2nd Annual Report

Contents

IntroductionActivities and Progress

The TAPin ModelSummary

Learning From the Process of ImplementationSummary

Interim Evaluation ResultsIntroductionCase Study OneCase Study TwoCase Study ThreeCase Study FourCase Study FiveNLS Review Session Case StudySummary

Future Development

TAPin is a Project funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils, as part of its Electronic Libraries Programme

The following document is based on The TAPin Second Annual Report web pages which may be found at: http://www.uce.ac.uk/tapin/publications/2annual.htm and was added to Education-line on 9 December 1997.

Introduction

AcknowledgementsIntroductionStatement of Project Aims and Subsidiary AimsDescription of the Consortium

Acknowledgements

This report has been produced as part of the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib), funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils (HEFC).

Partner universities and their representatives include: Andrew Cameron, Aston University; Karen Stanton, The University of Birmingham; Pat Noon, Coventry

University; Judith Andrews, The University of Central England; Robin Green, The University of Warwick; Fiona Mill, The University of Wolverhampton.

These representatives and Professor Judith Elkin, Project Co-ordinator from the Faculty of Computing and Information Studies, UCE, have guided this project through Stage Two, where important decisions and links were established and maintained. They have responded to our needs for input and dissemination, often at short notice.

Subject Librarians at the six partner universities have given precious time to explain to us their experiences in developing networked information resources and support at their institutions. We appreciate their openness and hope that this report reflects what is going on in the field of Information Services in UK Higher Education.

Introduction

TAPin continued to take a local, focused and practical approach that aimed to change the information technology culture in academic libraries and subject departments in ways that were agreed and owned internally, through strengthening internal support roles. The second year focused on the Subject Librarians, who located, developed or adapted computer networked information, and then delivered these resources in one-to-one sessions with academic staff. From a position of shared knowledge and combined strengths, they were able to deliver effective and carefully targeted support to academics appropriate to the culture of the individual institutions.

The deliverables in this Second Annual Report are:

· an interim analysis of the culture change that has taken place within the partner institutions to date

·· a greater understanding of the variables affecting library support of academic staff

in a networked environment·· a demonstration of how much similarity and difference there is between highly

diverse institutions·· a cross-subject Model that can be followed by other institutions around the world

who are interested in creating culture change in the area of networked information support.

·

It was possible to create a generic Model due to the nature of the project and its members. The consortium that is TAPin represents much of the diversity present in the higher education sector in the United Kingdom.

Statement of project aims and subsidiary aims

Within the specific subject areas of Life Sciences, Law and Education the principal aim of TAPin was to enhance the expertise of academic staff in the appropriate exploitation of networked information resources, supported by library staff.

Subsidiary aims include

·· to enhance the networked competencies of targeted library and academic staff; ·· to research the existing and emerging IT resources in each institution in order to

inform the subject librarians how best to develop, adapt and deliver materials collaboratively;

·· to research the IT cultures within specific academic disciplines and in the library,

in order to identify potential barriers to effective skill development.·The principal outcome of TAPin was

to establish a Model for the use and adaptation by other institutions in librarian led support of academic staff in utilising networked resources.

Description of the Consortium

The consortium brought together the six universities of the West Midlands and the Centre for Information Research and Training (CIRT), UCE, Birmingham. The six universities were diverse in their historical origins, size, complexity, missions. student and research profiles and subject range. They comprised a major traditional research university (Birmingham), a “Robbins” university with a high research rating (Warwick), a single sited technological university (Aston), and three new universities, the multi-sited universities of Central England (UCE) and Wolverhampton and the single site at Coventry. All disciplines were represented within the region, but the profiles of the universities differed and the internal structures varied enormously. They offered a tight-knit grouping which represented much of the diversity present in the higher education sector in the United Kingdom. However, diversity in the IT infrastructure for each university posed potential barriers to effective skills' development through networks.

TAPin was believed to provide unique strengths in terms of regional collaborative working; however, the value and importance of sharing findings and models through out the UK higher education sector was paramount to the eLib programme as a whole. Thus dissemination ran concurrently with Stage Two of the project.

Throughout Stage Two, TAPin has worked with the eLib projects, NetLinkS and EduLib, plus other Joint Information Systems Committee, JISC,projects including TLTSN and Stile.

Activities and Progress

TAPin recently completed Phase Seven of the project which involved the development of academic networking skills through the support of librarians. The librarians delivered training and support to the academics targeted at the end of year one. Librarians followed the Model developed and discussed at the beginning of year two, September 1996. The major work of the management team was to support the librarians, to disseminate the project and to gather information and understanding about the success of the project.

Objectives and Targets

The objective of the second year of the project was to focus on the preparation and delivery of training to the academic staff on the use of networks. During year one the Key Links developed the initial stages of the Model to underpin year two of the project. Librarians then defined who would be targeted for development, what support they would give, where the training was to take place, how their support should be structured and when it would happen.

The Second Stage of the project was completed by the end of July 1997. During the final six months the librarians will cease to be funded by TAPin and the research team will complete Web site development and begin Stage Three - the Impact Study.

Librarian activity

Librarians were seconded to the project one day per week until the end of July 1997. Their work in the second year was to:

· agree on a Model for delivering support to academics · develop materials that they can use to train and support academics · deliver the training and support.

The work of the librarians involved an initial review of Stage One data to determine the training and information needs of the academic staff members and to assess their network access to email and the Internet including BIDS. The librarians then devised a training scheme and delivered the training that most closely met the needs of their academics. Various tools were created, including Power-point presentations, paper guides and Web pages. Inter-university visits between subject librarians compared practices between institutions and cross fertilised ideas.

The librarians reported that the academics were primarily interested in core resources and had no time to spare on peripheral resources such as Usenet. They had little time for discovery and exploration and were not interested in generic training modules. Instead they wanted individual, tailored sessions that followed their lines of interest, relevant at that time. This reinforced the findings of the TAPin Interim Report.

tapin-all electronic discussion list

The subject specific electronic discussion lists were ‘closed’ due to inactivity. A message was sent to tapin-all in October 1996 suggesting that they were no longer kept open. As there were no responses in favour of keeping the subject lists open they

were all absorbed by the super list, tapin-all. Activity on the tapin-all discussion list has been limited and it was most often used by the management team to contact all members of the project to pass on details of resources and dates for diaries.

WWW Pages

The WWW pages were further developed by the research team and the new site will be brought on-line in September, the address is:

http://www.uce.ac.uk/tapin/

The pages link to a calendar of TAPin events, details of the dissemination conducted by members of the project, copies of the monthly activity reports, resources pages to support the librarians and links to all pages that have been created by librarians working within the project. A set of pages will also feature the Model, including the development and delivery processes.

Activity Reports

Activity reports were produced either monthly or bi-monthly from May 1996 and served to support the librarians. The activity reports included information from the Steering Group meetings, dissemination by the research team, development of the project’s WWW pages and details of useful resources.

Resources Audit

The resources audit was moved from Stage One of the project to Stage Two. The resources audit took the form of noting all resources passed to librarians by the research team and those noted and used by the librarians. Details of some of the resources can be found on the TAPin WWW pages.

These resources consisted mainly of WWW pages and links, although there was some information about other networked resources not necessarily available through the WWW, such as BIDS.

Management

During the nine months of Stage Two, the TAPin research team kept in regular contact with the Steering Group and librarians. The TAPin research team offered support and encouragement through additional training, the maintenance of the closed mailbase discussion list and the production of the monthly activity reports.

The research team also monitored the activity of the librarians, through the use of personal visits to each subject group at each university. The qualitative data from the visits was analysed through QSR NUDist software and is discussed in Interim Evaluation Results of this report.

Steering Group

The Steering Group comprised the research team, two academic advisors and the Key Links from each of the partner institutions. It met five times during the second year. Key Links reported on activity in their institutions at each Steering Group meeting. These reports were then reflected in the monthly activity reports.

Site Visits

The format for the on-site visits was agreed with the Steering Group in January 1997. The research team gathered qualitative and quantitative evidence of the support work undertaken. Each visit was devoted to interviews with the subject librarians, reviews of the OPACs and LIS networks and observation of the access environment. Outstanding data was gathered by the use of an email questionnaire (Appendix B).

Many benefits were gained from the visits, most importantly the research team better understood the development and delivery of networked support within each LIS. It also enabled the research team to observe where cross-fertilisation and economy of effort were applied. The work of the librarians as change agents within their LIS and the academic subject departments is discussed in the Interim Evaluation Results of this report. Matt Holland Subject Librarian, School of Media, Arts and Communication at Bournemouth University analysed the visit data in consultation with John Wilkins from Cheltenham College of Higher Education.

Training

Training Day

The Key Links felt it was necessary for continued support of their librarians. A training day was organised in May 1997 to meet this need. Librarians indicated what training they needed. The training day covered Adobe Acrobat, Metadata and acquiring software from the Internet, as these were felt to be the most relevant.

Get Together Day

A Get Together Day was held in April 1997. The purpose was to discuss what the librarians had been doing and to gain knowledge from the experience of others. It provided a forum for discussion on where the project was going, the WWW pages under development and the successful and problematic aspects of executing the Model. There was a presentation by Simon Fitzpatrick of the Teaching and Learning Technology Support Network (TLTSNStile. He demonstrated the teaching and learning initiatives that are taking place using networks at Leicester University.

