Value of Academic Libraries

This study investigated the value of academic libraries for teaching and research staff. The study showed that libraries are struggling to find appropriate, and systematic, ways to capture evidence of their value for teaching and research staff. Much work is needed to build an evidence base in this area. Libraries can show their value to teaching and research staff most effectively by describing this in terms of benefits, for example, staff time saved, increased quality of student assignments, increased contact hours. The study found that librarians generally understood the needs of their users in very broad terms, and provided services to meet these needs. Embedded information literacy instruction is highly valued by teaching staff. Increasingly, this is developing into integrated teaching and curriculum development activities.

Creaser, C., & Spezi, V. (2012). Working together: evolving value for academic libraries. Leicestershire, England: Loughborough University. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/bitstream/2134/13476/3/NDM%205709%20LISU%20final%20report_WEB.pdf