The Future of Research Information
The British Library’s 2020 Vision
Jude England
Head of Social Sciences, The British Library
January 2011
The British Library – the world’s
knowledge
The largest document supply
service in the world. Secure
e-delivery and ‘just in time’
digitisation enables desktop
delivery within 2 hours
National library of the UK.
Serves researchers, business,
libraries, education & the
general public
16,000 users every day
2 major exhibitions pa
Permanent and small
displays
Public events programme
150 million items, 13m books,
over 2m sound recordings, 5m
reports, theses and conference
papers, the world’s largest
patents collection (c.50m)
On-line services allow remote
access to the BL catalogue, a
range of earning resources, ‘virtual’
editions of well-known
treasures, and much more
Business and IP Centre:
Providing inspiration, and
enabling protection of creative
capital and business
development
Advancing the
world’s knowledge
GIA Funding 0910: £97m
operational; £12m capital
Other: c.£30m
SR cut: 15% operational;
50% capital
Down £23m by 14/15
3 main sites in London
1 in Yorkshire
Circa 2,000 staff
Supporting Higher Education
Understanding researcher behaviour:
Google Generation report
Researchers of Tomorrow study
Growing Knowledge Exhibition
Partnership Projects:
EthOS
UK Research Reserve
Access to Collections:
Archival Sound Recordings
British Library Newspapers
Online
Future shared services?
4
What is the Library’s 2020 Vision?

2020 Vision is our 10-year vision

Highlights probable and possible key trends and
opportunities over the next decade

How we will develop as an organisation, to increase access
to the world’s knowledge base for our users
5
The 2020 vision process – how did we
get there?
Phase 1:
Structure issues
Who
are we?
Phase 2: Develop
strategic options
What will the operating
environment look like?
Which option is
best?
Vision
1
Vision
Build
2
scenarios
Vision
3
Vision
4
What is the critical
path?
1
Review core
purpose, values
Define range of
potential visions
Phase 4:
Transformational
roadmap
Phase 3: Strategic
Options analysis
Option X
External
environment
Now
New
New
Now
2020
environment
Assess
scenarios
2
Internal
environment
3
Plan
2
4
Option 1
Option 2
3
Option 3
What do
we need
to do?
Where could
we go?
1
Vision
Where should
we go?
Now
How do
we get there?
6
Research

Content Use

Socio-economic, policy and research funding
environment

Universities, Research and Higher Education

Technology and supporting infrastructure

Library environment

Search, discovery and delivery

Key audiences, their characteristics and needs
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Key themes raised by external experts

Access
Smaller, distributed network of specialist guides
 Opportunity for consumers to pay what they want for content
 Stories conveyed through interactive computer games

Research
Higher
Education
Funding
Research funding allocated on basis of economic/ social impact
 STM research will continue to be well funded
 Increase in collaborative, multi/ inter-disciplinary research

Different universities will focus on different disciplines
 Growth in distance and online learning
 Collaborative partnerships with private sector

Very tough for cultural institutions and HE
 New business models may yield new revenue streams
 Demonstration of value critical to ensuring funding
8
The semantic web will come of age
Source: Richard Cyganiak and Anja Jentzsch
Linking Open Data dataset cloud as of July 14th 2009
9
Research and learning will become
increasingly collaborative and open
10
Cloud culture will enable cultural discourse in
a more diverse, open, participative way
Source: Charles Leadbeater, Cloud Culture,
The Future of Global Cultural Relations, 2010
11
Media consumption will increase; digital
natives will expect everything to be on the web
“After we exclude serials, we can
finally count all the books in the world.
There are 129,864,880 of them. At
least until Sunday.”
http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2010/08/books-of-world-stand-up-and-becounted.html
Murder and suicide at Tintagel, 1867
Image from the 19th Century British Library Newspapers database
12
Print will die; long live print
20
17
20
19
20
19
20%
0%
0%
20
13
20%
20
07
40%
20
19
40%
20
17
60%
20
15
60%
20
13
80%
20
11
80%
20
09
100%
20
07
100%
20
11
UK Newspapers
20
09
UK HE Monographs
20
17
0%
20
15
0%
20
15
20%
20
13
20%
20
07
40%
20
19
40%
20
17
60%
20
15
60%
20
13
80%
20
11
80%
20
09
100%
20
07
100%
20
11
UK Journals
20
09
UK Books - Children, Fiction & Leisure
Digital only
Parallel
Source: Outsell, British Library forecasts
Physical only
13
Our 2020 Vision
In 2020 the British Library will be a leading hub in the global
information network, advancing knowledge through our
collections, expertise and partnerships, for the benefit of the
economy and society, and the enrichment of cultural life.
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Five priorities
Lead and
collaborate in
growing the
world’s knowledge
base
Mission: Advancing the world’s
Guarantee access
for future
generations
knowledge
Vision: In 2020 the British
Enrich the cultural
life of the nation
Library will be a leading hub in the
global information network,
advancing knowledge through our
collections, expertise and
partnerships, for the benefit of the
economy and society and the
enrichment of cultural life.
Support research
communities in
key areas for
social and
economic benefit
Enable access to
everyone who
wants to do
research
15
© Financial Times, used with permission
16
‘BBC@ BL’ & multimedia services
17
Non-print legal deposit
Content strategy
18
Access: Websites and portals
http://www.mbsportal.org.uk
http://www.bl.uk/sportandsociety
Plus Social Care, Environmental Science…
19
Digital Lives……
20
Oral History and National Life Stories
21
The British Library online – links @
www.bl.uk
22
Contact
Jude England (0)20 7412 7670
Alt extn: 7487
Email: jude.england@bl.uk
Head-Social Sciences
The British Library
96 Euston Road
©British Library Website
London NW1 2DB
Available at www.bl.uk
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