Thematic scope of workshops offered by the libraries of the top universities

Abstract

The research was intended to be the initial step in modifying the scope of practical skills training provided by an academic library at a research university with a universal profile. Two questions were posed: what topics are covered in the workshops offered by the world's top university libraries, and how frequently do specific topics appear in this offering. A total of 494 workshop descriptions from 34 libraries were analyzed. Data collection took place between January 27 and February 25, 2023. A thematic analysis method using a mixed qualitative/quantitative approach was employed. An inductive procedure was generally followed, though the entire process was iterative. The findings revealed that the workshops are designed to prepare participants to function in all basic areas of academic activity and to develop nonacademic competencies while enhancing personal life. A total of 57 different topics were identified and classified into seven general categories. Topics related to conducting research were the most common, accounting for 34.2 % of all occurrences. Almost half of them (45.4 %) addressed issues related to working with research data. Topics on tools and technologies were the second most common.