The Role of the University Library in supporting Information Literacy in UK Secondary Schools

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to report on the findings of the CrossEd-2 study which investigated the role of the university library in delivering information literacy skills relating to the use of e-resources to secondary schools in the UK. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative survey of all university libraries in the UK was undertaken using an e-mail questionnaire to identify the incidence of current collaboration. A return rate of 36 per cent was achieved, and the data provided information on the types of collaboration taking place in a total of 20 universities. These were categorized and used to select a survey population of six university libraries for the qualitative study. Data collection for the case studies was by means of face-to-face and telephone interviews with university librarians, using semi-structured interview schedules. Findings – Six forms of collaboration were identified with a range of levels of information literacy skills evident. Collaboration is characteristically ad hoc, with little involvement of school librarians. The research revealed six distinct positive aspects of cross-sectoral collaboration for school pupils. A fundamental lack of understanding of the respective roles of secondary school and university librarians was demonstrated. Practical implications – A strategy and a national seminar to enhance collaboration in the UK are discussed. Originality and value – The first qualitative study that has explored the issues surrounding information literacy skills relating to the use of e-resources across the secondary and tertiary education sectors in the UK

Promoting your e-Books: Lessons from the UK JISC National e-Book Observatory

Purpose – This paper describes the findings from the qualitative strand of the JISC National e-Book Observatory (2007-2009), relating to the promotion of e-textbooks in UK universities by the library, academics and publishers. A complementary article on the ways in which students and academics locate e-books provided by their library will appear in a future issue. Design/methodology/approach – Following the provision by the JISC of collections of e-textbooks, the project used deep log analysis, benchmark surveys and focus groups to develop a rich picture of library e-collection management and use by students and academics. Focus groups were undertaken with library staff, academics and students; the dialogues were transcribed and analysed using NVivo7 software. Findings – The qualitative studies found that libraries were using a range of promotional tools although these were not always finding their targets. Often libraries had no formal promotion strategy for e-resources. Although little in evidence, the value of academic commitment and promotion was emphasised. Promotion by publishers and aggregators is both to libraries and directly to academic staff. Students felt that they were largely unaware of promotion beyond the presence of e-books in the catalogue, and in some cases stated explicitly that they thought more should be done to promote library e-resources to them. Practical implications – The paper offers pragmatic guidance on promotional methodologies. Originality/value – The project describes the first major, national usage study of e-books in higher education. This paper contributes significantly to the literature in discussing the importance of promoting e-books to students and staff

Improved performance of motor-drive systems by SAW shaft torque feedback

The paper describes the application of a non-contact, high bandwidth, low cost, SAW-based torque measuring system for improving the dynamic performance of industrial process motor-drive systems. Background to the SAW technology and its motor integration is discussed and a resonance ratio control (RRC) technique for the coordinated motion control of multi-inertia mechanical systems, based on the measurement of shaft torque via a SAW-based torque sensor is proposed. Furthermore, a new controller structure, RRC plus disturbance feedback is proposed, which enables the controller to be designed to independently satisfy tracking and regulation performance. A tuning method for the RRC structure is given based on the ITAE index, normalized as a function of the mechanical parameters enabling a direct performance comparison between a basic proportional and integral (PI) controller. The use of a reduced-order state observer is presented to provide a dynamic estimate of the load-side disturbance torque for a multi-inertia mechanical system, with an appraisal of the composite closed-loop dynamics. The control structures are experimentally validated and demonstrate significant improvement in dynamic tracking performance, whilst additionally rejecting periodic load side disturbances, a feature previously unrealisable except by other, high-gain control schemes that impose small stability margins

The Role of the University Library in supporting Information Literacy in UK Secondary Schools

