Scholarship and research

The tradition of support for scholarship is at the heart of the Library’s mission. We have been reviewing our collecting policy so that we can guarantee that support in the future. We have carried out an extensive consultation with our stakeholders throughout the research community on the scale and scope of material we need to collect and connect to in the future. There was a high level of engagement and comment on our plans, and enthusiasm for our collaborative approach.

That the Library has an exceptionally rich humanities collection is universally acknowledged; there is, however, far less awareness of the great strength of our social science holdings. We are focusing on deriving greater value from this major
collection. We will establish the Library as a highly resourced facility that brings together social science researchers, practitioners and policymakers with the
purpose of encouraging the exchange of ideas and experience.

Collaboration with our key research stakeholders at a strategic level is critically important for the national information economy. The Library’s higher education team has been working closely with
colleagues in the research sectors to define our strategic goals. Chief among these are the requirement that the Library remain relevant to the evolving needs of postgraduates, and that our products and services continue to develop in ways that meet their changing expectations.