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RSLP Circular 2000/4

30 November 2000

 

 

To: Librarians/Directors of Information Services
at HEFCE/SHEFC/HEFCW/DHFETE -funded institutions

 

Dear Librarian/Director of Information Services

Future RSLP activities and post-RSLP developments

A Future RSLP activities

I should first like to thank those of you who responded to Circular 2000/3, in which we sought your suggestions for small projects or studies which would enhance or develop the RSLP vision and which it might be appropriate for the Research Support Libraries Programme to fund. The RSLP Management and Steering committees have now reviewed the suggestions alongside the existing portfolio of projects and studies. The input we received provided considerable stimulus for discussion, and was greatly appreciated.

In establishing priorities for future Programme activities, the committees have been mindful of the limited Programme funds now remaining, and have agreed to support work which will help consolidate existing activity and contribute towards the strategic aims of the Programme.

The RSLP Steering Group has agreed the following:

1) Further RSLP call for proposals


There will not be another RSLP call for project proposals.

2) RSLP collaboration with the British Library


One of the ways in which RSLP has acted to promote collaborative cross-sectoral library and archive activity is by co-funding three projects supported as a result of the first round call for proposals from the British Library's Co-operation and Partnership Programme. In one of the strands of its second round call, the British Library has invited (i) proposals from non-HE institutions to take part in and extend existing RSLP projects and (ii) joint proposals from HE and non-HE partners for new projects (see: www.bl.uk/concord).

In order to facilitate further collaborative cross-sectoral activity, RSLP will consider funding the higher education element of the second category of proposal detailed above, where the submissions subscribe to the RSLP vision and comply with the general guidelines and standards adopted by the Programme. (See RSLP 1999/3, annexes A, B, and G, available through the 'Publication and tenders' section of the RSLP website).

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the RSLP office prior to submitting a joint proposal to the British Library. I may be telephoned directly on 0131 651 1494, or mailed at ronald.milne@ed.ac.uk. Gill Davenport, the Programme Administrator, may be reached by telephoning 0131 651 1516, or mailing gill.davenport@ed.ac.uk.

3) Other RSLP activities


The following activities have been identified as priorities for RSLP funding (in random order):

  1. A study of the barriers to resource sharing among university libraries

  2. Evaluation of the M25 Consortium Pilot Borrowing Scheme

  3. Support for the consolidation and development of collection description work

  4. Evaluation of OCLC/WLN iCAS collection assessment software

  5. Contribution towards a Full Disclosure prioritisation exercise

The Programme Office is, or will be, consulting with those who made representations in relation to these activities and progressing them, as appropriate.

RSLP may also contribute to studies currently being considered by the HE funding bodies which would (i) investigate how academic researchers use library and archive resources; (ii) in the context of RSLP and similar programmes, discover and codify the current and required future skills base of the UK HE library and archive workforce available to support research activities, identifying any gaps and mapping areas where retention and recruitment is problematic.

The RSLP Steering Group has also agreed to consider funding further work which may be required to facilitate the next steps in realising a national union catalogue.

B Post-RSLP developments

RSLP circular 2000/3 also sought views from colleagues on appropriate post-RSLP developments. These, too, have been considered by the RSLP Management and Steering committees, and are helping inform the next stages of development of UK policy in this area. An announcement relating to future developments will be made in due course.

Yours faithfully

 

 

Ronald Milne
Programme Director

Content: Gill Davenport
Last updated 5 December 2000