What happened at the UOC Library in 2024? Read all about it on the new Facts and figures page
Subject: Multidisciplinary
2024 at the Library: more usage, more resources, and projects to improve the search experience for the UOC Community.
As we approach the end of 2024 and we review the UOC Library's most significant events of this past year, we've published a new Facts and figures page. The new page, which is public and will be updated every year, describes the resources and services available at the Library and any changes to them, and provides information on the management and production of learning resources in the classrooms. It also includes indicators on the work carried out by the Library team and collaborations with other institutions.
The new Facts and figures page pursues three main aims:
- Commitment to transparency: in a single place, visible to any member of the public, it provides key indicators and data on the current state of the Library's resources and services and its team's daily efforts to improve them.
- Promoting continuous improvement: it analyses data to help design a digital collection and personalized services at the UOC that are better suited to the needs of its community.
- Highlighting the Library team's work: it highlights the role of the Library team, whose work ranges from managing learning resources to holding training courses and entering into collaborations with other organizations.
A look back at 2024
Improved user experience
The Library has taken part in a pilot involving 17 international institutions to assess an AI-based tool that enables users to ask questions in natural language and provides answers based on the Library's sources of information.
It's now easier to extend the scope of searches, in many cases with the possibility of receiving articles and book chapters in under 24 hours.
The Library team has categorized 200 resources on the site so that students automatically see the most recommended resources for their degree when they log in using their Campus credentials.
The Library Replies page now has a new search engine with over 70 answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Library's resources and services, sorted by topic.
More usage, more content
One of the most notable aspects of 2024 was the increase in the use of the Library's digital content: the UOC community downloaded more than 8.7 million documents, such as books or articles.
Another notable feature of 2024 was the growth of the Library's digital collection. At present, 92% of the Library's content is digital and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We've also launched new digital platforms, and the Library team has produced a set of Library guides to help the UOC Community learn more about topics covered in the university's courses and in current affairs.
Training content on conducting searches
Over 2,000 people attended the Library's training courses in 2024. These included, among other actions, workshops held as part of courses and webinars to help attendees make the most of the available resources.
The BiblioSkills training site has grown, thanks to the addition of new resources to enhance users' search skills and raise awareness of the Library's resources:
Learning resources in the classrooms
Before the start of each academic year, the teaching staff commission the creation of new UOC learning resources or select existing written or audiovisual materials available on the market with the Library's support. For academic year 2023/2024, 2,368 learning resources were produced or updated, and the purchase of licences and copyright management for 9,894 resources was arranged.
Shared Stories
The Shared Stories project's sound bank now boasts a total of 228 recorded readings of works by female writers, read out by the staff and users of 64 libraries. It includes works by Maria de Bell-lloc, Maria Pi i Sunyer, Carme Karr, Trinitat Aldrich, Dolors Monserdà, Alfonsina Storni, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Filomena Dato, Rosalía de Castro, Delmira Agustini, Esther Tapia de Castellanos, Julia de Asensi and Joaquina García Balmaseda, among others.
To learn more about the Library, go to the new Facts and Figures page.