Report to Library Committee, June 2021

2 June saw the final meeting of Library Committee for 2020/21. I was asked to chair the meeting, in the absence of Professor David Price. The Committee was very supportive indeed of the work of Library colleagues during the dreadful challenges caused by the pandemic. I promised that I would pass on these congratulations and good wishes to colleagues, which I am happy to do here.

Going forward, Library Committee will have a new reporting line following re-organisation of the remits of all the Vice-Provosts. Details remain to be confirmed, but it is likely that Library Committee will henceforth report to RIGE, a committee to be chaired by Professor David Price which oversees all RIGE (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) activities. The RIGE committee will itself report to the new University Management Committee, which will replace UCL SMT from 1 August.

At the meeting of Library Committee on 2 June, I presented my termly PVP Report. This is available at the link shared here. The Report attempts to present a high-level view of the role of the Library for the last three months.

Stay well and optimistic, as society works to emerge from the restrictions of the pandemic.

Paul Ayris

Pro-Vice-Provost

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)

Library Committee, March 2018

On 5 March, Library Committee met for its second meeting of the year. There were three items of substantive business – a report from me on progress in implementing the Library Strategy, an analysis of the ongoing work that the Library is pursuing in terms of collection management, and possibilities for future development of learning space provision across UCL Library Services.

My report to Library Committee on strategy implementation is available as a pdf file: PVP Report.  The Report is arranged under the 6 Key Performance Areas of the Library Strategy. At the meeting, I highlighted two or three issues for further discussion – future provision for the needs of research postgraduate students (PGRs), attainment in the ReadingLists@UCL service, and an overview of the results of the 2017 Staff Survey, with a note that a Working Group of Library staff is writing an Action Plan to accompany the findings, which will be presented at the next meeting of Library Committee.

My Report shows that the Library has been successful in a number of activities across the whole range of the Library Strategy. The biggest single challenge, which is also something to celebrate, will be the opening of 1,000 digitally-enabled learning spaces by this time next year in the New Student Centre.

Paul Ayris

Pro-Vice-Provost (UCL Library Services)