report from the director of ucl library services to...

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LIBRARY COMMITTEE – 14 July 2016

Paper 3-22

Report from the Director of UCL Library Services to Library Committee on the

implementation of the UCL Library Services Strategy

Summary:

This paper gives an overview of progress in implementing the Library Services Strategy in UCL since

the last meeting of Library Committee

Action required of Library Committee:

To discuss and to suggest ways to increase the Library’s offering

Author/Proponent:

Proponent: Dr Paul Ayris; Author: Dr Paul Ayris

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Report from the Director of UCL Library Services to Library Committee on the

implementation of the UCL Library Services Strategy

Overview

This Report provides a commentary on top level developments in UCL Library Services in

implementing the Library Services Strategy. The Report highlights developments in each of the 6 Key

Performance Areas in the Strategy, which are themselves derived from the UCL 2034 Strategy.

1: User experience

The Library received good results in the Autumn 2015 SB/ISB survey. The Student Barometer survey

ran between May and June 2015 and achieved a 16% response rate, with 6,510 students responding.

The Library scores sit in the Learning satisfaction section:

Autumn 2015 UCL

Online library 94%

Physical library 86%

A detailed commentary is provided in section 3.1 below. However, the Library also receives detailed

written comments from those respondents who choose to provide them. These are the subject of

detailed analysis below, undertaken by Kerrianne Grimes. Overall, there were 288 comments.

Student Comment Analysis

Issue Positive % Negative % Total Books - physical 6 15% 41 17% 47 Books - online 3 8% 13 5% 16 Facilities 14 35% 24 10% 38 General 5 13% 3 1% 8 Induction 1 3% 4 2% 5 IT/Online Access 3 8% 20 8% 23 Learning 1 3% 4 2% 5 Opening hrs 1 3% 3 1% 4 Pcs/Printers 1 3% 28 11% 29 Space 1 3% 105 42% 106 Staff 4 10% 3 1% 7 Total 40 248 288 % of total 13.89% 86.11%

SUMMARY

Overall out of 288 comments received, 86% were negative

The main issue students have is the lack of study space within the libraries

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/about/strategy

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-2034

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comprising 42% of the negative comments received

Of the positive comments, the Library facilities scored highest at 35%

The only area where students had more positive than negative

comments were towards the library staff and general comments like

'the library is quite good'

The general consensus also included lack of computers and not enough

book resources were available

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

Books - physical

Books - online

Facilities

General

Induction

IT/Online Access

Learning

Opening hrs

Pcs/Printers

Space

StaffComparison Negative Positive

41

13

24

3

420

43

28

105

3

Negative CommentsBooks - physical

Books - online

Facilities

General

Induction

IT/Online Access

Learning

Opening hrs

Pcs/Printers

Space

Staff

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Sample comments

Faculty Level 1 Study Level

Comment Category Positive/ Negative

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

UG

As an Old and Middle English student, I occasionally find it difficult to get access to the reading material I need in the UCL library.

Books - physical

Negative

Faculty of Brain Sciences

UG More library space is needed. Space Negative

Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences

UG

Teachers are so professional and open minded. Access to libraries and UCL facilities is perfect. The best are libraries opening hours. Everything and everyone at the UCL is so helpful.

Opening hrs Positive

Faculty of Laws UG The technology goes down often, and in the library there are not enough computers for everyone.

IT/Online Access

Negative


PGT

Need more PCs in the libraries. Internet service is very poor. Could do with some dual monitored PCs. More formative tests would be useful for learning even if simple multiple-choice online ones.

Pcs/Printers Negative

Faculty of Medical Sciences

UG We need more library space. My course is extremely disorganised.

Space Negative

Faculty of Medical Sciences

UG We need more library space. My course is extremely disorganised.

