Resources
You can download a PDF of the complete list of resources and a PDF of selected resources. You can also read the selected list on this web page.
Selected resources list (produced April 2011)
This selected resources list was produced by the CILIP Information and Advice Team in collaboration with CILIP's Policy and Advocacy Unit.
The selected articles and reports have been chosen to provide an introduction to the literature on this subject. Although the focus is on the further education (FE) sector, a small number of resources relating to higher education (HE) have been included if it is felt that their findings can be applied to, or will be of particular interest to, information professional working in FE.
We hope that these resources will help library and information professionals working in FE to demonstrate the value and impact of the services they provide.
Queries relating to this resource including requests for articles to be added should be sent to the Information and Advice Team at info@cilip.org.uk.
Contents
FE Guidelines
1. Colleges of Further & Higher Education Group and Eynon, A., ed., 2005. Guidelines for colleges: recommendations for learning resources. London: Facet Publishing
These Guidelines are the recommendations of CILIP for the effective management of learning resource services in colleges.
- Hard copy available in the CILIP Information Centre.
Impact and value of FE library and information services
2. Oakleaf, M., 2010. Value of academic libraries, the. Chicago: American Library Association
The report is intended to describe the current state of research on community college, college and university value and is focused on the articulation of library value to external audiences.
Download the report
3. Shaughnessy, L., 2007. Supporting success in the curriculum – the contribution of Learning Resources Services in 2005-2006. London: Greenwich Community College
A report documenting the findings of an analysis of the effect of the Learning Resource Services (LRS) on student achievement and retention. The report concluded that:
• The higher the LRS membership to any student cohort, the higher the success and retention rate for that group.
• LRS contributes to success across all age groups.
• There is a significant success rate for A2/AS level students (attaining grades A – E) who were LRS members compared to non LRS members
• Generally, the LRS has contributed to increased retention rates across all departments compared to LRS non members.
- Download the report
4. Simmel, L., 2007. Building your value story and business case. C&RL News, February issue, pp88-91
Evidence that support from 'expert' librarians, such as course-integrated information literacy training, benefits a university’s staff, as well as students, by enabling faculties to:
• Develop and implement new curricula
• Improve the research productivity of academics
• Save time in preparing research classes
The authors found costs savings too.
- Read the report
5. Association of College and Research Libraries, 2010. Value of academic libraries toolkit
The Toolkit is intended to be used to assist academic librarians in their efforts to bring visibility to the value that academic libraries provide to their users, institutions, and communities.
- Read the toolkit
6. Weiner, S., 2008. The contribution of the library to the reputation of a university. Journal of academic librarianship, the, 35 (1), pp3-13
This study provided empirical evidence that academic libraries contribute to the reputation of universities. The function and influence of the library was found to extend beyond its own departmental limits.
7. Rodger, E. J., 2007. What’s a library worth? American Libraries, September issue, 38 (8), pp58-60
This article offers a framework for understanding the basic structures beneath our assertions of value so that we can communicate more effectively with those on whom we depend for resources and those who depend on us for services.
Support for teaching and learning
8. Oakley, S., 2007. Weaving reading for pleasure into the Skills for Life adult literacy curriculum. In Hamilton, M., Davies, P., and James, K., eds. Practitioners leading research. London: National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy
A theme that emerged from this research was the importance of collaboration between tutors and library staff in promoting reading; effective collaboration means the enjoyable aspects of reading for pleasure aren’t ignored and the positive results outlines above can be achieved.
The research concludes that “the support, expertise and resources of the library service” make linking reading for pleasure activities to the National Literacy Curriculum straightforward.
- Read the research (scroll to page 58, part 3)
Evaluating FE library and information services
9. Colleges of Further and Higher Education and Council for Learning Resources in Colleges, 2009. Self-assessment toolkit for FE learning resource services.
Working in partnership CoFHE and CoLRiC have produced a Self-Assessment Toolkit.
- Download the toolkit
10. Bryant, L., 2009. Get Your Kit on for Quality. Library + Information Update, October issue, pp. 42-43
11. Council for Learning Resources in Colleges Assessment & Inspection policies and guidance
• Guidelines for self-assessment of college learning resources services outlines ways of assessing the service in relation to Ofsted/ALI’s ‘Common inspection framework’. Available free to ColRic members via their website
• Performance Indicators - a document giving guidance on a range of qualitative performance indicators that will help provide, when the results are collated, an overall picture of the quality of provision throughout the sector on an annual basis. Read here
• A peer accreditation scheme, where CoLRiC assessors go into colleges and assess their learning resources service. It is intended to assist colleges create and maintain high quality services, and contribute to their 'accreditation portfolio'. More information here
12. Scottish Library and Information Council, 2009. Service development and self-evaluation
A service development and self-evaluation framework for library and information services in Scottish Further Education (FE) colleges
- Download the framework
13. Sweeney, C., 2009. Learning for the benefit of learners. Information Scotland, 7 (6), pp7-8
The article offers information on the guidance toolkits launched at the annual Scottish Library and Information Council Further Education (SLIC FE) Conference in December 2009.
