NoWAL Conference, 15th July 2015.
“Where is the Library”
Manchester Metropolitan University, Birley Campus
NoWAL Conference Abstracts and Biographies
Keynote Speaker: Jo Nory
Biography: Jo Norry is Director of Libraries and Learning Innovation at Leeds Beckett
University, a converged service delivering integrated library and IT support, and management
of the virtual learning environment, student support systems and study skills support. Her
professional interests focus particularly on the student experience and the central role libraries
and learner support play in student achievement and quality enhancement, and she is also
interested in workforce planning and management development. The service is justly proud of
having held the Customer Service Excellence standard, and its predecessor, Charter Mark, since
2001.
Jo is a Fellow of CILIP, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and holds postgraduate
qualifications in librarianship, management and Anglo-Saxon, the last being much more relevant
than it might seem! Jo's career has been chiefly in higher education, after an initial foray as
graduate trainee at York Minster Library. Prior to joining Leeds Met in 2000, Jo worked at
Sheffield Hallam University and Nene College (now University of Northampton).
Abstract: In the academic library sector we think of ourselves as an essential element of the
university operation, woven into the fabric of our institutions, and with large buildings,
significant budgets and staff numbers, we’re a very visible part of the university picture. But in
the new digital world our main business is now online, our most expensive resources
indistinguishable from free online information, and our information skills have transformed
into digital literacy, where many others claim a slice of the pie. But this digital context also
offers libraries new opportunities for a relevant and more deeply embedded contribution,
collaborating to develop a new virtual university landscape which also has the library at its
heart.
Breakout Sessions 11.20am – 11.50am
Name: Sarah Pittaway
Job title: Team Leader: Academic Services
Organisation: University of Worcester
Email: s.pittaway@worc.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Audience engagement
Title: Student Engagement at Worcester: A New Approach
Biography: Dr Sarah Pittaway
Responsibility for: academic liaison, e-resources, reading resources (including reading lists,
digitisation, and interlibrary requests) and, more recently, student engagement. Previous roles:
variety of e-resources/subject librarian roles at the University of Birmingham, whilst completing a
part-time PhD in Medieval Studies.
Twitter: @Dr_Sarah_P
Abstract:
The Hive is a ground-breaking venture housing Europe’s first integrated public and university
library, as well as the local archive and archaeology service and county council hub. Although
bringing many benefits to the university population, the library still has to address typical
student concerns such as number of textbooks, use of resources, availability of PCs, and so on.
Alongside our traditional responses – teaching information literacy, promoting our services and
availability of study space, and working on reading lists and collections with academics – we
want to find new ways to talk to our students. In particular, we are keen to engage with them as
partners and change agents, actively involved in evaluating, developing and delivering our
library service.
Hence the post of Student Engagement Co-ordinator was born. A new member of staff joined
the team on 8th April 2015 with a remit to talk to students both within and outside of the
library, to get feedback on existing services, to challenge them on how we might deliver some of
their expectations, and to take ownership of some exciting new projects.
This paper will provide a detailed picture of how the first three months of the Student
Engagement role has developed, how we have started to change our relationship with students,
and some of the projects that we have been able to plan for and develop.
The role of Student Engagement Co-ordinator is a new one, not only at Worcester, but across the
sector. At the time of writing, I am only aware of comparable posts at Nottingham and Warwick,
and two further ones being recruited to at Newcastle and Greenwich.
I have received a great deal of interest from colleagues across the sector already would be
delighted to share early experiences of how the role is developing with NoWAL delegates.
Name: Susan Halfpenny
Job title: Learning and Teaching Advisor
Organisation: University of York
Email: susan.halfpenny@york.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: Developing a Digital Literacy Framework
Biography: The Teaching and Learning Team at the University of York is a cross Information
Directorate team comprising of Library and IT professionals. As a Teaching and Learning
Advisor I am responsible for leading on the development of our generic digital literacy support
materials for students. Over the past 12 months I have been working collaboratively with the
Health Sciences Department and their Academic Liaison Librarian to review digital literacy
provision linked to our Digital Literacy Framework. Based on the findings of the review we plan
to roll the model out to other departments and develop a complementary generic blended
learning programme for digital skills.
Abstract: The increase in online technologies and wider access to information sources has
resulted in digital literacy being increasingly important in the Higher Education (HE) sector.
This has led to a number of different information and digital literacy frameworks and curricula
being developed and adopted by HE institutions (SCONUL7, ANCIL, PriDE). At the University of
York a substantial amount of work has been done by the Library to embed information literacy
into departmental programmes and modules. Since merging with IT Services the opportunity
has been provided to take a coordinated approach to information and digital literacy.
The Information Directorate Teaching & Learning team have undertaken work to develop a
Digital Literacy Framework to articulate the attributes, practices, skills and understanding of a
digitally literate person. The Framework provides an overview of some of the capabilities
linked to IT, media and information usage and creation. Based on Beetham and Sharpe’s (2010)
digital literacy development model, the framework describes how students develop higher
order digital capabilities based on access to new technologies and functional skills.
Work has been undertaken to map current provision of digital literacy training to gain a better
understanding of what the Library and IT Services are offering in terms of skills support for
students. As a result of the review of current training we are developing blended learning
materials to support students and staff in the development of their digital skills.
This short paper will outline the core elements of the Digital Literacy Framework and work
conducted so far on developing support material for students covering digital and information
literacy skills.
This paper will be of interest to anyone involved with information or digital literacy delivery
within curriculum design and generic programmes. It will discuss some of the challenges faced
in developing a digital literacy framework and designing a skills programme of this nature, as
well as provide some tips and ‘best practice’ based on the findings of the Digital Literacy
Review.
Name: Jennie Blake
Job title: Learning Development Officer
Organisation: University of Manchester Library
Email: jennie.blake@manchester.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Learning spaces
Title: Living in the cloud with our feet on the ground: connecting the physical environment to
digital services.
Biography: A native Californian, Jennie Blake came to the UK after working for over a decade in
a variety of areas of education. Although initially her focus was on academic research, she has
spent that last few years working with people across the University of Manchester Library to
develop and launch its award-winning skills support programme, My Learning Essentials. Since
its launch, the programme has gone from strength to strength and is currently seen as a key part
of the Manchester student experience and a core support for its student population. Jennie often
travels to give talks on MLE and the pedagogy, practice and process that lie behind it.
Abstract: The University of Manchester Library's Alan Gilbert Learning Commons is now an integral
part of student life for the nearly 40,000 students attending the University. Its striking design and
innovative approach have won awards and praise since its opening, but the building has moved
beyond the initial response to firmly embed itself into the collective experience of students. This
paper will focus on one key aspect of that experience and look at how the Library has integrated
physical aspects of the building: its student designed artwork, flexible and responsive spaces, and
open feeling, into the blended-learning resources now offered by the Library, creating clear
connections between the physical site and the virtual and face-to-face support. Students and staff
thus engage both with the building and with the resources, unifying the resources on offer and
further highlighting the Library's ability to deliver what is needed where it is needed, and when it
would be most useful. We will look particularly at the ability of the building to act as a support for
the pedagogy of the programme and as a way to make the virtual aspects more concrete, examining
some of the specific responses of students and staff to making the physical space, the face-to-face
support and the online resources theirs to affect and improve.
Name: Amar Nazir
Job title: Research & Learning Services Support Assistant
Organisation: The University of Manchester Library
Email: amar.nazir-2@manchester.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Research Support/Open Access/Future
Title: The Researcher Experience Study:
Understanding our Researchers at the University of Manchester
Biography: Amar Nazir is a Research & Learning Services Support Assistant, working within the
Academic Engagement Team at The University of Manchester Library.
As a member of the Academic Engagement Team I have a keen interest in anticipating and meeting
the teaching and research needs of our academic community at the University of Manchester. A key
focus of mine is evidence based practice, which provides a bedrock for engagement strategy and
decision making.
The Researcher Experience Study (the subject of my presentation) highlights a key example this
approach, and as will be shown, proved a real eye-opener.
Abstract:
In mid-2014 The University of Manchester Library concluded the Researcher Experience Study,
an ambitious investigation mapping different types of researcher activity against the different
stages of a researcher’s career. Finding highlighted five key issues:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Research environment
Use of information resources
Creation of information resources
Information management, and
5. Publication and dissemination of research results
This presentation will reflect briefly on the methodology used, explain our finding in the above
five areas, and importantly demonstrate how the Researcher Experience Study has informed the
design and development of current and future services and provision using an evidence based
approach.
At a time when many academic libraries are grappling with the challenge of meeting the needs
of their researchers, our work with the Researcher Experience Study provides a useful insight
into the mind-set of the researcher at Manchester and explores their library needs.
Breakout Sessions 12.00pm – 12.30pm
Name: Tim Leonard
Job title: Assistant Librarian
Organisation: Lancaster University
Email: t.leonard@lancaster.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Audience engagement
Title: Jolt the Library: Interdepartmental collaboration to enable student innovation at
Lancaster University Library
Biography: Tim Leonard is an Assistant Librarian at Lancaster University Library. He works in
the Library’s Academic Services Team in a project-based role to support teaching and learning
at the University, with a particular emphasis on library provision for undergraduate students.
Tim has worked in HE libraries since 2003 and has previously held posts at Cardiff University,
Manchester Metropolitan University and University Campus Oldham.
Abstract: Jolt the Library was a collaborative project between Lancaster University Library and
Lancaster Information Systems Services’ Innovation Hub, to find an innovative idea to improve
the student experience at the Library.
The project was launched in November 2014 and over 130 entries were received from
Lancaster University students. Ideas were shortlisted by the Jolt team, before six finalists were
chosen to pitch to an independent panel of judges at our live final in March. The winner of Jolt
the Library won £1000 and will see their idea implemented by the Library during the 20152016 academic year.
