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Impact of reading for blind and partially sighted adults
April to September 2012

LISU and The Reading Agency have been commissioned by RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) to find out what reading for pleasure means to blind and partially sighted adults. The project includes an evidence audit followed by interviews in person and on the telephone with blind and partially sighted adults. In addition, an online survey is being used to gather additional evidence. The questions explore reading preferences, what reading means and the difference it makes to the life of adults living with sight loss. A set of six illustrative case studies will also be provided. The data gathered will be analysed and synthesised with the evidence audit in a report to RNIB.

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Working together: evolving value for academic libraries
December 2011 to June 2012

LISU has been commissioned by SAGE to undertake research to investigate the value of academic libraries for teaching and research staff. The project aims to provide the academic library community with a greater understanding of the connections between academic libraries and academic departments, and to identify ways to improve those connections through the identification of examples of good practice. The research will provide a global perspective on the issue of library value, and will involve eight case studies of good practice drawn from the UK, US and Scandinavia, supplemented by wider surveys of academic librarians in the case study regions. The participation of academic libraries which are delivering good and/or innovative support services to teaching and research staff is welcomed. Please visit our project website for more information.

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Project website

Press release

Knowing the Need 2012
November 2011 to February 2012

LISU has been commissioned by the Preservation Advisory Centre to contribute to an update of Knowing the Need (2006), which reported on the preservation needs of libraries and archives in the UK. The update, which will be based on PAC surveys carried out between 2006 and 2010, will centre on statistical analyses of the survey data. This will be supplemented with case studies of organisations which have completed the survey, focusing on how they have used the statistical data and what they have gained from this.

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Availability of Accessible Publications
June to August 2011

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) commissioned LISU to evaluate the availability of books in formats accessible to blind and partially sighted people. This work updated, and drew comparisons with, a similar study undertaken by LISU in 2004.

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Report

Health Librarianship and Libraries in Ireland
December 2010 to October 2011

LISU and Janet Harrison of the Department of Information Science have been commissioned to undertake a programme of research into the current status of health librarianship and libraries in Ireland. The work is funded by the Health Sciences Libraries Group, a section of the Library Association of Ireland, and will include a review of international best practice, interviews with key stakeholders, and a survey and focus group of health librarians in Ireland.
For more information, please see www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/dis/research/majpro.html

The report has now been launched.

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Shelli report cover

NERC Data Centres Stakeholder Consultation
September 2010 to February 2011

LISU was commissioned to assist the Natural Environment Research Council Data Centres in their stakeholder consultation project. Two questionnaires were designed, for online and telephone administration, and the resulting data were analysed and synthesised to inform the wider project.

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Project LiRA Evaluation
June 2010 to March 2011

LISU was commissioned by Derby City Libraries to undertake an evaluation of the community engagement achieved by Project LiRA (Libraries in Renewal Areas) - which saw the creation of three new libraries in the city funded by the Big Lottery Community Libraries Fund. The study involved a review of documentation, interviews with key library personnel, library panel members and library users, and a survey of library users at the three sites.

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Top 1,000 titles research: checking of accessible formats
LISU was commissioned by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to investigate how many of the most popular 1,000 books in 2009 were accessible to those with visual impairment. Each book in the list was checked to see if it was available as an unabridged audio recording, in Braille, or as a large print edition. Both commercial and charitable provision will be included in the research. The work was repeated for the top 1,000 titles of 2010, and this time included accessible e-books.

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Report

Preparation of content strategy: New Central Library, SouthendonSea
June to October 2010

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, the University of Essex and the South Essex College of Further and Higher Education have formed a partnership to deliver a new joint-use Central Library that will serve the needs of the public and academic communities in the town.

With financial support from MLA, the partners commissioned LISU to undertake a project that will help partners prepare an efficient and sustainable content strategy for the new library, identifying areas of commonality between the existing services and outlining options for collaboration.

