businesses and schools and the local FE college - Community engagement?

Who are the Researchers? Academics and PhDs from the home institution Academics and PhDs from other institutions linked through collaborative research: HEIs, businesses, NHS/health organisations Researchers from other universities to use special collections or other unique materials Health and social workers PhDs and students on local work placement or living locally Pro-ams: local community users Local school students

What is Access? 1.Access to information about resources Its all online nowadays About 50% of research collections have no online catalogues If its not online it does not exist Issues of interoperability or inter- searchability have not been solved Need for intelligent search skills Problem of good enough research model

What Access can libraries offer? 2. Access to the information itself: Hard copy, e-journals and e-books For the HEIs own researchers? For research groups? inter-university university-business university-health For community researchers?

Barriers to e-resources 1.e-material licensing: registered students and staff of the HEI only 2.Technical issues: providing facilities for appropriate access for visiting researchers is time consuming and often not seen as a priority 3.Staff time: identifying material which can be made available for Walk in users (WiU) is time consuming and – Is it our role anyway?

Big steps forward Licensing JISC model licence now includes Walk in User Access & improved definitions JISC has provided online info on which resources can be made available to WiUs

Big steps forward Licensing JISC model licence now includes Walk in User access & improved definitions JISC has provided online info on which resources can be made available to WiUs Eduserv has done likewise

Big steps forward Licensing JISC model licence now includes Walk in User access & improved definitions JISC has provided online info on which resources can be made available to WiUs Eduserv has done likewise JISCs Additional Authorised User Initiative

Big steps forward Technical HAERVI – Toolkit of workable technical solutions

Big steps forward Technical Federated Access and Shibboleth - improved access management system providing resource sharing opportunities for research groups WAM25 RLUK/COPAC - research into more integrated search service + links to how to access the material National licensing initiatives: IReL and SHEDL

Further steps still needed 1.Awareness amongst users of the resources available to them. Some libraries promote this well

Further steps still needed 2.Awareness amongst front line library staff about: The collections the library holds The librarys policy towards visitors The access to resources that is available to visitors The welcome/assistance they can give visitors, whether from the academic sector or from the local community

Further steps still needed 3.Providing IT access and access to online resources for Walk in Users 2002/3: UKComputing+ undertook research into provision of access for WiUs with 6 universities 2006/7: UKLibraries+ website listed 18 HE libraries as offering IT access for WiUs 2007: the number had almost doubled… …to 35 Thats 35 out of 131 HEIs in the UK

We have the tools We have made good progress but Further steps still needed!

HEIs providing Walk in User Access 2007 Anglia Ruskin University Birmingham University De Montfort University Imperial College, University of London Kingston University Lancaster University Leeds Metropolitan University Liverpool Hope University London School of Economics and Political Science London South Bank National University of Ireland, Galway Newcastle University Open University Oxford University Roehampton University Sheffield Hallam The Tate The University of Northampton Trinity College Carmarthen University College, London University of Bolton University of Derby University of Durham University of Exeter University of Hertfordshire University of Huddersfield University of Liverpool University of Northumbria University of Nottingham University of Reading University of Sunderland University of Surrey University of Sussex University of Wales Swansea University of Wolverhampton

References RIN: Public Access to Licensed Journals in Academic Libraries: Researchers use of academic libraries: Uncovering Hidden Resources: extending the coverage of online catalogues: JISC Model Licence etc: spx EDUSERV: HAERVI: 8F9C6ED1A.ashx 8F9C6ED1A.ashx Sussex Visitors Guide: SHEDL Report: IReL: