Section
2
The following section of the survey discusses in detail recently completed reviews
of some of our main activities
If you don't want to make any further response
on these topics, please go to the final section of this survey.
Please mark the importance of these questions on a scale of 1 to 5, where
1 is least important, 5 is most important
|
| Future
collecting policies |
| 9 |
The growth
of published output, continuing price increases over the prevailing rate of
inflation, and the need to fund additional costs associated with digital publications
have meant that the British Library can't collect as extensively as it once
did. Future collecting policies will be based upon our best understanding of
current and future research needs and will complement the collection policies
of other institutions. The British Library will continue to provide support
for researchers, ensuring sustained availability of, and access to, research
materials, regardless of format and place of publication. |
| Q |
How important
is it that the British Library's collecting policies reflect use of the collections? |
|
5 4
3 2 1 |
| 10 |
Recent
studies point to a future of growing collaboration among the Higher Education
sector, national libraries and other collections of research resources to develop
and manage a Distributed National Collection (DNC). This approach to collecting
has the potential to lead to the availability of better resources for researchers
through the reduction of collecting in duplicate where this is not essential
to support local need.
During the last 12 months, the British Library has analysed current use of the
collections as part of a Collection Development Review, which revealed that
materials falling within the national published archive (items acquired by legal
deposit) and modern English language materials are the most frequently used
in reading rooms. Modern English language materials are the most frequently
used for remote document supply. Foreign language materials are generally used
to a far lesser extent.
The Library recognises that it has a continuing role to play in providing research
material that may be little used but believes that the responsibility can be
shared with other libraries which have similar collecting remits, provided that
guarantees for access and preservation are in place wherever the materials are
located. We believe that early consideration for collaboration should be in
low-use collection areas where the national level of provision can be most readily
identified. |
| Q |
How important
is it that the Library should conclude agreements with other collecting institutions
to maintain and increase the scope of the national research resource, beginning
the sharing process with certain foreign language materials? |
|
5
4 3 2 1 |
| 11 |
The Collection
Development Review has endorsed the need for the British Library to continue
to press for new UK legal deposit legislation, covering digital as well as print
publications. It is anticipated that UK online publications will eventually
be collected through legal deposit. In addition, the British Library believes
it is important, in collaboration with others, to begin selectively archiving
websites of national importance and of significance as primary sources to researchers
of the future. |
| Q |
How important
do you think it is for the British Library to begin archiving selected websites
of national significance and preserving them for the future? |
|
5
4 3 2 1 |
| 12 |
Overall,
do you support the British Library's proposed future collecting strategy? |
|
|
| 13 |
Do you
have any other comments on the British Library's future collecting strategy? |
| 13.1 |
Current
use of the collection should not determine the British Library's collecting
policies. The collection should meet today's and tomorrow's demands. |
| 13.2 |
We support
the concept of legal deposit for digital materials. The British Library should
be given the resources to preserve the literary and information heritage of
non-print materials. |
| 13.3 |
The emphasis
of this strategy is rightly on the building-up of a strong national collection.
However, if there is a reduction in the amount of foreign language material
collected there is an increased need for co-operation. Resources need to be
devoted to building strong and, above all, sustainable partnerships with other
national libraries. It needs to be remembered in the context of a 'European'
library that libraries in many countries, particularly those in the former Soviet
Union and in Central and Eastern Europe, have grave financial problems. |
| Remote
document supply |
| 14 |
The British
Library's remote document supply services operate from Boston Spa in Yorkshire
and offer photocopies and electronic copies of articles and loans of certain
categories of books from the collections to users who are not in a position
to use our reading rooms. The services are used mainly by the Science, Technology,
Medical and Business communities. |
| Q |
Have you
ever used the British Library's remote document supply services in the past? |
|
- Yes - I still use them (go to q15)
- Yes - but I don't use them any more (go to
q15)
- No - I have never used them (go to q16)
- No - I didn't know such services existed (go
to q16)
- I don't know (go to q16)
|
| 15 |
When was
the last time you used the British Library's remote document supply services? |
|
- Within the last month
- 1 - 6 months ago
- 6 months - 1 year ago
- 1 - 2 years ago
- More than 2 years ago
|
| 16 |
Remote
document supply in the library and information community is changing rapidly
and unpredictably as the use of digital media in publishing becomes prevalent.
As a result of significant changes in demand patterns (particularly in UK Higher
Education), the British Library has reviewed the remote document supply services
to determine our short-term response and to investigate medium to longer-term
development opportunities.
The pattern of remote document supply remains unclear in the longer term. It
could remain largely centralised or could become significantly decentralised.
It may be that different models will predominate for different subjects or formats
- book loans, article copies and digital supply. The Library has not yet defined
its long-term role in UK remote document supply. It will take a proactive stance
on the way forward and will bring together the main parties concerned to develop
the shape of remote document supply within the UK. We would welcome your views
on two possible models in your comments below.
