Lessons on from the LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative

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Lessons on from the LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative

• Philip Payne
• Librarian
• Birkbeck, University of London, UK

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What is the LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative?
Assessing impact
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INSTITUTION BASED PROJECTS
Impact in learning, teaching and research
Focussed on HE libraries
What is the LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative?
Seeking sector- wide impact measures
Common approach across all institutions
Developing methodologies
Pooling resources
Sharing experience
Support from facilitators
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Are we making a difference?
What is the LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative?
Can we demonstrate it?
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Who is involved in the LIRG/SCONUL Impact
Initiative?
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Phase 1 Institutions
Birkbeck University of London
Glasgow Caledonian University
Who is involved in the LIRG/SCONUL Impact
Initiative?
University of Leeds
University of Gloucestershire
University of Teesside
University College, Chester
Open University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Northumbria University
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Phase 2 Institutions
University of Stirling
University of Birmingham
Southampton University
Who is involved in the LIRG/SCONUL Impact
Initiative?
Bournemouth University
University College Northampton
Brunel University
University of Edinburgh
Newman College
University of Glasgow
Kings College London
University of the West of England
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Impact of an online induction tutorial Birkbeck
E-resources impact on students skills
development and collaboration with academic staff
Chester
Impact of an online information skills tutorial
Gloucestershire
Information and IT skills impact on confidence
and competence in independent and lifelong
learning Northumbria
Phase 1 institutions
Information literacy strategy awareness of the
strategy and its impact Glasgow Caledonian
Impact of library services to partner
institutions Teesside
Information literacy impact on students skills
development and collaboration with academic
staff Leeds
Impact of library support on the research process
Warwick
Information literacy strategy awareness of the
strategy and its impact Leeds Metropolitan
Information literacy programme impact on
information literacy amongst students Open
University
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Increasing amounts spent on electronic
information services (EIS) each year University
of the West of England
Equality of access to e-resources Bournemouth
University
Library support for non-traditional students of
modern languages University of Southampton
Institutional Repository Scholarly
Communications Advocacy University of
Birmingham
Information skills for research
postgraduates Brunel University
Phase 2 institutions
Subject-specific electronic resources the
research process University of Glasgow
Integrated enquiry desks Kings College, London
Support for widening participation University
College Northampton
Subject-specific electronic resources the
research process University of Edinburgh
Single point of access for IT and Library
enquiries Staffordshire University
Support for widening participation Newman
College
Student use of subject resources web
pages University of Stirling
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Phase stages in the LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative
Impact implementation seminar
Mid-year Review
End of phase review
Networking throughout the phase
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Service Objectives
The approach adopted in the LIRG/SCONUL Impact
Initiative
Success Criteria
Impact measures
Evidence Needs
Choose data collection methods
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An example

• Objective
• To raise awareness of the importance of
  information literacy amongst students and
  academic staff
• Success Criteria
• Every member of academic staff aware of the
  Information Literacy Framework
• Evidence collection method
• Learning Advisers to carry out personal or
  telephone interviews to assess level of awareness

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An example

• Objective
• To equip students with the skills to become
  independent seekers and discerning users of
  information in their studies
• Success Criteria
• More diverse range of information sources cited
  in bibliographies
• Evidence collection method
• A team of Learning Advisers to review student
  bibliographies in partnership with selected
  academic staff

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An example

• Objective
• To integrate information literacy into the
  student curriculum
• Success Criteria
• Evidence that information literacy is
  increasingly integrated within the curriculum
• Evidence collection method
• To use an Information Literacy teaching audit to
  assess current level of integration

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Methods used to collect evidence in the
LIRG/SCONUL Impact Initiative
Face-to-face Interviews
Focus Groups
Analysis of bibliographies
Analysis of records
Use data incl. e-measures
Telephone Interviews
Emphasis on qualitative soft methods
Questionnaires
Observation recording of of behaviour
Diagnostic tests assessment
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What did participants achieve?
Deeper understanding of how the Library supports
academic processes
Improved dialogue with academics and stakeholders
Challenged misconceptions
Contributed to the development of library staff
Raised the profile of the Library within the
organisation
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What did the Impact Initiative achieve overall?
Confirmed that measuring impact is not easy!!
Highlighted importance of seeking to measure
impact
but has shown that it is worthwhile
Promoted practitioner-based research
Explored methods for measuring impact
Built network of experience of measuring impact
Produced examples and tools that can be more
widely shared
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Issues identified
Support
Time
Sharing
Experience
Survey methods
Spelling out
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Research tools
Outputs from the Initiative
Toolkits
Encouraging others to measure impact
Courses on practitioner research
Training support materials
Case studies
Creating an inclusive community of practice
Dissemination
LIRG/ SCONUL joint event
Research methods
Advocacy
Web site
Opening up discussion list
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More information

• SCONUL web site
• http//www.sconul.ac.uk/activities/performance/imp
  act.html
• Special issue of Library and Information Research
  no. 91, Spring 2005
• http//www.cilip.org.uk/specialinterestgroups/bysu
  bject/research/publications/journal/archive/lir91/
  

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LIRG

• Interested in joining LIRG?
• Interested in subscribing to Library and
  Information Research?
• Contact
• LIRG Administrator
• j.horsfall_at_leedsmet.ac.uk

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Contact details

• Philip Payne
• Librarian
• Birkbeck
• 44 207 7631 6250
• p.payne_at_bbk.ac.uk