Advocacy in academic libraries & collaborative infrastructure of library statistics in Africa

1

Advocacy in academic libraries & collaborative infrastructure of library statistics in Africa

Dr. Elisha ChiwareDirector: CPUT Libraries

IATUL/UFSC Workshop - 2013 - Networking Library Services


2

ContentsPart 1 – Introduction

Why advocacy in libraries?Part 2 - Approaches to advocacy

Strategic planning Collaboration Policy development Marketing and promotion

Part 3 - Collaborative statistics database infrastructure

Building in-house statistics database: CPUT Libraries Building collective statistics database: CHELSA Building a continental approach: Africa statistics project


3

Part 1 – Introduction:Why advocacy in libraries?

Advocacy is about saying to decision-makers & stakeholders that library statistics is:

A base for decision-making and a good marketing tool A base for analysis of current work & comparison with

previous years Key in a public relations exercise for the library


4

Part 2 - Approaches to advocacy: Strategic Planning


5

Part 2 - Approaches to advocacy: Collaboration

Surveys

Institutional:• Information Literacy surveys

Library:• LIBQUAL Survey ; User satisfaction

survey (In-house); Library space survey; Staff surveys

Ongoing:• Exit surveys; Suggestion box

surveys


6

FacultyInformation literacy

certificateCollaboration with Faculties & Centre

for Continuing Education Face-to-face training and online

module Assessment (per module or for

the whole course) Detailed training statistics based

on:o Branch

o Department

o Trainer

o Number of sessions

o Number of trainees

o Year of study

o Time slots

CPUT accredited certificates

Programme review manualProgramme certification by professional

bodies Report covers Library’s strategic

alignment with the University; Clientele; Teaching and Learning; Collection; Library facilities; Information support services; Future initiatives and trends; Appendices

and includes: Department budget allocation, ILL usage, database usage, training statistics, etc.

Librarians provide comment and insight

Taken to University Quality Assurance Department for input

Approved by Deans

Programme review statistics

UsageAge of print collection

2 year comparison for no. of items and usage

Colour coded according to facultyBreak down per subject area and Dewey range

No. of items – Books, AV and PeriodicalsBooks include breakdown of Open shelf, Short Loan and Reference items

Breakdown of the number of students perBranch and student level;Indicates the number of active students

Example of the number of items circulated per user type within the department

IATUL/UFSC Workshop - 2013 - Networking Library Services 7


8

Statistics on what? Describing & measuring performance Contribution to research, scholarship and

community services in the university Collection size and strength Number of postgraduate students and

researchers Frequency of library visits and requests for

assistance Trends in library use

Feedback to faculty/departments

Usage trends of library resources by postgraduate students

Providing research committees with essential data on Post Graduate / Researchers’ information use and behaviour

Following up on researchers’ research output e.g. using the standard platforms like Scopus, Web of

knowledge Is the research output of any significance to the

community?

Statistics and the research librarian

User trends; Statistics

Research support librarian

Library management use:

• Annual report• Feedback to faculty

Library advocacy

– to resource allocators

More support

Improved facilities; Increase post

graduate research outputs


9

Part 2 - Approaches to advocacy: Marketing and promotion

In line with University strategy

Aligning segment characteristics with products

Fundamental needs of users


10

Marketing outreach

Awareness campaigns:

Engineering caucus – feedback on library activities and Faculty involvement

E-Resources fair – taking e-resources into public space and interacting with faculty and students

Leesnet –Mini conference/colloquium including panel discussion with experts


11

Part 3 - Collaborative statistics database infrastructure:

Building in-house statistics database: CPUT Libraries


12

Purpose recording of annual statistics inputting of monthly statistics “official” library statistics access a variety of statistics in one place access to statistics via reports


13

Database features Source code PHP Database MySQL Minimal jscript No cookies, flash animation, add-ons


14

Main features Security Data selection Reports Automated alert system Document storage Help


15

Indicators/Guidelines3 main sources used: Measures For Quality In SA HEI Libraries / CHELSA CHELSA Guide to the self review of University Libraries

(2006) ISO (ISO 2789)


16

Access

Registration details (including Institution and branch) + Access permissions (allocated by Systems administrator) +

Roles assigned to person (by Systems administrator) =

Menu options


17

Data entry determined by:

Data input


18

Data entry Staff member inputs data

per counter

Counters available are based on access

permissions

A detailed explanation is provided for each counter

All data input can be retrieved via reports


19

Data maintenance menu

Available to Institutional administrators

Lists all available functionality as menu items

Used to: set-up parameters; allocate

permissions; create links; provide access to templates

for non-standard data


20

Reports

System administration Pre-defined View system setup

Templates Pre-defined

Fixed reports Non-standard data structures

Report designer reports Based on templates CHELSA reports Institutional reports

Can be downloaded as EXCEL spreadsheets


21

Automated alerts Determined by

Institution

Up to 4 alerts Define period between alerts Initial alerts sent to data entry

staff 3rd alert sent to supervisor as

well 4th alert – supervisor to take

action Inspect menu allows viewing of

data input


22

Documents

Can store documents on the database Access controlled Create directories Upload from PC


23


Building collective statistics database: CHELSA


24

IndicatorsStatistics collected for trend analysis and benchmarking with

other academic libraries in SAAreas covered include: Provision of stock Annual additions to stock Subscriptions to electronic databases Study spaces No. of libraries Clientele Hours open per year Library staff Use of library services Expenditure Access to electronic resources


25

CHELSA database module Access restricted to global administrator

Creates databases for institutions Links Institutions to regions Creates user records for institutional administrators Assigns access permissions for databases and institutional administrators Creates and edits CHELSA data input categories, sub-categories and counters Assigns definitions and parameters for categories, etc.


26

Main features Access via web interface Data kept behind firewall

All database features available


27

Data HierarchyTwo components: CHELSA data

Input categories determined by global administrator

All institutions data available via reports

Institutional data Usage is optional Categories determined per

institution Access restricted to

institution Reports viewable by

institution only


28

Access information

University Link

Region / Institution / Branch / User name / Access level

Menu options


29

CHELSA reports Available to all Institutions Viewership based on access permissions within the institution Can view selected years per institution Can select which Institutions you want to view


30

System notes

Submit requests for features, new developments or report bugs online

View notes


31


Building a continental approach: Africa statistics project


32

CPUT: IATUL and IFLA Collaborative Activities 2013

Post conference workshop at IATUL, Cape TownAssisting in the development of MOOCs at Oslo University for training librarians in developing countries

2014 Brunei, South East Asia expertise sharing meeting

2015 IFLA Pre/post conference workshop

Other initiativesAfrican Librarian forums – presenting on statistics


33

Thank you