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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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