Research Support Services in Spanish Academic Libraries: An Analysis of Their Strategic Plans and of an Opinion Survey Administered to Their Directors

Ángel Borrego and Lluís Anglada
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Ángel Borrego: Departament de Biblioteconomia, Documentació i Comunicació Audiovisual & Centre de Recerca en Informació, Comunicació i Cultura (CRICC), Universitat de Barcelona, Melcior de Palau, 140, 08014 Barcelona, Spain
Lluís Anglada: Àrea de Ciència Oberta, Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya, Gran Capità, 2 (Edifici Nexus), 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Publications, 2018, vol. 6, issue 4, 1-10

Abstract: The transition from print to digital information has transformed the role of academic libraries, which have had to redefine themselves as intermediaries and partners in the learning and research processes. This study analyzes the evolution and current provision of research support services in Spanish academic libraries through an analysis of the three strategic plans published by the Spanish association of academic libraries (REBIUN) and a survey administered to the library directors. Results show that academic libraries are firmly embedded within universities’ research activities, and that most of them depend on vice-rectorates for research or scientific policy. There is a relationship between the size of the library and its provision of research support services, although no correlation is observed between the size of the library and the staff devoted to research support. Library directors stress the value of institutional repositories, a vision also reflected in the importance assigned to open access in the strategic plans. Other current hot topics, such as data management, do not seem to be among the priorities of Spanish library directors as yet.

Keywords: academic libraries; open access; research support; Spain; university libraries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A2 D83 L82 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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