Supporting open and distance learners: practice and policy across further and higher education libraries

This paper reviews provision for open and distance learners across further and higher education libraries in the UK, focusing in particular on developments in Scotland. After offering a critical review of the literature which pays particular attention to international examples of best practice, the paper reports on the findings of a questionnaire survey conducted among all Scottish FE and HE libraries and selected English institutions and on a short programme of structured interviews conducted with HE librarians working at universities within the Glasgow area. Evidence from the review of literature, the questionnaire survey and the programme of interviews is drawn together and analysed in order to indicate the key areas which have to be addressed by libraries in institutions which are aspiring to offer open and distance learning education.