Outputs

Project dissemination was intended to inform the higher education community of the culture change process that was occurring within the partner universities. The following activities took place during Stage Two, delivered by the research team or by the librarians.

Publications

Flatten, K. & MacKenzie, N. (1996). TAPin Annual Report. UCE Books : Birmingham. Flatten, K. (1997). Training librarians and information specialists to support academic staff using networks. Librarian Career Development, 5 (1). pp23-29. Holland, M. (1997). Diffusion of innovation theories and their relevance to understanding the role of librarians when introducing librarians to networked information. The Electronic Library, 15 (5). Flatten, K. (1997). Librarians as Change Agents in the HE community. in Ward, P.L & Weingard, D.E (eds). Human Development:Competencies for the twenty-first Century. K.G. Saur: Munchen. pp118-121.

Presentations

Stant, P. & Flatten, K. TAPin: A librarians' perspective. New Tricks, Staff Development for the Electronic Library. BULISC, 28th - 29th August 1996; Bournemouth University. MacKenzie, N. Presentation with NetSkillS and EduLib at ALT-C: ‘96 Integrating Technology into the Curriculum; 16th-18th September 1996. Glasgow. Flatten, K. Collaboration within the TAPin eLib project; MYNI. 30th October 1997. Loughborough University. Flatten, K. TAPin: New role or no role?: the eLib programme and subject librarians. M25 Staff Development Group. 3rd December 1996. University of London. Flatten, K and Holland, M. Training as a means to manage rapid change. Spiders or Flies: managing electronic information in libraries. UKSerials Group and National Acquisitions Group. 7th-8th May 1997. Oxfordshire. Flatten, K. Librarians as change agents in the HE community. Third International Conference on Continuing Professional Education. 27th-29th August 1997. Denmark. Mulvaney, T. The TAPin electronic libraries project and the experience at the University of Birmingham. 2nd International Symposium for Networked Learner Support. June 1997. Sheffield University. Flatten, K. Learning Technology Showcase. September 1997. Leicester University. Stant, P. Electronic Libraries Programme: a law librarian’s experience in the West Midlands. BIALL. 6th September 1997. University of Northumbria, Newcastle.

Exhibitions

Pryce-Jones, E. Resources from your desktop. Learning Technology Showcase. 16th May 1997. University of Central England, Birmingham. TAPin Poster Exhibition. UCE School of Information Studies Stand. Library Resources Exhibition. 3rd - 5th June, 1997. NEC, Birmingham.

Other

Kay Flatten was the editor of Volume 43 on the cristal-ed discussion list. The topic was strategic planning and preparation of LIS students to meet a changing world. Linda Newall was a Discussion Group Leader at LIRG; The Electronic Libraries Programme: its contribution to information research; LibTech International; University of Hertfordshire; 10th September 1997. The librarians have also produced paper guides, Power-Point presentations and WWW pages to support the academics.

In addition to the dissemination, WWW pages have been further developed into a complete site and are available at: http://www.uce.ac.uk/tapin/

References to TAPin by Others

Barry, C.A. (1997). Information Skills for an electronic world: training doctoral research students. Journal of Information Science, 23 (3).pp225-238. Holland, M. (1997). Getting the Web into libraries. The Electronic Library, 15 (2). pp117-119.

Effects of changes to the project timetable

The resources audit was ongoing in year two. The librarians appeared to have a working knowledge of the key networked resources in their subject areas. The resources that the librarians were seeking were ones for their own use in managing networked information. These included tools for capturing Web pages into Power-point documents, managing bookmark files and playback tools for networked video resources.

The timeline agreed for the delivery of the support by librarians at the beginning of year two was frequently compromised. Librarians were delayed by two to four months because they needed to finish other work, such as moving a collection of print holdings. In some cases, the network access at their institution was not in place. Once the replacement staff were employed and trained and the IT was in place they began to execute the delivery aspects of their agreed model.

A further delay occurred when academic staff exhibited lack of interest or even reluctance to meet with the librarians. This was in keeping with the Interim Report finding that staff value time over training. Some librarians then adopted strategies to “promote” their visits.

Summary

The project has met its objectives and targets in year two. The librarians developed and delivered the Model and the processes by which they have done so were monitored by the research team. Support for the project staff was evident at all levels. The key deliverable, the Model, was refined and it is now possible to assess its effectiveness as a tool for managing change.

The TAPin Model

The TAPin ModelModel home PageDevelopment of the ModelMarket ResearchEquipment AuditTrainingLibrarian SupportPublicityFinance

ManagementDelivery of the ModelWhoWhatWhereHowWhen

The TAPin Model

The Education, Law, and Life Science Subject Librarians in the six universities designed and implemented the Model for support of academics with computer networked information. The Model was separated into two components: the Development of the project and the Delivery of the project. The Model will be attached to the WWW pages at the beginning of Stage Three, and is described below.

Model Home Page

This Web page replaced the current TAPin home page. It gave a brief introduction to the TAPin project, its aims and objectives and defined the support Model. Academic library and resource centre managers shaped the Development side of the Model. The Delivery side of the Model was agreed by the librarians after reviewing the barriers to culture change highlighted in the Annual Report, 1996. The Impact Study will report on how effective the Model was in changing the libraries and resource centres and the subject departments in their use of computer networked information, and their understanding of the changing roles of information services in HE.

The Model was designed to be transferable. It consisted of a set of 15 brief Web pages that took the Project from start to finish with links to other pages within the TAPin Web site demonstrating how each section was achieved and supported.

Development of the Model

The Development side of the Model considered those factors that need to be addressed and/or implemented in anticipation of change. It recognised that culture change began from the top of a hierarchical management structure, even if the need for change originated with the end-user or service provider. Managers redirected staff time, budgets, and physical resources. They were responsible for strategic plans and the evaluation of staff in meeting targets. The Development side of the Model consisted of the following seven major areas:

Market Research

This was referred to as a user information needs analysis. This developmental task required an assessment of the librarians' training needs, the academic staff information needs and the opinions of both groups about IT and networked information.

Equipment Audit

It was necessary to know what equipment was needed to undertake the change that was envisaged. TAPin contacted computer technicians within subject departments and libraries of the partner universities. They answered questions on network geography and access for their departments and libraries. They also provided percentage data for academic staff or librarian hardware and network access and the applications and software they use. The requirements for both academics and librarians to execute the Model were as follows:

· Windows based operating system·· Netscape or comparable browser·· email account and use·· a 486 or higher specified PC·Training

Following on from understanding the needs of the users and recognising what equipment is necessary to complete the change, it inevitably followed that librarian training was crucial. TAPin set up a 40 hour training programme of group work in a networked computing lab with Netskills or other consultant trainers. The training of the information workers was one of the first activities in executing the Model. Training built confidence and morale during a time when there was apprehension about the future and change. This early training helped those who would be executing the Delivery side of the Model to take ownership of the Model.

Librarian Support

When the physical elements of executing the Model were in place it was necessary to support staff in the change process. This provided encouragement and helped to adapt to new working patterns. This support came mainly from the research team, but in some circumstances the librarians generated it themselves through the use of inter-university visits.

Publicity

It was also necessary to raise the awareness of those outside the project. This helped new behaviours to become accepted and understood within the wider community. TAPin used the Model in several ways:

·· Campus newsletters carried short articles about the early stages of the Model

giving the process visibility and recognition locally.·· Talks were given at professional meetings which covered the barriers identified in

the Market Research and Equipment Audit. This gave the process visibility and recognition within the UK and internationally.

·

· Monthly activity reports let others know what was occurring.·· Articles were written in professional literature and presentation were made at

meetings and conferences.·· Web pages were written and linked to the libraries' and resource centres' pages.·The librarians and their managers worked to publicise their support. This was not as extensive as might be necessary to change the perceptions of others on campus as to the role of librarians as mediators of computer networked information. A visit to each library found visual posting of networked resources or support lacking.

Finance

It was only possible to execute a process of change when funding was available. Activity followed money, and culture change behaviours needed monetary support from the beginning. A number of resources were provided by TAPin for the support of each of the partner universities, some needed more help than others. The greatest expense was the payment of staff salaries for librarians seconded to TAPin activity. It was impossible to offer a figure for financing the Model because each organisation had differing needs; however, the broad areas financed were staff time, IT, training and dissemination.

Management

There was a need for a strong management structure to support the process of change from the outset. Whereas the Delivery side of the Model was heavily dependent upon the librarians and the academics, the Development side was the responsibility of the managers of libraries and learning resource centres. Management styles varied with success possible from a variety of approaches. The TAPin Model approached management through a four tier structure.

First there was the funding source. This was the Joint Information Services Committee and the Higher Education Funding Councils through the eLib programme. In a local execution of the Model this would be the university directorate.

The second tier was the Steering Group. This was a group of senior managers in the six universities LIS. This was the group that shaped the development plan and monitored its progress. They allowed the librarians' time and equipment to design and implement the Delivery side of the Model. They opened doors of opportunity and solved problems. Their time and commitment extended to their own adoption of networked information skills and behaviours. The Steering Group also consisted of two academic staff from the School of Information Studies at UCE, who were responsible for ongoing academic advice and project evaluation.

