The purpose of this paper is to look at the journey and approach to responding to the needs of researchers in an academic library.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to look at the journey and approach to responding to the needs of researchers in an academic library.
Design/methodology/approach
Research practice continues to evolve, technology is advancing at a rapid pace and the volume of research data produce is unprecedented in human history. To add complexity to the equation legislative requirements are being introduce to make data and research output available in open ways to be accountable for public funding.
Findings
It is within this context the academic library is well positioned with its foundation as a keeper and curator of knowledge to support and add value to the research endeavor. While many of the traditional roles in the library are still relevant it is clear that new skills and capability are required to be responsive (and proactive) to the needs of institutional researchers. At the University of Melbourne the authors have has looked closely at what value we can bring to the research endeavor in a meaningful and sustainable manner. The library has established the Research Information Management group to consolidate and expand the University Library’s capability and capacity to deliver cohesive and visible research support services.
Originality/value
Provides an example of an approach to respond to the needs of the academic community in an environment of data deluge by building new services, skills and capability.
Details
Keywords
The aim of this study is to use the guiding strategy, Melbourneâ™’s Scholarly Information Future, which is a ten-year strategy that identifies in its aspirations the importance of…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to use the guiding strategy, Melbourneâ™’s Scholarly Information Future, which is a ten-year strategy that identifies in its aspirations the importance of building effective access to the rich cultural, scholarly and research collections of the University of Melbourne and acknowledges the critical role that digitization plays in achieving this vision. The University of Melbourne has a rich, complex and ultimately voluminous array of cultural, scholarly and research material that is of great interest and value to the its community, scholarly researchers and the global community. Since the strategy endorsement in 2008, the authors have progressively moved from a digitization environment that was uncoordinated, ad hoc and lacked centralized expertise that led to a proliferation of isolated, under-resourced areas producing inconsistent and indifferent quality images to our goal of an exemplar digitization framework, program and enterprise capability for the University to leverage.
Design/methodology/approach
Case study of the journey taken by the University of Melbourne in building an enterprise digitization capability.
Findings
This article outlines the journey and the approach in building this capability in a challenging economic environment, the engagement strategies to gain support and funding, skills and equipment and the unique challenges of the digitization of a diverse array of University collections. Second, it also explores digitization as transformation and outlines some of the infinite and extraordinary possibilities created from digitized content of library collections.
Originality/value
This article will be of value to institutions that are considering taking similar steps.