1. UHMLG Spring Forum 2008
Donald M Mackay
Head of Health Care Libraries
Oxford University Library Services

2. Borders or Bust?
Library Space Developments on the
HE/NHS Crossover
Images Removed. Picture of 1960s
librarian shelving books and picture of
Borders Book Shop

3. Borders or Bust?
• Context
– Bigger Picture
– Health Care Libraries/OULS
• Space Plans
– Information Gathering
– What We Did & Doing
– Future Plans

4. Context
“We don’t need a library anymore
it’s all on the Internet”

5. Images Removed
• But still building lots of new
libraries, just not always called
that any more…..
• Pictures of new libraries, Ideas
Stores, Knowledge Centres,
Information Commons

6. Educational Context
• New Types of Learner
– Mature, Part-Time, Long Distance, E-
learning, Etc
• New Methods
– Collaborative, Problem Based, Reflective,
Learning by Doing, by Conversation, Etc
• New Technologies
– Interactive Whiteboards, Personal
Learning Environments, Wireless/Mobile
Technologies, Ubiquitous Access, Etc

7. NHS Context
• Where to Start?
• Modernisation Agenda
• Quality of Care
• Patient Rights
• Primary Care Led NHS
• Evidence-Based Practice &
Clinical Governance
• Technological Developments

8. NHS Context
• Knowledge Management
• Workforce Developments
• Cost Effectiveness
• Educational Issues
• Seamless Service, Partnership,
& Multidisciplinary Working
• e.g. NSFs, Health Improvement
Modernisation Plans, Care Trusts, etc.
• Overseas Staff

9. Images Removed
• Lots of pictures of traditional
Oxford Libraries – old books,
gothic architecture.

10. OULS Estate Strategy
• Rationalisation of Libraries
– ROQ, RSL/Hooke
• Improve Physical Infrastructure
– New Bodleian, Law Library
• Deduplication (Scorpio)
• Lots More E-Content (ELISO)
• Very Big Off Site Storage
– Depository/ASRS
• Capital Campaign

11. Images Removed
• Exciting new programme of
building work.
• Images of proposed new
buildings including New Bodleian,
RSL and Deopository

12. Health Care Libraries
• Oxford University Library
Services (OULS)
• Established 1960s
• Four Sites by 2005
• Jointly HE/NHS Funded
– Medical Sciences Division
– ORH NHS Trust
– Oxfordshire PCT
• HELICON

13. Developmental Areas
• Getting Out More – Librarian on
the Loose/Clinical Librarians
• Better Marketing (To and Fro)
• Electronic Resources – HE &
NHS
• Increasing External Income
• Improving, Reducing &
Refocusing Space

14. HCL Estate
• Disparate & Expensive
• Old & Small & Limited Facilities
• Uninviting, Hidden & Unfriendly
• Selective
• Poor Staff Accommodation
• New Library Option & Hospital
Closure

15. HCL Estate

16. HCL Estate
• Image Removed
• Very old library at RI

17. New Library Space
• Signature New Research Building
• “Institute of Cancer Research”
• £50M
• Range of Groups
• In between Two Site Libraries
• Fresh Start & Integration
• Update Older Plans

18. Developing a Plan
• Desk Research
• Visits
• Asking Our Users
– Focus Groups
– Questionnaires
– Workshop
– NHS & HE

19. Key Themes - Visits & Desk
Research
• Flexible – Now & Future
– Space & Furniture
• Ubiquitous IT & Power
• Zoning – noisy, quiet, group, eating,
comfy, formal…..
• Bright, Airy, Colourful
• 24/7
• Integrated with Learning & Teaching
– Pods, Clusters, classrooms, conference
rooms, alcoves

20. Key Themes - Visits & Desk
Research
• Information Commons
• Heart/Hub of the Campus/Site
• Library as 3rd
Place (Between
Home/Work or Dorm/Classroom)
• Inclusive & Welcoming
• Escape/Nest
• Traditional Services as Well
• Toys for the Boys (and Girls)

21. Six slides removed
• All images of new developments,
use of space, light, mixed types
of space, new uses of space,
innovative uses of furniture….

22. Key Themes - Our Users
• No Significant Differences
• Library as Space
• Welcoming, Inviting, Inclusive
• Good Collections
– (But not too bothered about paper
journals
• Space to Escape/Work/Think

23. Key Themes - Our Users
• Space for e-Learning
• Space to Play
• Space to Access IT (inc Wireless)
• Zoning
• Coffee/Newspapers
• Chat & Quiet & Group Study
Space
• 24/7

24. What We Did About It
• A New Knowledge Centre
• Some Improvements to Main Site
• (already 24/7)
• New Services/New Users
• Opened Up Teaching
Space/eLearning
• Improved Our IT
– Wired & Wireless
• Threw Away Journals
• Plans for Refurbishment of Main Site

26. ORC Knowledge Centre
• Images removed
• What were we to do?
• Choice between “funky” Saltire
Centre and trad Oxford.
• Oxford doesn’t do funky and
Oxford medical researchers and
clinicians don’t want trad Oxford
• So we chose something in
between….

27. ORC Knowledge Centre

28. ORC Knowledge Centre

30. ORC Knowledge Centre

32. Main Site Plans
• Be Bolder
• Major Refurbishment
• Dispose of (Almost) All Journals
• More Open
• Smaller, Rezoned, New Facilities
• Learning & Teaching Integration
• Feasibility Study
• Money…..

33. Conclusion
• Borders – Why Not?
• Already on the Way
• Borders Plus
• Maintaining and Developing
Existing Strengths
• Eye to the Future
• Hill Report

34. Hill Report
8.6 A predominant view of the library is one of space.
Nowadays, however, this may be well removed from the
repository concept of a place merely to store books and
journals, although this is still important. Other concepts
associated with the library as space include:
• A place for reflection, quiet contemplation and working
undisturbed
• A meeting place e.g. for staff, and students
• A point of access to technology e.g. internet access; a
virtual space
• Meeting rooms and areas
• A place for training, and the library as learning enabler
• A repository for resources, for example health promotion
materials.

35. Credits & One or Two
References
Photos – Mainly Copyright DMM or JISC infoNet, an advisory service of the JISC.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jiscinfonet/sets/
Many thanks to the many colleagues whom I badgered for information and visits.
Useful Online Starting Points:
EDUCAUSE - Learning Space Design in the 21st Century
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NLI0446.pdf.
JISC infoNet - Planning & Designing Technology-Rich Learning Space
http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/learning-space-design/more/index_html
Designing Libraries
www.designinglibraries.org.uk/
JISC - Designing Spaces for Effective Learning
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/eli_learningspaces.html
Glasgow Caledonian University Saltire Centre
http://www.gcal.ac.uk/thesaltirecentre/building/index.html
University of Sheffield Information Commons
http://www.shef.ac.uk/infocommons/
Space Management Group - Impact On Space Of Future Changes In Higher Education.
http://www.smg.ac.uk/documents/FutureChangesInHE.pdf
CLIR - Library as Place: Rethinking Roles, Rethinking Space
http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub129/pub129.pdf
Scottish Funding Council – Spaces for Learning
http://www.sfc.ac.uk/information/information_learning/Spaces_for_Learning_report.pdf