Developing Academic Engagement: A Qualitative, "Ethnographish" Study of a Devolved Library Structure at the University of Cambridge

• Published in: The new review of academic librarianship Vol. 24; no. 3-4; pp. 376 - 391
• Main Authors: Tilley, Elizabeth, Murphy, Helen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.10.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic engagement; Academic Libraries; College Faculty; Ethnography; Foreign Countries; Humanities; impact; Learner Engagement; Librarian Teacher Cooperation; Librarians; Libraries; Library Personnel; Library Services; Library staff; relationship building; subject libraries; United Kingdom (Cambridge)
• ISSN: 1361-4533; 1740-7834
• DOI: 10.1080/13614533.2018.1485111

An ethnographic research project undertaken by the libraries of the School of Arts and Humanities at the University of Cambridge sought to understand the impact of academic/library relationships in a devolved institutional structure. The results of the research provided clear evidence of the high regard in which academic engagement with libraries is held by both academic and library staff in Arts and Humanities subjects. It underlined the academic perception of library staff as colleagues and confirmed the advantages of the current devolved structure. As subject libraries are inextricably bound up with Faculty matters, academic, administrative, or library-related, this familiarity and the contextualized knowledge it affords can be beneficial for academics with limited time. In addition, it means local libraries are able to provide the wider University library services with a head start in implementing new initiatives. The principal findings highlight collaboration, context, and empowered staff as underpinning successful academic engagement.