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to report on the findings of the CrossEd-2 study which investigated the role of the university library in delivering information literacy skills relating to the use of e-resources to secondary schools in the UK. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative survey of all university libraries in the UK was undertaken using an e-mail questionnaire to identify the incidence of current collaboration. A return rate of 36 per cent was achieved, and the data provided information on the types of collaboration taking place in a total of 20 universities. These were categorized and used to select a survey population of six university libraries for the qualitative study. Data collection for the case studies was by means of face-to-face and telephone interviews with university librarians, using semi-structured interview schedules. Findings – Six forms of collaboration were identified with a range of levels of information literacy skills evident. Collaboration is characteristically ad hoc, with little involvement of school librarians. The research revealed six distinct positive aspects of cross-sectoral collaboration for school pupils. A fundamental lack of understanding of the respective roles of secondary school and university librarians was demonstrated. Practical implications – A strategy and a national seminar to enhance collaboration in the UK are discussed. Originality and value – The first qualitative study that has explored the issues surrounding information literacy skills relating to the use of e-resources across the secondary and tertiary education sectors in the UK

A study of information literacy initiatives between secondary schools and universities in the UK

This paper discusses the nature and conclusions of the second phase of a two-part project, CrossEd, undertaken between autumn 2004 and autumn 2005 and funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee in the UK. The study investigated collaborations taking place between secondary schools and universities in the provision of information literacy skilling relating to the use of e-resources. A survey of all university libraries in the UK was undertaken using an e-mail questionnaire to identify the incidence of current collaboration. The data from that survey provided information on the types of collaboration taking place. These were categorised and used to select the survey population of six university libraries for the qualitative study. Data collection was by means of face-to-face and telephone interviews with university librarians, using semi-structured interview schedules. Six types of training for school pupils were identified, and the research revealed at least seven distinct positive aspects of cross-sectoral collaboration for school pupils. A fundamental lack of understanding of the respective roles of secondary school and university librarians was evident, and a range of issues to be addressed by librarians in both educational sectors was identified. A strategy for enhancing collaboration in the UK is also discussed

Learning to do good:developing capabilities to deliver social value from public procurement within English public authorities

Purpose: To explore how social procurement-related capabilities might be developed within public authorities. Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualitative research, based upon an inductive research design, leading to a model to inform future research and practice.Findings: Within the context of a ‘disconnected and nascent institutional field of practice’ (Loosemore et al., 2023), the research generated rich data illustrating how certain English public authorities have developed relatively mature social procurement capabilities and applied them within the procurement process. The former included the appointment of ‘champions’; founding of groups/units; training, using webinars, online resources, and case studies; ‘toolkits’, including policy documents, process guidance and measurement tools; and networking. The latter included consultation with social value recipients and close engagement with both internal stakeholders and suppliers. The research also revealed the internal political skills of ‘champions’, as social procurement challenges incumbent logics regarding procurement objectives and practices.Originality: The paper contributes to the literature by analysing social procurement from the largely overlooked resource-based perspective, by providing rich data on buy-side practice, usefully adding to the literature’s emerging ‘practice theme’, and by offering guidance to buy-side managers within public authorities.<br/

Learning to do good:developing capabilities to deliver social value from public procurement within English public authorities

Purpose: To explore how social procurement-related capabilities might be developed within public authorities. Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualitative research, based upon an inductive research design, leading to a model to inform future research and practice.Findings: Within the context of a ‘disconnected and nascent institutional field of practice’ (Loosemore et al., 2023), the research generated rich data illustrating how certain English public authorities have developed relatively mature social procurement capabilities and applied them within the procurement process. The former included the appointment of ‘champions’; founding of groups/units; training, using webinars, online resources, and case studies; ‘toolkits’, including policy documents, process guidance and measurement tools; and networking. The latter included consultation with social value recipients and close engagement with both internal stakeholders and suppliers. The research also revealed the internal political skills of ‘champions’, as social procurement challenges incumbent logics regarding procurement objectives and practices.Originality: The paper contributes to the literature by analysing social procurement from the largely overlooked resource-based perspective, by providing rich data on buy-side practice, usefully adding to the literature’s emerging ‘practice theme’, and by offering guidance to buy-side managers within public authorities.<br/