This 20 minute presentation will explore;
•
The Jolt the Library project and how staff between the Library and ISS worked together
to launch and promote the competition
•
some of the themes that emerged including health and wellbeing, alternative study
spaces, navigation, and tools for checking the availability of study space
•
Ways in which Jolt the Library ideas have informed our current refurbishment project or
provided support for our existing plans
•
how ideas from Jolt the Library are going to be implemented at Lancaster University
Library in the future, including our winning idea for the loan of health technology such as smart
cushions
•
The potential that a student competition like Jolt the Library has for student engagement
with the Library building and services
•
Lessons learned from the project
For more information on Jolt the Library see: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/library/jolt-thelibrary/
Name: Jody McGurk
Job title: e-Learning Support Assistant
Organisation: The University of Manchester Library
Email: jody.mcgurk@manchester.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: Empowering learners with digital support
Biography: Jody McGurk is an e-Learning Support Assistant as The University of Manchester
Library. He currently spends most of his time working on the award winning My Learning
Essentials skills programme. Jody’s interest in online learning was sparked at university while
completing a module on the future of e-learning. His key areas of interest are e-learning
development, instructional design and VLE development. Having previously worked in the
private sector and in secondary education Jody has gained a great deal of experience designing
learning resources for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Abstract: My Learning Essentials is the University of Manchester Library’s award-winning skills
programme, offering a combination of face-to-face and online development opportunities.
In order to deliver a programme to a student body of around 40,000 students, a flexible and
responsive structure is paramount. The programme features online and face-to-face elements
which work in tandem to deliver support to students at the point of need, whether they are
working on a literature review at 2AM or planning ahead for a presentation or exam. By
providing a comprehensive suite of openly available online resources, My Learning Essentials
extends the Library’s reach beyond the walls of the buildings.
Both elements of the programme use a student-centred and highly interactive style, which has
achieved significant recognition for its pedagogy and engaging use of technology, including a
Blackboard Catalyst Award for Innovative Blended Learning.
Development of the programme is driven by student demand to ensure that what we’re offering
is what our students really need.
Through My Learning Essentials, the University of Manchester Library has been able to
collaborate with various other central University services, such as the Careers and Counselling
Services, to extend the reach of their support. These partnerships have allowed us to offer a
wider array of opportunities to students, all available from a central point of access. This has
enabled My Learning Essentials to become more visible in the wider University community,
highlighting the Library’s position at the centre of students’ learning experiences.
This session will focus on the themes of “digital support “ and “open access”, exploring how the
online and face-to-face elements of My Learning Essentials work together to support students in
their personal and professional development.
The My Learning Essentials programme is going from strength to strength and demonstrates
how an academic library is tackling skills support for diverse student population.
This session will give us the opportunity to share some of the lessons learned form the
programme and will give us the opportunity to engage with colleagues from other institutions
on digital support and open access.
Name: Mary Pickstone
Job title: Research Support Librarian
Organisation: Manchester Metropolitan University
Email: m.pickstone@mmu.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Research Support/Open Access/Future
Title: The challenges of supporting researchers in a post-92 University
Biography: Mary Pickstone is the Research Support Librarian at MMU. After short spells in
public and research libraries, Mary moved into higher education and has spent most of her
career at the Alsager Site of MMU in a variety of roles culminating in several years as Site
Library Manager. In that role Mary had responsibility for academic liaison with undergraduate
and postgraduate courses, and with researchers in several departments including Sports
Science and Performing Arts. Mary is also active in Cilip ARLG, chairing the NW group.
Abstract: Over the last few years the post-92 Universities have increased their research effort.
This has brought about changes in the culture of these institutions, from having primarily a
learning and teaching focus to becoming more research active.
At MMU, the Library has always supported researchers but traditionally as an add-on to the
mainstream support given to undergraduate and taught post-graduate students. The growth in
research activity, and the coincidental push towards open access publication, has changed this
and introduced new activities and services, to which MMU Library has had to adjust. These
extra demands have entailed grappling with new and unfamiliar jargon and procedures: Open
Access requirements, funder mandates, APCs, Research Data Management, and a revitalised role
for the Institutional Repository, all with limited budgets and staffing resources.
Some of the challenges the library at MMU has faced as a result of these changes are:
•
•
•
•
being part of the cultural change of the institution to include more of a research
focus
coming to terms with lots of new concepts and procedures and the jargon that
comes with them
supporting the Repository, managing data, complying with funder mandates,
managing APCs,
building relationships with other areas of the university such as research leaders
and administrators
•
advocacy work with academic and research staff and students about new research
services
This presentation will explore how MMU Library is coping with these challenges.
This session will be a valuable topic for the conference because many of the new research
services – OA, Data Management, the institutional repository – deal with online resources, and
librarians in the post-92 universities have had to learn new ways of organizing, promoting and
advocating these services to support the research aspirations of our institutions.
Keynote Speaker: Rosie Jones
Biography: Rosie Jones has worked in academic libraries since 2001. In 2011 she moved into a
specialist role project managing the development and implementation of the award winning
Alan Gilbert Learning Commons at the University of Manchester Library. After the success of
this project her remit grew to planning, initiating and managing a wider range of complex
library projects covering all library spaces and any plans for library management of a learning
and study space. She is now Associate Director of Library Services at Liverpool John Moores
University where she continues to develop her expertise in this area through the new Copperas
Hill development, an ambitious project to create a community for learning and knowledge in the
heart of Liverpool city centre.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosiejhjones
Abstract: There is an increased awareness in Higher Education that learning spaces need
investment. Most are either currently redeveloping, creating new or have strong aspirations to
change their learning environments. These aren’t all necessarily library spaces, but as
experienced learning space managers libraries are in a strong position to influence these areas
and to take the opportunity to manage them. This changes our ‘core’ business and takes us
into new territory, sometimes outside of the library, where we design, influence and implement
creative spaces which not only support learning and knowledge but enhance it too. This
presentation will explore the changing environment of learning spaces and encourage a
shift from models which clone ‘‘traditional’ library spaces to innovative designs that challenge
and engage our audiences.
