RLUK Calls For Participants in Major Research, Scoping Study Will Look at “Role of Academic and Research Libraries as Active Participants and Leaders in the Production of Scholarly Research”

From  Research Libraries UK (RLUK)

RLUK is delighted to announce that it will shortly commission a major piece of research, in partnership with the AHRC, exploring the current and potential role of academic and research libraries as partners in, and leaders of, academic and scholarly research.

This research will stretch beyond the RLUK membership and any academic or research library is encouraged to participate. Although primarily UK focused, the research will consider international examples of research partnerships involving academic and research libraries.

Colleagues working within bodies affiliated or within a library structure (e.g. a university museum or gallery) are also encouraged to participate.

This is an exciting time for academic and research libraries, as many transition from a position of ‘service provider’ to one of active and meaningful partners in the conception and production of academic and scholarly research. In doing so, academic and research libraries are bringing a multitude of skills, knowledge and expertise to the scholarly research process, crossing disciplinary boundaries, and enabling the involvement, communication, and dissemination of research with diverse audiences, and supporting the ‘real world’ applicability of research outputs. Staff working within academic and research libraries are well placed to bring advanced and multidisciplinary expertise to scholarly research and are looking for ways of furthering the role of the library as research partner, and leader, through continued investment in the skills and competencies of their staff, the flexibility of their spaces, and the discoverability and availability of collections, both onsite and virtually, to be used in an increasing variety of ways.

This research will establish the existing role, and future potential, of academic and research libraries as partners in, and leaders of, academic and scholarly research. It will explore the opportunities open to academic and research libraries to develop these roles and establish the nature and extent of any barriers preventing these, and how they might be overcome.

Direct to Complete Announcement, Invitation to Participate

Direct to Complete Invitation to Tender: Scoping Study: The Role Of Academic and Research Libraries as Active Participants And Leaders In The Production Of Scholarly Research