The third tier was the TAPin project staff. They were 2.5 FTE (full-time equivalent) staff during the Development stage and 1.5 FTE during the Delivery stage. Local execution of the Model will not require this resourcing; however, it is advised that execution of the Model be delegated to one or more staff with clerical support.

The fourth and most vital tier was the librarians who underwent the training, designed the Delivery side of the Model and executed it for one academic year. The success of the Model depended upon how well managers supported this level with release time, IT access/hardware/software, training, and the possibility of promotional gain through performance appraisals.

Delivery of the Model

The delivery of the Model was possible because the development had been considered carefully from the outset. There have been few deviations from the project plan during the course of its life. The Delivery side of the Model considered the following six major issues:

Who

It was necessary to target the user audience carefully so that analysis of the results could be achieved. The TAPin librarians targeted staff and sought to develop a core of "champions" within each subject department. It was also necessary to target staff that had access to the minimum specification (or equivalent alternative) of equipment identified in the Development side of the Model.

What

This section of the Model considered what was taught and supported in order to bring about the change required by the institution. TAPin librarians taught the techniques of searching networks for information and the ability to discriminate between the various search engines. They provided a selection of URLs and CD-ROM titles that were known to be close to the individual academic's information need. The Web pages and database sources were evaluated to ensure quality.

The librarians also supported the academic staff in a number of ways, including email enquiries and providing further or additional training where necessary.

Where

The most appropriate place to carry out the support was in the academic's own office. This ensured that academics would replicate new skills.

How

It was necessary to define how the change would take place and in this section of the Model the librarians identified the most appropriate method of assuring change. The TAPin librarians determined that it was necessary to discuss the information requirements with the academic staff and to deliver support on a one-to-one basis.

This meant that the TAPin training model, though structured and planned, was individually tailored and all teaching and support was informal. The comfort of the academic staff member's own machine and office and the conversational opportunities made the training non-threatening and supportive.

When

The timeline used by TAPin in the delivery of the Model was to some extent dictated by external funding sources and by other staff commitments. The timeline used by individual librarians reflected their own institution's needs and those of the academics they were supporting.

The Model formed the basis of the relaunched TAPin Web site. Existing pages were used to provide further information, explanation and demonstration of how each element of the Model was achieved within the project. They were linked to the Model pages through hyperlinks of selected words in the Model text.

Learning from the process of implementation

Management of the ProjectInfluences of other ProjectsEduLib - Educational Development for Higher Education Library StaffSummary of EduLib TrainingRelevance to my present jobRelevance to the FutureRemaining NeedsNetLinks Workshop and Focus GroupNetskillSSummary

Management of the Project

As the focus of the project switched to the librarians in Phase Two, funding for the management team was for half time employment. This was in accordance with the project proposal, but caused unexpected difficulties with communication and consistency. The Research Assistant left the project in November 1996 and was not replaced until February 1997. The Project Secretary left the project in June 1997 and her tasks were carried out through the employment of casual staff. The final six months of the project allowed for the posts of Project Manager and Research Assistant to be employed full time. The Project Secretary was replaced by a second Research Assistant.

As this period of the project was mainly focusing on support for the librarians, the difficulties were contained. In hindsight, a continuation of full-time staff would have allowed for clearer management and greater dissemination.

The research team's access to the University Web server was delayed until April 1997. The prolonged Web access negotiations demonstrated one of the problems experienced when parts of the University changed before processes were in place.

Influences of other projects

TAPin collaborated with other eLib Training Awareness Projects. TAPin's remit was to enable all elements of the eLib programme to be brought into the West Midlands.

Three of the TAPin librarians attended EduLib training. TAPin hosted a NetLinks Focus Group Trainer's Workshop.

It was regrettable that more TAPin librarians were not allowed places on the first wave of EduLib training. Bringing EduLib into the six West Midlands universities was left to the two librarians involved in TAPin as well. Their report on EduLib training is included below.

EduLib - Educational Development for Higher Education Library Staff

EduLib is a three year Electronic Libraries (eLib) project. EduLib is a partnership between the University of Hull, University of Abertay at Dundee (both of which have been involved with formal staff training) and SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association). It aims to provide librarians in higher education with training skills to train and to communicate with our users and to foster a professional culture that recognises changing professional roles.

Over a period of nine weeks, the training programme sought to:

·· develop teaching skills and educational expertise·· give librarians an appreciation of the process of learning·· develop reflective practices to evaluate our own teaching and our users learning·

Librarians are seen as key educators and trainers who will develop training and support required to enable users to make effective use of networked information which should be integrated within the institutional policy. The need for training in teaching skills recognises the changing role of librarians. Emphasis is on librarians taking responsibility for the wider dissemination of educational expertise within the library community to develop a professional culture. Further, EduLib are seeking to try and provide a SEDA Teacher Accreditation scheme (see linked assignments)1.

Each session made use of a variety of methods from group discussions to formal presentations to highlight the key areas of concern. Emphasis was very much on contributions from group members of their own experiences as educators. There was supplementary reading for each session, together with a two hundred page manual! (Squires, G. 1994).

Summary of EduLib Training

The workshop sessions attended were:

Understanding student learning concentrated on understanding the learning process in order to improve the quality of the learning experiences we provide for our users. Student learning was examined from the basis of the successful completion of tasks by students in ways that satisfy their tutors that they have accomplished what has

been required. Therefore, there was emphasis on giving "library" sessions with lots of tasks (ie. Hands-on, written questions, etc).

The nature of teaching considered a framework which provided the basis for examining teaching. Teaching was viewed as something (ie. content) that is done to someone (groups/individuals, etc), somewhere (setting) for a reason (the rationale). The session taught us to analyse our own teaching process and to plan and structure each session to relate the teaching more directly with the learning process.

Observing teaching scrutinised observation as a way of seeking to improve feedback and advice which, in turn, will lead to improvements in teaching. Observation was considered in the context of opening up teaching to independent scrutiny (rather than as part of appraisal). The session examined the planning of the process (outlining the purpose of the session), participation in and the follow-up to observations of teaching, both as observer and the observed.

The teaching methods session examined a variety of methods and techniques and the contexts in which they may be employed.

Planning a teaching and learning event began from the premise that the first stage of the learning process should be the specification of the learning outcomes (or objectives). Planning the session then entails sequencing and structuring activities so as to promote learning activities to obtain feedback on the effectiveness of the process. Clear aims and objectives need to be identified for each session undertaken to ensure users know what they can expect to achieve as a result of the session. The aims and objectives can be reinforced by allowing users to do an activity, do part of an activity or to plan to do an activity.

Evaluation, feedback and assessment explored methods of giving feedback for a variety of library teaching and looked at the relevance of assessment in this context. Emphasis was given to how any assessment or feedback should be related to the overall aims and objectives of the session. Group work in this session included drawing up questionnaires and analysing the successes and failures of a number of feedback questionnaires from other institutions.

Technology in learning and teaching gave an overview of IT applications available to academic librarians including computer assisted learning, computer-mediated communications and learning materials on the World Wide Web. There was also a brief hands-on session to look at some of the CAL packages available and to establish guidelines for the evaluation of learning technologies.

Difference, culture and disability focused on two categories of user, namely those from other countries and those with disabilities. Exercises in the workshop identified various barriers which these two groups may encounter in libraries and explored practical and management solutions.

Planning for open and distance learning looked at the differences between open and face-to-face learning and when open learning is appropriate in the library context. A useful reference in this area is "Practical pointers in flexible learning" which can be accessed via the DeLiberations on-line journal at

http://www.lgu.ac.uk/deliberations/flex.learning/index.cgi

linked assignments were attached to each workshop which EduLib hope will provide evidence of prior learning. Completion of the assignments to the standards set by SEDA could be put forward as part of an APL (accreditation of prior learning) portfolio if participants go on to take a Teaching in Higher Education qualification. However, acceptance of the APL portfolio is not guaranteed.

Relevance to my present job

The training provided has provided me with the educational skills required to be an effective educator of end users. I have gained expertise in the provision of variable teaching methods. This has proved invaluable over the past few months when I have been designing the new training schedule for the new semester. The training has provided me with an awareness of the range of teaching methods. In particular, the use of computer based learning materials and the Web.

Part of EduLib also considered how students learn and gave examples of tasks that could be given to them to complete to assess how successful the course or session has been.

Also of relevance (and not something I had been particularly strong on) was the session on feedback and evaluation. This session considered a variety of ways of achieving this. Methods included group discussions to asking students to write down one thing that should be stopped, one thing that should start and one thing that should continue on a post it and add it to the door on the way out.

Relevance to the future

EduLib hope to provide a model for further development to achieve institutional approval for their training. It also seeks to strive for national accreditation and will, ultimately, provide a nation wide support network for practising librarians.

A cut down version of EduLib has been planned for colleagues in Learning and Research Support outlining several areas of interest. It is intended that the session will allow colleagues to collectively establish models of good practise in planning training events.

Remaining needs

EduLib concentrated their efforts on one volume (Squires, G. 1994), which gave a slightly biased approach to models of teaching. A full analysis of EduLib is being carried out by IMPEL. I was interviewed for nearly sixty minutes outlining my views. Each session could have taken a whole week to cover. Instead, sessions were rushed. Topics not covered include bibliographic software and use of IT in a presentation such as Power-point.

