Maynooth University Library: Strategic Goals and Achievements (2014-2019), Lecture notes of Innovation

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Maynooth University

Library

Ollscoil Mhá Nuad

An Leabharlann

Strategic Plan

Plean Straitéiseach

Acknowledgements

The Library is very grateful to all who contributed to the preparation of this plan. All library staff are particularly grateful to the many colleagues beyond the library who participated in the World Cafés and other consultation initiatives which informed the process and the identification of the strategic goals and associated actions. We look forward to further collaboration over the next four years to implement them. Cathal McCauley University Librarian February 2020

Introduction

This plan sets out the strategic direction for Maynooth University (MU) Library over the period 2020

• 2023. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that the strategic trajectory of MU Library is consistent with that of the University as set out in the Maynooth University Strategic Plan 2018 - 22. The strategic goals are fully aligned with the institutional strategic plan as the table below illustrates:

Library Strategic Goal 20 20 – 2023

Aligned with University

Goals 201 8 - 2022

Goal 1: To advance life-long learning, enhance the student experience and equip students for work, life and engaged citizenship by developing their research skills and knowledge. 2 , 3 , 7 & 13 Goal 2: To foster and enable research at Maynooth University 1 & 2 Goal 3: To harness digital capacity and innovation to create efficiencies and enhance the user experience, using a digital first approach where appropriate 10 & 11 Goal 4: To inspire and enable learning, teaching and research through the discovery of, and engagement with, excellent collections 1, 2, 3, 4,5 & 8 Goal 5: To create an environment that promotes equality, diversity, inclusion and inter-culturalism 6 Goal 6: To meet and exceed the needs of our users and fosters an environment where all staff can flourish, develop, advance and further contribute to the University and the success of its students and scholarship 4 , 9 & MU Library has an established and growing reputation for innovation, excellence and inclusiveness. Significant accomplishments in the last three years include a 67% increase in the use of unique and distinctive (special) collections (many of which are now integrated into curricula at undergraduate and postgraduate level across a range of disciplines including Sociology, Mathematics and History), a 32% increase in entries into the library, a 20% increase in classes delivered, the introduction of the “functional model” to enable us to provide academic support to a growing student body when resources are not keeping pace, a 108% increase in items in our open access institutional repository, the roll-out of Evidence Based Acquisition (EBA), the relocation of the IReL initiative to MU Library and a 120% increase in the number of events hosted in the Library. This plan builds on these achievements and trends to ensure that over the coming four years our progress, development and contribution to the success of Maynooth University will continue during what will be a period of continued institutional expansion.

Context

Libraries and their roles are changing at an unprecedented rate. In the past, academic libraries held large collections in static, standardised, spaces and provided a passive or reactive service. Common benchmarks were the size of the print collection, the number of seats per student and the number of entries per annum. Today libraries’ collections are overwhelmingly online, library space is dynamic and diverse, and the library is increasingly an active partner in teaching, learning and research success. Another key shift has seen libraries move from being repositories of information for consumption to the provision of content, expertise and skills to enable/promote creativity. Important areas such as research data management (RDM), publishing support, the introduction of makerspaces and digital scholarship are evidence of this shift. These changes have meant that libraries play an increasingly significant role in supporting the achievement of institutional goals and delivering further return on investment. MU Library has enthusiastically embraced these shifts. Two major library collections have been digitised – the collection of renowned Irish playwright Teresa Devey and the death row correspondence of Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa. In the context of making our unique collections available globally, the Library has purchased a digital library platform. The ongoing digitisation of collections and the populating of the digital library will require staffing and expertise to develop into a world class digital library. The Library has an established, and growing, role in the support of research, including the continuing development of the University’s Institutional Repository (the first of its kind in Ireland) which allows open access to almost 10,000 research papers and other items by MU staff. We provide access to, and appropriate training on, a wide range of bibliometric tools which are used globally in university rankings. This role is becoming both more important, and also more nuanced, with the adoption of alternative metrics highlighting the societal value of the University’s work support, nationally and internationally. The advent of DORA (Declaration on Research Assessment), Plan S and related initiatives will accelerate this trend. The Library continues to be the focal point for such support, but a continually evolving and complex service brings increased specialisation which must be resourced appropriately. There is a sustained move towards ‘open’ in every aspect of what the Library does. ‘Open access’ services have become increasingly sophisticated and diverse to now encompass open data, open scholarship, digital artefacts (such as the digitisation of cuneiform tablets dating from 5,000 BC) and the use of open education resources. The traditional role of the library in curation of research, is now wedded with a need to openly expose research outputs and data. This is driven by the requirements of funding bodies and policies such as the National Policy on Research Integrity. The Library will require support for developing this area to maintain MU’s national leadership position as set out in Goal 2 of the Maynooth University Strategic Plan 2018 - 22. In 2018 the Library has created a test instance of an institutional repository for research data management/RDM. With resources for infrastructure and staffing the Library can play a key role in the University in the management of research data, including providing guidance on planning, security, ethics and best practice. Also, in 2018 the Library created Maynooth Academic Publishing (MAP) to advance open scholarship and engagement with research, through enabling open publishing. This involves advice, funding and technical support. Initiatives include the hosting of the The Open Journal of Astrophysics an international, peer-reviewed journal. January 2020 will see the launch of a collaboration with the History department on the hosting of the Journal of Military History and Defence Studies a biannual peer reviewed journal. MAP has the potential to become a world-class

