Supporting eResearch at a Research Council: Library Development Strategies

1. Support for eResearch in a Research Council Setting • Catherine Jones • Library Systems Development Manager, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

2. Contents • Setting the scene • Who are our users and what do they do? • Current service and external issues • Library strategy • Library research projects • The future

3. Setting the scene • Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) formed 1st April 2007 • Previously the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC).

4. STFC Mission • To promote and support: • high-quality scientific and engineering research by developing and providing facilities and technical expertise. • high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and related post-graduate training in astronomy, particle physics, space science and nuclear physics and research in any other field which makes use of scientific facilities where access is provided by the Council. • the advancement of knowledge and technology (including the promotion and support of the exploitation of research outcomes) and to provide trained scientists and engineers…to the benefit of UK • Additionally to generate public awareness; communicate research outcomes; encourage public engagement and dialogue; disseminate knowledge; and provide advice.

5. Library and Information Services • STFC Libraries at La Palma, Edinburgh, Warrington & Didcot. • For most purposes RC Libraries are treated as academic ones, in rare cases they are considered to be special libraries. • Concentrating on the ex-CCLRC Library and Information Services.

6. Chadwick Library and the RAL Library • Located, since 2006, in the Information Services Group within the eScience Department. • Mission is to “support staff, facility users and visitors by efficient and effective provision of library and information services”

7. How do we differ from academia? • We do not teach • Students on campus are on work-related placements or are doing vocational courses. • Specialised staff: low turn-over rates • In some areas, STFC is UK facility and the alternative is to work abroad. • Low turn-over rates make current awareness of library services a challenge • Visitors to the facilities need access to information • 70% Library staff are professionally qualified

8. Facts and Figures Staffing FTE 10.25, budget c£1M IT; furniture; consumables; memberships & printing Pay, L&D & travel ePubs, CLADDIER and DSIC Journals, books, databases & Interlibrary loans

9. How do we fit?

10. Who are our users? • Three main types: • Staff employed by STFC, c 1800 • Researchers • Practitioners • Visitors (academic & commercial) to the facilities c>4000 on site(s) in a year • Commercial customers on the local campus

11. What do our users do in their day job? • Do primary research in the Physical Sciences • Provide scientific and technical support to other academics using our facilities for experimentation • Provide support to the organisation • Write journal articles, technical reports and give conference presentations. • Produce or facilitate the production of scientific experimental data

12. What do our users expect & how has this changed? • Self access databases rather than librarian-mediated (last fifteen years) • Journals should be electronic not paper (last five years) • Electronic journals should be available from vol 1 issue 1 (last 2 years) • BL ILL should be electronic delivery (last 2 years) • Should be able to get from database reference to full text instantly (last 2 years) • Should be able to keep BL SED forever (last 2 years not achieved) • Input into Institutional Repository should involve minimal typing (last 2 years not achieved) • No forms needed for access to library services (forever, not achieved) • One login for all resources (forever, not achieved)

13. What do we do for them?Traditional Library Service • Journals collection • Interlibrary loans (document delivery) • Books, some e-books, • Databases: Web of Knowledge, INSPEC and British Standards and Open URL resolver • Enquiry service • Study space • Relaxed attitudes: Reading Rooms never shut, no security barriers, no fines, 90 days standard loan period and multiple renewals if no-one waiting.

14. External issues: Open Access • RCUK framework statement : • involvement at Group Level • STFC position: strongly encourage staff, mandatory for grant holders. • Institutional Repository: ePubs • Live since May 2004 • Over 23000 metadata records and 900 full text • 1957 to present • Particle Physics and SCOAP3 • Transition periods • Data

15. Unresolved areas • Access and authorisation • Academic vs. commercial users • New generation of users: expectations and usage patterns • Environmental issues • Proving value to the organisation

16. Library Strategy 2006-2010 • “Information Discovery at your fingertips” • Enhancing user experience • Managing and curating digital resources • Contributing to the wider information environment • Adding value through the expertise of information staff • Sustainability

17. Enhancing user experience • Focus on user communities: meeting their diverse needs • Develop and promote appropriate high quality information resources • Desk top access • Removing barriers • Develop the portfolio of information location tools • Education and awareness • User interactions • Information needs satisfied seamlessly by a service tailored to the needs of each individual user.

18. Managing and curating digital information • Institutional Repository (ePubs) • Curation of Laboratory reports • Linking publications to data • Management of electronic resources • Electronic resources connected and curated adding value to the scientific process

19. Contributing to the wider environment • Policy making and advice • Professional interactions • Using our expertise to influence the information environment for the benefit of STFC and UK science

20. Adding value through staff expertise • Skill sets • Values and attitudes • Staffing Levels • Enhancing quality • Focussed, committed and effective professionals providing and developing a high quality service

21. Sustainability • Funding • Strategic Partnerships • Accommodation • Organisational change • Using STFC resources appropriately for the benefit of STFC and its strategic partners

22. Library research projects • Two JISC funded projects: • CLADDIER – Citation, Location and Deposition in a Discipline & Institutional Repositories • This is investigating linking data to publications and vice versa. Data publication issues. • Version Identification Framework Framework for identifying different versions of items; including scholarly works, images and learning objects. • The group is also involved in in EU-funded CASPAR: • Cultural, Artistic and Scientific knowledge for Preservation, Access and Retrieval

23. The future • Better integration of Library provided resources • Better integration of Library resources in the researcher’s environment • Dependence on print books for the foreseeable future • E-only journals holdings therefore NO print! • Changes in user expectations and interactions with the Library service