NetLinkS Workshop and Focus Group

An NLS Focus Group Training Workshop by NetLinkS took place on 14th January. It was designed to train participants to lead a focus group discussion on 'network learning and support' at their own institutions. The day was spent helping the 12 participants identify who, within their institutions, would be invited to attend a NetLinkS focus group, setting the agenda and the method of delivery for the meeting. Although the training day was not TAPin specific, it was interesting to note that most of those representing the West Midlands institutions were also part of the TAPin Working Group. This was a benefit as those involved in TAPin were already highly sensitive to the need for networked learner support. Two of the partner institutions felt that they would be unable to provide a strategic planning focus group precisely because they were already highly involved with TAPin Stage Two.

A NetLinkS Focus Group for networked learner support took place on 10th July 1997 at one partner University. The event was attended by the TAPin research team and senior members of the University administration and teaching staff. A summary of this lively meeting can be found in the Interim Evaluation Results section of this report.

Netskills

The librarian training in May was to include Adobe Acrobat, Metadata and SmartBookmarks. NetSkills was approached to provide this training. However, it appeared that the training provided by NetSkills is limited to a core of workshops and does not support training by the NetSkills team acting as consultants. The TONIC package did not cover the topics needed. The TAPin Research Assistant approached other eLib projects in an effort to locate a knowledge provider but was unable to find someone with the time to come for a day.

A trainer who was not attached to the eLib programme was found from within one of the partner universities. The TAPin management team felt that the training and awareness strand of eLib should be updating their training programme to take account of advances in information technology which required new skills from the librarians. However, as one Key Link stated:

"The Subject Librarians have not developed a culture of self-sufficiency of approach to new tools on the Net. They have needed training all the way through - a perfect example of this is Adobe Acrobat, which is freely available on the Net, together with documentation and help files, yet how many of them needed a course in it before feeling they could use it?! If they are not going to develop the ability to absorb/exploit new tools/techniques without training courses how can they expect to be able to engage academics?"

Even so, Stage Two of the TAPin project has not found the other training and awareness projects within eLib as useful in its second year as it did in year one.

Summary

There have been a number of lessons learned. They are summarised below:

·· The librarians needed to develop an ability to market themselves. Instead of

waiting for customers to come to them, they needed to push themselves forward and show their skills to their academic communities, and the added value in their support.

·· The librarians needed to recognise the important role they played in changing the

cultures, of not only their library and information services, but of their institutions as a whole. They were "gateways" to the wider information available to academics and seldom recognised their roles as agents for change.

·· Training needed to address the constantly changing world of information

technology. Training organisations needed to move forward by providing intermediate or advanced skills to those already working with networked information. When training lagged behind there was a sense of failure amongst library staff when they could not provide a full range of services.

·· The SKIP eLib project highlighted areas for further discussion. Perhaps the most

important being whether or not it was appropriate for the role of librarians to be clearly defined, or whether it was fluid and a constant response to change. Perhaps it was time for librarians to be pro-active rather than reactive and to determine the rate and type of change themselves.

·

Key Links reported many culture changes within their library and information services these included:

· Each subject area at each institution started to build WWW sites to support staff.·· All librarians reported positive responses to the project from academics.·· Some librarians had their roles changed or were promoted into roles that made use

of their TAPin skills and experience.·· Other subject areas requested similar training and support.·· Librarians were enhancing their 'traditional' skills at the same time as applying new

ones, these included producing bibliographies of URLs, the organisation of information, training users in search techniques and evaluating sources of information.

·· Other methods of supporting the academics were implemented such as an

electronic mail enquiry service, which made better use of the librarians' time.·· In some universities, senior staff and administrators received network support.·· Many TAPin librarians reported they had enough work to carry them past the end

of Stage Two.·

· Some of the Key Links reported that money will be found from other areas of the budget to continue networked information work.

·

It was evident that the pace of change accelerated. A change process took place as a result of the TAPin project and demonstrated that once change was initiated it gained its own momentum.

Interim Evaluation Results

Case Study OneCase Study TwoCase Study ThreeCase Study FourCase Study FiveNLS Review Session Case StudyConclusions

Introduction

The visits to each Library sought to identify evidence of an access or holdings culture. The terms access and holdings were defined as part of the case study protocol (Appendix A). Broadly, an institution with an access culture was defined as one which embraced networked information and was changed or transformed in the process. An institution with a holdings culture was defined as one that had adapted, or is adapting, aspects of networked information but was fundamentally unchanged. These terms are defined in Table 1. The interpretation and definition were explored in each case study.

Table 1. Defining access and holdings

Access HoldingsEvidence of awareness of the existence of remote users

Evidence of an assumption of internal users

Evidence of the promotion of networked resources to users

No evidence to users of the availability of networked resources

Evidence of the existence of networked resources linked to help information

Information about their existence only e.g. training, passwords or contacts of networked resources

Promotion of electronic communication such as e-mail or Internet addresses

No promotion of electronic communication such as e-mail or Internet addresses

Positive messages Negative messagesPhysical ease of access to electronic resources

Difficulty in accessing or locating electronic resources

Reports of the relationships with organisations external to the Library provided a point of reference from which to assess the Library's role as a centre of expertise in networked information. Efforts by Libraries to define these relationships were

important because of the signals they gave to users about the nature of their roles. These reports represented evidence of a process of each Library in taking ownership of the knowledge about networked information and its dissemination. Key players in this process were:

· national and international centres within each institution; ·· computer centres and ·· technical expertise within academic departments. ·

Communication with academic staff formed an essential link in the process of change. Research suggests that face to face communication is the most effective medium of communication: 1) among opinion leaders and 2) during periods of uncertainty created by new complex technologies. This was supported by the TAPin research and incorporated into the TAPin Model. Electronic or telephone communication was preferred for routine communication.

Effective communication required that information was delivered through the most appropriate channels. This required mutual understanding of what those channels were by Subject Librarians and academics. Evidence suggested that this is likely, at least initially to be face-to-face communication.

The concepts of "outsidedness" and "boundary spanning" were found in culture change theory. The Subject Librarians served their libraries and institutions by capturing and emitting these important concepts. The visits and email questionnaire to the Subject Librarians explored their communication practices and the formal print and Web documents in each Library. It was assumed that the libraries were seen as outside the academic subject departments and therefore ideally placed to transmit new ways of working. They also acted as boundary spanning individuals often seeking like minded academics to act as champions among their academic colleagues.

Case studies are reported here as individual cases. References are made to arguments advanced in the review of the literature (Flatten, K. & Holland, M. 1997) and to the case study protocols where the author felt that explanation was needed to clarify the direction and content of the analysis.

Interim Evaluation Results - Case Study One

Access or HoldingsRelationship with external organisations and groupsCommunication within the LibraryCommunication with academic staffExpertise and use of networked informationTAPin Impact

Access or Holdings

The overall impression of the Case Study One Library was that that users should seek human assistance to gain access to resources. The Enquiries Desk presented a schedule of which Subject Librarian would be present and when. Comments from Subject Librarian F supported the observation that the physical presence of the Librarian was important.

"I always like to be at hand to aid any searching tasks in either electronic or hard copy form."

Subject Librarian G made a distinction between advice and information. Advice came from a subject specialist who was expert and preferably qualified in a chosen area. Information was assumed to be general guidance, perhaps answers to directional enquiries or directing a user to a general reference source. This was supported in the description of the Enquiry Desk from the general Library Guide. The Enquiry Desk was a filter for directing users to the subject specialists, as indicated in the Guide.

"The Librarian on duty will be pleased to help you, or may refer your query to the appropriate specialist. You could be asked to make an appointment should that member of staff not be immediately available." (Printed Guide)

Contrasting this description of the service with the experience of the TAPin researcher using the library was informative. The researcher described the following incident.

A terminal to provide access to the CD ROM network was in use. The TAPin researcher used another terminal in a separate part of the Library which had a sign stating a member of staff was to be present. The TAPin researcher approached the nearest staff person and was asked to wait. After 15 minutes the researcher asked again and was allowed to access the networked terminal unassisted. The reason for the delay or the change in the requirement for staff presence was not explained.

The impression was that enquiry staff rationed some resources, such as subject expertise, and that not all staff have the authority to answer non routine queries. Inexperienced users encountered difficulties because the underlying assumption was that users should be familiar with the Library and its routines. These assumptions were supported in general by Subject Librarian H who made this comment taken from another context.

"[The] library assistant within the Department may have network skills but her grade means that [person] is not expected to give professional information support." (CS1)

Expertise did exist but the person who had it did not have the authority or professional status to use it on behalf of the user.

The researcher sought to identify evidence (to the user) of the resources available and how to locate them. One Information Point was located and two display cases contained guides. These guides were collected as evidence. Notices giving information about networked resources were also identified. OPACs were clearly in evidence at each entrance. The Information Points were also described as follows in the Library Guide.

"An unstaffed Information Point on each floor provides a selection of guides, visual help in locating materials, and an outline of CD-ROM facilities". (Printed Guide)

Responsibility for acquiring knowledge about using resources was placed on the user. Information Points with guides were unstaffed. The underlying impression given was that electronic resources were made available on a turn-up and use basis. There was no indication that training was needed or given.