have embraced the need to work leanly and to use technology, and other solutions, across all areas of activity to address this. Some examples include:  In recent years we have increased the purchase of shelf-ready books to more than 84 % significantly reducing the need for in-house processing.  We, with financial support from MU SU, launched self-service laptop loans resulting in more than 32,000 transactions per annum no longer requiring staff input.  We introduced the functional model – aligned with best international practice - to enable us to continue to support the growing number of academic staff and disciplines as the traditional subject librarian approach became unsustainable.  We are, with appropriate protections, piloting a procured services approach to primary source collection processing.  We instituted new staffing models in areas such as customer service and shelving.  In the last 7 years we have reviewed the library’s organisational structure twice Notwithstanding the considerable success of the above initiatives, a key objective of this plan is to highlight the areas where additional investment will be required to sustain the Library’s development and to enable the Library to continue to add value to MU.

Library Mission

Maynooth University Library’s mission is to foster communities of learning and scholarship through excellent resources, services and people.

Library Vision

The realisation of our mission will:  Place users, especially students and faculty, at the heart of all that we do  Advance the Library’s unique position as the hub of learning, culture, enquiry and discovery  Ensure access to collections of quality and relevance  Underpin and enrich the University’s research and scholarly impact  Progress our leading role in the development of information literacy locally, nationally and internationally  Support the continual development of a committed, skilled and engaged library staff  Develop and renew spaces that welcome, inspire and empower  Enhance Maynooth University’s international standing  Further our established reputation as a leader and innovator in the global library sector  Enrich the cultural, social and economic life of our community

Library Values

The Library endorses the values of Maynooth University and is committed to: Openness; user empowerment; innovation; scholarly rigour; academic freedom; integrity and ethical behaviour; collegiality, transparency and trust; equality, inclusiveness and social justice; dignity, respect and care for the individual

Objective 4: We will continue to offer opportunities for students to explore and exploit our rich collections as part of their studies 4.1 We will continue to offer a postgraduate bursary and will work with the Humanities Institute to develop Fellowships which support research which is aligned with library collections 4.2 We will develop a programme of instruction, in line with curriculum objectives which includes the use of key collections 4.3 We will, in consultation with academic colleagues, embed the use of Unique and Distinctive Collections in taught programmes

Student Experience

We will enhance the student experience by collaborating with key partners across the

university to develop a range of resources and services that facilitate student success

Objective 5 : We will develop an ongoing orientation programme for incoming students that stretches across their first year of study 5.1 We will collaborate with the Office of the Dean of Teaching and Learning to facilitate and support innovative approaches to first year orientation 5.2 We will collaborate with academic, student and other colleagues to provide a range of supports and resources for incoming students that can be availed of before they join Maynooth University, throughout their first year of study and beyond 5.3 We will develop an orientation programme specifically for the growing postgraduate student community 5.4 We will work closely with the Maths Support Centre to provide optimal access to the service Objective 6 : We will actively engage with partners across campus to increase the visibility, accessibility and awareness of all student supports across campus 6.1 We will continue to collaborate with the student body and Maynooth Student’s Union (MSU) to understand student needs and respond accordingly in order to enhance the student experience 6.2 We will employ a range of feedback mechanisms, including ‘Happy or Not’, User Experience (UX) and social media, that allow the student voice to be heard 6.3 We will further develop the role of the Library’s MAP Academic Advisor 6.4 We will foster a culture of innovation in our approach to developing Library services by continuing to collaborate with the Maynooth Students Union (MSU) and the Department of Design Innovation in running the Library Innovation Competition

