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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ask: What is the value and outcome of scholarly reading for academic staff? How do academic library collections support research and teaching activities of academic staff? How do reading patterns of articles, books, and other materials differ? What is the role of the academic library collections in teaching and learning? Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides insight into the values and outcomes of scholarly reading, identifies overall reading patterns, and illuminates issues academics address. Approximately 2,000 academic staff members from six UK universities completed a web-based survey. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through the survey. The survey used the critical incident of last reading by academics to gather information on the purpose, outcomes, and values of scholarly readings and access to library collections. The survey concluded with open-ended comments, which is the focus of this article. Findings – The open-ended comments focused on the importance of article readings to all work activities, in particular research. They also placed emphasis on the value of the library's e-journal collections, but they had some issues with electronic access. The role of book reading was also discussed. Research limitations/implications – Open-ended comments are only one way of measuring the value of scholarly reading and library collections. Ongoing studies and examinations of the findings from the other sections of this study will add to the overall findings of the value of the academic library. Originality/value – This paper further illustrates the essential role of scholarly reading and the library's collections on the academic enterprise. This type of qualitative "story" helps libraries demonstrate their value and assess areas of concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper builds upon existing research into library usage by exploring whether demographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity and country of origin have an effect upon undergraduate library usage at the University of Huddersfield. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses demographic and library usage data for a graduating year of full-time undergraduate students at the University of Huddersfield, and uses statistical tests to explore the significance of the relationship between demographics and usage. Findings – The study finds that there is a statistically significant relationship between demographic characteristics and library usage on some, though not all, dimensions. But in many cases the effect size is small. Research limitations/implications – The study uses data from a single UK university, and the findings may not therefore be generalizable. Furthermore, the study is able to identify statistical relationships but is not able to fully explain why they exist. Practical implications – The findings suggest that library services may need to be shaped differently for different demographic groups of students. Working with students in their own institution, librarians may be able to discover more about why these differences exist. Originality/value – This paper shows a relationship between usage and demographic characteristics among undergraduate students, allowing librarians to consider how better to shape their services to meet student needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the short history of “neuroscience” as a discipline in its own right as opposed to the much longer past of the brain sciences. It focuses on one historical moment, the formation of the first British “neuroscience” society, the Brain Research Association (BRA), renamed in 1996 to the British Neuroscience Association (BNA). It outlines the new thinking brought about by this new science of brain, mind, and behavior, it sketches the beginnings of the BRA and the institutionalization of neuroscience in the British context, and it further explores the ambiguous relation the association had towards some of the ethical, social, and political implications of this new area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight limits to the dominant model of social inclusion under which UK public libraries operate, to analyse how and to what extent processes of socio-cultural exclusion emerge in the subject representation and discoverability of "non-dominant" resources in public library OPACs, and to consider folksonomy as a solution to any issues raised. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first develops a critique of the dominant model of "inclusion" within UK public libraries, drawing on feminist and critical theories of identity. It then considers how this critique overlaps with and offers fresh insights into major debates within subject indexing, and develops a theoretical rationale for considering the potential of folksonomy to intervene in more inclusive subject-indexing design. A user-based critical interpretive methodology which understands OPACs as texts open to multiple interpretations is developed, and a comparative reading of standard OPACs and LibraryThing folksonomy is undertaken to evaluate the discoverability and subject representation of LGBTQ and ethnic minority resources. Findings – LibraryThing folksonomy offers benefits over LCSH subject indexing in the discoverability and representation of LGBTQ resources. However, the folksonomy is dominated by US taggers, and this impacts on the tagging of ethnic minority resources. Folksonomy, like traditional indexing, is found to contain its own biases in worldview and subject representation. Originality/value – The importance of subject indexing in developing inclusive library services is highlighted and a new method for evaluating OPACs is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to present the outcomes of digitisation of special collections: mapping, assessment, prioritisation (DiSCmap), a JISC and RIN-funded project which studied users' priorities for the digitisation of special collections within the context of UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach -- The project produced a list of 945 collections nominated for digitisation by intermediaries and end users and a user-driven prioritisation framework. Data were gathered via web questionnaires. Focus groups and telephone interviews with end users provided additional