Breakout Sessions 3.15 pm – 4 pm
Name: Kevin Bolton
Job title: Archives + Manager
Organisation: Manchester Central Library, Manchester City Council
Email: k.bolton@manchester.gov.uk
Contact number: 0161 234 1902
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Audience engagement
Biography:
Kevin joined Manchester City Council in 2004 as Principal Archivist and has been Archives+ Manager
since 2012. He was part of the team that oversaw the transformation of Manchester Central Library.
Previously he was an Archivist at Liverpool Central Library from 2002 to 2004.
Abstract: Manchester’s Library, Information and Archives Service delivers leisure, cultural,
learning and information services through a network of neighbourhood libraries, community
outreach libraries and the world class Central Library. The service also operates the 24 hour
virtual library, HMP Manchester Prison library and housebound service, supports a number of
neighbourhood book collections and archives.
The refurbished Central Library reopened on 22 March 2014 and welcomed over 5000
customers on the first day. The library was closed for a period of four years and the success of
the transformation is clearly evident with the creation of a world class original modern library
fit for a world class city. It has become a major cultural destination and a must see visitor
attraction in the city with a particular focus on creating a one–stop shop and a centre of
excellence for family and local history, telling the story of Manchester and its people, through
print, digital, photographic images and film.
A charitable development trust was established for Central Library in 2012, and to date has
attracted significant contributions from a range of funding bodies. Arts Council funding has also
been awarded to support the “LibraryLive” programme of cultural activity which included a
week long music residency with award winning Manchester based band Everything Everything.
The service operates a hub and spoke model for service delivery, with Central Library
underpinning the overarching library offer across the city. Our network of 14 neighbourhood
libraries continues to provide a vital role in the heart of their communities and supporting the 5
universal library offers around reading, digital, information, health and learning. Manchester
Libraries is developing Manchester standards and customer promises to support the delivery of
the universal library offers. The 7 community outreach libraries, operated in partnership with
volunteers and other agencies, provide local access to library services supported by a
parent/buddy library.
We have developed a number of strategies order to engage with new audiences. These include:
 Cultural and arts programmes in libraries.
 Digital interpretation and digital engagement for special collections and rare books.
 Outreach and community learning programmes.
 Working in partnership with volunteers and community programmes.
Although this papers focuses on a local authority approach we like the idea of looking at how
the challenges (and solutions) local authority library services face can help inform the academic
sector.
Name: Lisa Otty
Job title: Project Officer
Organisation: EDINA
Email: lisa.otty@ed.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: Stewardship and preservation of e-journals: what is the role of the academic library?
Biography: Dr Lisa Otty is a Project Officer in Bibliography and Multimedia at EDINA, where
she supports work in the areas of digital preservation and digitisation. She is an affiliate of the
Centre for the History of the Book, where she held an AHRC research fellowship in 2011/2012.
She has held research and lecturing posts in book history, literature and digital humanities at
the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee. She has also led a number of collaborative projects
with partners in the galleries, libraries, archives and museums sector, including most recently
the RSE-funded ‘Scotland’s National Collections and the Digital Humanities’ (2013/14).
Abstract:
The rapid growth of e-journal publishing in recent decades has had a profound impact on the
ways that academic libraries manage their serial collections. In the past larger research libraries
were custodians of content, storing print copies of all the volumes and issues they had paid for
and enabling patrons of smaller libraries access these through personal visits and document
supply services. Today, libraries no longer physically hold this material. E-journals are instead
stored by the publishers: they grant access through subscription. When preservation is
undertaken, it is usually outsourced to large archiving agencies such as Portico and CLOCKSS.
This has several implications. Their traditional stewardship role is in doubt. The library’s role in
identifying, selecting and preserving publications of value for the scholarly record seems to
have receded.
This paper considers some of the key issues and challenges that the current situation presents.
This includes evidence that is being generated by the Keepers Registry into which ten of the
world’s leading archiving organisations report, against the ISSN Register. It will also include
early report on recent consultations with the both library and archive communities (conducted
as part of the Jisc-supported Keepers Extra project). The balance of argument is that academic
libraries still can and should play a vital role as stewards for scholarly publications. This may
mean devising effective ways of working in partnership with archiving organisations, including
national libraries, rather than viewing such agencies as a remote ‘insurance policy’.
This session would be of broad interest to those attending the NoWAL conference because it
addresses an area that will be of increasing significance in the future, namely the curation and
preservation of born-digital scholarship.Digital preservation is currently not a high priority for
many institutions, so awareness of what is at stake needs to be raised and collaborative action
considered: a library consortium event seems the perfect place to begin these discussions
Name: Gwen Riley Jones and Josie Sykes
Job title: Photographer and Visitor Engagement Manager
Organisation: University of Manchester Library
Email: gwen.rileyjones@manchester.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Audience engagement
Title: Collection focused, audience driven, invite response – The Voices Project.
