Abstract

One strategic themes of HEFCE for the next 10 years is "enhancing research excellence" pushing research support up the agenda of institutions that previously focused on taught programmes for undergraduate and masters students. The Research Support Librarian is a growing phenomenon in higher education addressing issues concerning the support of Ph.D. students across subject boundaries. Many institutions offer courses for Ph.D. researchers and Librarians are beginning to input into Research Methods units and modules directed at preparing Ph.D. researchers. Ph.D. users appear to differ in a number of ways from UG / taught masters students in the intensity with which they use the Library and in their need of specialist advice and materials. They are very focused and ultimately have to achieve a complete mastery of the literature of their research greatly exceeding that of UG and masters level students. This Chapter aims to review what little literature there is on this topic and offer an informed professional view.

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