insights on the views of those working within particular domains or disciplines. Over 1,000 intermediaries and end users contributed by nominating collections for the "long list" and providing opinions about digitisation priorities. Findings -- The long list of collections nominated for digitisation provides evidence of identified user interest and is not merely a "snapshot" but a significant outcome. A user-driven framework for prioritising digitisation was also produced. The project suggests a flexible approach for prioritising collections for digitisation based on the use of the framework in combination with the long list of collections. Research limitations/implications -- The project did not undertake a representative study; the participation of intermediaries and end users was a matter of goodwill. Yet 44 per cent of HEIs in the UK nominated special collections to the long list. Originality/value -- The paper provides new insights and evidence on user priorities for the digitisation of special collections. It also suggests a user-driven digitisation prioritisation framework of benefit in future decision making, both locally and nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the findings from the qualitative strand of the National e-Book Observatory (2007-2009) project, relating to the promotion of e-textbooks in UK universities by the library, academics and publishers. A complementary paper 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 Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) in the UK 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. The paper contributes significantly to the literature in discussing the importance of promoting e-books to students and staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to highlight some of the ways in which UK academic libraries are responding to the increasing space pressures in both their library buildings and their external stores. Design/methodology/approach - A survey of academic libraries looks at current practice, with examples taken from the University of Leeds and a number of other UK universities. Findings - The paper finds that relegation of stock has become a fact of life, and withdrawal is becoming more common. It is clear that the shortage of physical space cannot be solved by institutions in isolation, and that a collective strategy is essential in order to guarantee long-term sustainable storage of low-usage material. Originality/value - It is hoped that the examples discussed can help inform stock management decisions in other institutions that are starting to face storage problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of a 2006 survey of UK Higher Education OPACs in order to provide a snapshot of cataloguing practices for e-books. Design/methodology/approach- The OPACs of 30 UK HE libraries were examined in July/August 2006 to determine which e-books were catalogued, and the level of cataloguing treatment e-books received. Interviews were conducted by e-mail with representatives of eight of these libraries. Findings - A total of 28 universities surveyed provided some OPAC records for e-books; most of these were for subscription collections from suppliers such as ebrary and netLibrary. Five universities included records in their OPACs for individual e-book titles from collections such as Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO); four OPACs included records for free e-books. There are wide variations between institutions in terms of which e-books are selected for cataloguing. Research limitations/implications - The survey was undertaken at a particular point in time (summer 2006) and was not exhaustive of all UK HE OPACs. Practical implications - This research suggests that it should be made easier for users to search OPACs for e-books, and that libraries should provide more information on their websites about which e-books are catalogued. Originality/value - This paper addresses a gap in the UK literature on cataloguing e-books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – To examine whether placing URLs into library OPACs has been an effective way of enhancing the role of the catalogue for the contemporary library user. Design/methodology/approach – A brief review of the literature combined with an analysis of publicly available statistics for library use in the USA and the UK. Findings – That certain ways of placing URLs into the OPAC are loosely associated with a successful library environment, i.e. with constant or increasing levels of stock circulation and OPAC use, while other forms of hyper-linking OPAC records are loosely associated with declining levels of library use. Research limitations/implications – The loose association between different OPAC management practices and apparent statistical trends of library use could be investigated in greater depth by further subsequent research, but along the lines and methodology suggested herein. Practical implications – Firm suggestions on how to place and manage URLs in the online catalogue are made. Originality/value – This paper takes certain catalogue enhancement practices which are identified with the US library environment and investigates them in a UK, and specifically Scottish context, to shed light on the original US ideas behind these practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of a survey carried out in 2000 to establish the extent of Baltic collections in United Kingdom libraries: academic, public, and émigré community libraries. Baltic collections are understood in this paper to mean materials in the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian languages; however, reference is also made to materials in other languages about the history, society, and cultures of these countries. The paper begins with a short introduction to the history of Baltic library collections in the U.K., and then looks at the current situation, seeking to map Baltic collections at U.K. libraries, and establish collection size and strengths. Current collecting patterns are examined in the light of research trends, and the impact of electronic information sources is considered. Finally, prognostications are made about the future of Baltic library collections in the U.K., taking into account number of users, political factors, and the move towards increased inter-library cooperation occasioned by diminishing acquisitions budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]