The rise of the researcher:meeting a shift in IL demand

Fiona Ware, Academic Liaison Librarian

Library and Learning Innovation, University of Hull

OverviewCurrent situation

To this....

Overview

Overview

• Background

• Session analysis

• IL provision

• Going forward

Background

University of Hull (Hull campus)

• 5 faculties

• 15,000 FTE students

• 1 academic liaison librarian per faculty

Faculty of Health and Social Care (FHSC)– 2,000 students– approx 80 academic staff

Background - Faculty changes

• University strategy change – teaching AND research

• New Dean – focus on ‘research’

• All FHSC staff to be ‘research active’

• Research opportunities/portfolio increased – pHD students

One-to-one requests

• Noticeable shift in recent years

• Increase in requests from academic staff and postgraduates in FHSC

• Decrease in requests from first year undergraduates

Types of individual support requested

• Largely ‘literature searching’:Selecting search terms; Appropriate databases; Where to find resources; Advanced searching (combining, limiting, truncation etc.)

• Using reference management software, e.g. Refworks

One-to-one analysis

Data

09 10 10 11 11 12 12 130

5

10

15

20

25

Comparison of one-to-one sessions

1st year Postgrad Staff

Academic Year

Sess

ions

Data

09 10 10 11 11 12 12 130

5

10

15

20

25

Comparison of one-to-one sessions

1st year Postgrad Staff

Academic Year

Sess

ions

Group versus one-to-ones

Data

9 10 10 11 11 12 12 130

5

10

15

20

25

1st years - Comparison of one-to-ones vs Group

1st year one-to-ones 1st year Group

Academic Year

Sess

ions

Data

9 10 10 11 11 12 12 130

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Postgrads - Comparison of one-to-ones vs Group

Postgrad one-to-ones Postgrad Group

Academic Year

Sess

ions

Data

9 10 10 11 11 12 12 130

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Academic staff - Comparison of one-to-ones vs Group

Staff one-to-ones Staff Group

Academic Year

Sess

ions

Analysis

• As group sessions increase, ‘one-to-ones’ generally decrease

Undergraduate provision – level 4

Inductions – presentation, quiz; live demo; quiz

Workshops

hands-on sessions, workbooks

Subject Libguides

Online tutorials

Postgraduate provision

Group provision

• Literature searching session taught in conjunction with lecturer

Feedback:

“It was really valuable as it was good timing, interactive and met our needs as a group. We were also encouraged to self assess before and after which was really helpful. I liked the approach of the facilitators that encouraged discussion and asking us what we wanted as it was tailored to meet our needs and individual skill set to date.”

Postgraduate Forum

• For PhD students

• Credit bearing

• Webinar on literature searching

• Practical workshop

Group provision

Enhanced Information and Research Skills Module

Online provision

Academic staff provision

Group provision

2 or 3 slots over a weekly period, e.g. – Library update, ebooks, advanced searching, reading

list software training

Year long programme set up by Faculty– Afternoon session on ‘Literature searching and

evaluating research’

Staff Development Week

Fast-Track research programme

Group provision

• Training sessions for academic adoption has increased engagement and opportunity for info skill teaching

• Show them how to search the library catalogue properly!

Readinglist@hull software training

Summary

• Fall in undergraduate one-to-one requests at level 4 (first year) but rise in group sessions delivered

• Postgraduate and academic staff ‘one-to-one’ requests peaked in 11/12 but appear to be falling as group sessions increase

Going forward

Undergraduates

• Continue with group sessions (embedded in teaching timetable)

• Students can book individual appointments online for literature searching support

• Skills strategy – looking at making more online resources/videos available

• Libguides software update coming soon

NEW:

Postgraduates

• Postgrad Forum and EIRS module continuing

• Faculty online ‘research’ area

• Increase online tutorials/videos

• Libguides upgrade

NEW:

Academics

• Fast-Track programme / Staff development week and Talis training continuing

• Contributing to an online ‘research’ area for the faculty–Adobe connect to capture literature searching

presentation • Increase online tutorials, quick videos

NEW:

Final thoughts

• Individual academic support should decrease as all become ‘research competent’

• Will it reach a ‘steady state’, i.e. balance of group / individual support?

• As we move more materials online, will one-to-one support increase again?

• Pattern unique to the Health faculty at UoH

• A similar pattern in your institution?

Questions?

Academic Liaison LibrarianFiona Ware - f.ware@hull.ac.uk

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