Space Negative

6

3

14

5

1

3

1

11

1

4

Positive CommentsBooks - physical

Books - online

Facilities

General

Induction

IT/Online Access

Learning

Opening hrs

Pcs/Printers

Space

Staff

5 PAPER LC 3-22 (15-16)

Faculty of the Built Environment

PGR

Not enough books - complicated process to order books I need and inter loans library I am s PhD student, I found the number of books we can borrow is to small I apply for a practice -led phd and there is no space for me to experiment, no studio space for making, it doesn't make sense when a school pretend to have a practice-led programme and is unable to provide the space necessary to accomplish the work

Books - physical

Negative

Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

PGR

Library facilities are terrible, there's no comfortable place where I can study in UCL (as a PhD student). Also, my department cut funding for travel to conferences. I haven't been able to obtain ethical permission to start my research project after two months and a half of submitting my application.

Facilities Negative

Faculty of Life Sciences

UG

The research is very good in UCL, campus is big although I'm isolated in the School of Pharmacy only, but there are a lot of libraries where we can study and open 24 hours, and there are a lot resources we can find in the library.

Space Positive


PGT

Very good student services for those with learning disabilities. Friendly and welcoming environment. Multicultural community. Brilliant facilities such as a wide selection of libraries.

Facilities Positive

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

PGT Good staff and library facilities. Staff Positive

Institute of Education

PGT

I am a student on a teaching course. The library does not have the necessary teaching books that I am required to use for different assignments, including my final assessment. So, my library falsely advertised that it has enough/relevant teaching resources. Had I known this, I would have brought my own resources from home.

Books - physical

Negative


Blank Drop in sessions at the Science Library (for help with dissertation layout, etc) are great. ISD desk

IT/Online Access

Positive

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always great, also via email and phone. Finance was hard to contact via phone in August/September, which was frustrating. Difficult to book careers events unless you have Firefox. Should be fixed. Societies change event programmes last minute, frustrating

Institute of Education

PGT

Because of the learning environment that is good for everyone who wants to seriously study in higher education. Great lecturer, libraries and facilities. I also felt like included in academic society because attending and involved inn department seminars or lunch hour lecture. It is also the same time provide stress release in a very good way such as societies and events and great location in middle of London.

General Positive

Actions being taken to address the main issues raised

Positive comments will be celebrated by a posting to all Library staff on the LibNet blog

Extra learning spaces being provided/planned. This forms a separate Report to UCL Library

Committee

UCL Estates currently refurbishing all toilets, and installing extra toilets in the UCL Main

Library in Summer 2016

% of Moodle courses with online (full-text) reading lists is now 53% across UCL – the target

for 2015-16 is 55% and this has been achieved by BEAMS and SLASH.

Library investigating dedicated PGR space for postgraduates on research courses

New Student Centre (opening in the academic year 2018-19) will provide 1000 additional

learning spaces and additional IT connectivity

A report on the initial work towards Customer Service Excellence appears elsewhere in the

Library Committee agenda.

2: Staff, equality and diversity

2.1 THELMAs

The Library’s Leadership Team (pictured below) was shortlisted

for the Times Higher Leadership and Management Awards

(2016) in the category Outstanding Library Team.

There were 6 finalists in this category. The Leadership Team is

responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Library

Strategy, which itself is linked to UCL 2034. UCL came 2nd in

this category and I was told afterwards that there was only a



https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-2034

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wafer thin difference between UCL’s entry and the winning university. UCL was Highly Commended,

a rare accolade in the THELMAs, as it is usual only to name the winner in each of the categories (17

in total). The Library’s Leadership Team was the only team from UCL to be shortlisted in 2016 and

their position as Highly Commended was well deserved.

2.2 Staff Survey

The 2016 Staff Survey has produced useful results for the Library. The response rate was 48% (150

out of 311 staff responded.

The highest score 88% was for q2 - 88%: I know how my work contributes to the Library. The most

negative was to q61 – 57%: I believe that UCL gives sufficient priority to infrastructure and systems.

The survey took place during a restructure of the Library’s staff and this inevitably is reflected in

some of the answers to the survey questions. The Library has completed an Action Plan to address

issues identified in the 2015 Staff Survey and this is given below.

Action Plan FOR STAFF SURVEY 2015 from UCL Library Services

Overall

Aim/Objective

To secure greater engagement from and

contentment for UCL Library Services staff,

in line with the Library Strategy and

relevant Implementation Plan to create “an

environment of opportunity, support and

encouragement, fostering progression and

achievement of personal goals”

Completion

Date

31 July

2017

Issue Initiative /

Task

Desired

Outcome

KPI Timescale Who?