Biographies: Gwen Riley Jones – University of Manchester
Gwen Riley Jones is Photographer at The University of Manchester Library. Gwen has worked in
the cultural and heritage sector for 8 years. Currently working in the Centre for Heritage
Imaging and Collection Care (CHICC) Gwen is passionate about the ethos of CHICC – a bespoke
approach tailored to the needs of the collection and the customer, and believes it can and should
apply to a whole range of academic library services (and beyond).
Gwen was invited to join the Voices project, as Voices Live Library Project Manager, to bring a
collection-focused, audience driven approach to audience engagement activity.
Josie Sykes – University of Manchester
Josie Sykes has worked in Heritage Learning for 12 years, specialising in community
engagement, exhibition development and volunteer management. She has led engagement
programmes with marginalised communities from across the North West and was a content
developer for the Museum of Liverpool. She joined the John Rylands Library as Visitor
Engagement Manager in January 2015 and brought with her a passion for creating innovative
learning opportunities and engaging diverse audiences with collections.
Abstract: Libraries have a powerful opportunity to use their collections and staff skills to
engage audiences. The University of Manchester Library (UML) staff have worked collectively to
reach new audiences through a programme of social media campaigns and in-depth
engagement programmes (with local communities) through the project Voices. In direct
response to University and Library strategic objectives, Voices challenged our staff to work in
innovative ways to engage audiences specifically with collections. The programme has had an
impact on both participants and working practices across the Library.
This paper will share the key working methodologies, outcomes and impact of the Voices
project.
Voices Explore was a collaborative project between the Library and Back on Track, a charity
providing services for long-term unemployed in Manchester. The programme placed collections
at the heart of informal learning at the Library and within a community setting.
Voices Live Library developed new digital audiences for the Library using a variety of models
for engagement. The project tested a range of social media channels, effort levels of our
audiences and models for co-creating content.
Impacts from across the Voices programme include:
-
New ways of working for staff, in support of the Library’s Culture Change objectives.
Development of staff skills and confidence, working with new audiences and with
different tools for engagement.
-
Participant enjoyment of the Library’s spaces, collections and resources.
-
Increased knowledge and understanding of research skills and the offer of the Library.
-
Growth in our digital audience.
-
Increased exposure to our digital collections.
-
Production of co-created content.
-
Increased knowledge of our digital audience and their habits.
Name: Satish Patel
Job title: Library Development Manager
Organisation: University of Salford
Email: s.m.patel@salford.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Short paper: 30 minutes
Theme: Learning spaces
Title: Student engagement and co-creation of learning spaces – It’s all about the pizza!
Abstract:
This session aims to reflect on and learn from the experiences of two library space development
projects at the University of Salford. Both refurbishment projects had very different approaches
to student engagement and consultation.
The projects were:
1. Library Development Project Phase 1: Closure and relocation of Health Sciences Library
to Main Library, May 2013 – September 2013
2. Library Development Project Phase 2: Closure and integration of Arts and Media Library
to Main Library, August 2014 – August 2016
For the first project very little student consultation was carried out and it could be argued that
while consulting with students via a series of listening events a decision to move the Health
Sciences Library had already been made. The listening events were really aimed at setting the
context for change and explaining the rationale as well as giving students the opportunity to
discuss ideas on how to minimise the impact of the move. Lessons learnt from this project with
regard to student consultation include the fact that we should have started consultation very
much earlier. By the time we were running the listening events most health students were
already out on placement so had no opportunity to comment on proposals.
It was clear that given the student fallout and potential impact on NSS scores the phase 2 project
would have to take a very different approach to student engagement and consultation and start
to think about co-creation of spaces and genuine student engagement and more importantly
learn from mistakes made in the phase 1 project.
For phase 2 of the project the Library employed a Library Guru (Les Watson) to talk to all
stakeholders ranging from senior staff including the Vice Chancellor, Heads of School, Students
Union Sabbatical officers, Students and Library Staff. These discussions were aimed at
understanding the future requirements of both library spaces and services and to develop a
roadmap of space and service improvements for the lifespan of the building. The output of all
this consultation was an options appraisal which outlined 10 work packages which would
deliver some of the service and space improvements users were asking for.
A design team (FUSE Studios) were also commissioned at this stage to work with the Library
team and others to work up plans to RIBA Stage 3 (Developed Design). During this design phase
a range of student consultation was starting to take place. FUSE studios ran student and staff
focus groups and talked through the plans using mood boards, presenting key facts about what
the project will deliver in order to manage expectations. Additionally the project team with the
Student Union officers visited several other university libraries which had recently been
refurbished to gather design and usability ideas.
During this phase of consultation the design team took a leading role in the focus groups with
students and staff and really drilled down into the thinking behind the design and were
prepared to be challenged by both students and staff.
In parallel to the work of FUSE Studios the Library started work on an ethnographic study of
library spaces. This was one of the most interesting elements of the project and enabled us to
gather qualitative data on ‘how people behave’ and to understand their Library usage by asking
the following broad-based research questions:
•
How do students (and other users) use our informal learning spaces?
•
How do they want to use them?
