JISC’s Annual Review 2008 published

JISC’s annual review is now online. It documents a year of activity and accomplishment in JISC’s key spheres of interest. Including podcast interviews with outgoing Chair Sir Ron Cooke and JISC Executive Secretary Dr Malcolm Read, it also features an image gallery and a Year in View providing highlights of JISC’s work during the 2007-2008 academic year. 
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/aboutus/annualreview/2008.aspx

RAE 2008: the results

As the findings of the final research assessment exercise are released, you will find results, analysis and reaction at:
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=404786&c=2 and http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/rae

Devolution and higher education

An interesting report, Devolution and higher education: impact and future trends, has just been published by think tank Universities UK. The 60 page document critically examines the impact of political devolution on higher education policy. It compares the experiences and impact of the system in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Topics covered include the effect upon student participation rates, cross-border movements of students and the impact of the different financial regimes of university tuition fees upon student numbers and social backgrounds in the different regions.
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Bookshop/Documents/
DevolutionAndHE.pdf

CyMAL Grants 2009-10

CyMAL has announced the launch of the Museums, Archives, Libraries and Inspiring Learning grant schemes for 2009/10. Please note that CyMAL will not be distributing hard copies of the grant paperwork direct to services this year. All grant paperwork can be downloaded from the CyMAL website or hard copies are available on request from CyMAL. You can visit the CyMAL website at http://www.wales.gov.uk/cymal
Click on Grants 2009-10 to find application form, information for applicants and terms and conditions.

Videoconferences with Welsh authors

We have enjoyed working with the Welsh Video Network to put on a series of events with authors across Wales. Using videoconferencing we have been able to link schools with FE and HE for an audience with Bethan Gwanas on 4 November, Mererid Hopwood on 18 November and Rachel Trezise on 9 December. One of our events had the honour of being the 2008th event during the 2008 National Year of Reading in Wales, and yesterday we were invited to the Assembly to meet Jane Hutt, Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills. The photo shows Alison Walker from WVN, Sue Mace from WHELF and Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Director of the Welsh Books Council, with the Minister:

WHELF e-books consortium

A year ago WHELF launched a new collaborative e-books service with OCLC. NetLibrary provides 85,000 Welsh students and National Library users with access to over 700 e-book titles.

The consortium has now been given representation on an International Advisory Board to work on future developments to NetLibrary e-books services. Steve Lee from the University of Glamorgan is our representative on the Board. Steve has asked all participating institutions to give responses to a questionnaire from NetLibrary regarding future developments to the e-books service in terms of platforms and other matters. Steve will be forwarding feedback to NetLibrary so that they have a collective Welsh view. There will be regular reports from Steve on any developments in services as these become clear.

WHELF Annual Report now published

The WHELF Annual Report for 2007-2008 is now on the WHELF website.

Welcome to the new WHELF blog!

The Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) is a grouping of Chief Librarians and Directors of Information Services drawn from all the higher education institutions in Wales.

The purpose of WHELF is to promote library and information services co-operation, to encourage the exchange of ideas, to provide a forum for mutual support and to help facilitate new initiatives in library and information service provision.

We hope that the blog will complement existing sources of information such as our website and our various JISCmail lists, and encourage the sharing of good ideas between WHELF member libraries.

Most of the postings you’ll see on this blog are going to be from me, Sue Mace, in my role as Development Officer for WHELF, but I am happy to report on any news of interest to Welsh HE libraries!