About ARCIVAL

It is a time of great change for all types of libraries. Numerous colleague reports have surfaced about the closing or downsizing of academic veterinary libraries, the demise of print veterinary collections, the integration of veterinary collections into general university library collections, and the addition of other discipline responsibilities to veterinary librarians.

This research project surveys the state of academic veterinary libraries and documents recent changes across the international academic veterinary library community. Specifically, it gathers evidence from accredited academic veterinary libraries to document evidence and descriptive information concerning changes in space, collections, services, reporting relationships and librarian assignments.

Principal investigators developed an online survey, administered using Qualtrics, to gather data from current and recently retired veterinary librarians. Additionally, Qualtrics provides standard reporting and analysis tools. The initial survey was distributed in spring 2015. Responses were compiled, analyzed and presented at 8th Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Conference. Feedback from conference attendees and survey respondents was very positive and encouraged continuing the survey annually, with more focus on accrediting agency. The 2015 survey became a pilot for an updated version of the survey instrument.

The 2015 pilot survey was distributed broadly to gather official and individual responses. It included 20 questions that document changes in the last five years in space, collections, organizational structure and personnel.

Beginning in 2016, a survey is being sent to each academic veterinary library accredited, approved or conditionally approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council or the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education. Aggregated survey results will be published and made available through the Texas A&M institutional repository. We expect to repeat the survey annually. The intent is to make longitudinal data available for use in benchmarking and trend analysis.

Authors

• Esther Carrigan
• Heather K. Moberly
• Derek Halling