The Pro-Vice-Provost’s View

Autumn Report to UCL Library Committee

Yesterday, Library Committee met for its first meeting of the 2018/19 academic session. As usual, I gave a Report on the Library’s performance against the Library Strategy. My full Report can be read here in the document PVP Report October 2018.

I recently visited the Science Museum here in London and I was struck by the exhibits on space exploration – particularly this model of the lunar module, a craft which enabled spectacular achievements when the USA implemented a lunar programme.

Yesterday, it was my privilege to report on the outstanding achievements of UCL Library Services too – in terms of its delivery of the 2015-18 Library Strategy. 95% of all the Actions identified in the 6 Implementation Plans have been delivered, or are on target to be delivered. It’s a tremendous result, applauded by members of Library Committee.

In my Report, I highlighted a number of achievements:

• The Library being Highly Commended, for the second time in 3 years, in the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards (THELMA) 2018;
• the inscription of UCL’s Orwell archive onto the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register.

I also highlighted two challenges for the Library in the new Strategy period 2019-21:

• How to increase the Library’s satisfaction rating in the National Student Survey (NSS) to 90% from the present 85% (q19).
• How to engage with UCL researchers, to encourage them to make their research data FAIR and Open for sharing and re-use, ideally in the new research data repository that UCL is launching in the academic year 2018-19.

All members of Library staff should feel congratulated by the success of delivering the 2015-18 Library Strategy. We face challenges ahead in the new Strategy period, but we have already achieved a great deal – on which we can build going forwards.

Paul Ayris

Pro-Vice-Provost (UCL Library Services)