•
To what extent are we providing for their needs?
The aim was to complement the work done by our Library Guru and FUSE Studios and draw
together a rich picture of what our students need from a library space.
By presenting at this conference I hope to share my reflections (the politics included), lessons
learnt and if I could do it all again what I would do differently.
Breakout Sessions 3.15 pm – 4 pm
Workshops
Name: Deborah Harrop and Bea Turpin
Job title: Information Scientist
Organisation: Sheffield Hallam University
Email: d.harrop@shu.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Workshops: 45 minutes
Theme: Learning spaces
Title: What makes an informal learning space? A case study from Sheffield Hallam University
Biographies:
Deborah Harrop is an Information Scientist in the Centre for Health and Social Care Research at
Sheffield Hallam University. She designs and undertakes literature reviews, up to and including
systematic reviews, for funded projects and/or publication. Deborah has extensive teaching
experience and has recently been using her training skills in the consultancy arena. She is a HEA
Fellow, elected regional committee member of CILIP and a peer reviewer for an education
journal. Deborah has been undertaking research into learning spaces for over 10 years and is
currently completing a book chapter on the topic with colleagues and her co-presenter.
Bea Turpin has worked as a librarian at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) since 1995. She is
currently an Information Adviser in the Learning and Information Services Department with
responsibility for supporting the Department of Computing. This role involves library collection
development, information skills teaching and staff and student support. Bea has been
researching informal learning spaces; learner preferences and design since 2008 and was
involved in the redevelopment of the learning centres at SHU.
Abstract: This session will share research which aimed to investigate 'What makes successful
higher education informal learning spaces?' and manifested itself in the redevelopment of
informal learning spaces in the Learning Centres and the ongoing development of campus
spaces at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU). Findings from the aforementioned primary,
empirical research culminated in the creation of a typology of nine learning space preference
attributes and the assertion that all nine attributes must be given due consideration when
designing and evaluating informal learning spaces. The typology is underpinned by a theoretical
framework derived from existing published literature and is drawn from the disciplines of
learning theory, placemaking and architecture and the need for an understanding of the synergy
between the three. The typology of learning space preference attributes will be shared,
alongside examples of how it led to the implementation of real changes to learning spaces at
SHU.
Jamieson (2007) calls for new spaces that challenge the status quo and the ambition is for the
typology to be used as a partial response to this. Participants will be asked to test the
generalisability of the learning space preferences typology by working in groups and using the
typology to build theoretical spaces which creatively resolve existing concerns and push
boundaries in their own user environments. Each group's output and experiences of using the
typology will be shared via a whole group discussion and culminate in an attempt to build a
series of interrelated, complimentary and coherent spaces supported by a research base. By
critiquing the typology, the intention is to offer a pathway for the ongoing development of
interrelated, complimentary and coherent learning spaces.
The focus of the workshop will be the participants testing the typology of learning space
preference attributes and in doing so working in groups to have a go at planning aspects of a
type of informal learning space of their own. In order for participants to test the typology, they
will need to know a little bit about it. The early part of the session will briefly introduce the
participants to the typology and what each attribute means. Below, I have provided a detailed
breakdown of the workshop, complete with anticipated timings.
Introduction – define informal learning spaces and explain what we have been trying to do at
SHU. The research method will not be discussed, but participants will be pointed to where they
can find this information should they also wish to know about this aspect (1 min)
Typology of learning space preference attributes – provide an explanation of the nine attributes;
namely: destination, identity, conversations, community, retreat, timely, human factors,
resources and refreshments (10 mins)
Theoretical framework – quick summary of the literature review which underpins the research
at SHU (2 mins)
Testing the typology of learning space preference attributes - to make it more practical, the
typology has been transformed into a series of questions which you can use when planning a
space) – groups of 4-5 asked to (1) select a space to redevelop or create, (2) use the questions
on an activity sheet which relate to each attribute in the typology to help them design an ideal
space for the purpose they identified, (3) reflect on the typology and how/if it worked (15-20
mins)
Whole group discussion about informal learning spaces and the research at SHU – feedback
from each group about what type of space they developed and a brief description of the key
features, followed by a critique of the typology (5-10 mins)
Questions and what next? – What we are up to at SHU and how participants can find out more
about the research and re-use our materials (1 min)
In addition, to help participants with ideas, we will be providing a printed pack containing
annotated photographs showing the redevelopment of informal spaces at SHU which illustrate
how the typology has been applied.
JAMIESON, P. with contributions from MIGLIS, P., HOLM, J. and PEACOCK, J. (2007). Creating
new generation learning environments on the university campus. Adelaide, South Australia,
Woods Bagot Research Press.
Name: Liam Bullingham
Job title: Information Adviser
Organisation: Sheffield Hallam University
Email: l.bullingham@sheffield.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Workshops: 45 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: The Library of the Mind: using cognitive mapping to draw your library's web presence
Biography:
Until recently I was an Information Adviser at Sheffield Hallam University, acting as the subject
librarian for Art and Media Arts, but in June I started at The University of Sheffield as a Liaison
Librarian in the Social Sciences team. Before all this, I worked at a law firm, the NHS, and was a
Graduate Trainee at MMU in 2008-9. Professionally, I'm a keen user of technology enhanced
learning, graphic design for libraries and social media. Outside work I'm learning to speak Farsi,
make cocktails and am into film, board games and video games.