Library staff assumed that users had expertise or at least the ability to acquire expertise. This assertion was supported from comments made by Subject Librarian G that staff were already knowledgeable about using electronic and networked resources because; "the subject area was [before TAPin] well down the road in IT".

Subject Librarian F commented about using the Internet; "that while face to face [contact] helps, this exercise [TAPin support] was well within the capability of most academics".

Evidence to the user of the presence of networked resources and the exploitation of networked resources was limited and disparate. An electronic journal was advertised, BIDS was promoted through printed guides, and a Web guide to medical information was available. The Web was not used to deliver information. Web pages which collect or synthesise Internet resources were reported in preparation but were not accessible to the users at the time of the visit.

Evidence from publications and guides indicated to the researcher that the Case One Library has made significant investments in CD ROMs and CD ROM networks. Reference was clearly made to the means by which information was made available, for example stand alone CD ROM.

Guides, however, were for individual databases. There was no evidence of guides that integrated different forms, hardcopy, electronic, networked. Guides that took a subject approach predated (1991) the use of Web, or listed only print resources.

The assumption that users will be physically present in the Library was evident in printed guides. Guides were printed with text describing a sequence of actions which required the user to be actually using the resource. No pictures or graphics were reproduced in guides to help users envision the resources described. There was no evidence that electronic resources were available outside the Library building.

Assumptions about physical presence and familiarity also contained within them an impression that users were from within the institution. There was no evidence that users who were physically remote from the Library could access Library resources. E-mail was reported to be used extensively by academic staff. Subject Librarian's e-mail addresses were available in some publications. The telephone analogy applied here. E-mail was another way to contact individual staff. There was no evidence that access was available, or information delivered, over networks.

Relationship with external organisations and groups

Case Study One Library's Subject Librarians reported good informal communication with a national and international centre of expertise within their institution. Subject Librarian G identified this as a threat to the Library's role as a change agency and centre of networked information expertise,

"There is a danger that the role of the change agent might have been taken here by the [centre]. The [centre], however, is a national and international one and has little role within the [department]. The Library is seen as the provider not only of information, but also of advice on how to get it".

Subject Librarian G reported disappointment with the relationship with such centres, in that they did not provide formal support to the home institution. In identifying this threat this Subject Librarian showed awareness that there was a role to be taken and the nature of that role was to provide information and advice.

The Case Study One institution had a developed network infrastructure. Subject Librarians reported technical help existing within their client departments. Comments about support provided some indication of the perception of the extent of the Library's role. Academics needed technical advice obtainable within the department and less help in information retrieval from Librarians. Infrastructure was linked directly to culture change. There was an assumption that ownership of technology created a culture change.

Communication within the Library

Case Study One Library reported that they had a library Web committee to produce standards for Web pages. Responsibility for creating Web pages which included writing HTML was delegated to subject experts. This task was done by the Systems Librarian but was delegated because the Systems Librarian no longer had time. The skills required were shifting down through the Case One Library structure. HTML was a systems task but was delegated to become part of the tasks of the subject specialists. The relationship between the Library Web committee and the University Web management was not defined.

Communication with academic staff

Subject Librarian G reported the creation of a library committee of academics which had TAPin as an agenda item. This formal forum provided recognition of the TAPin initiative in both the academic and Library community. However, it remained a Library committee and not part of the established formal communication within the department. Subject Librarian G expressed frustration at the difficulty of breaking through through this barrier;

"Failures are through people who just do not want to know. The [head of department] has changed and the current one is not keen".

Subject Librarians responded positively to the suggestions of the significance of face-to-face communication. Significantly, comments were directed at their importance in establishing relationships rather than passing information. Academic staff who were

met personally passed on information about the usefulness of the encounters to others which generated more contacts and communication.

The evidence pointed to the belief among Subject Librarians that the Case Study One Library dealt with an expert user community. Routine communication by phone and e-mail was sufficient and was supported by extensive networking hardware within the institution. The skills to use networked information were not regarded as difficult to acquire. The view was expressed that those who chose not to acquire them could delegate, or request others in the department to do it for them.

Library staff did experience some uncertainty. TAPin represented a mechanism for raising librarian skills to the level of those believed to exist within the department.

Expertise and use of networked information

The model for the Case Study One Library was one of advice through personal communication with subject experts. The impression was given that the use of networked information in other contexts was a technical matter or one to be resolved through personal communication with academic colleagues. Information skills were expressed in terms of individual subject resources. There was no indication of a need to pass on general skills such as how to use e-mail or a Web browser, as their users were expert or acquired these skills from other channels.

Personal expertise was evident in the ability of Subject Librarians to create HTML, the routine use of e-mail, mailbase lists, and the Web. The position of Case Study One Library contained a dilemma which was informative. Resources constraints were evident in the lack of time Subject Librarians had to give to users. For example, although TAPin provided support for routine activities to allow visits to academics, the view was expressed that time to use and learn about networked information was limited. Subject experts had moved from a [open access] desk in the library to a [closed access] office. The TAPin model was regarded as insupportable because it was to time consuming.

Academics had end user access to networked information and subject expertise. The skills to exploit these products were relatively simple and supportable through personal communication with colleagues including the Librarian. The situation was presented of a contracting expert resource within the Library, and an expanding information resource outside. There was no evidence, apart from e-mail use, that Case Study One Subject Librarians were using networked information to distribute their subject expertise and increase its availability, nor was there evidence that they were participating actively in the creation or management of networked information.

TAPin Impact

The value of TAPin was clearly expressed, as a source of training and as a resource to support communication with staff through personal visits. TAPin was credited as being a catalyst for several initiatives which increased the level of communication and visibility of Subject Librarians. Although the TAPin Model was regarded as insupportable outside the framework of TAPin project, Subject Librarians expressed the intention to continue visits to academics.

Interim Evaluation Results - Case Study Two

Access or HoldingsInternal CommunicationCommunication with academic staffTAPin Outcomes

Access or Holdings

Case Study Two Library presented the user with printed information in the form of signs, samples of guides and notices. The impression was that the Library routinely communicated with users through notices. A section of the notice board was allocated to TAPin and electronic resources, samples of guides about such services as BIDS and Internet based resources such as SOSIG were present. The TAPin researcher sought to obtain copies of these handouts. The Enquiry Desk was not visible. Initial enquiries were directed to the Issues Desk. The following encounter was reported; A request about Netscape access resulted in a referral to the Enquiry Desk. When requesting guides at the Enquiry Desk the TAPin researcher was asked to identify herself as staff or student. The reason given for this question was that different passwords were given to staff and students for BIDS. The implication was that all guides were not openly accessible in order to control access. Copies of the guides were photocopied for the TAPin researcher. Some guides were not available and the researcher was asked to return later to collect them. Evidence from Subject Librarian D indicated that guides were not available in printed form as they were [to be] published as Web pages. Only the BIDS guide would normally be collected from the Enquiry Desk as this required a password. At another Library service point the TAPin researcher encountered a general notice board in the entrance. None of the notices referred to electronic information. The Enquiry Desk was visible but no indication was given that Internet access and assistance in using the Internet was available from there. These encounters gave insights into the assumptions that Case Study Two Librarians made about using Web to disseminate information. The evidence indicated that networked communication was fitted into the print model. Although material was published on the Web the print culture was so strong that photocopies of guides available on the Web were produced by the Enquiry Desk who believe that print publication was intended. The problems of the encounter described reflected the assumptions of a print culture. The Web guide was promoted as if it were a printed guide. This was the message conveyed to the TAPin researcher. No help was provided to the user to assist interaction with the guide even though it was in a new and perhaps unfamiliar medium. Print publication was equated with Web publication since the guide can

exist in both media, however, the choice was made to use Web as a form of distribution. This evidence illustrated a confusion with using technology and adapting the appropriate understanding or culture that underpins it. There was no recognition in the evidence that this was understood or that the act of publishing on the Web had strategic implications which go beyond simple publication. Examples of these might be recognition of changing communication patterns to users or changing the assumptions of Library staff. The Case Study Two Library had a Web page which provided an integrated interface to the local catalogue, serials listings, CD-ROM catalogues and significant Internet gateways. Subject Librarians' Web pages contained "mail to" links to individual e-mail addresses. These pages provided links to descriptive and geographical information which acknowledged that remote users may not be familiar with the campus. General printed guides made no reference to Internet resources or provided e-mail addresses for contacts. Guides developed to support the TAPin Model, discussed above adopted a descriptive style. A descriptive style might include using general statements, no "how to" information, no examples of use, or specific examples of commands, or graphics. Some guides were observably different from those mentioned above, and made extensive use of URL's, and adopted an individual and informal publication style. These semi-official documents were examples of experimentation with new models. This supported Subject Librarians who made reference to these in their evidence as informing developments in such things as Web page creation and design.

Communication with other organisations within the institution Relations with the institutions external to the Library were informative. At one location there was conflict between Subject Librarians and those who have responsibility for teaching IT. The view was expressed by the IT Lecturer that teaching Internet use was not a Library role. Individual academics, however, have approached Subject Librarians to deliver Internet skills courses to their students within the context of a particular subject. This form of information skills teaching was not a routine Subject Librarian task. The expectation of Library staff was that students acquire information about the Internet from outside the Library, from academic staff or through communicating with peers, by word of mouth and by e-mail. The view was that very few enquiries were directed at the Library and that the IT centre fulfils this task of an enquiry service in this respect. The picture presented was ambiguous. Librarians perceive general Internet awareness as taking place outside the Library. A member of academic staff claimed ownership of this area, however, experimental teaching requested from Subject Librarians was delivered. The theme emerged of: 1) coping with a blurring of technical and information needs, 2) issues of who had ownership of the Internet in an organisational sense and 3) a blurring of roles in the mind of the academic staff about which part of the organisation provided Internet related support.