MY JOB

I understand

how my work

contributes to

the objectives of

my department/

division (q1)

Write LibNet

Blog to

celebrate

88% success

rate

All staff feel

appreciated by

public

recognition of

their

understanding

of, and

commitment

to, the Library

Strategy

Blog posting

published

End of

June 2016

Director

MY JOB

I have the

opportunity to

contribute my

Ensure all

Sections in

UCL Library

Services are

represented

All staff feel

consulted and

engaged

All Sections

are

represented

in each KPA

ASAP Assistant

Director

(Support

Services)

as Strategy

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views before

changes are

made which

affect my job

(q6)

in the

delivery of

every Key

Performance

Area of the

Library

Strategy

Co-

Ordinator

HOW ARE YOU

MANAGED?

I trust the

communication

of managers

(q21)

Hold

Workshops at

Staff

Conference

on Staff

Survey

Staff feel their

concerns are

recognized and

being

addressed

Workshops

held and

Director

engages with

staff

attendees

21 July

2016

Director

LEADERSHIP

AND CHANGE

Senior UCL

managers are

sufficiently

visible (q22)

Invite guest

articles/

podcasts

from senior

UCL

managers

outside the

Library for

public and

Staff

Newsletters

Ensure that

the Library’s

SMT meets in

libraries

outside

Gower Street

during the

course of an

academic

year

Senior UCL

managers are

more visible

Survey score

in next

survey is

higher. 2015

baseline is

21% positive

October

2016

Newsletter

Editorial

Team

CAREER

DEVELOPMENT

I believe I have

the opportunity

for personal

career

development

(q34)

Management

Programme

to be

launched;

training

courses

supporting

needs in

recent

Training

Staff feel

encouraged

and enabled to

make choices

Survey score

in next

survey is

higher. 2015

baseline is

40% positive

Now Staff

Training

and

Dev’ment

Committee

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Needs

Analysis to be

more widely

advertised

MANAGING

YOUR

WORKLOAD

I am satisfied

with the

support

available if I

experience

stress or

pressure in the

workplace (q42)

Support

routes and

structures are

(re-)

advertised to

staff.

Training for

managers (as

referred to

above) will

aid with

supporting

staff when

experiencing

stress.

Staff feel more

supported

Information

feed re

Support

routes and

structures is

made

ASAP Library

Personnel

Team

COMMUNI-

CATION

I would be

comfortable to

speak up and

question the

way things are

done at UCL

(q52)

Managers in

Staff

meetings to

ensure that

colleagues

have an

opportunity

to contribute

discussion

items to the

agendas

New

Customer

Services

Excellence

programme

will

encourage

continuous

improvement

as part of

corporate life

of the Library

Staff feel more

engaged on the

corporate life

of the Library

Survey score

in next

survey is

higher. 2015

baseline is

27% positive

October

2016

All

managers

VISION AND

VALUES

Student

Centre to

Staff

acknowledge

Survey score

in next

Projects

delivered

Director

and

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I believe UCL

gives sufficient

priority to

infrastructure

and systems

(q61)

deliver 1000

new learning

spaces; pan-

UCL IT

dev’ments

currently

being

planned by

UCL

Information

Services

infrastructure

improvements;

staff

experience

improves

thanks to

upgraded IT

systems

survey is

higher. 2015

baseline is

18% positive

according

to project

plans

Assistant

Directors

TAKING ACTION

I believe that

action will be

taken on

problems

identified in this

survey

Regular

update

articles in

Staff

Newsletters –

You said/We

did

Staff see

improvements

via You

said/We did

reporting

Library Staff

Conference

2017

evaluates

success of

Library’s

response to

2015 Staff

Survey

From

Summer

2016

Staff,

Equality

and

Diversity

KPA Team

OWNERSHIP 0F

THIS ACTION

PLAN

Leadership

Team and

Staff Training

&

Development

Group

3: Finance, Management Information and Value for Money

3.1: Student Barometer/International Student Barometer Autumn 2015

International and Domestic Students combined

The Autumn 2015 results from the Student Barometer/International Student Barometer show that

UCL still has room for improvement. These results are one of the most important sources of

information that UCL has about the level of satisfaction from our students with their experience in

UCL. The Student Barometer survey ran between May and June 2015 and achieved a 16% response

rate, with 6,510 students responding.