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Report

Scoping Public Libraries' Activities in the area of Health and Well‑being
November 2009 to April 2010

LISU has worked with The Reading Agency and Professor Neil Frude on a project funded by the MLA (The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council) to carry out research into libraries' work with reading and health. The aim of this work was to provide MLA with a comprehensive overview of public library activity in this area, based on existing written evidence and in consultation with Key Stakeholders including library practitioners, patients and health professionals. This overview explains the role that libraries currently play, alone and in partnership with the health and social sectors, in supporting and promoting the health and well‑being of local communities.

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Report

Project website

Press release

Behavioural research: Authors and users vis‑à‑vis journals and repositories
April 2009 – June 2011
As part of the EU‑funded PEER project, LISU and the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University were commissioned to investigate the role of publicly available repositories in scholarly communication, with a special focus on researchers' perceptions of repositories, and their attitudes towards using them.

The objective of this research study was to inform the PEER group about researchers' perceptions of open access repositories, both as creators of research articles and readers of journal literature, and their scholarly practices with regard to the deposit of their final peer‑reviewed manuscripts as accepted for journal publication. To achieve this objective, information was collected via a web‑based survey distributed to authors by participating publishers, and a series of disciplinary focus groups conducted in several European countries.

A report of the initial phase of the study and the final report are available on the PEER project website.

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Reports/Article

Baseline report press release

Final report press release

Registry of Electronic Licences (RELI)
February – June 2009
The Registry of Electronic Licences (RELI) project aimed to establish the user requirements for a Licence Registry able to integrate with the JISC Information Environment. It also aimed to design, build, deploy and test a pilot based on the requirements. The Registry enables key elements of licences to be made available so that a user can be provided with licence information at the point of use without additional human intervention. A licence registry is an essential element in the technical architecture necessary to support such functionality. The Registry proposed enabled those significant licence terms to be made machine interpretable. The project began in April 2007 and ran for two years.

The JISC commissioned LISU and Rightscom to provide additional research for RELI into barriers to take up, with a special focus on issues pertaining to the use of Onix PL standards to express licences in machine‑readable format, and whether there is a demand from stakeholders for a RELI‑type service. The project began in February 2009, and a report was delivered to the JISC in June 2009.

 

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Publication and Dissemination Behaviour of Researchers and the Influence of Research Assessment
December 2008 – July 2009
This study, funded by the Research Information Network, was carried out in partnership with the Department of Information Science, Loughborough University, and CERLIM, Manchester Metropolitan University. The aim of the project was to investigate the publication and dissemination behaviour of researchers, and the influence of research assessment on this behaviour. The project involved desk research, consisting of a literature review and bibliometric analysis, prior to a series of focus groups that acted as the primary data‑gathering exercise. The findings were triangulated through a survey.

 

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Report

Project website

Access to Research Information Content
September 2008 ‑ May 2009
This project was one of four funded by the Research Information Network in the area of barriers and key limitations to researchers' access to information resources. It explored: how institutions manage the process of access to research information for researchers from outside their institution; the variation in the range of licensed e‑resources available to researchers at academic and non‑academic research institutions; and the barriers and drivers concerning the sharing of e‑resources in the academic library sector.

 

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Study on Open Access to Research Outputs
December 2007 ‑ August 2008
This study, funded by RCUK, was undertaken in collaboration with SQW Consulting. The aim was to identify the effects, and assess the impact, of open access to research outputs on pay to publish and self‑archiving publishing models. A review of existing data and literature was supplemented by interviews with key stakeholders and surveys of HE institutions and researchers.

 

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Report

Benchmarking Electronic Resources
November 2007 ‑ May 2008
LISU worked with academic libraries in the 94 Group of universities to develop a methodology for benchmarking the provision and use of electronic resources. This covered those resources for which usage data compliant with the relevant COUNTER codes of practice were available.

 

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Derwent Library evaluation
April ‑ July 2008
LISU was commissioned by Derby City Libraries to undertake an evaluation of the Derwent Community Library. This library was built with the support of the New Deal for Communities Fund, and is located within the Revive Healthly Living Centre. The project gathered the views of staff, volunteers and users to evaluate the first full year of operation of the library.

