Safety in Numbers: Developing a Shared Analytics Services for Academic Libraries

Purpose It is clear that libraries consider the use of data to inform decision making a top priority in the next five years. Jisc’s considerable work on activity data has highlighted the lack of tools and services for libraries to exploit this data. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of a shared analytics service for UK academic libraries and introduce the Jisc Library Analytics and Metrics Project (LAMP). The project aims to help libraries effectively management collections and services as well as delivering pre-emptive indicators and ‘actionable insights’ to help identify new trends, personalise services and improve efficiencies, economies and effectiveness (student attainment and satisfaction and institutional reputation, for example) . The project builds on the Library Impact Data Project at the University of Huddersfield and the work of the Copac Activity Data and Collections Management tools. The paper will deliver a case study of the project, its progress to date, the challenges of such an approach and the implications the service has for academic libraries. Design, methodology or approach The paper will be a case study of the project and its institutional partners and early adopters work to date and explore both the technical and cultural challenges of the work as well as its implications for the role of the library within the institution and the services it provides. Specifically the case study will comprise of the following aspects: 1. A brief history of the work and the context of library analytics services in the UK (and internationally). A description of the approach adopted by the project, and the vision and goals of the project 2. Exploration of the challenges associated with the project. In particular the challenges around accessing and sharing the data, ‘warehousing’ and data infrastructure considerations and the design challenge of visualising the data sources in a useful and coherent way 3. Outline of the implications of the project and the resultant service. In particular the implications for benchmarking (within the UK and beyond), standards development for library statistics and impact (in particular the development of ISO 16439), service development, the role of the library within the wider institution and skills and expertise of librarians. Findings This paper will report on the initial findings of the project, which will run from January 2013 to October 2013. In particular it will consider the issues surfaced through the close engagement with the academic library community (through the projects community advisory and planning group) and the institutional early-adopters around data gathering and analysis. Practical implications Data accumulated in one context has the potential to inform decisions and interventions elsewhere. While there are a number of recognised and well understood use-cases for library analytics these tend to revolve around usage and collection management. Yet, the potential of a shared analytics service is in uncovering those links and indicators across diverse data sets. The paper will consider a number of practical impacts: Performance: benchmarking, student attainment, research productivity Design: fine tuning services, personalised support Trends: research landscape, student marketplace, utilisation of resources. The case study will explore these practical implications for libraries and what they mean for the future of the library within the academy. Originality and value of the proposal The paper will present a case study of a unique service that currently fills an important gap within the library analytics space. The paper will focus on the services potential to transform both the way the library works and how it is erceived by its users, as well as its role and relationship within the broader institution

Safety in Numbers: Developing a Shared Analytics Service for Academic Libraries

Purpose It is clear that libraries consider the use of data to inform decision making a top priority in the next five years. Jisc’s considerable work on activity data has highlighted the lack of tools and services for libraries to exploit this data. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of a shared analytics service for UK academic libraries and introduce the Jisc Library Analytics and Metrics Project (LAMP). The project aims to help libraries effectively management collections and services as well as delivering pre-emptive indicators and ‘actionable insights’ to help identify new trends, personalise services and improve efficiencies, economies and effectiveness (student attainment and satisfaction and institutional reputation, for example) . The project builds on the Library Impact Data Project at the University of Huddersfield and the work of the Copac Activity Data and Collections Management tools. The paper will deliver a case study of the project, its progress to date, the challenges of such an approach and the implications the service has for academic libraries. Design, methodology or approach The paper will be a case study of the project and its institutional partners and early adopters work to date and explore both the technical and cultural challenges of the work as well as its implications for the role of the library within the institution and the services it provides. Specifically the case study will comprise of the following aspects: 1. A brief history of the work and the context of library analytics services in the UK (and internationally). A description of the approach adopted by the project, and the vision and goals of the project 2. Exploration of the challenges associated with the project. In particular the challenges around accessing and sharing the data, ‘warehousing’ and data infrastructure considerations and the design challenge of visualising the data sources in a useful and coherent way 3. Outline of the implications of the project and the resultant service. In particular the implications for benchmarking (within the UK and beyond), standards development for library statistics and impact (in particular the development of ISO 16439), service development, the role of the library within the wider institution and skills and expertise of librarians. Findings This paper will report on the initial findings of the project, which will run from January 2013 to October 2013. In particular it will consider the issues surfaced through the close engagement with the academic library community (through the projects community advisory and planning group) and the institutional early-adopters around data gathering and analysis. Practical implications Data accumulated in one context has the potential to inform decisions and interventions elsewhere. While there are a number of recognised and well understood use-cases for library analytics these tend to revolve around usage and collection management. Yet, the potential of a shared analytics service is in uncovering those links and indicators across diverse data sets. The paper will consider a number of practical impacts: Performance: benchmarking, student attainment, research productivity Design: fine tuning services, personalised support Trends: research landscape, student marketplace, utilisation of resources. The case study will explore these practical implications for libraries and what they mean for the future of the library within the academy. Originality and value of the proposal The paper will present a case study of a unique service that currently fills an important gap within the library analytics space. The paper will focus on the services potential to transform both the way the library works and how it is erceived by its users, as well as its role and relationship within the broader institution

What do academics want – a survey of behaviours and attitudes in UK higher education.

