www.le.ac.uk/library

A university view – our strategic context & Talis Aspire

Ben Wynne Deputy University Librarian University of Leicester

Overview  

•  A  bit  about  us  •  Strategic  context  •  Where  do  reading/resource  lists  (Talis  Aspire)  fit?  

About us

•  22,000  students,  of  which  …  •  8,276  PGT  and  almost  2,000  PGR  (46%)  

•  8,000  Distance  learning  students  •  14th  in  the  Times  Higher  Educa0on  Table  of  tables  

•  TuiOon  fees  are  43%  of  income  

•  Over  2,600  modules/module  runs  

What  maQers  

•  Mission  –  The  University  of  Leicester  is  a  leading  UK  university  commiQed  to  internaOonal  excellence  through  the  creaOon  of  world  changing  research  and  high  quality,  inspiraOonal  teaching  within  an  inclusive  academic  culture.  

Learning  &  teaching  strategy  

•  Includes  …  •  be  recognised  naOonally  and  internaOonally  for  providing  a  student  learning  experience  of  the  highest  quality    

•  provide  our  graduates  with  the  skill-­‐sets  and  ethos  to  make  them  a  stand-­‐out  choice  for  employers  

Some  influences  on  strategy  

•  Very  compeOOve  jobs  market  for  students  

•  Changes  to  government  funding  

•  Student  as  customer  –  who  is  under  financial  pressure  

•  CompeOOon  –  for  students,  for  research  income  

•  Digital  environment  –  opportuniOes  &  costs  

•  AmbiOon  

Some  responses    

•  On-­‐going  investment  in  faciliOes  

•  Finding  new  markets  –  more  diverse  course  offerings,  more  internaOonal  students,  more  professional  development  

•  Changes  to  curricula,  course  design  &  approaches  to  teaching  •  Increasing  operaOonal  efficiency  

•  Greater  collaboraOon  between  academics,  librarians,  other  professional  services  to  enhance  and  manage  the  learning  environment  for  students  

A  key  Library  responsibility  …  

•  To  enhance  students’  and  researchers’  capacity  to  use  informaOon  effecOvely  for  scholarship  and  employment  

Reading/resource  list  and  …  

•  Student  experience  •  Learning  &  aQainment  

•  Value  for  money  …  

•  InsOtuOonal  asset  

Student  experience  

•  A  student  who  had  a  readinglists@Leicester  list  for  one  module  was  finding  it  useful  as  it  allowed  her  easy  access  to  resources  such  as  eBooks  and  an  at  a  glance  check  to  see  if  books  were  in  the  Library.    

•  Two  students  urged  that  academic  staff  start  to  use  Readinglists@leicester  which  they  had  seen  elsewhere  in  other  modules.      

Learning  &  aQainment  

•  “We  have  ..  found  that  there  has  been  a  dramaOc  reducOon  in  the  number  of  emails  from  students  struggling  to  find  readings,  we  can  monitor  what  they  are  reading,  the  library  knows  what  is  in  demand,  and  staff  are  confident  that  students  have  no  excuses  …    From  what  we  can  tell  in  their  assessments  students  appear  to  be  reading  more.”  

Reading  list  as  acOvely  managed  asset  

•  Visibility  •  Flexibility  •  Accessibility  •  Accountability