 

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Successful Primary School Libraries: case studies of good practice
April ‑ June 2008
LISU was commissioned by Booktrust logo to explore the factors contributing to successful primary school libraries. The study was particularly concerned with libraries facing challenges, for example schools in disadvantaged areas or where facilities are lacking. The research involved undertaking case studies of six school libraries in England, to explore examples of good practice. The views of pupils were also taken into account by means of an online questionnaire.

 

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Report

Options for Assessing Digital Library Performance at the National Library of Scotland
February 2007 ‑ January 2008
LISU was commissioned by the National Library of Scotland to investigate options for measuring the performance of its digital library resources. The study involved a review of current assessment practices and the development of new tools to evaluate the performance of the digital library.

 

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Partnership for Patients: patient choice and the public library service
January ‑ November 2007
LISU and the Department of Information Science from Loughborough University evaluated the potential role of public libraries in supporting patient choice in secondary care. The work was commissioned by Health Link to provide an independent evaluation of ten pilot projects involving public libraries and GP practices in both rural and urban areas. The projects aimed to develop the role of public libraries in providing information to patients choosing a health care provider for secondary care.

 

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Analysis of Journal Impact Factors
September ‑ November 2007
This project was undertaken for Oxford Journals. It provided a snapshot analysis of 2006 journal impact factors for ten major publishers of biomedical and social science titles, building on that included in the 2007 report on trends in journal prices.

 

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Performance of the JISC Advisory Services: user survey 2004‑2007
LISU regularly surveys the users of the five JISC Advisory Services: JISC InfoNet, Legal Information Service, Netskills, JISC­PAS and TechDis. The surveys are carried out on behalf of JISC.

 

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JISC Regional Support Centres (RSCs) User Studies 2001‑2007
Over the past six years, JISC has commissioned LISU to carry out an end user survey of key contacts in each of around 500 Further Education colleges throughout the UK. The survey gives the JISC some data on the performance of their RSCs, which then contributes towards evidence to be used by the RSCs in a self‑evaluation process.

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An evaluation of the National/Regional Museum Partnerships Programme
July 2006 ‑ June 2007
LISU collaborated with the Research Centre for Museums and Galleries at Leicester University in this project, funded by the DCMS and DFES. LISU's role was in the development and analysis of a large scale paper based survey of group users of a range of specified museum based projects to assess their impact on teachers, pupils, and community groups. The wider project incorporated case studies and face to face interviews to add depth to the survey results.

 

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Survey on the Use of Different Forms of Scholarly Output
March ‑ June 2007
Commissioned by JISC, this was a study on the use by researchers and teachers of different forms of scholarly output. The research involved surveying academic staff involved in both teaching and research to find out more about their use of scholarly output, the way in which more than one type of output may be combined in teaching or in research and any problems they encountered when using the different forms of scholarly output.

 

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Report

Analysis of the Library and Archive Preservation Landscape in the UK and Ireland
March ‑ May 2007
The Department of Information Science and LISU were commissioned by the Board of the National Preservation Office to undertake a review of the role of the NPO within the preservation landscape of the UK and Ireland. The work included an online survey of libraries and archives and interviews with key stakeholders.

 

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Research and Analysis into Trends in Public Library Performance
March ‑ April 2007
LISU was commissioned by the MLA: The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, to conduct research identifying trends in library performance in England. Analysis of the relevant trends was used to devise appropriate indicators, which could be used to identify when an individual library authority might be 'at risk' of failing to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service.

 

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Extending the Coverage of Online Catalogues
November 2006 ‑ March 2007
The Research Information Network (RIN) commissioned LISU to undertake a study to explore the availability of online catalogues for collections of interest to researchers, held by UK libraries. As well as evaluating the progress that had been made over the previous five years in the creation of digital catalogues accessible over the internet, the study also surveyed researchers to identify their priorities in the cataloguing of collections that were then un‑catalogued and in converting manual catalogues to online form.

 

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Report

A Survey of NHS Libraries 2006‑07
LISU was commissioned by the National Library and Knowledge Service Development Network Quality Group to analyse their statistics, covering the period 200405. The data were collected from health libraries across England and provided some useful figures on the operations and performance in this sector.