In a centralised UK system of document delivery, the Library would maintain
and develop the existing service and customer base by forming strategic alliances
with partners who would enable it to become a leading supplier of digital materials.
At the same time the Library would continue to provide documents from its print
collections. The Library would become an aggregator (holding electronic material
itself) and a navigator (linking to sources of material it does not hold directly).
The Library would become a virtual one-stop shop and would maintain its position
and brand in the library and information community. The Library recognises that
the centralised model of remote document supply may be preferred as the most
reliable means of service provision for many users. |
| Q |
How important
is it that a broad centralised model of remote document supply within the UK
should continue in the long term? |
|
5 4 3
2 1 |
| Q |
Do you
want to comment on your choice? |
| 16.1 |
As stated
above, a centralised system of supply may be preferred and be viewed as the
most reliable means of service. However, issues such as funding may make such
a system impossible to maintain. |
| 17 |
In a decentralised
system, the Library would play an active role as a partner supplier among many,
or as the prime developer and co-ordinator of the central mechanism underpinning
the distributed document supply network. Libraries, publishers and other navigators
and aggregators could become partner suppliers in this scenario. The decentralised
model fits the shape of the Library's overall strategic directions which support
moves towards a distributed approach to collecting and service provision. |
| Q |
How important
is it that libraries and other supply partners should be working towards a distributed
model of remote document supply in the UK in the long term? |
|
5 4 3
2 1 |
| Q |
Do you
want to comment on your choice? |
| 17.1 |
A remote
model of document supply would have advantages, for example, allowing partners
to specialise in particular subject areas. However, funding and administrative
arrangements would need to be stringent to ensure continuity of collection and
supply. |
| 17.2 |
When operating
in overseas markets, there is a need to have user-friendly access systems. This
is particularly important now that most of the agency arrangements with British
Council offices have lapsed. |
| 18 |
Do you
have any other comments on the British Library's future remote supply strategy? |
| Patent
provision |
| 19 |
The British
Library provides worldwide patent collections and access to patents information.
The Library acquires international patents by sending British patent documents
overseas in exchange for foreign documents. The Library offers reference services
and reading room access to paper, microform and digital collections. The Patent
Express service offers copying services for users in the reading rooms, and
remote document supply of patents for those who are not able to come to the
Library. |
| Q |
Have you
ever used the British Library's patent services in the past? |
|
- Yes - I still use them (go to q 20)
- Yes - but I don't use them any more (go to
q 20)
- No - I have never used them (go to q 21)
- No - I didn't know such services existed (go
to q 21)
- I don't know (go to q 21)
|
| 20 |
When was
the last time you used the British Library's patent services? |
|
- Within the last month
- 1 - 6 months ago
- 6 months - 1 year ago
- 1 - 2 years ago
- More than 2 years ago
|
| 21 |
In the
light of rapid shifts towards digital patent provision worldwide and changes
in demand for services, the British Library set up a Working Party led by the
external patent community to help develop strategies for the next three years.
The Working Party proposes that provision of the UK national patent library
and patent information services should remain one of the roles of the British
Library. Although demand for some patent services from the Library is expected
to decline, the Library should continue to provide and actively promote services. |
| Q |
How important
is it that the British Library continues to have a role in patent provision?
|
|
5 4 3 2
1 |
| 22 |
The Working
Party proposes that the British Library should accelerate the application of
technology in order to enable it to provide patents predominantly in digital
format in the future. The Library should cease to acquire patent specifications
on paper, when they can be acquired on electronic media and made accessible
in a satisfactory manner. The Library should dispose of paper patent documents
where identical information is held electronically, provided the electronic
copies can be made accessible in a satisfactory manner. |
| Q |
How important
is it that the British Library maintains a comprehensive digital patent archive
for the UK in preference to a paper archive? |
|
5 4 3 2
1 |
| 23 |
The Working
Party proposes that the British Library should continue to acquire and store
electronic copies of patent documents as an archive for the UK. It should not,
in the short term, rely on access to material held by non-UK organisations,
but should try to secure agreements for obtaining long-term access to distributed
archives that might be established. Confidentiality of UK users' searches will
be a consideration in deciding whether a distributed archive is acceptable. |
| Q |
How important
is it that the British Library co-operates with international patent authorities
to move towards providing remote access to digital patents rather than collecting
them on a comprehensive basis in the UK? |
|
5 4 3 2
1 |
| 24 |
The British
Library supports the Patents Information Network - a group of 13 public and
university libraries which provide local access to patents information at centres
throughout the UK. The Working Party proposes that the British Library should
promote wider public access through the Patents Information Network to give
local support for first time and other users. The Library should assist efforts
to promote use of the Network and help to refocus the Network on providing a
service for innovation by encouraging links with UK and European agencies and
initiatives. |
| Q |
How important
is it that the British Library supports the Patents Information Network to provide
wider public access? |
|
5 4 3 2
1 |
| 25 |
Overall,
do you support the British Library's strategy for patent provision? |
|
|
| 26 |
Do you
have any other comments on the British Library's future patent strategy? |
