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Project Summary
The Case Project aims to evaluate and document the feasibility of improving library and information support for law researchers in the UK Higher Education community. The project is investigating the extent of collaboration possible in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, mainly between the 7 Higher Education institutions which offer law but also building upon the cross-sectoral work already developed by SINTO (Sheffield Information Organisation) in the legal arena. The issues of access to and information on legal resources in the private sector, public libraries, academic institutions and other organisations are being examined. The Project Team, composed of representatives from partner institutions, are exploring the issues raised by collaboration and developing a workable framework for achieving the project's aims. It is intended that any models of collaboration established by the Case Project could be scaled up to incorporate other regions. [Back to top]
The subject association in law and the legal professions, led by Sir Mark Potter, raised the issue of funding of legal education, especially law libraries, at a meeting with the Chief Executive of HEFCE in July 1999. As a result of that meeting, it was suggested that a pilot project, the Case Project, would establish models of co-operation and analyse the cost of collaboration between law libraries. This work contributes significantly to meeting the rapidly developing academic needs of a subject whose information needs are both extensive and expensive. [Back to top]
Key objectives
a policy outlining the feasibility of academic collaboration collections
a policy for cross-sectoral collaboration
a online legal gateway which will offer:
legal collection descriptions
identification of collection strengths and weaknesses
an online union legal serials catalogue
a regional document delivery service
improved access to and information on legal collections
online legal information skills tutorials
a virtual enquiry service
Additionally, the project will work with the legal publisher Butterworths on the feasibility of the following:
customising an existing Butterworths online legal product for the academic market, led by feedback and comment from academic law librarians, law students and academics in the region
consortial purchase of Butterworths online legal products.
The project is trialing the British Library's Inside product as an added value, "just-in-time" document supply service for possible inclusion on the gateway. [Back to top]
The Project Manager based in the University of Leeds Library, who will be responsible for ensuring the effective co-ordination and progress of the project, will undertake the routine management and administration of the Consortium. The Project Manager will attend Steering Group meetings and report to the Group on any matters as required. [Back to top]
Project Team
The Project Team is comprised of legal information specialists (or equivalent) from each partner institution and will initially meet bi-monthly to discuss operational details and the impact of changes on the schedule. The meetings will be used as an opportunity to raise significant operational issues with the Project Manager. [Back to top]
Steering Group
The Steering Group will advise and steer the Project Team to ensure that the aims and objectives are met and have responsibility for the strategic direction of the project and for resolving any significant problems which may arise. The Group will meet quarterly. [Back to top]
The project will be developed in the following way:
The Project Manager, through discussion with the Project Team, will determine the mode of execution of the project, policy matters and the performance schedule.
The Steering Group will receive from the Project Manager quarterly reports on progress, future project plans and associated milestones and deliverables. It will comment on such plans in the light of available resources and the need for economy and efficiency, and ensure that a proper management structure and project management methodology is in place to achieve the aims of the project.
The Project Manager will be responsible for monitoring the performance of these agreements against predetermined milestones and for reporting departures from these milestones to the Steering Group. [Back to top]
University of Huddersfield Library
Dave Worboys - Academic Librarian, Business & Law
Tel: 01484 472052
d.j.worboys@hud.ac.ukUniversity of Hull Library
Bob Smeaton - Information Services Librarian
Tel: 01482 466 830
r.f.smeaton@acs.hull.ac.ukUniversity of Leeds Library (lead institution)
Helen Howard - Faculty Team Librarian, Law
Tel: 0113 233 6362
h.e.howard@leeds.ac.uk
- Leeds Metropolitan University Learning Centre
Marie Scopes - Deputy Learning Centre Manager
Tel: 0113 283 2600 x3612
m.scopes@lmu.ac.uk
- Karen Croft - Learning Advisor
Tel: 0113 283 2600 x3500
k.croft@lmu.ac.ukUniversity of Lincoln Learning Support Centre
Learning Adviser for Law
Tel: 01522 886094
University of Sheffield Library
Maria Mawson - Academic Liaison Librarian (Law & Education)
Tel: 0114 222 7348
m.b.mawson@sheffield.ac.ukSheffield Hallam University Learning Centre
Paul Conway - Information Specialist, Law
Tel: 0114 25 2124
p.conway@shu.ac.ukButterworths
Lorena SutherlandBritish Library Document Supply Centre
Peter Robinson
Case home page Project overview Documents & publicity Activities & progress Case Catalogue Document Delivery Inside Trial Case Gateway Site map Last updated: January 05, 2005
by Social Sciences Faculties Team, University of Leeds Library
lib-socsci@leeds.ac.uk