 

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Report

Journals Pricing Analysis Update
September ‑ December 2006
Commissioned by Oxford Journals, a division of Oxford University Press, this project has updated and extended the work carried out in 2004 analysing general trends in academic journal prices for a range of publishers. The biomedical and social science areas are covered, with analyses covering price trends related to journal size and impact factor from 2000 to 2006.

 

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Report

i‑continue ‑ Sustainability of ICT Infrastructure
April ‑ October 2006

LISU collaborated with Reading University on this JISC funded project. The project gathered information on the methods used by Higher and Further Education Institutions for sustaining their ICT infrastructure. Based on the results of this initial phase, the methods were categorised and further in depth investigation will be undertaken. The final report identified the methods currently in use and present a gap analysis to guide JISC in future work and is available from the project website. LISU’s main role was the design of data collection instruments and analysis of results in the third and fourth phases of the project.


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Project website

Staff Access to ICT in Further and Higher Education
April ‑ October 2006

Together with the Department of Information Science, LISU was commissioned by JISC to undertake a study into the impact of restricted access to ICT based communications on staff within UK HE and FE institutions. The study involved a questionnaire and case studies at various institutions to identify levels of restricted or non‑existent access to ICT systems, and to investigate the extent of reliance on onsite networked communication systems to disseminate important institutional documentation. A seminar was held, which provided the opportunity to disseminate the research findings and share examples of best practice.

 

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Project website

Report

Young People's Reading Habits 2006‑07
This project was carried out in conjunction with the National Centre for Research in Children's Literature, Roehampton. It involved the analysis, evaluation and documentation of the outcomes of a national survey of children's reading conducted from Roehampton and completed at LISU. The survey is the second in a series of such surveys, the first being completed in 1999. The survey covers England and is comprehensive in nature, covering all age groups (up to Key Stage 4). It has been funded by the Arts Council England. The report is available from the NCRCL.

 

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Use of Copyright Material in Learning Support 2005‑06
LISU worked with Universities UK (UUK) and the Standing Conference of Principals (SCOP) to investigate the use of copyright material for learning support in Higher Education. The purpose of the study was to inform discussions between UUK/SCOP and rights owners on the renegotiation of the current HE photocopying licence (due to expire July 2006). The study aimed to assess the level of copying of third party material and explored trends in use over time.

 

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Value Added and Impact Measurement Programme (VAMP)
March ‑ June 2006

LISU worked with Evidence Base on the first phase of SCONUL's VAMP project. LISU carried out a survey of SCONUL members to clarify and define requirements for value and impact measures in the academic library context; the survey also gathered data on methods and metrics currently being utilised in this area. To provide further background on the current state of value and impact measures, Evidence Base undertook a critical review of initiatives, including international programmes and research and work from other sectors. These two strands were synthesised to identify gaps in provision and suggest areas for further research and development work.


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Benchmarking for Media Services in the Higher Education Sector (SCHoMS) — A Study to Establish Relevant Data and Performance Indicators 2000‑06
This began as a fixed‑term project in 2000, involving the identification of appropriate metrics and the design of an electronic survey to collect performance data across the sector, as well as the analysis and dissemination of findings. The survey subsequently became an annual exercise, with the analysis and benchmarking undertaken by LISU.

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Children’s Right to Read School Textbooks
December 2005 ‑ September 2006

As part of the long‑running ‘Right to Read’ campaign, the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) commissioned LISU to research the availability of secondary school text books in alternative formats.

Part one of the study took place during December 2005 – February 2006 and focussed on the most popular texts used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland at Key Stages 3 and 4 for selected core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science and Welsh) and reference texts such as dictionaries and atlases.

The second part of the study (July – September 2006) investigated the availability of textbooks for the Scottish curriculum in the same subject areas.

The research findings have been included in the RNIB’s campaign report ‘Where’s my book?’

The LISU reports are available to download.


