Abstract
Reading lists are a fundamental part of any programme and it is essential that libraries and academic colleagues work in partnership to ensure that universities are able to provide students with ready access to key information resources. It is generally recognized that today’s students have higher expectations than in the past, in part as a result of paying fees. At The University of Manchester 91% of 1,446 students consulted as part of an independent library survey responded that they believed the Library should guarantee them access to all the books on their reading lists. Whilst the Library at The University of Manchester tends to score very well each year in the National Student Survey, analysis of the open comments have shown that a high percentage of negative remarks about the Library have related to the lack of available core and essential texts A three-year collaborative Library-wide project (Books Right Here Right Now), involving extensive research and consultation with academic colleagues and students, resulted in The University of Manchester Library reading list strategy. The strategy seeks to ensure that Library provision of reading list material is more effective and consistent. The successful implementation of a new service to deliver on this strategy has required determination, some lateral thinking and a truly collaborative approach.
Highlights
In 2010/11 The University of Manchester Library was one of the first libraries to adopt the Talis Aspire reading list software
This created confusion, with some lists being undertaken by academics, some by administrators and some by the Library, with the majority of lists not being put on the system at all! Without a clear mandate or senior support, we ended up with low academic buy-in and awareness
The results showed that the provision of up-to-date reading lists was important to our students but that there were huge variances in the provision of electronic reading lists across campus
Summary
Reading Lists Manager The University of Manchester Library experience at Manchester. It puts into practice the Library’s reading list strategy, developed through engagement and partnership with University staff and students during the Library’s three-year strategy project, Books Right Here Right. The University of Manchester Library launched the BRHRN project to provide a strategic solution to issues identified with the provision of reading list materials to our students. Launching a reading lists service with a dedicated reading lists team allows us to integrate reading list management with resource acquisition and to streamline access for our students It combines several existing Library ‘Library to deliver teaching resources in services to simplify and streamline processes for teaching staff, including the most efficient and our previous reading list system, Link2Lists (Talis Aspire) and all existing effective way’. The service enables teaching staff to manage their reading lists and request new teaching resources from a single online location This allows the Library to deliver teaching resources in the most efficient and effective way available in line with its new purchasing policy. Students will benefit from enhanced resource provision and increased availability across all course units, as well as an improved experience when accessing their reading
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