Today we publish an Ithaka S+R issue brief that is aimed at reframing how academic research support is conceptualized to better address scholars’ needs. Research support services in university settings are currently focused on aiding scholars as they work on specific research tasks or content, which is largely diffuse and often insufficiently funded. We contend that research support services would be more effective if designed to holistically reflect how scholars work. Looking to scholarly practices in a diverse array of fields, this approach hinges on recognizing that what unifies scholars as researchers is that they ARE collectors who amass and manage a diverse array of content over the course of their careers and they need support in the process of undertaking those activities.
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Blending our related experiences and insights, our brief outlines the holistic nature of scholarly collecting activities and the strategic rationale for why universities should realign their research support services around these activities accordingly. Source: Scholars ARE Collectors: A Proposal for Re-thinking Research Support (Ithaka S+R; November 2018)
We define the scholar’s collection, outline current collecting challenges and needs, survey the current landscape for supporting scholarly collecting, and consider what’s next for academic institutions in this space. The brief also highlights what’s at stake for academic institutions if they do not take a more proactive strategic approach to supporting and leveraging scholars’ collections. Establishing a new central organizing principle to scholarly support, such as through the framework of scholar as a collector, is essential at a time when universities continue to grapple with how to dynamically respond to and support the evolving research landscape.
Authors
Danielle Cooper Ithaka S+R
Oya Y. Rieger Ithaka S+R Source
Ithaka S+R
November 28, 2018
DOI: doi.org/10.18665/sr.310702
Direct to Full Text Issue Brief ||| PDF Version (20 pages)
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area.
He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com. Gary is also the co-founder of infoDJ an innovation research consultancy supporting corporate product and business model teams with just-in-time fact and insight finding.
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Today we publish an Ithaka S+R issue brief that is aimed at reframing how academic research support is conceptualized to better address scholars’ needs. Research support services in university settings are currently focused on aiding scholars as they work on specific research tasks or content, which is largely diffuse and often insufficiently funded. We contend that research support services would be more effective if designed to holistically reflect how scholars work. Looking to scholarly practices in a diverse array of fields, this approach hinges on recognizing that what unifies scholars as researchers is that they ARE collectors who amass and manage a diverse array of content over the course of their careers and they need support in the process of undertaking those activities.