6.5 We will review and revise, where appropriate, the Student Library Committee in order to ensure

it remains a meaningful forum for communication between the Library and student representatives

RESEARCH

Our goal is to foster and enable research at Maynooth University. Maynooth University

is a research-intensive environment in which the Library plays a key role. The breadth and

diversity of research activities across the university is considerable and the

implementation of this plan will shape our role accordingly, acknowledging the different

challenges for disparate discipline areas. The national and international research

landscape continues to evolve, and during a time of change and uncertainty in funding

and academic publishing, the Library understands and recognises that how we facilitate

and support research needs to continue to evolve.

Objective 7 : We will build on our national leadership in open access to research and will continue to actively promote open research, open science and open data 7.1 We will keep informed of developments nationally and internationally regarding open access, open science, open research and open data and participate in appropriate fora 7.2 We will play an active role in national initiatives and frameworks such as the National Open Research Forum (NORF) relating to open access and open scholarship 7.3 We will further develop and enhance our institutional open access publications repository, MURAL- Maynooth University Research Archive Library, and support researchers in its use Objective 8 : We will develop and champion campus-based academic publishing and dissemination of research 8.1 We will further develop our publishing platforms to offer a credible and cost efficient University Press 8.2 We will develop and promote the use of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for university research outputs Objective 9 : We will play a leading role in enhancing the research profile of Maynooth University 9.1 We will collaborate with the Research Development Office and Institutional Research Office to understand and fully exploit bibliometric outputs by the University 9.2 We will work with colleagues in the Research Development Office to promote and increase the use of ORCID on campus 9.3 We will provide researchers with unbiased advice regarding research visibility, publishing strategies and the impact and ethics of citation, 9.4 We will stimulate and promote engagement with research collections as a catalyst for scholarship Objective 10 : We will strengthen linkages with key research stakeholders in the University to enhance the researcher experience 10.1 We will actively participate in the University Research Committee and ensure that we align our strategy and policy to the research mission and goals of the University 10.2 We will establish a Library Research Committee which will inform our strategy, develop supports and guidelines, progress our objectives to promote open access, research data management, increased research visibility and connect teaching and research.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Our goal is to harness digital capacity and innovation to create efficiencies and enhance the user experience, using a digital first approach where appropriate. The University Strategic Plan identifies the Library as a centre of expertise in the provision of digital infrastructure and tools for research and curriculum innovation. Libraries have been at the vanguard of digital transformation for decades and Maynooth University Library has a strong track record as an early adopter of new ways of working, thinking and using new technologies on campus. We will build on this innovation by implementing a range of digital services and content as well as upgrading or replacing existing systems. Objective 13: We will develop, mainstream, and promote digital services to enhance the user experience 13.1 We will develop a Digital Library to enhance access to our Unique and Distinctive Collections and to inspire new areas of research 13.2 We will acquire and implement a range of digital tools to engage with and respond to user queries 13.3 We will replace our legacy Library Management System (LMS) and implement a comprehensive and modern Library Services Platform (LSP) to take advantage of new and emerging technical solutions and integrations, and to ensure efficiencies in work flows 13.4 We will enhance access to our electronic resources off campus Objective 14: We will work with university partners to ensure campus-wide provision and cross- disciplinary utilization of digital tools and spaces 14.1 We will work with colleagues in IT Services to deliver a reference management software site licence for the University 14.2 We will work with academic departments to develop the use of the Library Maker Space in teaching and learning 14.3 We will explore the ability of technology such as 3D imaging and augmented reality to improve user engagement Objective 1 5 : We will play a leading role in the digital transformation agenda of the university 15.1 We will continue to be early adopters of campus-wide technologies 15.2 We will explore solutions to create a digital campus, in collaboration with university partners 15.3 We will collaborate with stakeholders across campus on a unified approach to service delivery Objective 16: We will develop a strategy for the digitisation of Library collections 16.1 We will establish a service-supplier framework for the digitisation of special collections 16.2 We will continue to develop and enhance digitization workflows that incorporate curatorial and reprographic needs 16.3 We will develop our role in the preservation of digital library collections 16.4 We will establish a collections digitisation committee to inform our priorities for digitisation of key unique and distinctive collections

