1 Adding Value ? The role of the librarian in social science research Jude England Head of Social Science Collections and Research The British Library.

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Adding Value? The role of the librarian in social science research

Jude England Head of Social Science Collections and Research The British Library

13th February 2009

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Purpose of this presentation

Overview of role of libraries in social science research

Challenges for librarians in supporting research

Draw on, and share, learning of the BL social science team

Suggest opportunities for future development

Examples of BL activities to support research

‘….. the study of society and the manner in which people behave and impact on the world…..’

‘… the scientific study of economy and societies….’

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‘Publick use to all prosperity…’

British Museum Act, 1753: charged with care of books, manuscripts and papers acquired by the state

Organic evolution until mid-19th century and active enforcement of legal deposit

The British Library Act 1972; 1988, St Pancras

Purpose: support all researchers – personal, academic, corporate

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‘The World’s Knowledge’

150 million items 625 km shelves 12 km p.a.Newspapers grey lit Patents

International coverage World wide languagesOfficial and IGO Publications Sound

Oral history IOR Magazines Manuscripts

Conferences Philatelic

e-publications Websites BIPC

Maps PaintingsPhotographsExhibitions Talks Workshops

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Challenge 1:multitude of roles

Library:

Repository

Study space

Source of tools and material

Source of inspiration

Social space

Exhibition space

Last resort!

Librarian:

Shopper

Preserver and conserver

Security guard

Guide and host

Detective

Educator and interpreter

Promoter

Authenticator

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Challenge 2: external context

Scope of Social Science and growth in multi-disciplinary research

UK Research Council and Government themes

Funding regimes = competitive and time-poor researchers

Concern about cost and value of research; emphasis on re-use of research

Importance and range of data

Wide range of researchers, behaviours and expectations

Long-term research capacity

More emphasis on dissemination, public value and economic impact

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Challenge 3: researchers’ attitudes

Google, Google, Google and our digital lives

Distant from libraries - actual and metaphorical

Access and availability: ‘need for speed’

Competitive and selfish: can be hard to find, talk to, engage

Need for ethics, authenticity, trusted sources

Libraries = books and journals and not much else

Low awareness of the potential of libraries, and librarians

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What would encourage use?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Assistance w ith translation of materials inforeign languages

Provision of research skills training

One-to-one advisory services to assist inresearch

Access to more large datasets in the BritishLibrary

More assistance in locating and accessingmaterial NOT necessarily held by the Library

British Library-mediated virtual (online) researchcommunities

Improved research and current aw arenessservices

Research topic guides to the Library’scollections, in print or online.

Improved online searching facilities

Access to large datasets w ithout having to visitthe British Library

Access to more electronic material w ithouthaving to visit the British Library

NO

YES

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What can libraries and librarians do?

Identify strengths: staff and content

Develop infrastructure and finding aids

Form partnerships

Work with researchers

Adopt range of roles

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In practice:BL Social Science activities

Linking with social science research community (academic, government, third sector); mapping and developing collections and content; facilitating access

Partnerships (formal and informal): LSE and OUSSL; ESDS; TNA; ESRC

Digital continuity e.g TNA and UK e-OP; MAGIC; web archiving; e-legal deposit; voluntary deposit

Developing strategies for grey literature and data access

Developing tailored resources e.g. Business and Management studies website personalised portal; Olympics web resource; Welfare Reform on the Web

©Clive Sherlock

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In practice:BL Social Science activities

Research collaborations: Voices of the UK; Children’s play in the media age

Active support to knowledge exchange e.g. ESRC-funded CSR and multi-modal seminar series; University of Sheffield SERX (Social Enterprise Research and Knowledge Exchange); ESRC Interns

Hub: Welfare Reform on the Web at 10; TNA/BL events programme; ESDS seminars; ESRC Festival of Social Science; hosting events (SRA, UKES, SCOLMA, GLIG, AcSS, BSA, ESRC)

Capacity building: Postgraduate training days; census 2011; public events

©Clive Sherlock

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In practice:library and archive as creator

Archival Sound RecordingsNewspaper digitisationThe Sound and the Fury; Taking LibertiesPreservation and life-cycle management:

ESDS data management; UKDA Data Store; PLANETS; LIFE

Resource discovery: from printed guide to Web 2.0

Digitisation and re-unification: Codex Sinaticus, International Dunhuang Project

Children’s Games in the Media Age

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http://www.bl.uk/collections/sound-archive/holdings.html

Oral History Collections

Public life and politics C5 British in India Oral Archive C10 Methodist Sound Archive C465 Hall-Carpenter Oral History Archive (gay and lesbian experience in UK)

C518 Fire Brigades Union interviews C525 London Museum of Jewish Life Oral History Interviews

C609 Labour Oral History Project C739 National Co-Operative Oral History Project C880 Interviews with Women Conscientious Objectors C1049 Communist Party of Great Britain Bio Project

Health and medicine C512 Oral History of Geriatrics as a Medical Speciality C545 Royal College of Nursing History Group Interviews C648 Oral History of General Practice 1936-1952

C816 Oral History of Community Pharmacy C823 Andy Stevens’ Psychiatric Nurses Interviews

www.cadensa.bl.uk

National Life Stories

Leaders of National Life

Architects’ Lives

Artists’ Lives

Oral History of the Post Office

The Living Memory of the Jewish community

City Lives

Lives in Steel

Book Trade Lives

Food: From Source to Salespoint

British Library Website

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Sport Matters

Online resources for research

Research reports, biographies, books, books, books old and new

Archived sport websites

Newspapers, weeklies, Football fanzines

Olympics stamps and artwork

Foreign language material

Market research reports

Oral histories

BL special collections

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The Library…..

RepositoryRepository

Information provision, transfer,

generation

Information provision, transfer,

generation

Promote value of research

Promote value of research

Capacity building and inspiration for

new researchers

Capacity building and inspiration for

new researchers

Collect, develop content

for future researchers

Collect, develop content

for future researchers

Hub for ideasPolicy makersPractitionersResearchers

Hub for ideasPolicy makersPractitionersResearchers

The LibraryThe Library

©British Library Photographic

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Conclusion and Contact

Jude England (0)20 7412 7670

Alt extn: 7487

Email: [email protected]

Head-Social Science Collections & Research

The British Library

96 Euston Road

London NW1 2DB

Available at www.bl.uk

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