Leabharlann UCDUCD Library

Use it or Lose it: Evidence Based Librarianship and Resource Management in Recessionary Times

Caleb Derven, Valerie Kendlin & Eoin McCarney

Eoin McCarneyInformation Resources Management

Acquisitions, Periodicals, Resource Description

Valerie Kendlin Library Academic Services

Information skills, School Liaison, Collection Development

Caleb DervenLibrary IT Services

LMS Support, Application Support, E-resource support

Overview

• What is Evidence Based Librarianship?• Setting the scene• Gathering the data• The evidence based approach• A change in culture• What we did & what we learned

What is Evidence Based Librarianship?

“encourages more rigorous forms over less rigorous forms of evidence when making decisions.” (Booth 2003)

“EBL employs the best available evidence based upon library science research to arrive at sound decisions about solving practical problems in librarianship.” (Eldredge 2000)

“The best available evidence, moderated by user needs and preferences, is applied to improve the quality of professional judgements" (Booth 2001)

“ It involves asking questions, finding information to answer them (or conducting one’s own research) and applying that knowledge to our practice.” (Kouogiannakis & Crumley 2002)

Setting the Scene

• 12% cut in overall Library budget• Root and branch review of resource spend• 10% cut in subscriptions required• Reduce number of copies, review ratios• Review content of high use collections

Gathering the Data

• School Fund, Title, Cost, Site, Supplier- Subs shared across multiple funds- Subs not cancelled correctly- Variations in currency

• Manual adjustment required: IReL etc

Evidence Based Approach

• Accurate data required urgently• Transparent & accountable system vital• MIS available via TALIS Decisions • Talis Decisions rolled out to staff• Evidence based approach fitted well

An Evidence-Based Approach:A Decision Making Framework

• Context to formulate questions• Practitioner-based research to answer

the questions• Practical applications for answers to

questions• Evaluate effectiveness of action

What An Evidence-Based ApproachOffers

• Promotes use of research in making decisions

• Addresses areas of information overload and delay

• As a research-based practice, allies librarianship to other disciplines

• As an outcome-based practice, quantifies the benefits of library services

Evidence Available in UCD Library

• Quantitative Data: MIS Reporting, Vendor Statistics, Website Usage

• Qualitative Data: Survey Data, Focus Groups

• Other Evidentiary Data: Library Gates, ILL requests, etc.

A Change In Culture

• How Data was Collected & Used– Data collected and used by limited

staff– Ad-hoc/ Infrequent requests, deadline-

driven– Limited to specific areas of the library– Staff best-situated to assess data not

always consulted– Infrastructure constraints

A Change In Culture – Catalysts for Change• What prompted the evidence-based

approach– Regular budgetary reviews prompted

by economic crisis– Increasing workloads– Streamlining delivery, reducing

duplication– Organizational/ structural changes

within the Library

What We Did - Training

• Rolled-out MIS reporting tool (Talis Decisions) to key staff

• Arranged on-site, 1 day training from vendor

• Hands-on, lab-based training attended by Deputy Heads & Senior Library Assistants

What We Did – Post-Training

• Initially staff conferred with Systems Librarian

• Trained staff subsequently assisted their colleagues

• Knowledge Management• Team building & Knowledge Transfer

What We Did – Changes in Collection & Use

• Reports scheduled basis and locally controlled within Library units

• Myriad staff involvement• Excel expertise• Reports specially catered to internal

customers and external customers

How the process could be improved in the future

• Limitations of this approach• Identify other potential sources of data• Link disparate data sets• Formalise research-practitioner model

MIS data and the Business and Law Library Service

Business and Law Librarians and MIS:

• Library Academic Services=Front of House– Includes Business and Law

• Information skills• School Liaison• Collection Development

• Library realignment • centralise data gathering• review services over entire unit

The Current Crisis:

• Budget deficit-University & nationally• Spiralling costs of subscriptions• IReL -discipline-specific resources

– Usage stats driving renewal• Lack of profile of existing resources• “Luxury v Essential Resources

This Meant…..

• Current level of subs unsustainable!

• 10% cut required across Schools

• Limited time to cancel

• Transparent identification of titles for cancellation had to be devised

The Question for Us Was…..

NOT • WHETHER WE WOULD CANCEL

• BUT• WHAT WOULD ASSIST THE SCHOOL

IN HELPING US MAKE CANCELLATION DECSISIONS?

Library Academic Services-Issues

• How to identify resources

• Managing academic perception

• Promoting existing resources

• Liaison Librarians-team members

Our Approach

1. Identify method of cancellation– Remove duplication (IReL)– Remaining titles to provide 10% cut

2. Listing of all titles via– MIS Reports listing journals by fund– SFX to identify e-versions

Our Approach (2)

3. Administrative Support – Checking of titles– Excel calculations– List of proposed cancellations

4. Team Leader -Process Driver

Selling it to the Academics1. Consistent message 2. Subscriptions listings-clear3. Approach to School heads 4. Attendance at school meetings 5. Feedback responded to 6. Provision of other data

1.Impact factor rankings 2.Business: Equis Accreditation

Result

• 10% reduction in subscriptions achieved

– Within budget– On time– Creation of EBL framework for future

projects– While also taking opportunity to highlight

existing resource “gems” in the Library

What we gave to the School

Benefits of Improved Access to MIS Data for Academic Services

• Up-skilling team• Closer working relationships • School-Library Dialogue Improved • Point of need access to key data• Appreciation of MIS data usage• “COLLECTION” = print & electronic

Summary

• Recession prompted in depth review of all spend• Challenging but invaluable exercise • Key skills acquired – MIS, data manipulation• Knowledge transferred to broader staff base• Evidence based system developed• Transparent, accountable model for use with

schools

The Future..

• Quality Reviews • Annual reports by school• Accreditation by professional bodies• Metrics for purchase models

(Ratio of books to students) • Produce Information Resource Policies• Track developments