The graph above shows the result for the NSS library

question (q16) against the NSS general satisfaction

question (q22) for the Vet department. The NSS score for
the Library for Vet Studies continues to rise year on year,
increasing six points to 92% from 86% in 2014.

This shows how much

have improved in
meeting the needs of
Vet students. In 7
areas of the library
survey there has been
an improvement,
most notably in 24
hour access and
awareness of service.
Areas of concern are
printed library
materials, quiet
library space and ease
of use of e-resources

The Library received

excellent feedback in
surveys from staff and
students from Vet
studies at all levels.
We also received some
feedback about areas in
which we can improve,
and this will be
addressed as part of our
2016 action plans.

University Library is well stocked with a

range of resources and has almost all the
books required for undergraduate
veterinary studies. Online access to
journals is also generally good with the
university holding subscriptions to
almost every journal that I need.
Undergraduate
Access to Vets Online is essential
thank you!

I really love the Library I

couldnt teach without it.
Thanks to you all for such a
great service!

Staff member

Thank you very much for your

help! I very much appreciate it.
Thanks!
Postgraduate

2,556

One-off resources (15250)

Veterinary Studies has a

relatively generous budget
when compared with other
Departments, and weve been
able to supplement this with
various other funds.

Fast Track (1994)

1,656
1,994

Heriot Fund (1656)

15,250

MoreBooks (2556)

The number of EARLs

submitted by Vet Studies
has increased since the
implementation of the
Resource List Policy, and
its important that it
continues to rise. The
number of scanned book
chapters and journal
articles has gone up to xxx,
from xx the previous
academic year.

The Library Subject Guide

for Vet Studies was visited
1,234 times in 2015, an
increase of 44% over the
previous year. This is
important as the subject
guide contains the links to
the key Vet databases,
ensuring students and
staff can access them
anywhere, on or off
campus.

Weve added Veterinary

Essential to our permanent
online collections. This
contains over 1,000
reports unavailable
anywhere else.

In response to student and

staff feedback, DVD loan
periods were changed
from One Day Loans to
become Flexible Loans
with a rolling loan period of
one month.

Veterinary studies students

interact both with physical
and virtual library services.

We have conducted 15
teaching sessions with
veterinary students, with
an average satisfaction
rating of over 95%
Lorem ipsum dolor sit
amet.

During 2015 there were

150 one-to-one sessions
between vet students and
Library staff. 55% of these
sessions were about
information resources,
35% about help with
dissertation and 10% on
other topics. Satisfaction
with these sessions was
over 90%

We received 900 queries

via our Library Enquiries
system from vet staff and
students, down 13% on
2014.

We responded to 2,300
emails from vet students
and staff this year, up from
1,900 last year.
The increase in queries
was due to an issue with
accessing important
resource 1, which we have
now resolved with the
provider.

There was an increase in

the number of physical
book loans by Veterinary
studies students this year
of 15%, mainly due to the
improved medical
collection.

Interlending requests from

Vet students went down
by 10% this year, mainly
due to us taking out a
subscription to the Vets at
Home Database.

Based on the 2015 Action Plan weve made the following changes:

We have started initial discussions with the department about the

new Resource List Policy implementation, and a copy of the
Librarys presentation on the policy was circulated to all staff. We
will be working with the department over the coming year to help
all staff make the transition to our new processes for managing
reading lists.

The Library Action Plan 2014 was presented at the summer term
Board of Studies.

Terry has met with John Norton to discuss Information Literacy

provision in the department. This action will be carried forward
into the 2015 Action Plan.

The Library contributed 50% towards the purchase of Vets at

Home for all first year Veterinary Studies students.

Continued

In order to provide a better understanding of how well the Veterinary

Studies printed book collections are used, Nathan Alduous has produced
usage statistics. These indicate that the printed collection is largely
underused, with 48% of the Vet collection not being loaned since 1 Sept
2013. Understanding usage of the collections, and updating sections
where appropriate, will be carried forward in the 2015 actions.

