Towards a Science Strategy for Scotland

1
Towards a Science Strategy for Scotland

• Cate Newton
• National Library of Scotland
• SCURL Secretary

2
NLS Science

• Specialist staff retained
• Free and fee-based services
• Improved website for business
• Online science information in Reading Room
• Available to public for first time in Scotland

3
Extending NLS deals

• Try to negotiate deals with suppliers
• Suppliers interested in non-university sector
• Need to develop an overall strategy

4
Electronic licensing arrangements in Finland

• Includes libraries of all types
• Initiative and funding came from Ministry
• Payments are subsidised but also shared
• Bargaining power has been increased
• National library provides practical assistance to
  public libraries

5
Can the Finnish model be adapted for Scotland?

• SCURL consortium already exists
• And has strong links with National Library
• But funding is multi-streamed

6
Existing and developing strategies

• Digital Scotland where is science?
• Science Strategy for Scotland where is
  information?
• Digital Scotland Bridging the Digital Divide
• Science Strategy Support for organisations which
  promote scientific understanding across society

7
RSLG

• Where is the Big Idea?
• Make use of the smaller ideas - regional
  co-operative initiatives building the Electronic
  Research library
• And send RSLG a Big Idea-
• lets extend access to research information to a
  wide audience

8
Use a variety of tactics to achieve our strategy

• Approach individual suppliers (2002 - )
• NLS continue to build electronic resources and
  bid for increased funds (2003)
• Send Big Idea to RSLG (May 2002)
• Form strategy working group (May 2002)
• Meet SEED and SSAC (June 2002)

9
Further ideas

• Develop portal idea
• Possible virtual campus
• Draw up funding models
• Incorporate more ideas from SCURL members...