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Reports

Health and Social Care Information: a review of public information provision in the North East of England
August ‑ November 2005

The North East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (NEMLAC), with partners in the region’s Health and Social Care sectors commissioned LISU and the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University to review current information provision. This was in response to various drivers for change in health and social care information provision to the general public. The study identified health and social care information providers in the public sector, including the range of information provided and examples of good practice. The study also developed a model structure for future regional co‑ordination and collaboration in the provision of health and social care information.

 

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Report

Benchmarking exercise for Leicestershire Library Services & Warwickshire Library and Information Service 2004‑05
LISU worked with Leicestershire, Warwickshire and five similar library authorities to investigate the relative costings of library services. By exploring how the figures each authority submitted to CIPFA were compiled, the aim was to shed light on differences in the figures between authorities, particularly in terms of financial data and key library use indicators. As a result, examples of good practice were highlighted, and then investigated in more detail, with an emphasis on staffing, visitor management and ICT provision.

An anonymised version of the report is available to download free of charge (1.2MB). Visit the Publications section of our website to request a paper copy (priced £20) or email lisu@lboro.ac.uk.

 

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Report

Review of the Collection of NHS Library and Information Services Management Information 2004‑05
The NHS LKDN Quality Panel contracted LISU to review the collection of NHS library and information services management information. The aims of this project were to identify key national and local benchmarks and performance indicators, review and redefine the management information that was collected for a national performance return for NHS libraries, and to review and streamline how data on all relevant activities were collected. Recommendations were made on the ongoing management of this activity. A new survey instrument was piloted during August and September 2004 with a view to a formal collection of data for the 2004‑05 period.

 

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Evidence Based Management in Action 2002‑05
This three‑year project with Lancashire County Library and Information Service is now completed. Researchers from LISU worked with staff in Lancashire to improve service delivery by developing performance evaluation 'tools' and skills, and furthering an evidence based management culture. Reports for each year can be downloaded from the project website. The project was sponsored by MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council) and Lancashire County Library and Information Service.

 

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Project website

LibPortal: case studies of Portal Implementation in Higher Education Libraries
June ‑ November 2004

The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) commissioned LISU to undertake case studies with HE libraries to investigate the management of library portals in those institutions.

The five case studies comprise a detailed analysis of policy and practice relating to the implementation and maintenance of library portals. An assessment was made of the impact a portal has on the use of library resources, as well as any implications for staffing and skill requirements.

The project built on the successful case study of MetaLib at Loughborough University (The Implementation of MetaLib and SFX at Loughborough University Library) and was intended to inform both JISC and the library and information community of the current use and development of portals.

 

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Project website

Ladder to Learning and Employment
September ‑ November 2004

Libraries, museums and archives play an important role in lifelong learning. In particular, they can engage hard to reach groups enabling them to progress to further learning and/or employment.

The North East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (NEMLAC) commissioned LISU to report on the scale and nature of learning activities in the North East. The project collected examples and evidence of progression, including achieving qualifications, taking up further learning, or furthering employment prospects.

The research formed the basis of an advocacy report on the role of museums, libraries and archives in supporting progression which is published by NEMLAC.


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Availability of Accessible Publications
June ‑ August 2004

The Royal National Institute of the Blind commissioned LISU to develop reliable estimates of the availability of publications in formats accessible to Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs).

The findings support the Right to Read Alliance's Campaign. This campaign highlights the problems the UK's two million VIPs face in finding accessible reading matter and proposes strategies for improving the current situation.

The campaign stresses the Right to Read for work, learning and pleasure. Therefore, the project provided estimates of the availability of all books published in the UK over the last five years, as well as investigating the availability of certain genres.

A paper copy of the full report of the project findings can be purchased and RNIB has also permitted free downloading.

