How does the lack of contemporary and representative research themes in reading list resources affect student engagement with library research and librarian support?
I am planning to continue with the project I identified and proposed in term 2 – to make the Fine Art Subject Guide Bibliography a more inclusive resource. The resource is currently quite outdated and doesn’t support Social Justice context for research. It doesn’t reflect commitments made by UAL libraries in the 2021 Anti-Racist action plan. The bibliography should be the first point of reference particularly for BA Fine Art students embarking on contextual or essay type modules and dissertation research, however its current content doesn’t reflect the student body, institutional expectations of social engagement, or current trends in research interests as noted in 1:1 research support tutorials. I will need to work with colleagues at other sites, academic teams and secure some student input to manage this change well. I will use this research project opportunity to try to understand the degree to which the current listing might cause some students to disengage with library research support, whether use of the materials, the space or the available sessions and tutorials.
My main research method, in addition to some secondary data analysis of keywords in past emails sent following research support tutorials will be a survey by questionnaire of Year 3 Fine Art students at Camberwell post submission of Unit 9 Element 2 (dissertation level project) for which this Bibliography is a key resource.
My Ethical Research Plan, Consent Form, Participant Information Sheet, and draft proposed survey questions are attached to this post.