Although it hasnt always been possible for Terry to attend the StaffStudent Consultative Committee meetings herself, colleagues in the
Academic Liaison Team are now attending on Terrys behalf if necessary.
Where this hasnt been possible, Terry has liaised with Helen Allwood to
communicate Library news such as the MoreBooks campaigns.

Weve promoted the lib-vetstudies@york.ac.uk email address. This

ensures that staff and students get a speedier response to their enquiry
from the wider Academic Liaison Team rather than relying solely on the
availability of the Vet Studies Librarian. 97 email queries were sent to this
account in 2014.

The 2015 Action Plan draws on comments and data from the 2014 LibQual, NSS and PTES surveys, together with
module feedback and other sources, to inform our direction over the next twelve months.
Resources
1.

Following the implementation of the Resource List Policy in 2014 and the move to using EARL for all resource
lists, the Library is now focusing on improving access to recommended reading. In 2015 we will be working
with departments to consider suitable options, particularly the use of digital resources where possible
(scanned chapters, e-journals and e-books).
i.
Gregory Parsons to contact Ellen to discuss collating reading lists from academics.
ii.
Following on from this, Terry to work with Content team to convert the lists into EARL lists.

2.

We would like to work with the department to ascertain whether we need to provide more support, training
and advice to students, academic staff and departmental support staff on developing their IT and information
literacy skills. In particular:
i. Terry to liaise with Kath about contributing to a new set of videos that the department are producing on
scientific writing, referencing styles, finding information etc.
ii. Terry to ensure there are links to Library YouTube videos on the new starters VLE site pages, in particular
the tour of the Library as well as others. Gregory will discus with Kath.
iii.3rd year Vet students filming in the Library . Terry to liaise with Gregory Parsons to ensure key Library
messages are included in the videos.

3.

The Digital Library Team are now providing a service to digitise Masters theses. Terry should liaise with
academic staff to ascertain whether the department wishes to add digitised Masters theses to the Digital
Library.
Terry will send Antonia Francesco a summary of the issues with a couple of case studies. Antonia will take this
to the DTC.

Research Support
4.

We would like to promote the work of the Research Support Team who can provide advice, training and support
in the following areas: open access, research data management, copyright and information skills training for
PGR students and staff. The ALL should work with relevant departmental staff to identify needs and arrange
meetings, departmental briefings or training in these areas as appropriate.
Terrywill provide a short overview of the Research Support Team at the summer term Board of Studies. Terry
will provide BoS with the URL of the Research Support team pages.

5.

Following on from initial work last year understanding usage of the Vet collection, Terry to investigate weeding
old, unused stock and possibly also updating sections with the collection.

6.

Vets At Home: provision for all 1st years. Terry to investigate options for moving this forward over the next year.
This will be discussed as part of wider project that Terry is leading.

Liaison
7.

Terry to work closely with Jenna Elder from the Library to review the holdings of the Herriot Library and to
improve entries on YorSearch for Herriot Library materials.

8.

Antonia Francesco will add Terry to the 1st year induction talk. Terry will liaise with Antonia Francesco about
this. Update March 2015: Antonia Francesco has confirmed that Terry has been added to the timetable.

9.

Terry to continue to arrange for a representative from the Academic Liaison Team to attend the Staff Student
Consultative Committee where possible.

10. Twitter: Terry to work with the department to help promote new books and resources and new Library services.
11. Terry to ensure that the renewal of Vets Online, managed by John Hartness, Software Licensing Coordinator,
goes through smoothly.
12. Library tours for prospective students. Terry to provide Linda Johnson with a dos and donts checklist and
guidelines for when the department arranges tours of the Library for prospective students.
Space and Environment
13. Pre-app visit days. The Library will have a stand in the Vet studies main foyer, and Terry will attend a Q&A
session with parents followed by a tour of the Library. Antonia Francesco will send dates of the pre-app visit
days to Terry. Update March 2015: Terry has received the dates.
Teaching and Learning
13. Terry to feedback to Antonia Francesco any initiatives in other departments to promote Library services that
could be trialled in Vet studies.

Terry Ackerley
lib-vetstudies@york.ac.uk

To access subject resources, both on and off

campus, go to:
subjectguides.york.ac.uk/vet-studies