 

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Report

INSPIRE England 2003‑04
Funded by the DfES and DCMS, the INSPIRE England initiative aims to create seamless cross‑sectoral access and referral agreements to allow adult learners to access public, higher education and national libraries. Building on existing agreements INSPIRE England supports the expansion of access to library resources. The LISU Project Officer, appointed by the INSPIRE England Steering Group, worked with the existing Libraries & Learners in London (LLiL) scheme and the demonstration projects developed in the North West and West Midlands regions, to develop a model for the national roll‑out of the regional INSPIRE projects. For further information about INSPIRE and its continuing development throughout the UK, please visit http://www.inspire.gov.uk

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Journals Pricing Analysis
December 2003 ‑ June 2004

Commissioned by Oxford Journals, a division of Oxford University Press, this project studied general trends in academic journal prices for a range of publishers. In addition, a detailed analysis of trends in biomedical journal prices was undertaken.

A full report of the project findings is published in colour, with permission from OUP.

 

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Report

IBSS User Survey
March ‑ May 2004

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to provide data for the mid‑term review of the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS)

The survey included an online questionnaire to gather information from a wide range of IBSS users; this was available online during April and early May. In addition, a small number of 'hands on' sessions with novice users of IBSS were run at a selection of UK Universities to provide information on search strategies and usability of the database.

The results from the online survey and hands on sessions provided statistics on the use of IBSS by a range of users, and recommendations for future improvements to inform the mid‑term review of IBSS by the ESRC in 2004.

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Mapping of Library and Information Services in the East of England
March ‑ June 2004

LISU and the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University were commissioned to map library and information services by the East of England Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (EEMLAC).

EEMLAC wished to discover the extent of library and information provision within the region to demonstrate the richness of library services and to help inform future planning and strategies.

To meet these aims LISU identified libraries from a wide range of sectors including Public, Academic, and Special Libraries. Information collected included location of libraries, staff expertise, and details of stock including special collections. More information is available on the EEMLAC website.

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LibPortal Project 2003‑04
LISU was commissioned by JISC to investigate the adoption of locally developed and commercial library portals in Further Education and Higher Education. The project was a national review of the current provision, providing a comprehensive overview to JISC. The final report can be seen on the JISC website and is also available to download here.

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Project website

Report

 

LibPortal: A Case Study of MetaLib 2003‑04
The second part of the LibPortal project was concerned with the implementation of a library portal and LISU produced a case study of the implementation and use of the commercially produced portal Metalib in the Library at Loughborough University. The final report can be seen on the JISC website and is also available to download here.

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Report

INSPIRE North West 2003‑04
The NW INSPIRE Project was funded by MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council), and co‑ordinated by NWMLAC (North West Museums, Libraries and Archives Council). Its key objective was to develop a regional framework to maximise access to information and learning resources to those in pursuit of lifelong learning. LISU's role in the project was to identify possible models for access and referral arrangements, by means of desk research and the surveying of public, higher and further education libraries. The report for INSPIRE North West can be found on the INSPIRE website at
http://www.inspire.gov.uk

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INSPIRE West Midlands 2003‑04
Museums, Libraries and Archives West Midlands supported three demonstration projects in Coventry, Stoke and Wolverhampton. The three projects worked with adult learners who may have been displaced in the educational system, developing co‑operative agreements to allow them improved access to library resources. The LISU INSPIRE England Project Officer co‑ordinated the WM pilot projects and evaluated the projects to contribute to the INSPIRE England initiative. The report for INSPIRE West Midlands can be found on the INSPIRE website at http://www.inspire.gov.uk


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Talking Eyes 2003
The Talking Eyes project was developed by the London Borough of Merton to enhance access to information by visually impaired persons. LISU undertook the analysis of survey data collected by the project and conducted interviews with some of the VIPs involved, to evaluate the overall success of the initiative.

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North West Library and Archive Labour Market Information 2002
North West Museums, Libraries and Archives commissioned LISU to gather key labour market data for libraries and archives in the North West. The data were intended to fill the gaps in the labour market information currently available to inform the Single Regional Agency in areas of employment, recruitment and training. The report is available on request from LISU.

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Trends in Scholarly Communications: Output, Access and Use Issues 2002
This short project, undertaken for JISC, covered formal communication, via serials and monographs in both electronic and print forms, as well as more informal communication, for example, via electronic discussion groups. It involved an extensive literature review and an analysis of published data supplemented by e‑mail questionnaires and interviews with a selection of librarians, academics and publishers. The report is available to download from the JISC website.