COLLECTIONS

Our goal is to inspire and enable learning, teaching and research through the discovery of, and engagement with, excellent collections. Maynooth University Library curates collections of remarkable depth and value. These range from Unique and Distinctive Collections, through extensive print and electronic holdings to the more recent development of digital collections. The concept of ‘collections’ has evolved and now includes open access material and web-based material such as blogs. All of these afford different opportunities for teaching and research. While our strategy for collections will always aspire to be as comprehensive as possible, our key aim is to make sure that collections reflects scholarly needs and interests of our community and are available to them, in whatever manner is required. Objective 1 7 : We will develop, preserve and promote our collections in consultation with key stakeholders on campus and beyond, and ensure collection policies are aligned with the strategic aims of the University 17.1 We will develop our collections policies to take advantage of new digital workflows and acquisitions models 17.2 We will explore the role of the Library in electronic legal deposit in the context of an evolving policy and legislative environment 17.3 We will continue to work with prospective donors to enhance our collections and to help us to realise their value 17.4 We will investigate and propose a model which allows us to collect and preserve university content arising from changes in scholarly communication 17.5 We will develop our conservation unit in accordance with best international practice 17.6 We will continue to review our metadata standards and improve practices to deliver efficiencies and improve access to collections, by engaging with national and international initiatives 17.7 We will adopt, where appropriate evidence-based processes and collection development tools to allow us make informed curatorial decisions about our collections 17.8 We will utilise the Library Strategic Acquisition Group (LSAG) to support, as required the acquisition of significant Unique and Distinctive Collections 17.9 We will work with the campus community to ensure our collections are inclusive

PEOPLE, ORGANISATION AND SPACE

Our goal is to meet and exceed the needs of our users and foster an environment where all staff can flourish, develop, advance and further contribute to the University and the success of its students and scholarship. We recognise that the success of the Library depends on the commitment and professionalism of staff, the calibre of whom staff was noted in the Maynooth University Library 2015 Quality Review. Our strong programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity, our engagement with the Library profession nationally and internationally and a culture of innovation have resulted in a Library team being awarded the President’s Award for Service Innovation and two individual staff members receiving the President’s Award for Service Excellence in 2018. The award-winning Library building has hosted a large number of international visitors as it is considered an exemplar in design, having a large range of eco-friendly features. However, this success and the growth of the University presents new challenges and a continuous development of infrastructure is required. Objective 2 0 : We will create a working environment where staff can flourish professionally and personally 20.1 We will identify capabilities required to deliver this strategic plan and develop staff skills and, where appropriate, create new roles 20.2 We will develop Library internal research capacity by encouraging Library staff to undertake formal education programmes, attend conferences, publish and participate in professional bodies 20.3 We will continue to offer our staff wellbeing programme and recognition of achievement 20.4 We will continue to have library representation on the University Green Campus Committee and play our role in making MU more environmentally friendly and sustainable Objective 2 1 : We will develop an organisation with capabilities, processes and systems that meet the existing and emerging needs of our users 21.1 We will update our Emergency Response plan and include Business Continuity Plan 21.2 We will utilise statistics to make evidence-based decisions 21.3 We will produce an annual report for University Executive Objective 2 2 : We will provide high quality spaces for all Library users and Library staff 22.1 We will work with key stakeholders, including IT Services to ensure appropriate infrastructure and ensure a consistent provision of excellent customer services 22.2 We will refurbish the western side of the building to create flexible spaces that meet the current and emerging needs of our users and create a high-quality working environment for Library staff 22.3 We will review storage infrastructure with appropriate stakeholders 22.4 We will work with St Patricks College Maynooth (SPCM) to address Library infrastructural issues Objective 2 3 : We will enhance our profile through a range of communication initiatives 23.1 We will continue to develop our relationship with Communications Office to promote our services and optimise internal, university and external communication 23.2 We will ensure visibility in university publications, external media and social media 23.3 We will leverage our rich cultural assets to support the university’s philanthropic endeavours.

Implementation Process

This plan has been prepared with substantial Library staff involvement and significant consultation with a diverse range of stakeholders. A draft version was subsequently presented to University Executive for approval Where possible, and appropriate, a team-based approach will be used throughout the implementation process. Each team will focus on a particular theme which will usually be centred on a single strategic goal except for a small number of cases where objectives and actions from more than one goal overlap. The overall process will be guided by a Strategic Plan Implementation Group (SPIG) which will be chaired by a member of the Library Senior Management Team. Implementation will be phased, with some actions already in-hand, and will be completed by December 20 23.