Value of academic libraries
Re-imaging the connections between libraries and academic departments in the developing world
SAGE report can be dowloaded from here.
 
Dear Colleague,

Raising awareness of how the library supports teaching and research staff is key to demonstrating librarian value in developing countries, concludes a new SAGE report published today. The findings are the result of a six-month research study with twelve developing country institutions conducted by SAGE exploring perceptions of the value of academic libraries by teaching and research staff.

‘Library Value in the Developing World’ reports that developing country librarians are beginning to recognize the importance of appraising their value for research and teaching staff. Librarians noted that whilst they receive positive feedback about the resource collections they provide, there is limited awareness of how librarians can better support research and teaching staff beyond traditional parameters. Outlined in the report are examples of best practice from the case study institutions, along with considerations on how working relations between academic libraries and stakeholders can be enhanced.

 
 Library Value in the Developing World, was undertaken by SAGE, in consultation with Claire Creaser of LISU the national research and information centre based at Loughborough University (UK), and Lucy Browse of International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).

The findings are based on a series of surveys, interviews and case studies with twelve developing country institutions; Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras; Indonesian Research Institute; University of Cape Coast, Ghana; National Scientific Library, Georgia; Maseno University, Kenya; Convenant University and Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; University of the Philippines Visayas, Philippines; University of Thies, Senegal; Makerere University, Uganda; Institute of Intellectual Property of National University Kiev, Ukraine, and the University of Zimbabwe.

From:  http://www.uk.sagepub.com/librarians/