Internal communication The diffusion process suggested that key innovative individuals initiated the process of diffusion acting as innovators, pioneers and change agents. This was supported by evidence from case studies of the role of pioneering individuals in developing information resources. These ideas informed the interpretation of Case Study Two where some of these elements were visible. Subject Librarian X initiated a process of change by giving demonstrations to staff on Netscape and explaining the process of how to search. Subject Librarian C began a development process of collating Internet addresses to key resources within a single subject area. This developed into a model for Web page development. Subject Librarian C also acted as a mentor for Subject Librarian A to develop a Web page. Subject Librarian C also took independent action to find solutions to questions about Internet related software from outside the Library. Further relationships were established through TAPin to develop visit material. A picture emerged of individual information seeking, mentoring and informal support among colleagues and of experimentation and re-invention. Management of the Web presence was through a Web committee. An early version of the Web site created as an individual project was redesigned and integrated into the University Web presence. A division emerged between Internet experts and non-experts through the issue of training. A training day was arranged for all staff by the Web committee. The presentation was acknowledged to be passive and delivered at too high a level. This created a demand for more training. The view was expressed that requests for more training were prevarication by those unwilling to take responsibility for their own learning. This reflected differences between the print culture and an emerging networked culture, and between innovators and early adopters and later adopters. Communication with academic staff Evidence from Subject Librarians indicated that they believed they were not dealing with expert users in their academic community. Comments pointed to a lack of networked access within departments. Some visits which took place within the TAPin framework were held in the Library to overcome network access problems. Communication by e-mail was not effective because few academics had e-mail at the case date. Communication was through written notes, personal contacts and formal meetings. The effect was to create a shared learning experience, as indicated by this comment from Subject Librarian A: "The academics I had to train had very little experience and I think it helped for them to talk to me, a very vulnerable almost technophobe myself ... who has managed to master some aspects of the technology." Other comments pointed to the perceived advantage of talking to someone outside the department.

"Its overwhelming advantage [being an outsider] was that the academics did not have to reveal to each other their ignorance of the subject, but could work with me in the privacy of their own office on their own machine to build up their skills." (Subject Librarian D) Reporting of the content of these encounters focused on giving information, passing on skills and initiating changes in behaviour. Subject Librarian D reported this encounter. "A staff member came over to see [me] for an appointment. He brought what he thought was an obscure, high level information need which he was needing for a conference ...[The Subject Librarian] found relevant information starting with BIDS and working from there. [The Subject Librarian] e-mailed the results to him. He was astonished with the quality and is now a convert to Web and to Librarians guiding Web use". Respondents in the Case Study Two Library gave clear signals that they were engaged in a process of change engendered by the TAPin project. Positive outcomes reported were in terms of credibility with academic staff; "….more academics see us as reservoirs of know-how because of our work with TAPin." (Subject Liberian B) "[Academic staff] were happy for us to do sessions on the Internet with their students." (Subject Liberian A) "I think the School's enthusiasm about using me to deliver training to identified groups of students is a reflection of taking ownership of my expertise in this area." (Subject Librarian D) An interesting process was visible within these comments. The TAPin visits have the effect of building confidence with academic staff to support and encourage a process of information skills training for students. These visits enabled and initiated a second phase of communication and training with student end-users. The picture within Case Study Two Library was not a uniform one. An honest and candid comment was made by Subject Librarian B. "TAPin was credited with creating a general awareness of Subject Librarian skills amongst academic staff. The momentum of the project was not strong enough, however, to overcome underlying difficulties. Our department took steps early on to publicise what we would be doing, but as time slipped away the purpose was forgotten." TAPin outcomes Case Study Two Library had a narrow emerging expertise in networked information. The client community was in general not networked with a consequent low level of expertise. Subject Librarians presented themselves as knowledgeable about their subjects but not expert. Efforts focused on the delivery of services within the

physical confines of the building. TAPin outcomes were not clearly defined in the evidence and no analysis was offered about the TAPin Model. The picture that emerged was of a process of cultural change created by both environmental factors, such as increased network availability and convergence of support services and changes initiated by the TAPin project. The question about what would have happened without TAPin produced this response from Subject Librarian B; Interim Evaluation Results - Case Study Three Access or Holdings Communication with academic staff Internal Communication Relations with academic staff TAPin Outcomes

Access or Holdings Observing the Library environment the TAPin researcher identified evidence of networked information presented to users. Staff and student guides contained e-mail addresses, however, the majority of guides did not mention networked resources.

A notice board dedicated to Web resources was present with a guide to Internet resources focused on a specific subject of current general interest. General information was displayed in other areas of the Library and a printout of the subject based Web page available within the Library's Web site. Other networked resources were promoted including CD ROMs and an Exam Papers on-line system. The following encounter was reported: The TAPin researcher wanted to use a resource dedicated to a specific student group . The machine was switched off and the researcher had to identify switches and wall sockets to power up the equipment. This worked and access was achieved to a remote database. The Librarian commented to the researcher that the room was not heavily used and needed promoting. This encounter followed a familiar theme of the user being unable to identify and get access to networked resources. The recognition of this need was refreshing but had not led to action. There was evidence of where the activities of Subject Librarians were made available to students. The guide was interesting. It was presented in an accessible and printed format, at the point of use, addressing a topic of current interest. Although directed at a networked resource users were able to act on the information it contained because the processes were obvious and familiar. Communication with academic staff

The evidence from Case Study Three Library indicated frequent communication at both a formal and informal level. The view was explicitly expressed that the formal appointments required by the TAPin Model were an addition to an existing framework of communications and contacts. Information skills teaching appeared to form a routine part of Subject Librarian's activities. Evidence from the literature suggested that some individuals characterised as "boundary spanning" had extensive contacts both inside and outside their organisation and were able communicators. This group acted as change agents in their communication activities and exerted influence over colleagues. Subject Librarians were asked to consider if they had had contact with, or actively sought out, these individuals. Subject Librarian K identified the description of a boundary spanning individual as a person who facilitated access to others within the department. "….contact was made with a boundary spanning academic who drew up a list of academics to contact ... his help was invaluable as everyone I contacted was expecting me and knew what I was doing." Case Study Three Librarians took a structured and deliberate approach to implementing the TAPin model. Approaches to the content of meetings with academic staff were planned and informed by an understanding of individual needs. The following example was given. The Subject Librarian was aware of general BIDS use by academic staff. The choice was made to demonstrate one function, the current awareness feature, to establish the credibility of the Subject Librarian as knowledgeable and an expert. Outcomes of these meetings were positively reported. They "went well" and some sessions went over the planned time. Changes in attitude were reported. The following was an example. A member of academic staff who relies on colleagues to search the Internet for him was persuaded to visit the Library to see Netscape with the Subject Librarian. The staff member was convinced of the value of Web access and initiated a process of requesting access to Netscape from his desktop machine. Internal communication Subject Librarians in the TAPin study shared offices with colleagues. Information was passed to colleagues who were physically close. The forum for discussion was the Web group which discussed Web and related Library issues. Formal roles concerned with managing the Web included a Web master, who was a Librarian, the Systems Librarian who helped with HTML and an assistant who helped the Subject Librarians to check Web links in their Web pages. Subject Librarians received assistance in writing their own Web pages; however, the evidence indicated that they were able to write HTML should they choose to. The Systems Librarian also taught information skills.

The approach to networked resources was informative. The evidence pointed to awareness but little actual knowledge of networked resources such as the Internet prior to the TAPin project. Subject Librarians acknowledged the value of TAPin as a source of information. The TAPin project coincided with the introduction of other networked resources such as BIDS. Procedures to guide Web development were established by the Computing Centre. The process was supported by a strong systems presence within the Library. The TAPin Model was presented as an enhancement and extension of existing activities. To provide a point of comparisons with other scenarios the following were absent or at least not discussed in a way that questioned the value of the TAPin project. 1) stress relating to resources such as time, 2) changes in the perceived role of the Subject Librarian arising from implementing the TAPin Model, 3) negative statements about other support services. Relations with academic staff Research suggests that under conditions of uncertainty people will seek information from visible experts outside their immediate group. Two incidents reported in Case Study Three Library suggested an expectation that Subject Librarians were knowledgeable about the Internet. Firstly, academic staff requested a guide to resources within a given subject area. This guide was written and eventually formed the basis of a Web page. Secondly, Subject Librarians reported contacts prior to TAPin which assumed knowledge on their part of Internet resources. A need for Web publication of material originated by academics was identified by the Subject Librarian. This extended beyond the Subject Librarian's role and the boundaries of the TAPin study; however, it developed logically from how to find information on the Internet to how to make information available on the Internet. This issue did identify an interesting dilemma of how to address areas where established procedures and practice may not exist. This was not followed up in the evidence. Subject Librarians in Case Study Three Library strongly supported the value of face-to-face communication with staff. The comment was made by Subject Librarian K that face-to-face communication was assumed based on previous experience. "It was fairly obvious that face-to-face was the preferred model from previous experience of interaction/communication on other matters. Perhaps no conscious decision was made for face-to-face communication, it was just assumed." This comment was interesting in that it suggested an approach which encouraged strong interpersonal links and knowledge about academic staff prior to the TAPin project. These were elements built into the TAPin Model which was itself based on responses from research with academics. TAPin outcomes Subject Librarians in Case Study Three Library reported success in implementing the TAPin Model evidenced in this case study.

