NLA and the library community
Australian Library Collections Task Force: new research on access to scholarly information
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 serialsboth current and discontinuedoften 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 librarys 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 researchersespecially those in smaller, newer, or more remote research institutionsmay 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