Abstract
Objectives: the session will take the form of a workshop, encouraging participants to think
about their own library's web presence, and asking them to consider how it is currently and
how they would like it to be ideally.
Methodology: participants will be asked to follow a cognitive mapping approach, using pens and
paper to draw a visualisation of their library's website and other online features now and after
further development, and encouraged to reflect on the changes they would make. The
presenters will also talk about how mapping has been used with students, and how lessons
learned have been fed back to students and staff.
Outcomes: delegates will also become familiar with the cognitive mapping method and also
return to their home institutions with initial ideas for development work.
This workshop invites participants to reflect on the nature of their library's presence on the
web and evaluate its online performance. Key conference concerns regarding the 'seamlessness'
and 'invisibility' of library services are relevant here and the cognitive mapping approach can
prove to be an engaging, active way to elicit audience feedback and promote discussion.
TeachMeets
Name: Robert Cunningham
Job title: Faculty Librarian
Organisation: Liverpool Hope University
Email: cunninr@hope.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Teachmeet: 7 minutes
Theme: Audience engagement
Abstract: For the last five years Hope’s subject librarians have been out of back room offices
and at subject support points at the heart of student areas. Initially trialled as a pilot, it proved
so successful it was incorporated into our recent library refurbishment . Whilst recognising the
need for virtual support as a result of students' increasing reliance on the digital library, we
have realised that face to face support with their subject librarian is equally as important to our
users.
We believe that having all subject librarians based out in the library and not hidden away in
offices is not only unique, but an effective way of supporting users in their use of the digital
library.
We would like this opportunity to share with colleagues from other institutions the practical
application of what we do, how it positively effects our users, and how it impacts on our other
duties and responsibilities.
Name: Helen Monagle
Job title: Assistant Librarian
Organisation: Manchester Metropolitan University
Email: H.monagle@mmu.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Teachmeet: 7 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: How data influences the library’s decision-making.
Biography: Helen is an Assistant Librarian working at Manchester Metropolitan University
(MMU). In her previously role as a Principal Library Assistant she focused on collating statistics
for MMU’s e-resource usage. Outside of work Helen is one of the co-founders of the New Library
Professionals Network (NLPN) and is New Professionals Support Officer for the CILIP North
West Member Network.
Abstract: In my current position, working in the Digital Library Services team, I am responsible
for gathering statistics for MMU’s e-resource use and training the Senior Library Assistants I
manage in this task. This teachmeet will consider how data influences the library’s decisionmaking and will illustrate how usage statistics are used as a decision making tool for all of our
subscriptions.
We collect e-resource statistics on a monthly (rather than annual) basis for packages and
individual journals. These statistics are gathered for the SCONUL report, our Annual report and
also when requested by subject librarians therefore all of these contribute to purchasing and
renewal decisions.
The collection of statistics is a combination of gathering them manually from publishers’
websites and using automated tools such as JUSP.
The teachmeet will share strategies used by MMU, which include developing a streamlined
process to ensure that work isn’t duplicated or arduous. These lessons can be appropriated to
enable participants to facilitate their own e-resource usage practice. Furthermore, participation
in the teachmeet will allow for demonstration of the tools and techniques used and a discussion
of the various ways in which this data can be used e.g. promotion of resources, purchasing
decisions etc. and how support from digital library teams is an important part of the modern
academic library.
As a consequence of the changing nature of Academic Libraries in response to external and
internal factors, libraries needs constant reinforcement, re-alignment and proactivity in order to
be seen as sustainable, affordable and relevant. This teachmeet seeks to reaffirm the positive
role of the modern academic library and the extent to which digital services have impacted
upon their core business and the clients they serve by highlighting the importance of data
(usage statistics) in decision-making processes. Usage statistics are used as a decision making
tool for all of our subscriptions and in light of funding can be used to make savings.
Name: Maggie Barker
Job title: Library Services Manager
Organisation: University of Salford
Email: marsh-barker@salford.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Teachmeet: 7 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: Face-to-face, phone, chat or email – how do students want to make enquiries?
Biography: Maggie Barker has had a long career in Libraries, competing her postgrad at the
North London Poly in 1980 – not quite the Jurassic period. The first stage of her career was in
London, working mainly in special libraries – Aslib, National Children’s Bureau and the RNID.
The second stage involved child care so she switched to being freelance – mainly writing
abstracts for Anbar then Emerald. The third and current stage is working at Salford University
as Library Service Manager where she works as a job share managing the enquiry services and
spaces development at Clifford Whitworth library.
Abstract: Salford University offers support to library users in using our resources, including eresources in a number of ways: accessible within the library we offer the traditional library
enquiry desk, plus roving support on the library floors; and accessible both within the library
and outside we offer email, chat, text and webpage guidance and support.
