The Research Commons: a new creature in the library?

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dc.contributor.authorDarch, Colinen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorde Jager, Karinen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDaniels, Williamen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-28T14:07:04Z
dc.date.available2014-10-28T14:07:04Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.descriptionThis is a post-print/preprint of an article published by Emerald in Performance Measurement and Metrics, VOL 11, available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14678041011064043.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the use made of the Research Commons during its first year of operation in an attempt to establish whether it actually provides a genuinely new and different service from the point of view of the end‐users, and whether a facility such as this could indeed be presumed to support research and enhance research output at the university. Design/methodology/approach – Using Lippincott's assessment grid, an attempt was made to assess activities in the Research Commons according to the dimensions of extensiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, service quality and usefulness. Methodology was mixed, with quantitative and qualitative components that logged the extent and nature of the use of the various facilities in the Research Commons and sought to establish from stakeholder perceptions whether the services on offer are regarded as substantially different from those in the undergraduate Knowledge Commons and whether they are indeed seen to be supporting research activities. Findings – It was found that a combination of numerical and qualitative measurements has yielded sufficient evidence for the drawing of preliminary conclusions. The evidence gathered demonstrates that the Research Commons, designed primarily as a site for the creation of new knowledge in the form of original writing by researchers at postgraduate and academic level, is indeed an advance on the well‐established "library commons" concept, and that its creation represents an instance of "parallel invention" – the "new creature" that the title refers to. Originality/value – This paper provides a multifaceted perspective on the activities taking place in a new library facility and should provide librarians and researchers with evidence‐based insight into how meaningful research support may be provided to young researchers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds as part of an academic library service in a middle income country.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationDarch, C., de Jager, K., & Daniels, W. (2010). The Research Commons: a new creature in the library?. <i>Performance Measurement and Metrics</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8859en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationDarch, Colin, Karin de Jager, and William Daniels "The Research Commons: a new creature in the library?." <i>Performance Measurement and Metrics</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8859en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationDarch, C., de Jager, K., Daniels, W. 2010. The Research Commons: a new creature in the library?. Performance Measurement and Metrics.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1467-8047en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Darch, Colin AU - de Jager, Karin AU - Daniels, William AB - Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the use made of the Research Commons during its first year of operation in an attempt to establish whether it actually provides a genuinely new and different service from the point of view of the end‐users, and whether a facility such as this could indeed be presumed to support research and enhance research output at the university. Design/methodology/approach – Using Lippincott's assessment grid, an attempt was made to assess activities in the Research Commons according to the dimensions of extensiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, service quality and usefulness. Methodology was mixed, with quantitative and qualitative components that logged the extent and nature of the use of the various facilities in the Research Commons and sought to establish from stakeholder perceptions whether the services on offer are regarded as substantially different from those in the undergraduate Knowledge Commons and whether they are indeed seen to be supporting research activities. Findings – It was found that a combination of numerical and qualitative measurements has yielded sufficient evidence for the drawing of preliminary conclusions. The evidence gathered demonstrates that the Research Commons, designed primarily as a site for the creation of new knowledge in the form of original writing by researchers at postgraduate and academic level, is indeed an advance on the well‐established "library commons" concept, and that its creation represents an instance of "parallel invention" – the "new creature" that the title refers to. Originality/value – This paper provides a multifaceted perspective on the activities taking place in a new library facility and should provide librarians and researchers with evidence‐based insight into how meaningful research support may be provided to young researchers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds as part of an academic library service in a middle income country. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Performance Measurement and Metrics KW - academic libraries KW - assessment KW - information facilities KW - research libraries KW - South Africa LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 1467-8047 T1 - The Research Commons: a new creature in the library? TI - The Research Commons: a new creature in the library? UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8859 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/8859
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationDarch C, de Jager K, Daniels W. The Research Commons: a new creature in the library?. Performance Measurement and Metrics. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8859.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherEmeralden_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDean's Office: CHEDen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourcePerformance Measurement and Metricsen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14678041011064043en_ZA
dc.subjectacademic librariesen_ZA
dc.subjectassessmenten_ZA
dc.subjectinformation facilitiesen_ZA
dc.subjectresearch librariesen_ZA
dc.subjectSouth Africaen_ZA
dc.titleThe Research Commons: a new creature in the library?en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourcePostprinten_ZA
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