This article discusses the formation and development of the Library Advisory Group at the University of Essex, exploring the benefits of this as a vehicle for service enhancement and culture change within the library and the wider institution. It begins with a literature review discussing the use of participatory research, collaborative design and…

Following the implementation of online reading list software, Library Services at the University of Worcester (UW) encouraged academic staff to consider the reading list as a learning tool. Using an interactive teaching session timetabled as part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, lecturers are asked to…

Summer 2020 witnessed a large-scale temporary release of content from the publishing community to support UK universities as they moved to online-only delivery, followed by a scramble by those institutions to maintain access to resources. This paper reflects on the experiences of De Montfort University and Imperial College libraries during this…

Public libraries are a national reading service, supporting reading and literacy throughout life. As a free local resource, they are particularly powerful in supporting the development of literacy and reading skills in disadvantaged communities. Libraries have a unique and powerful role to play in raising literacy skills, vital for individuals and…

Primary school libraries are a vital part of the education system. A well-resourced primary school library not only supports literacy levels but has a positive effect on the mental wellbeing of pupils. Despite their numerous benefits, there is currently no statutory requirement for primary schools to have a library and even before the COVID-19…

At a time when government funding cuts mean that public libraries face an uncertain future and need to make sure they stay relevant to young users and their families, this paper explores what counts as literacy for young children in a public library in a town in the East Midlands, UK. It is based on a study which adopted an ethnographic approach,…

Librarians and information specialists' involvement during the development of grant applications for external funding can save researchers' time, provide specialist support, and contribute to reducing avoidable waste in research. This article presents a survey of information specialists working for the National Institute for Health Research's…

This article outlines the involvement of the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford in developing new services for research data management. It offers reflections on what such additional support means for academic librarians, specifically considering support offered by subject consultants and a series of research data management (RDM)…

This article outlines and assesses the research into resource management and ordering processes at the University of Northampton and academics' knowledge of these processes. The aim of the research was to identify ways of streamlining the service, to improve communication between academic and library staff, with the objective of an enhanced…

This article uses the case study of developing a collaborative "out-of-hours" virtual enquiry service by members of the Northern Collaboration Group of academic libraries in the north of England to explore the importance of communication and collaboration between academic library services in enhancing student learning. Set within the…

The Library Impact Data Project was a six-month project funded by Jisc and managed by the University of Huddersfield to investigate this hypothesis: "There is a statistically significant correlation across a number of universities between library activity data and student attainment." E-resources usage, library borrowing statistics, and…

The use of computer games on mobile devices in schools for learning is still relatively new and is constantly evolving. The successful integration of this emerging technology into education requires a longitudinal study into how they are being perceived by learners and teachers. Finding out what works well with children in the terms of technology…

Purpose: The paper seeks to describe the provision of access to the Safari Tech Books collection of e-books at Hillingdon Libraries. Design/methodology/approach: Details are given of how the e-books collection is part of a broader range of e-information services provided by Hillingdon. Methods of searching for e-books are described, with…

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to describe the practical experience of managing e-books in an academic library. Design/methodology/approach: An overview of the three main e-book collections used (netLibrary, Taylor & Francis, and Ebook Library via Dawson) is provided, along with details such as the acquisition, cataloguing and…

Describes library programs for children in West Sussex, England. (KP)