Hello,

My name is Charlotte Heppell and I am a Master’s student at Aberystwyth University, studying an MScEcon in Managing Libraries and Information Services. As part of my course, I am undertaking a research project investigating superconverged information services, which incorporate a multitude of student and staff support, such as: library, IT, academic skills, the VLE, the research repository, etc.

I am writing to ask if you would be willing to help me in this research, by completing the survey in the link below which should take about 10-15 minutes of your time. It would also be really helpful if you could forward this email on to colleagues who may not typically subscribe to Jiscmail lists, as I want to hear everyone's voices.

https://aber.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/superconvergence-in-academic-libraries-an-exploration-of

Why am I doing this research project: what is its purpose?

The title of this project is Superconvergence in Academic Libraries: An Exploration of Communication, Conflict and Collaboration.

Superconvergence has been a phenomenon which has developed in recent years. Most superconvergence comes out of a top-down directive aimed at saving money and a desire to join together different departments to further the shared mission of supporting teaching, learning and enquiry. Superconvergence often brings together IT and library services, study support, learning technologies, research support and other departments such as career support; however this is not exhaustive and there are many different versions of superconvergence. Superconverged services tend to be brought together under the auspices of an existing library director or equivalent and merge established teams, often into a shared building.

I am conducting this research in order to gather the thoughts and experiences of staff working at grass roots level in superconverged services. I hope that the results of this research will inform implementation of superconvergence for organisations going down this route in the future.

What does the study involve?

My research will take the form of an online survey, followed up by some focus groups in agreeable organisations.

Before you complete the survey, please note the following procedures about this study:

1. Duration: Completing the survey should take about 10-15 minutes of your time.
2. Confidentiality: All the information you give will be treated confidentially. Both the conversation and the information you provide will be completely confidential and treated confidentially by the interviewer/researcher.
3. Anonymity: Information from the follow-up focus groups will be anonymous and personal data removed at the transcription stage. No individuals will be identified in our results. Any direct quotes included in the report (that is, quotes of the things recorded in the survey or focus groups), will be used selectively and anonymously (that is, no one will be able to attribute/link the words to you).
4. Data security: The data collected will be kept securely, and for only as long as necessary to: a) analyse the research data and b) report on the research and its findings.
5. A full report and a summary of the research findings will be available via Aberystwyth University’s research repository CADAIR. The finished project may also be used in further communications, such as a journal article.
6. Consent: If you complete and return the survey, then I will assume that you have given your consent to take part in this study. That is:

·         read and understood the information in this letter about the study.

·         you can contact me (via my contact details listed below) if you have any questions or concerns about the survey or the study.

·         you understand that participation in this study is voluntary and that you are free to withdraw from the study at any time, without giving any reason.

·         you understand that your responses will be treated confidentially and in confidence by the researcher.

·         you have you understand that your responses will be treated anonymously.

·         you allow me to use your direct quotes (that is, statements you might write on the survey) in anonymised in the study’s report/write-up and related communications.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

Charlotte Heppell

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