A new survey has been undertaken which looks at the changing practices of academics in the UK. Ben Showers of Jisc and Mike Mertens of RLUK discuss three key findings of the survey which demonstrate the influence of new technologies on research, the altering perceptions of support services and the changing role of the academic library

Safety in Numbers: Developing a Shared Analytics Services for Academic Libraries

Purpose It is clear that libraries consider the use of data to inform decision making a top priority in the next five years. Jisc’s considerable work on activity data has highlighted the lack of tools and services for libraries to exploit this data. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of a shared analytics service for UK academic libraries and introduce the Jisc Library Analytics and Metrics Project (LAMP). The project aims to help libraries effectively management collections and services as well as delivering pre-emptive indicators and ‘actionable insights’ to help identify new trends, personalise services and improve efficiencies, economies and effectiveness (student attainment and satisfaction and institutional reputation, for example) . The project builds on the Library Impact Data Project at the University of Huddersfield and the work of the Copac Activity Data and Collections Management tools. The paper will deliver a case study of the project, its progress to date, the challenges of such an approach and the implications the service has for academic libraries. Design, methodology or approach The paper will be a case study of the project and its institutional partners and early adopters work to date and explore both the technical and cultural challenges of the work as well as its implications for the role of the library within the institution and the services it provides. Specifically the case study will comprise of the following aspects: 1. A brief history of the work and the context of library analytics services in the UK (and internationally). A description of the approach adopted by the project, and the vision and goals of the project 2. Exploration of the challenges associated with the project. In particular the challenges around accessing and sharing the data, ‘warehousing’ and data infrastructure considerations and the design challenge of visualising the data sources in a useful and coherent way 3. Outline of the implications of the project and the resultant service. In particular the implications for benchmarking (within the UK and beyond), standards development for library statistics and impact (in particular the development of ISO 16439), service development, the role of the library within the wider institution and skills and expertise of librarians. Findings This paper will report on the initial findings of the project, which will run from January 2013 to October 2013. In particular it will consider the issues surfaced through the close engagement with the academic library community (through the projects community advisory and planning group) and the institutional early-adopters around data gathering and analysis. Practical implications Data accumulated in one context has the potential to inform decisions and interventions elsewhere. While there are a number of recognised and well understood use-cases for library analytics these tend to revolve around usage and collection management. Yet, the potential of a shared analytics service is in uncovering those links and indicators across diverse data sets. The paper will consider a number of practical impacts: Performance: benchmarking, student attainment, research productivity Design: fine tuning services, personalised support Trends: research landscape, student marketplace, utilisation of resources. The case study will explore these practical implications for libraries and what they mean for the future of the library within the academy. Originality and value of the proposal The paper will present a case study of a unique service that currently fills an important gap within the library analytics space. The paper will focus on the services potential to transform both the way the library works and how it is erceived by its users, as well as its role and relationship within the broader institution

Library analytics and metrics: using data to drive decisions and services

This book will enable libraries to make informed decisions, develop new services and improve user experience by collecting, analysing and utilising data. With the wealth of data available to library and information services, analytics are the key to understanding your users and your field of operations better and improving the services that you offer. This book sets out the opportunities that analytics present to libraries, and provides inspiration for how they can use the data within their systems to help inform decisions and drive services. Using case studies to provide real-life examples of current developments and services, and packed full of practical advice and guidance for libraries looking to realise the value of their data, this will be an essential guide for librarians and information professionals. This volume will bring together a group of internationally recognised experts to explore some of the key issues in the exploitation of data analytics and metrics in the library and cultural heritage sectors, including: * The role of data in helping inform decision making * Approaches to collecting, analysing and utilising data * Using analytics to develop new services and improve the user experience * The opportunities of library data as 'big data' * The role of 'small data' in delivering meaningful interventions for users * Practical advice on managing the risks and ethics of data analytics * How analytics can help uncover new types of impact and value for institutions and organisations. Readership: This book will be an invaluable resource to librarians and library directors interested in developing a data-driven approach to their service provision and decision making, and to those involved in the delivery and development of services, management of library systems and infrastructure as well as those who liaise with students and researchers. Students on library and information science courses will find this a useful tool. The book will also be of relevance to those managers and practitioners in other cultural heritage sectors such as museums, archives and galleries.This book will enable libraries to make informed decisions, develop new services and improve user experience by collecting, analysing and utilising data

Developing a shared analytics service for academic libraries

Universities and colleges have a rich seam of data, created as students, researchers and staff interact with the systems and services across their campuses. The potential for this data to transform the student and researcher experience, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the institution, is currently locked away in the diverse and complex data sets and systems employed by each institution. Even where these data sets are available, making sense of them can be difficult and resource intensive. This article describes the efforts of the Library Analytics and Metrics Project (LAMP) to develop a shared, national service to enable institutions and libraries to make sense of their disparate and diverse data sets and enable them to spend their precious time and resources acting upon it to improve the student and researcher experience

Data-driven library infrastructure: towards a new information ecology

Data usually lies hidden beneath the myriad systems which it powers; like electricity it is only visible through the things it makes possible. Yet, data has the potential to transform the services and systems that institutions rely on to deliver world-class teaching, learning and research. In this article, the opportunities of adopting what might be termed a data-driven approach to library systems and services are explored. What this approach means for libraries and how it can help transform and improve the services and support libraries provide to their users are also considered. In exploring the potential of a data-driven approach to library infrastructure and the benefits it has for libraries (as well as publishers, system vendors and third parties), it is clear a new information ecosystem begins to emerge. The library finds itself transformed, effort is redistributed and the library’s services and systems become more agile and take on an entrepreneurial flair. This emerging information ecology is, arguably, the study of the future of the academic library

A national monographs strategy roadmap

Over the past six months over 60 librarians, academics, funders, publishers and sector bodies have identified the core features of a national infrastructure that will help transform the creation, collection, use and preservation of the scholarly monograph. This roadmap describes a series of practical, doable ideas; ideas that will evolve and respond to changing contexts, user needs and the results of prototypes and pilots. Over the next few months the project will begin to develop plans for these potential pilots and prototypes

Library analytics and metrics : using data to drive decisions and services

xxxi, 176 pages : illustrations ; 24 c