Interim Evaluation Results - Case Study Four Access or Holdings Communication with academic staff TAPin Outcomes Access or Holdings The TAPin researcher made use of the networked facilities available on open access to explore the Library and institutional Web pages and the Library network. The pages contained descriptive information about the Library and related services. Access was provided to open learning material on a range of IT applications directed at students. Library Web pages provided a mix of rich pages with links to Web resources and descriptive information. A Web based Library Web Guide was accessible. Links to University pages appeared abandoned, evidenced by out of date information. The Library Web presence had not been updated for a year. A new version was planned and TAPin activity was to be reflected in the new site. Case Study Four Library had a developed network infrastructure and a converged service. Integrated teams which included both technical computer support and Library support were directed at each school. The evidence from the TAPin researcher points to an initial phase of Web development which had not been followed up. A second phase to redesign the Web presence was planned. Networked databases were supported by a complete range of guides which were to be put on the Web using an assistant funded by TAPin. Terminals were clearly marked to identify which resources could be accessed from each machine. Posters advertising training in BIDS, the OPAC, the Internet and CD ROMs were displayed. Case Study Four Library presented a strong access culture. This was underpinned by the use of resources, the communication with users and the clear and visible links between resources and training in their use. Communication with academic staff Case Study Four Subject Librarians reported a wide range of communication. Networked information was discussed in Library user groups and as agenda items on school committees. Subject Librarians encouraged the use of e-mail. However, evidence pointed to regular informal face-to-face encounters in casual meetings, coffee rooms and academics calling into the Library. The picture that emerged from the evidence was of a rich range of regular communication. The theme that comes from the evidence was that of raising awareness among academic staff of the extent of desk top access which they already had. This was explicitly stated by Subject Librarian L. "I see myself as a change agent. Part of the change was getting the academics to change how they work and to become [better] researchers than they had been in the past using a wider range of resources."

Successful outcomes of encounters with academic staff were reported in terms of raising awareness and building confidence. These examples are given below. "Some academics [now] use the CD-ROM databases across a range of subject categories not just education as a result of training and because the CD-ROMs were networked. Academic staff acquire greater confidence using electronic resources and exploring different features." These comments were informative. Academic staff were being equipped with network resources accessible in their offices. The implication for the Library is that support is moving from inside the Library building into the academic environment. Access from outside the physical institutional environment was planned moving potential access into the homes of academic staff. Subject Librarians encouraged the use of e-mail because it allowed communication out of hours that can be picked up when they choose. The extension of this argument had consequences which were present in the evidence. Networked access was planned to increase, Subject Librarians in Case Study Four Library evidenced examples of resources in demand by academics, such as government reports, that were full text on the Web. Three examples are given below. The timeliness of some government reports which appeared on the Web before they were in print. The Subject Librarian was able to pass this on to academic staff in the department. "[I can use the Web in] Answering queries where information may only be in electronic format. e.g. updates on epidemiological statistics from the World Health Organisation." A Subject Librarian showed an academic colleague how to access an electronic journal which was only available on the Web. Plans were in place as part of the TAPin project to mount all guides on the Web. The balance of the librarian/academic relationship evidenced here was moving from a relationship focused within a physical Library to personal communication, advice and training delivered over a network or from wherever network access was achieved. Case Study Four Subject Librarians interpreted the concept of "outsidedness" in physical terms. The following comment was offered: "We don't think that being outside an academic department was a particular asset or hindrance. Our skills as communicators were more important than our location. Subject Librarians could physically be in the academic department, or they could operate [other places] outside the Library."

TAPin outcomes The evidence did not provide identifiable examples of the outcomes of TAPin related activities. These were not evident in the Library Web site. Resources provided by TAPin were acknowledged. The activities described and reported as routine by

Subject Librarians included advising and teaching the use of networked resources which shared the aims of the TAPin Model. Throughout the second year TAPin Web pages were created and made accessible to the academics receiving support. The academics often suggested links for inclusion in these pages. A speculative comment about Case Study Four Library was that the TAPin impact may be less because many of objectives TAPin activities sought to achieve were in place, such as 1) Subject Librarian knowledge 2) teaching networked information to academic staff 3) developing Web materials. To extend the argument, had Case Study Four Library not taken part in TAPin the development of these skills and resources would not have been significantly effected. Interim Evaluation Results - Case Study Five Access or Holdings Internal Communication Personal inforamtion gathering Communication with academic staff TAPin Outcomes Access or Holdings In the Case Study Five Library there was an explicit recognition of remote users in a guide for distance learners however this was not linked to network use. Book requests were possible via JANET but how this could be put into operation was not explained. Guides offered advice as well as holdings information. The use of CD ROM resources was promoted but users were required to be physically present in the Library to use them. For example a laminated help sheet for CD ROM use was available but this was only given out at the time of use. E-mail addresses and e-mail access were not used. On- line searches were requested through a printed form. There was a terminal for Exam Papers on-line. At the time of the collection of evidence there was no evidence to users of the presence of Internet resources, although the OPAC was Web based. Users were, however, directed to Subject Librarians by Lecturers. Subject Librarian I made this comment as a reported outcome of TAPin visits. "Lecturers [were] sending students to see me to look for material concerning obscure subjects on the Web. Not always with success." This comment was significant. The model of access was still mediated. The Subject Librarian remained the information expert consultant. Information was retrieved on behalf of the students not by the student. TAPin had registered in the minds of the academics that Subject Librarians were experts on the Web. The effect was to reinforce the mediated model. Students were not independent end users because, they did not know where to get access to the Web and they were not trained in the skills of Internet retrieval. Internal communication

The evidence pointed to efforts in planning and co-ordination in making available the Library Web pages with both the faculty and the institution. Meetings were identified to discuss the interfacing of the Library Web pages with the Web master and subject based Web pages with the academic department. Guides to the Web were withheld until Library access was available. This will be provided through dedicated machines. Case Study Five Library reported no evidence of individual experimentation. Development was discussed within the context of established procedures and frameworks. Personal information gathering Subject Librarian I reported the value of information exchange with professional colleagues, through visits conferences and meetings. Many of these activities were within the subject/disciplinary context rather than through contact with colleagues within the institution in other disciplines. Communication with academic staff The evidence reported strong communication links with academic departments at both a formal and informal level. Representation on a key learning resources committee at a formal level generated informal communication about electronic resources and networked resources over e-mail. Face-to-face informal meetings at lunch were given as evidence of informal communication. As a result of TAPin a programme to keep academic staff aware of developments and changes in networked resources was initiated. The academic staff were currently being made very much aware of subject information in networks, because of TAPin, and the timing of TAPin coincided perfectly with the setting up of the [subject] departments own network. "Timing was perfect as staff were getting Netscape and e-mail access."

The direction of this comments was informative. Information technology and networked information provided a point of contact and information exchange. The introduction of networked resources in the department gave a shared experience of learning for both Subject Librarians and academic staff. The impression drawn from the evidence of Case Study Five Library was that the relationship created with the department was one of collaboration and co-operation. The academic staff, because of the timing of the TAPin initiative, were uniquely receptive. The significance of this was underpinned by a meeting between the TAPin Subject Librarian and the School Dean. Subject Librarians at Case Study Five Library explicitly identified strategic benefits to users of networked information. The value of networked technology in delivering services to students which replaced print services was identified to increase access and reduce pressure on printed alternatives. A project to mount an electronic version of a subject specific printed reference text was discussed. The objective of providing full text services was stated. The value of providing multiple access to a large number of students was also identified. Case Study Five Subject Librarians made use of e-journals and discussion groups to improve their own knowledge of resources.

TAPin outcomes Case Study Five Library Subject Librarians had established their expertise with academic staff through the TAPin project. The picture that emerged was of the beginning of a process of development which at the visit date was not supported by networks and hardware. The experience of shared learning about networked information and the shared development of networked information had a reinforcing effect. Interim Evaluation Results - NLS Review Session

Case Study Introduction Summary of Networked Learning Discussion Summary of Resources Used Across Networks At The University Summary of Culture Change Strategy Plan of Action Summary of NLS Review Session

Introduction One University held a NetLinkS Review Session as a follow-up to the NLS Focus Group Training Workshop held in January. A summary of that meeting is offered below as a case study of strategic actions which underpin the change process. Summary of networked learning discussion Pockets of the University were moving toward networked learning. The University had an IT strategy, but it was mostly directed toward administrative needs. There were conflicts of interest when devolution occurred, especially when a decentralised strategy for teaching and learning meant the faculties took complete responsibility. Everybody began to look inward and protect their own, not seeking or sharing good practice with others. It became impossible for faculties to develop in-house networked teaching and learning resources when multimedia and advanced IT were needed.