- Available to CILIP members on request from CILIP
14. Fforwm., 2006. Services Supporting Learning in Wales: a Quality Toolkit for Evaluating Learning Resource Services in Further Education Colleges. Fforwm, Cardiff
Fforwm, the body representing 25 further education colleges in Wales, has produced a quality toolkit to enable colleges to evaluate their library and ICT services
15. Mays, R., Tenpir, C., Kaufman, P., 2010. Lib-value: measuring value and return on investment of academic libraries. Research library issues, Issue 271, pp36-40
An overview of the 'Values, Outcomes, and Return on Investment of Academic Libraries' Project, 'Lib-Value' for short, which is developing a strategy to help libraries communicate the value of their operations to administrators and funders.
- Lib-Value
16. Blagden, P., 2006. Measuring our impact in HE. Library & Information Update; Oct 2006, Vol. 5 Issue 10, pp.32-33
The article discusses the effectiveness of the Library and Information Research Group and the Society of College, National and University Libraries' (Lirg/Sconul) Impact Initiative. Available to CILIP members on request
17. Association of College and Research Libraries, 2010. Value of academic libraries toolkit
See above (number 5)
Evaluation of digital resources in FE
18. Markland, M., 2006. Online information environments in the UK further education sector. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 12 (1), pp. 31-46
Reports the outcome of 2 investigations, EDNER and EDNER+, funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) into the nature of the information environments provided by libraries and librarians in further education (FE) in the UK.
HE in FE – opportunities and challenges
19. Colleges of Higher and Further Education., 2004. Higher education provision in further education institutions.
These guidelines are a tool to enable practitioners to develop good practice for the delivery of library and learning resource services for higher education provision in a further education institution.
- Read the guidelines
20. Marsden, S., and Butler, A., 2011. Supporting HE in FE – pooling complementary skills. CILIP Update, January issue, pp. 40-42
A restructure at City of Sunderland College brought Learning Resources support 'closer to the curriculum'. Now there is a real partnership between teaching and library teams in their support of higher education students.
- Available to CILIP members here
21. Sedgmore, L., 2010. Blurring the boundaries. Adults Learning. December issue, pp. 14-15
Colleges are already a distinctive part of the mainstream HE sector. Could the prospect of an increased role in HE prove the silver lining for colleges in an otherwise tough spending review settlement?
22. The Higher education Academy - Higher Education in Further Education (HE in FE)
View resources
Shared services
23. Kearney, C., 2008. Collaborative communities: new service delivery models for lifelong learning. Library + Information Update, 7 (4), pp. 45
John Wheatley Further Education College and Culture & Sports Glasgow, both of Scotland, entered into an agreement to deliver library services to students and members of the public in a custom-designed facility known as The Bridge. The Bridge is an example of a fully integrated shared service model and it shows how shared services can be transformational when they are focused on the needs of the user.
Available to CILIP members on request
24. JISC., 2008. Shared services in UK further and higher education. JISC
A briefing paper based on the findings of the first three of Duke & Jordan’s reports from the JISC Study of Shared Services in UK Further and Higher Education. The institutions surveyed cited numerous potential benefits driving the implementation of shared services:
JISC briefing paper
Duke & Jordan’s reports
Surveys
25. Scottish Library & Information Council., 2011. SLIC Annual Survey. Further Education College Library Services 2010. Hamilton: Scottish Library & Information Council
Summary of key findings and observations:
• Good progress is being made in extending the role and reach of the library from providing physical access to collections to offering electronic resources and services directly to the learner regardless of location
• Substantial progress is being made in exploiting opportunities offered by technology although further development of RFID could realise efficiency savings and free staff to support learners
• Almost all colleges recognise the value of qualified library staff and the role of continuing professional development in provision and maintenance of a high quality learner experience
- Download report
- Read aggregated results
Older surveys are included on the Long List.
Government FE policy
See also: the Government’s strategy for skills, Skills for Sustainable Growth, and its parallel publication, Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth.