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ISSN 1443-0568 | no. 40 | August 1999


NLA and the library community

Australian Library Collections Task Force: new research on access to scholarly information


Australian Library Collections Task Force

Standing, left to right: Robyn Collins (State Library of South Australia); Jasmine Cameron (NLA); Professor Leon Cantrell (University of Western Sydney); Ross Coleman (University of Sydney Library); Paula Williams (NLA); Professor Neville Fletcher (Australian National University); Jan Fullerton (Chair, NLA); Janine Schmidt (University of Queensland Library). Seated, left to right: Diane Costello (Council of Australian University Librarians); Carol Murray (CSIRO); Professor Margaret Clunies-Ross (University of Sydney)



The Australian Library Collections Task Force has recently undertaken several research projects to provide new information on issues impacting on access to scholarly information in Australia. This research will underpin the future work of the task force, and will be of interest to the wider library and scholarly community

National Bibliographic Database survey
Firstly, a broad study of library contributions to the National Bibliographic Database (NBD) has been undertaken. This involved a survey of State, Territory, academic, special libraries and the National Library to collect information on the catalogue status of collections and information on the percentage of collections included in the NBD. Also gathered was information on the types of library material not recorded on the NBD, and the possibility of future contributions.

Robyn Collins from the State Library of South Australia coordinated the collection of data from the National, State and Territory libraries; Ray Choate from the University of Adelaide Library was responsible for data from academic libraries; and Carol Murray from the CSIRO Black Mountain Library organised the collection of data from a sample of special libraries.

In broad terms, the study shows that while many libraries have contributed records and holdings statements for almost all their collections to the NBD, some libraries have contributed very little information. The study found that there are still significant collections of library materials that are either uncatalogued, on card catalogues, or on local online systems. For example, in all library sectors there are substantial numbers of monographs published before 1980 that are not recorded on the NBD. Similarly, collections of non print materials, and serials—both current and discontinued—often were without records in the NBD.

The task force has agreed on several areas for initial action to increase contributions to the NBD. To boost increased participation, the National Library will develop guidelines to help libraries load their online catalogue records to the NBD, increase awareness of the NBD amongst smaller special libraries, and enhance strategies for upline loading to the NBD via KINETICA.

The task force has also recognised that many libraries hold substantial collections of material, not yet included on the NBD, that may be of significant national research value. To identify these collections, it will be requesting additional information from libraries about these collections so that their research value can be assessed.

Access to materials in English and Psychology
The task force has also undertaken a survey of researchers in the fields of English Literature and Psychology to collect information on the quality of library services in meeting their research needs, and to determine the nature of any difficulties they were experiencing accessing library materials. Professor Leon Cantrell, from the University of Western Sydney, led this project.

The results show that researchers rate their library’s collections differently from librarians using the Conspectus methodology of collection assessment, with researchers likely to rate collections more favourably than librarians. It is clear however that many researchers—especially those in smaller, newer, or more remote research institutions—may have real difficulties accessing the materials they require, especially if their primary research area is not mainstream.

The survey also gathered information about the use of the interlibrary loan services by researchers and identified a number of common difficulties experienced by researchers. This information will be of significant value to the recently formed National Resource Sharing Working Group, tasked to consider these and other national interlibrary loan issues.

Focus groups
To supplement the survey of English and Psychology researchers, and to gather qualitative data regarding access to research material, user focus groups, facilitated by Ross Coleman and Janine Schmidt respectively, were conducted in these subject areas at the universities of Sydney and Queensland. Both organisations have found the focus groups to be very useful. Participants provided a great deal of information about their experiences, and the sessions revealed that misunderstandings and misconceptions often contribute to researchers failing to access the library materials they need. It was clear from the focus groups that improving access to research materials will require a joint approach on the part of the researchers, the academic department, and the library, as well as improvements to the national library system.

In order to be able to share the benefits of these focus groups, the task force will encourage and support other research institutions wishing to undertake similar investigations into the quality of library services.

Thesis citation analysis
To determine the extent to which research material is currently available within Australia, the task force also undertook a project to collect data on the level of access to monographs for higher degree them. This was based on a small sample of PhD theses in English and Psychology from the universities of Sydney and Queensland. The results of this exercise showed that, in most cases, over 95% of cited monographs are available in Australia, as indicated by their listing in the NBD. The task force is expanding this research. Theses authors will be contacted and asked to provide information about any difficulties they may have experienced in accessing the cited materials, any other materials they might have used if available, and the extent to which the books they did cite were accessed through interlibrary loan, the home library, or direct purchase. The task force is also widening this project to other research institutions to verify whether the results to date are specific to the universities of Sydney and Queensland or are part of a broader trend.

Conclusion
From the research undertaken by the task force, it is clear that the factors that limit access by Australian researchers to scholarly information are complex, inter-related, and in many cases, long standing. A key role of the task force is to try to understand the nature of the different issues impacting on the use, quality and effectiveness of the Australian research library system, and to consider effective ways of responding. Solutions will, however, require a range of different responses on the part of the academic and library sectors. The Australian Library Collections Task Force, by bringing together both the research and library communities, is providing a useful mechanism to identify and react to these important issues.

Further information about the activities of the task force can be obtained from:

http://www.nla.gov.au/niaccoll/ or from the Coordination Support Branch, National Library of Australia,
tel. (02) 6262 1481; email pwilliams@nla.gov.au.

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Please address any comments and enquiries to The Editor, Gateways: lkirwan@nla.gov.au

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