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% satisfied at UCL

% satisfied Russell Group

% satisfied in sector

Sector ranking /19

Russell Group

ranking /6

Overall Satisfaction 89% 93% 92% 18 6

Recommendation 82% 89% 86% 15 6

Arrival satisfaction 87% 91% 90% 18 6

Learning satisfaction 86% 89% 88% 16 6

Living satisfaction 87% 90% 89% 13 6

Support satisfaction 88% 92% 90% 18 6

The Library scores sit in the Learning satisfaction section. In the SB/ISB there are two questions

which relate particularly to the Library: Online library and Physical library.

Autumn 2015 UCL UK Russell Group UK ranking /19 RG ranking /6

Online library 94% 93% 93% 2 2

Physical library 86% 91% 91% 18 6

The Online library, supported by additional funding from UCL, attracts satisfaction scores of 94%,

placing it in second place in the UK ranking. This is another fantastic result. For the digital library,

UCL’s scores in 2014 were – 94.5% (Summer) and 93.2% (Autumn). The Summer 2015 score was

94%.

But the scores for the Physical library also show a marked improvement, a testament to the

determination in the Library continuously to improve the number and quality of learning spaces we

provide. The Autumn 2015 satisfaction rating was 86% and this is a marked improvement on recent

scores. The 2014 ISB/SB showed satisfaction rates with the Physical library of 80.3% (Summer) and

83.5% (Autumn). The UCL Summer 2015 score was 80%. Of course, the autumn 2015 score needs to

be higher – at least 91% (like the Russell Group average). A recurrent theme in the written responses

(see section 1 above) was a dissatisfaction from students on the availability and condition of learning

spaces (teaching spaces and learning spaces, including libraries). This is being tackled by work with

UCL Estates reported elsewhere in the Library Committee papers.

3.2: PRES (Postgraduate [Research] Survey) 2015

UCL has just received results from PRES 2015, a survey of UK research students undertaken by the

Higher Education Academy. PRES 2015 took place in 123 higher PRES 2015education institutions

(HEIs) across the UK. PRES is an online census-type survey and in 2015 contacted almost the entire

population of postgraduate research students in the UK. It is the first time that UCL has participated

in this survey.

One of the questions in the Survey relates to library services and facilities. The question was: There is

adequate provision of library facilities (including physical and online resources)? 88% of UCL

12 PAPER LC 3-22 (15-16)

respondents answered Yes to this question. The sector score was 86%. This is an excellent result for

UCL and a testament to the fantastic service that all colleagues offer to UCL.

The results are also broken down by a range of demographics:

All responses

All responses University College London 88%

All responses Sector Weighted to UCL 86%

Qualification

PhD University College London 87%

Professional doctorate University College London 90%

MPhil with transfer to PhD University College London 89%

MPhil University College London 83%

Master by research University College London 78%

Age

25 years old or younger University College London 87%

26-30 years old University College London 87%






56 years old or older University College London 83%

Gender

Male University College London 89%

Male Sector Weighted to UCL 87%

Female University College London 87%

Female Sector Weighted to UCL 86%

Disability

Yes University College London 84%

Yes Sector Weighted to UCL 84%

No University College London 88%

No Sector Weighted to UCL 86%

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Mode

Full-time University College London 87%

Full-time Sector Weighted to UCL 86%

Part-time University College London 89%

Part-time Sector Weighted to UCL 87%

Year

Year 1 University College London 88%

Year 1 Sector Weighted to UCL 87%



Year 4+ University College London 89%

Fee status

UK University College London 88%

UK Sector Weighted to UCL 86%

Other European Union (EU) University College London 89%

Non-EU University College London 86%

It should be noted that the 88% satisfaction rate reported by PGR students is similar to the

satisfaction level reported in the NSS.

