1. The role and contributions of the Information Specialist to the core business/functions of the University of Pretoria Suzy Nyakale: Faculty Library Manager Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & Information Technology University of Pretoria Department of Library Services
09 February 2016

2. Contents The vision of the University of Pretoria
University’s core business/functions
Strategic goals
Priorities
The library as a Role Player

3. University of Pretoria’s Vision for 2025
The University of Pretoria wants to be Africa’s leading research-intensive university, recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact, and also for developing people, creating knowledge and making a difference locally and globally.

4. “Core” functions Research – main contributor to knowledge economy
Postgraduate Education
Developing of Academic Staff
Teaching and Learning
Community Engagement

5. Strategic goals To be a leading research institution in Africa
To strengthen the university’s international profile
To pursue excellence in teaching and learning
To increase throughput and diversity
To strengthen the university’s impact on SA economic and social development
As set for UP vision 2025

6. Priorities
Attaining significantly higher levels of high impact research
An internationalisation strategy anchored in the University’s African location
Improving throughput of students at all levels
hybrid model using online and blended learning methodologies;

7. Information Specialists as Partners
‘Moving from research supporters to research partners’
(Monroe-Gulick, A, O’Brien MS & White, G. 2013)

8. Embedded Librarianship
Interaction is key to embedded librarianship
EI -Teaching models for UGs
Researchers – IRTs/FRTs
Bibliometric & Benchmarking tools - Incites
Publishing Services – Open Access
Research data management
Promoting university brand
We interact a lot with Education and Innovation, researchers, individually or as a group in IRTs/FRTs
Create profiles
Provide bibliometrics information to enable them to see how they perform against their peers

9. Undergraduates Improving throughput Increase usage of resources
Create awareness of openly available resources
Create subject guides
Core database training
Under budget constraints

10. Researchers
Information specialists integrate with academic departments and IRTs
Proactively help to make research visible
Encourage submission to IR –UPSpace
Provide UPSpace training
Promote open Access
Identify high impact OA journals
Integration with researchers

11. Bibliometric & Benchmarking
InCites (Thomson Reuters Web of Science)
It is an analysing tool to benchmark output and productivity against peers worldwide
Customized, citation-based research evaluation tool
Helps with author indeces
Helps identifying collaborators
Helps with journal impact factors

12. The Leiden Ranking
Measures the scientific performance of 500 major universities worldwide
Use a sophisticated set of bibliometric indictors
Aims to provide highly accurate measurements of the scientific impact of universities and their involvement in scientific collaboration

13. Publishing Populate IR to improve ranking of UP IR
Encourage and support publishing in accredited high impact OA journals
Biomed Central membership

14. University brand
Maintain good relationships with stakeholders locally and internationally by marketing our services and products
External users of the library
Take part in community engagement initiatives and project(Mamelodi campus library)

15. Education and Innovation
Support EI by facilitating implementation of desired teaching models e.g
Online and blended learning
Student focused
Provide dedicated spaces for collaboration, online information resources, wi-fi for 24/7 internet access
Continue to develop online access of library services

16. Research Commons Organizes postgraduate trainings
Intellectual Property (IP) support (Patents and literature search)
Liaise with BIRAP (Bureau of Institutional Research & Planning)
Assist mainly with evaluation of researchers, journals & articles

17. Research data
Research teams – integrating librarians with research teams to assist with data management and preservation

18. Research data management
Based upon Pienaar, H., Van Deventer, M To VRE or not to VRE? Do South African malaria researchers need a virtual research environment? Ariadne, 59, April
Project management
Writing proposals, reports
Real time communication
Training / mentoring etc
Identification of funding sources (DRIS)
Identification of research area
Identification of collaborators
Dissemination & articles
IP management
Literature review & indexing
Scientific workflow
Project closure

19. Identification of research area
Help refine research topic
Consultation sessions
New students / researchers meet with research Librarian

20. Literature review Assist with literature searching
Training users with searching very important – collaboration with Faculty Librarians
Constantly update users with new resources available within research field
Marketing of Library and Library resources
Alerts services

21. Writing proposals, reports
Literature
Referencing
Anti-Plagiarism campaigns
Tools: EndNote and RefWorks and Mendeley (Open Source)

22. Identification of funding sources
NRF/DHET
Other funding opportunities through collaboration
Communication: research office, using external contacts and resources

23. IP management
Liaise with BIRAP (Bureau of Institutional Research & Planning
Intellectual Property (IP) support (Patents and literature search)
Prior Art Searches

24. Dissemination Digital Repository (Mandate)
Electronic Dissertations & Theses
Data Curation process

25. Thank you