We are conducting research into how well these services meet our users' needs, asking if they
have used these services, how well they met their needs and if they have any preference about
which method they use. The analysis will be shared in the TeachMeet
This would offer an insight into how Salford University library delivers support for e- and other
resources and give more generalizable information about the value placed on the different
methods by users
Name: Rachel Fell
Job title: Senior Assistant Librarian
Organisation: MMU
Email: r.fell@mmu.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Teachmeet: 7 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Title: Virtually Supporting Online English Students at MMU
Biography: Rachel Fell is Senior Assistant Librarian at Manchester Metropolitan University
Library.
As English Librarian at MMU, I work closely with the English department to support learning
and teaching. Major technological developments including the introduction of Moodle has
proved exciting and improved visibility of the support I can offer.
An increase in the number of online courses has presented a challenge in how I can best support
distance learners. More recently, I have tried a variety of tools to engage with online students
and I am keen to investigate other types of software, which might increase interactivity and
improve support.
Abstract: The provision of online courses has increased over the last few years in the
Department of English at MMU. We are now supporting students both nationally and
internationally. This has presented a challenge as to how we can effectively reach these
students to tell them about library resources and services. One way this has been addressed so
far is by visiting live online teaching sessions using a chat-room system called Chatzy. I have
also used BlueBerry Flashback screen capture software to create podcasts. In this presentation,
I will talk about the benefits and drawbacks of Chatzy and podcasting and plans for improving
online support in the future.
Online provision is likely to increase for all institutions in the future and we need to be able to
provide support which is as good as it is for our campus students. I believe librarians across the
North West are dealing with the same challenge. I hope that talking about my experiences so far
regarding what has worked and hasn't worked as well will be of interest to colleagues when
they consider how best to support online students.
Name: Roy Vickers
Job title: Academic Support Librarian (Health Sciences)
Organisation: University of Salford
Email: r.vickers@salford.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Teachmeet: 7 minutes
Theme: Digital Library/Media and Digital support
Abstract: Proposal for 7 minute paper for the teachmeet
Digital Library/Media and Digital Support
Referencing is a key pillar of effective information management, and vexes many students. The
online referencing toolkit at the Library (University of Salford) is our most heavily used blended
learning tool, and the librarians get many queries on what makes good referencing practice.
Moreover, referencing is a many-sided skill set, covering the ethics and synthesis of information,
as well as its management. As a result, both academic skills tutors and academic librarians
provide support, often as a ‘chalk and talk’ with accompanying exercises, delivered in training
workshops and IL sessions. It’s unclear (in learning support terms) whether responsibility best
lies with academic skills tutors or librarians for equipping students with the required skills. Is
making such a distinction even helpful and if so, where should academic librarians stand on this
matter? Referencing is also now a digital literacy issue, especially since information can now be
easily shared, and connections made with other researchers via social media. Endnote Online
(among may such services) is increasingly seen as a tool that can solve students’ referencing
woes, by academic staff and students alike. With the existing Library blended learning tool as a
platform to work from, I address these tensions via a workshop-based, self-diagnostic method
that uses the flipped classroom model. Over two workshops, students initially gain experience
in judicious information handling as a vital academic skill. They then explore the digital
convenience and limitations of Endnote Online, applying skills in ethics, synthesis and
organisation to that digital arena. This teachmeet paper outlines how these sessions support a
growing digital literacy need, and how academic libraries can bring these skills together.
There are three reasons for including attending this teachmeet.
First, it outlines a growing service demand for digital services support in reference management
and sharing, which impacts on academic practice as a core skill set.
Second, it shows how key skills in understanding referencing systems remain central to creating
references in the digital environment.
Third it outlines a flipped class method for developing those key skills and applying them to a
digital environment.
Name: Sarah Roughley and Zelda Chatten
Job title: Liaison Librarian
Organisation: University of Liverpool
Email: sarah13@liverpool.ac.uk
Type of presentation: Teachmeet: 7 minutes
Theme: Audience engagement
Abstract: This paper will focus on how we use social media to develop new and existing
relationships with our users at the University of Liverpool. We use Twitter and Facebook to
enhance student engagement by promoting our resources and services in a space our students
already use; rather than expecting them to come to us. We will look at how we use different
voices and a multiplicity of topics to capture the interest of our diverse student body while also
reflecting the interests of our library staff.
Through Twitter we have developed a close working relationship with the Student Guild,
recruited students to take part in user feedback and been retweeted as far away as Brazil. Our
social media presence increases our national and international profile and ensures good on
campus relationships with our main stakeholders. By having conversations with students on
social media we are able to identify their concerns, respond to issues as they arise and promote
library resources in a targeted and effective manner. Our social media team has developed a
community which includes students, staff, libraries, institutions and alumni meaning we can
promote our library service as part of a coherent communication strategy. Through our online
conversations we are able to identify student concerns, respond to issues as they arise and
promote our library resources. We can demonstrate to students what we are doing for them and
the ways in which we can help.
We will explore how our use of social media has changed our relationships with staff, students
and other groups across campus, creating a community that did not previously exist and
opening doors to wider engagement. We will also look at how we operate our social media
behind the scenes, focusing on how the flexibility of our team approach has developed our
audience engagement.
Our paper will showcase the success of our Twitter feed demonstrating the success we have had
at building local and wider relationships using social media. From our initial use of Twitter as a
way to broadcast information to a limited number of followers we have developed to a point
where we are really engaging with our students, learning from them and using social media to
inform our service developments and change behaviour.