Extending the hybrid library to students on franchised courses: user profile, service implementation issues and management strategies

Presents the main research findings of the HyLiFe Project in extending hybrid library services to students on courses franchised by the University of Central Lancashire. The franchised student user profile is presented, and its characteristics compared and contrasted with that of the distance learner. A discussion of issues arising during implementation considers the importance of the empowerment of the user to successful take‐up of the service, as distinct from superficial promotion. This empowerment is held to consist in the incorporation of required service use into course instruction and assignments and physical availability of the service on demand. The paper concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned from the management strategies adopted during the research, including how collaboration between HyLiFe and pre‐existing service could have been improved.