Researching researchers: developing a one-stop-shop for research supportMichelle Schneider, Academic Skills Development Officer

Lilac Conference, March 2010

Skills@Library

Researching Researchers

Background to Researcher@Library Researcher needs in relation to online resources Researcher feedback on our online resource Conclusions / further issues

Skills@Library

Background

Increasing IL support for researchers Popular half-day courses for PhDs Various workshops on offer for staff Time constraints on staff Variety of information / resources online Roberts funding

Skills@Library

Developing an online resource: our vision and aims

an interactive e-learning package, focusing on library resources and IL skills, taking a step-by-step approach to supporting the research process an alternative to face to face teaching sessions suitable for research staff (and students) catering for part-time staff / those with other

commitments aimed at Faculty of Medicine and Health initially

Skills@Library

User Needs Analysis

Focus groups, email questionnaires, face to face interviews with members of Faculty of Medicine and Health, including research staff, lecturers, PhD students

Meetings with subject librarians within Library & information officers within Faculty

Meetings with other research support services within the University such as Research Support, Staff Development, IT training

Skills@Library

What researchers wanted:

a bank of information for whole research process researcher- (not library-) focused easy to dip into to fulfil specific information / skills gap quick, clear and simple navigation some knowledge to be assumed (not too basic) Up-to-date content, no broken links

Skills@Library

What researchers did NOT want:

an interactive tutorial a package they would have to follow step-by-step tests / exercises / self-assessments whizzy graphics / images to have to login

Skills@Library

Our vision?

an interactive e-learning package, focusing on library resources and IL skills, taking a step-by-step approach to supporting the research process

Our revised vision an easily accessible online resource for researchers

to develop and refresh their IL skills, and raise awareness of the variety of resources available to them in the Library and beyond

Skills@Library

What should the resource cover?

Researchers: Others working in their

research area Research methods Finding tricky sources

of information Funding / research

proposals

Librarians: Wide range of sources Researcher portal Support offered by librarians REF Digitisation Open access publishing

Literature searching, managing and disseminating information, keeping up-to-date

Skills@Library

Skills@Library

Feedback from researchers

Navigation“a bit overwhelming and difficult to pick out useful information” Technical issues Large sections or lots of sub-sections

Presenting complex information“it is difficult to balance the sophistication of the information

and the efficiency in finding the right information” Manageable chunks Too text-heavy and too guided for some No negative comments about generic information

Skills@Library

Conclusions

Researchers: want to pick and choose information at the specific point

they need it are very time restricted – want answers not questions don’t want to be restricted by library boundaries are happy with generic information in some contexts aren’t so bothered that online info looks flashy have different needs / approaches to research students