"We need to develop a culture of adapting and adopting what is out there. Having not done much may be an advantage because we can find what others have done well and adapt it. We need to go out and find 'drag and drop' tools and share them around so a group of academics and students are using them. They then will support each other". (Head, School of Computing) Summary of resources used across networks at this University Resources currently used over networks related to central management. The teaching and learning resources were almost exclusively used by the School of Computing using the Lotus Notes network. Email and the Web have been tried and partially successful. Email problems may be solved when a higher standard of software such

as NT4 is installed. The Web server was not used for teaching and learning resources. The University Web pages were mounted centrally and were based upon a marketing strategy. Staff did not put up their own Web pages and learning activities. Information Services wanted faculties to develop their own Intranet servers holding these resources and to manage them locally; however, attempts to do this were frustrating. This frustration appeared to be based upon a lack of communication between Information Services and academic staff. Information Services did not have responsibility for teaching and learning support. Two communication pathways were not functioning as intended. One path was through the deans. They were not effective information technology managers. They often relied upon technicians within their faculty to deal with complex issues. This led to the second faulty communication pathway, that between faculty/school/department technicians and Information Services. These technicians did not seem to receive the support they needed to implement networked resources. The end result has led to academics not embracing teaching and learning resources. Summary of culture change strategy There was no culture change strategy at this University. The VC wanted it to come from the bottom up. This was not happening for the following three reasons:

· the information strategy group was not addressing it, · the deans were tabling it, and · the appraisal process was omitting it. A recognised committee was needed, which has status equal to the information strategy group. It should be chaired by the Pro VC Academic, and charged with developing a teaching and learning strategy for networks. Plan of Action · Create an executive summary of the following existing related documents: Networked Teaching and Learning Strategy Paper Review of IT Support for Staffing and Proposals for the Future · Word process the notes from this NLS Review Session. · Mount the executive summary of these three papers on the Web Disseminate these summaries in print with the URL references to appropriate strategic points in the University e.g. Faculty Senate; Directorate; the information strategy group; deans; heads of academic departments; head and deputy heads of Information Services; Learning Methods Unit. Summary of NLS Review Session There was a gap between Information Services providing the network and the academics in their roles as teachers. There was rarely anyone who provided the link within a faculty for integrating IT into teaching. A number of access problems have evolved and a level of frustration was evident. Three suggestions were offered for addressing these issues:

The gap in strategy for using networks in teaching and learning may only be filled if the VC directly addressed the need for change at the University. This would include appraisal targets for deans of faculties for developing or adapting networked resources and/or courses. The gap in strategy may also be resolved at the level of the information strategy group. A new group could be formed by the Pro VC Academic and members would be key individuals at senior levels who manage teaching/learning support services. The group would be charged with developing a teaching and learning strategy using IT networks. Improved communication with, and support of faculty/school/department technicians. Information Services is asked to revisit the devolution strategies which have created pockets of isolated technical staff. This may help resolve the most prevalent misunderstanding, which is, when something doesn't work it is the fault of the network or Information Services. Often the problems are in the local hardware, software, and configurations. The current structure may not need change; however, a package of support activities needs to be developed to facilitate the seamless use of networked resources. This is already recognised and being actioned. The paper Review of IT Support for Staffing and Proposals for the Future went to the last Deans Directorate and has been accepted by the information strategy group. Interim Evaluation Results - Summary The mixed and often ambiguous picture of the culture change occurring in each Library was reflected in their print documents, communication pathways and service practices. The variability between institutions in network developments explained much of the findings. Where campus networks and desktop access was advanced, TAPin activity fitted easily into the institution. Even so, it seemed these Libraries still have much to do to update their image and access ethos, and to rethink the importance of their roles in value added mediation in a network literate organisation. Where networks were newer the impact of TAPin appeared greater. These Libraries seemed more committed to use the TAPin Model and to work at helping their own library staff and academics exploit the networks. Again, historical image and practices prevailed and TAPin activity was spotty. This was hardly surprising in light of the need for reliable IT. It is unlikely any Librarian would spend time serving patrons with books which were not at their immediate disposal or whose pages kept falling out at the moment of need. The true impact of TAPin and the eLib programme will be better understood after the project's own Impact Study and the work of Impel2 is completed in February 1998.

Future Development Impact Study IT infrastructure Audit Distribution Strategy Audit

Academic Staff Survey LIS Change Survey Impact Study

The evaluation of the TAPin Project will take place over months twenty-seven to thirty of the project. It will comprise an Impact Study in the following areas: · General Awareness of eLib and TAPin · IT Infrastructure Audit · Strategy Audit · Academic Staff Survey · The Interim Results from this report and an LIS Change Survey

It will be a repeat of Phases Three to Five to assess the impact of both the initial research and the training itself on individual schools/departments and information/library services. The findings of this phase will demonstrate the effects of the whole project in changing IT cultures, in increasing academic teaching staff use of networks and in increasing the effectiveness of their network use. A final report will be produced, bringing together the results of each phase and suggesting ways in which the regional model could be adopted elsewhere. The report will also discuss the challenges of increasing network use in different cultural environments and within different subject disciplines. Examples of good practice will also be included. IT Infrastructure Audit The quantity and nature of hardware and software used in the specific subject departments and in the individual libraries was investigated by TAPin at the beginning of the project. The research team identified the resources needed for effective network use. Information on campus-wide networks, campus-wide information systems and university-imposed constraints on the nature of hardware and software was also collected to establish a common networking standard that would allow transferability across the subject departments and institutions. Organisational structure diagrams were also provided by the Key Link (TAPin representative for each university) showing the management structures at each institution. The Research Assistant developed a questionnaire which was sent to each subject department and library at the six universities. A second questionnaire will be developed that considers the changes made within the subject departments and universities. The departments and universities will be given a copy of their original responses to the audit and they will be asked to comment on the position, as it was and as it is now, showing the reasons for such change. In section one the survey will consider network geography and site access to networks. Section two will query the access of academic and library staff to hardware/networks. Section three will comment on the applications and software that are currently being used in the department.

Distribution The questionnaire for each subject department and each library will be sent to TAPin's Key Link at each university for distribution. A suggested covering letter will be sent at the same time and can be appropriately amended by the Key Link to suit the individual institution. Strategy Audit Meetings of four of the partner universities strategy and policy committees were attended by the Project Manager at the beginning of the Project. This gave the Project some understanding of where the institutions understood themselves to be in terms of electronic learning. An evaluation of the partner universities as learning organisations will now take place. To assess how change towards a learning organisation has been embraced within these institutions the Impact Study will consider the following issues: · whether the organisation is questioning current assumptions about learning; · whether they are obtaining outside perspectives; · how the organisational vision has changed to take account of new attitudes to

learning; · whether mechanisms are in place that allow the articulation of learning

organisation ideas; · if the institution is developing new collaborations within and without the

organisation. All of these will be considered in terms of mobilisation of the networked environment within the institutions. A questionnaire will be produced that addresses the above issues and asks the members to identify any changes in strategic planning with regard to networked information. Academic Staff Survey Structured questionnaires will be sent to the original random sample of academics. Staff not involved in the original sample but who were targeted by the librarians, may also be sent questionnaires. They will ask staff to revisit their answers to the seven assumptions about networked information which had been challenged as not true for academic staff by Christine Barry and David Squires at On-line Information (1995). Their answers will be entered into QSR Nud.ist qualitative analysis software and analysed for agreement and disagreement with each assumption. Overall agreement with the assumptions will be analysed as will the intersections of agreement and university, age, sex, and subject area. The culture of academic staff and networked information will also be analysed for constraints and barriers to culture change. Chi square analyses will be run on the two survey datasets to consider whether there has been any change in attitude toward networked information during the life of the project.

The original Academic staff survey included questionnaires which identified the following: · information needs of staff and their research students; · staff preferences for types of sources e.g. books, journals, colleagues, media,

conferences and · whether this has altered with increased awareness: · the importance of dialogue, convenience and same day delivery on information

provision; · access via computer at work and home; · staff desire for training and computer access at work and home. A workload table was also collected which identified the roles of staff and their opinions as to the usefulness of selected networked resources in each role. This method was adapted from that used in the ITTI project to develop core IT skills in academic staff (Hodgson, 1993). These questionnaires and workload tables will be repeated and compared with the original data using dependent t-tests and SPSS for Windows software. This will enable the project to determine whether there have been any changes to the role of staff and the use they make of networked resources. Academic staff from Business Studies will be compared with staff in Education, Law and Life Sciences to determine TAPin effect. Case studies of academic staff will also be provided by the Librarians. These case studies may be of staff in the original sample or others that the Librarians have worked with. They are included at the Librarians request for a means to disseminate the typical support scenario they experienced during TAPin. LIS Change Survey Information will be collected from subject and systems librarians who were sent an open ended questionnaire before the beginning of their training programme to determine their experience with networks. They will be sent a questionnaire to identify those areas where a significant change has occurred, this will help to determine the validity of the training provided and identify areas where further training is still needed. They will also be asked questions about how they spent their TAPin time, where they found barriers and successes. This instrument has yet to be developed. The Interim Evaluation Results from this report will also be included in this section of the Impact Study. Finally, the Key Links will be asked to give their impressions of their TAPin experience. Where they found fault and where TAPin fostered change in their staff and services.