Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to examine how the provision of research support services by the Law Library at Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) in Brazil contributes to achieve the university research goals. The chapter develops a case study taking a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach. The UFPR Law Library provides research support services such as classes on research support, bibliographic research support, orientation on research tools. Those research support services are not part of a formal and strategic program. It is recognized that the existence of a data repository, the UFPR Scientific Database, is an opportunity to provide scientific research data management support services at UFPR libraries. The chapter concludes that the existing research support services have an impact on research at UFPR Law School. However, there is an opportunity to create other services that will meet the user's expectations, considering the new research trends at the university.
TopResearch Support Services At Academic Libraries
“Academic libraries have service at the core of their mission, with the needs of their client group influenced by global, national, and local contexts” (Brown, Alvey, Danilova, Morgan & Thomas, 2018, p. 340). As the research practices change over time, libraries have to adapt and create products and services that respond to those changes. It is important to remember that “the role of academic libraries is to support the teaching and research of their parent institutions” (Kennan, Corrall & Afzal, 2014).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Research Tools: Software or app used through the research process. Some examples are reference manager, network, and content analysis software, etc.
Research Support Service: Academic library services focused on supporting all the research processes at universities. Bibliometric, research data management and digital scholarship are some examples.
Bibliographic Search Support: A research support service that embraces the search for a subject or author in databases and other information sources.
Open Science: The international movement that promotes the openness of scientific research data, publications, software codes, methodologies. It embraces other important concepts such as open access, open-source, open innovation, citizen science, open education resources, etc. Open science focuses on openness, collaboration, transparency, and knowledge transformation.
Class on Research Support: A research support service that consists in offering workshops and classes on research methods in partnership with faculty.
Scientific Research Data: Data produced and registered during the research cycle. They are the evidence a researcher needs to validate the research.