Library Services strategy 2018-2023

The Library is at the heart of student and academic experience at UWL. Our Library Services are designed on the basis that engagement with library resources and expertise are key to raising attainment. We achieve this with physical and digital spaces that are academic while also welcoming and inclusive of all students, reflecting our University's exemplary record in widening participation to higher education and the value we place on our institutional mission of extending higher education to those traditionally excluded from it. We are committed to adding real value to our students’ lives, by knowing who our students are and ensuring their voice is centred in our decision-making.

This document sets out our strategic aims for 2018-23, contextualised by and with overarching themes drawn from the University Strategic Plan Achievement 2023. The Strategy is designed to be complimentary with UWL's Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy and Research and Scholarship Strategy and is reviewed annually by Library Services staff to maintain its relevance in meeting the challenges of our sector.

During 2018-23 we will continue to build on our successes in partnership with UWLSU and UWL's Academic Schools and Professional Services by providing excellent learning and teaching opportunities throughout our students' educational journeys, by supporting the creation and dissemination of new knowledge externally, and fostering the University's culture of research and scholarship.

Alongside our published Service Standards and KPIs, our success will be measured though the actions and targets outlined in our operational plans that support and underpin each strategic theme.

Mission, vision and values

Library Services mission, vision and values were refreshed collectively in 2018 by Library staff, informed by those of our University. 

Mission

• Library Services is at the heart of the student and academic experience at UWL, facilitating creation of knowledge and ideas and developing confident, critically information-literate professionals.

Vision

• To be representative and inclusive of the communities we serve, inspiring academic attainment, life-long learning and a research culture of openness.

Values

• Accessible
• Inclusive and open
• Challenging
• Proactive and responsive
• Reflective

Strategic priorities

Theme 1: Offering a transformative educational experience

In service design and development our foremost concern is student experience, with the student voice core to our decision-making. This ensures that our libraries are safe, welcoming, and inclusive of all students. 

We will: 

1.1 Continue to develop and embed critical information literacy as our default information literacy frame within our teaching across all Levels and our professional practice, including developing increased knowledge in the academic community. 

1.2 Continue to build within our information literacy teaching, approaches and interventions focused on the development, enrichment and empowerment of lifelong learners and engaged citizens. 

1.3 Place students from communities and groups underrepresented in higher education at the heart of our service, prioritising their attainment and progression. Informed by student voice and underrepresented areas of the collection, develop library resources and course materials to be more inclusive and representative of our students' diverse identities, rooted in an intersectional approach. 

1.4 Deepen our collaboration and engagement across the University and with our wider learning communities, to create welcoming and inclusive physical and digital environments for all library users. 

1.5 Create and curate a range of educational materials and collections which support students to develop their skills and knowledge within independent learning settings. 

Theme 2: Being a model for quality, affordable higher education

Our information resources and staff expertise support our University's strategic goal of high quality and affordable higher education. We will expand this reach in developing provision for the UWL’s  global academic partnership programmes, our Alumni offer, and openness in research and scholarship. 

We will: 

2.1 Develop library content and collections using a needs-based model and reflecting industry-standard information resources and workplace information literacy practices. 

2.2 With academic staff and students, update our Content Strategy to reflect current practices including identifying and addressing concerns specific to students from communities and groups underrepresented in higher education. 

2.3 Integrate open access and other free cultural works including open educational resources (OERs) for teaching and learning and research within our Content Strategy. 

2.4 Working with sector and national bodies, evolve our strategic response for content and collections within the post Covid-19 environment, including addressing the impact of ebook pricing and new purchasing models to deliver quality and value for money resources. 

2.5 Qualitatively improve the equivalence of students' experience across our sites in Ealing, Brentford, Reading and Oxford, reflecting students’ changing needs and expectations. 

Theme 3: Facilitating impactful research and scholarship

Rooted in our value of openness, Library Services supports our University's continued emphasis on our research strengths and inter-disciplinary collaboration and we are particularly mindful of the value of non-traditional outputs, performance and practice-based research within our Academic Schools. These strategic priorities are informed by and complementary with UWL's research and scholarship strategy.

We will: 

3.1 Support and facilitate UWL’s research community in moving to open access and open scholarship, strengthening partnerships with Academic Schools and Professional Services and supporting delivery of the Research and Scholarship Strategy 2021-25. 

3.2 Support the development of information literacy in researchers to enable them to understand and envision their subject area and build their confidence and creativity. 

3.3 Develop our library collections, tools and digital infrastructure to facilitate research in ways that maximise uptake of open scholarship and research opportunities, reflecting the University’s evolving research ambitions and subject mix. 

3.4 Support the University's development of research data services which improve the findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability (FAIR2) of UWL’s digital assets, maximising the impact of data collected by staff and students. 

3.5 Actively support development of an open access UWL Press hosting new journal titles and monographs which showcase and improve the visibility of research and scholarship created by UWL staff and students 

3.6 Advocate for the benefits of open and free culture copyright licensing within our higher education sector context, including ensuring UWL Repository is compliant with funders’ technical requirements. 

3.7 Support the University in research ethics governance, advocating for an ethical and rigorous approach to openness in publication and dissemination of research and scholarship. 

Theme 4: Offering an enriching work environment

With our Strategy and its single supporting Operational Plan, we are developing a 'one team' culture within Library Services to recognise the value we place on our staff and prioritises their wellbeing, contextualised by the new People and Organisational Development Strategy 2021-2025. 

We will: 

4.1 Expand on our current strengths in shared delivery of services with UWLSU and Professional Services, cross-training and sharing professional knowledge and bringing key expertise into physical and digital library spaces. 

4.2 Work toward a clear progression pathway for staff at all levels. We support this with a staff development programme that enables and facilitates lifelong learning, a mentoring scheme, opportunities to lead projects outside their immediate roles and   making use of opportunities within our sector membership organisations and professional bodies. 

4.3 Recognise and celebrate success of our staff, including through cross-University work to recognise exceptional achievement with appropriate rewards. 

4.4 Achieve diversity in our staffing that represents the diverse identities of our student body. We will support this by working collaboratively with our professional bodies and membership organisations to widen access to the information professions, improve our recruitment practices, and with direct support for University initiatives including the Athena Swan charter. 

4.5 Enable our staff to engage with and create practitioner research and scholarship, connecting theory and practice in our discipline as well as enhancing our ability to support research and scholarship activities. 

Theme 5: Investing in the future

We will prioritise investment in space, resources, and technologies that enhance inclusivity, accessibility and discoverability of library services and content in support of our University's mission. 

We will: 

5.1 Ensure that following the Covid-19 pandemic we sustain those changes we have made that best support our students’ needs, and changed ways of working for staff which best employ available technologies and reflect and contribute to the University’s UWL Flex pedagogy. 

5.2 Building on the success of migration to our new library system, review our remaining information systems and hardware infrastructure and develop business cases for further systems change to ensure a sustainable future and value for money. 

5.3 Build upon developed links between UWL Archive and local communities, prioritising outreach in ways that demonstrate the value of higher education and support transition into higher education, as well as developing further the role of the UWL Archive in UWL’s teaching, learning and research. 

5.4 Continuously improve user experience (UX) and service design of physical and digital spaces to provide safe, welcoming, and flexible spaces for staff, students, and visitors. 

5.5 Represent the University within our sector, advocating UWL’s modern university perspective and needs within our supply chain and purchasing consortia, and to membership organisations. 

5.6 Ensure that our strategic goals and operational objectives reflect the University’s commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goals.