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Books Connect 2001‑02
LISU was commissioned to develop performance assessment tools for the Books Connect project - a Reading Partnership initiative to nurture cross‑domain promotion of reading and culture in the East Midlands. LISU went on to evaluate the overall success of the Project, and the project report is available to download from http://www.artsandlibraries.org.uk/bc/report.pdf (427KB)

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Retrospective Analysis of Museum Statistics 2001
In 2001 LISU was commissioned by Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, to examine the Digest of Museum Statistics (DOMUS) database, comprising returns made to the Museum Grants Commission by registered museums in the UK, between 1994 and 1999. The focus of the work was to examine the data available in DOMUS and check it for completeness and accuracy, and update or modify it, where appropriate. Another major part of the project was to produce benchmark statistics for the period 1994 to 1999, which could be used as a management tool and for policy making. The review of other sources of data also fell within the scope of the project. An internal report was submitted to Resource (now MLA) at the end of 2001.

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Retrospective Analysis of Archive Statistics 2001
Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries commissioned LISU to examine the statistics available for local authority archives, collected annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy, (CIPFA) in 2001. Data over the last ten years were examined, and a summary report on trends in the sector produced for Resource (now MLA).

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NESLI 2000‑01
LISU undertook work to assess the value of electronic subscription deals offered by a range of publishers under the National Electronic Site Licence Initiative (NESLI) which was a Project supported by JISC. A total of 14 deals were assessed against the serials collections of a representative sample of five higher education institutions. A report of the findings is available, in which the main points of each deal are summarised, and the deal is then evaluated with regard to its cost effectiveness for each institution.

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Report

Costs of Copyright Compliance 2000‑01
This study was funded by the Library Association (now CILIP), and considered the direct and indirect costs associated with securing clearance for the use of copyright material in further and higher education. The report is available via LISU.

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Share the Vision 2 2000‑01
This project was funded by Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries to complement the earlier survey of public library provision for visually impaired people. A national survey was carried out, examining visually impaired people's perceptions, opinions and activities regarding the relevant information and library services that are available. The results, based on an extensive series of interviews with visually impaired people, identify information and service needs and preferences as well as factors that hinder equality of access to information. A full report entitled Out of sight but not out of mind was published both electronically and in large print in November 2001.

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Report

Libecon 1998‑2001
LISU was involved in the early stages of the Libecon project, funded by the European Commission, to develop a database of national level library statistics for all library sectors in 29 countries throughout Europe. A Millennium Study was published in 2001 examining trends in library economics over the previous five years. Subsequent work carried out by IPF Ltd has further developed the database and extended its coverage - full details are available from http://www.libecon2000.org/. LISU continues its involvement as the country co‑ordinator responsible for compiling the UK contribution to the database.

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Trend Analysis of Monograph Acquisitions in Public and University Libraries in the UK 2000
This project, which was funded by the British National Bibliography Research Fund, represented a collaboration between LISU and UKOLN at the University of Bath. Data sets collected at UKOLN to assess the availability of cataloguing records for new acquisitions were analysed in depth to identify a range of trends relating to monograph acquisitions policy and practice in UK public libraries and university libraries. The project examined acquisitions according to subjects, format (hardback or paperback), prices, and publication dates including the intervals between publication and acquisition of titles. A further analysis established the number of titles retained by libraries some years after acquisition to determine stock revision trends.

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Share the Vision 1 1999‑2000
LISU was funded by the Library and Information Commission in 1999 to carry out a comprehensive survey of public library service provision for visually impaired people in the UK. A report entitled Public library services for visually impaired people (LISU Occasional Paper no 26, ISBN1901786382) was published in June 2000.

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Report

NHS Training Needs Analysis 1999
A nationwide study of training needs within NHS libraries - the first systematic survey of its kind. The survey was undertaken by LISU and was commissioned by the NHS Executive, together with the Regional Librarians Group (RLG). The study involved all librarians working in NHS libraries and a paper summarising its findings has been published in the Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol 34, No 1, pp 15‑30 (2002).

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