4: Systems and Processes

4.1: HER Report

UCL achieved a good outcome in the recent HER – Higher Education Review – by the QAA. The key

findings were:

• The setting and maintenance of the academic standards of the awards meets UK

expectations

• The quality of student learning opportunities meets UK expectations

• The quality of the provider’s information about learning opportunities meets UK

expectations

• The enhancement of student learning opportunities meets UK expectations

The Library’s submission was created, and participation in meetings with the QAA undertaken, by

Ben Meunier (Assistant Director, Public Service), along with June Hedges and Lesley Pitman.

14 PAPER LC 3-22 (15-16)

4.2: European Open Science Cloud

The Director of Library Services is a member of the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group

on the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). The Report commissioned from the Expert Group has

now been signed off. The Report takes a high level view of research data provision - e.g.

infrastructure, governance, training and skills development, finance, collaborations. Underpinning

the Report is a vision for data-driven research which is not just European, but global, in its coverage.

The High Level Expert Group has been continued by at least another 6 months to enable it to advise

the Commission on implementation issues. The Group’s website provides access to the Report. As

the chair of the Group, Barend Mons, has written:

‘But let’s not ignore the facts: the science system is in landslide transition from data-sparse to

data saturated. Meanwhile, scholarly communication, data management methodologies,

reward systems and training curricula do not adapt quickly enough if at all to this revolution.

Researchers, funders and publishers (I always thought that meant making things public) keep

each other hostage in a deadly embrace by continuing to conduct, publish, fund and judge

science in the same way as in the past century.

So far, no-one seems to be able to break this deadlock. Open Access articles are indispensable

but solve only a fraction of the problem. Neither 'open research data' alone will do. We still try

to press petabytes of results in length-restricted narrative, effectively burying them behind

firewalls or in 'supplementary data behind decaying hyperlinks and then trying to mine them

back again. Computers hate ambiguous human language and love structured, machine

actionable data, while machine readable data are a turnoff for the human mind. As computers

have become indispensable research assistants, we better make what we publish

understandable to them. We need both in concert to form social machines; in order to do

pattern recognition in complex, interlinked data as well as confirmational studies on

methodology and rhetorics in plain understandable human language.

We hope that this report will be part of a game-changing effort of all European Member

States and our international partners towards true Open Science.’

5: Sustainable estate

A report on estate developments appears elsewhere in the Library Committee agenda.

6: Communication, Open Access & outreach

UCL Press statistics, the UK’s first fully OA University Press

16 June 2016 was the day when we held a Press Birthday Party to celebrate 1 year of activity.

100 people accepted the Press’s invitation to join them at the Party, which was held in Waterstone’s

Bookshop. The Guest of Honour was Professor David Price, who spoke of his pride that UCL has

established such an innovative publishing programme. UCL Press is the first fully Open Access

University Press in the UK.

http://ec.europa.eu/research/openscience/index.cfm?pg=open-science-cloud

15 PAPER LC 3-22 (15-16)

Following David Price’s speech, I gave a brief summary of the achievements

of the Press in its 1st year of operation – over 30,000 downloads in over 160

countries. This is an amazing record for a young Press in its 1st year. I

admitted that establishing the Press was my idea, but that it had needed the

insight, expertise and support of very many people to make it happen. That

the Press has achieved so much so quickly is really a testament to all their

hard work.

The audience was then entertained by 6 UCL Press authors, who told us

what they felt about working with the Press and why they had chosen UCL

Press as their publisher. I was struck by two things. First, a number of authors who have published

with us said they wanted to publish with us again. That is real praise. Second, some speakers spoke

about the textbooks which they are publishing with UCL Press. I had a long talk with Deepak Kalaskar

from the Royal Free about his forthcoming (July 2016) Textbook of Plastic and Reconstructive

Surgery. Commercial publishers have been slow to offer textbooks as digital textbooks, let alone

Open Access textbooks. In its work on developing an Open Access digital textbook model, UCL Press

is being truly innovative.

The audience toasted the 1st year of the Press, and wished it well in the next 12 months, with

glasses of Prosecco. Cup cakes with the UCL Press logo iced on the top crowned a generous finger

buffet, which was well received by those attending. The evening bodes well for the growing success

of UCL Press.

Paul Ayris

3 July 2017

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