Current Library Projects
The Library has a history of undertaking research in the field of library and information work. We are currently involved in the following projects:
Library Building's 30th Birthday
In 2011, we are celebrating the Pilkington Library Building's 30th Birthday. The building's first full academic year was in 1981, although the building was officially opened by Lord Pilkington on the 19th December 1980. To help celebrate the event we have decided to use the year 1981 as our birthday theme.
To find out how you can take part in the celebrations click here.
Motivating Library Ambassadors Project
Following on from a successful, internally-funded, Library Ambassadors pilot project that ran from 2010-11, the Library is now further developing this work in conjunction with the University of Nottingham. Funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering HE STEM programme, the new project addresses the challenge of making Library Ambassador posts sustainable in the absence of continuous funding. An innovative and creative method of recruiting and supporting Ambassadors (called “Learning Resource Leaders” (LRLs)) at Nottingham and Loughborough Universities is being investigated. The strategies employed have resulted in the recruitment of four LRLs – two at each institution – supported by an industrial sponsor who provides a package of non-monetary incentives.
The project began in July 2011 and will report in March 2012. For further information, please contact Ginny Franklin, Project Manager v.franklin@lboro.ac.uk .
Information Handling Skills for Researchers Project
Loughborough University Library is leading a consortium of East Midlands universities in a project to create an online tutorial to develop the information handling skills of research staff. This two year project, which is expected to complete at the end of 2011, involves the University of Nottingham, De Montfort University, Coventry University, the University of Northampton and the University of Warwick. Funding has been provided so far by Loughborough University's Research Office, the University of Nottingham and Coventry University.
The project consists of a number of phases, with phase one including evaluating the current tools on offer to develop information handling skills of researchers, as well as investigating more closely the needs and preferences of research staff at the universities of Loughborough, Nottingham and De Montfort. These investigations include the use of questionnaires, interviews and observation software. The second phase will be the design and development of the course itself, with the final phase being the evaluation and dissemination period.
Further information can be obtained from the Project Manager, Helen Young (h.young@lboro.ac.uk ).
Olympic Project 3: Olympics perspective and attitudes towards the Paralympics athlete (2010 - 2011)
This Loughborough University Library project is part of the People's Record work funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). It is included in the Setting the Pace programme, which is a national project coordinated by the MLA who were working with BBC Memoryshare, to mark the 2012 Games.
http://www.mla.gov.uk/~/media/Files/pdf/2009/The_Peoples_Record
The Centre for Olympic Studies and Research and the University Library are working in partnership on this project. It will be similar to the second Olympics project completed by the Library earlier in 2010 as it is concerned with producing digital video interviews. These interviews will focus on exploring attitudes and perspectives about Paralympics athletes and the Olympics. The interviewees will include disabled athletes, able bodied athletes, disabled non-sport individuals and able –bodied non-sport individuals. It is intended to complete the project by the end of April 2011 when the digital videos will be available.
The People's Record project has been granted the London 2012 Inspire mark which recognises outstanding projects and events helping deliver the Games' lasting legacy. For the first time in the history of the Games, the stories of individuals and communities in the host country will be captured in a unique community archive project. It will be a rich record of what hosting the Games and the four year festival of the Cultural Olympiad meant to the people of London and the UK - preserved for future generations.
Further information can be obtained from Dr Grahan Walton (j.g.walton@lboro.ac.uk)
Previous projects
For information on previous Library projects, see here.
Previous Olympic projects
For information on previous Olympic projects, see here