ORCID Advocacy at University of Reading: Lessons from “Keep on Plugging Away”
Summary
Blog post from Karen Rowlett presentation to advocacy session Nov 2024
By Karen Rowlett
Research Publications Adviser at University of Reading
Background
The University of Reading has been a member of the UK ORCID consortium since around 2016, focusing on promoting ORCID adoption among its research community. With research divided into four broad themes (Agriculture/Food/Health, Environment, Heritage/Creativity, and Prosperity/Resilience) and over 750 research staff, ensuring proper researcher identification has been an ongoing challenge.
Our ORCID Journey
Our ORCID implementation journey has been gradual and persistent:
- 2016: Joined the UK ORCID consortium and began initial advocacy activities
- July 2020: Implemented our first technical integration with CentAUR (our institutional Eprints repository)
- Present: Working toward CRIS (Current Research Information System) implementation with ORCID integration
What’s interesting about our approach is that we’ve maintained consistent advocacy efforts despite not having a complete technical infrastructure in place from the beginning. This “keep plugging away” approach has gradually built awareness and adoption over time.
Advocacy Activities
Our advocacy strategy has been multi-faceted:
- Training sessions for researchers and postgraduate research students
- Comprehensive LibGuide with detailed information and how-to resources
- Individual and departmental consultations
- Integration of ORCID into research division lead inductions
- “Researcher Digital Identity Check” sessions
- Instructional videos demonstrating CentAUR-ORCID connection
- Targeted email campaigns
Integration Impact
Following our repository integration in summer 2020, we saw an initial surge in ORCID connections, but this tapered off to a lower sustained rate. This pattern is common – technical implementations create temporary spikes in activity but require continued advocacy to maintain momentum.
The “Five Simple Steps” Campaign
With a CRIS implementation on the horizon, we wanted to maximize ORCID adoption beforehand. Our targeted email campaign to members of our Research Divisions followed these principles:
- Simple, targeted messaging with clear instructions
- Concise action steps (five simple steps to link ORCID)
- Personalized links to individuals’ own ORCID records
- Easy access to help resources including videos and support contacts
We identified researchers in two categories:
- ~170 with no ORCID iD found
- ~220 with an ORCID iD but not linked to our repository
Results
The campaign generated impressive results:
- Immediate action from many recipients
- Most completed the linking process without requiring additional support
- Follow-up emails captured additional participants
- Some specialized help was needed (particularly for those with duplicate IDs)
- Very little resistance to participation
- Overall researcher participation rate increased to over 70%
- Total number of ORCID IDs linked to CentAUR now exceeds 1,000
Recommendations for Other Institutions
Based on our experience, we recommend:
- Prepare your support infrastructure first – Create simple, clear guidance before launching any campaign
- Target your messaging – Generic appeals are less effective than personalized outreach
- Explain the “why” – Communicate the benefits and necessity of linking ORCID IDs
- Simplify instructions – Make the process as straightforward as possible
- Prepare for questions – Have standard replies ready for common queries
- Follow up systematically – Plan for reminder messages to non-responders
- Make it routine – Establish processes for new staff onboarding
Looking Forward
Our journey with ORCID continues to evolve. As we prepare for CRIS implementation, we’re focusing on continued “mop-up” of remaining researchers and establishing sustainable processes for new staff. The value of ORCID is increasingly recognized by our research community, particularly among early career researchers who see it as “just part of life” in academia.
Further Reading
For a more detailed breakdown of the University of Reading’s ORCID implementation strategy, metrics, and campaign specifics, check out the comprehensive case study in the ORCID Advocacy Toolkit on WikiBooks. The case study includes additional information about technical integration details, specific challenges encountered, and templates that other institutions might find useful for their own ORCID implementation journeys.
This blog post is based on Karen Rowlett’s presentation at the UK ORCID Advocacy Clinic in November 2024. It is part of our ongoing series highlighting successful ORCID implementation strategies across UK institutions. If you’d like to share your institution’s ORCID story, please contact us at [email protected].
Background
The University of Reading has been a member of the UK ORCID consortium since around 2016, focusing on promoting ORCID adoption among its research community. With research divided into four broad themes (Agriculture/Food/Health, Environment, Heritage/Creativity, and Prosperity/Resilience) and over 750 research staff, ensuring proper researcher identification has been an ongoing challenge.
Our ORCID Journey
Our ORCID implementation journey has been gradual and persistent:
- 2016: Joined the UK ORCID consortium and began initial advocacy activities
- July 2020: Implemented our first technical integration with CentAUR (our institutional Eprints repository)
- Present: Working toward CRIS (Current Research Information System) implementation with ORCID integration
What’s interesting about our approach is that we’ve maintained consistent advocacy efforts despite not having a complete technical infrastructure in place from the beginning. This “keep plugging away” approach has gradually built awareness and adoption over time.
Advocacy Activities
Our advocacy strategy has been multi-faceted:
- Training sessions for researchers and postgraduate research students
- Comprehensive LibGuide with detailed information and how-to resources
- Individual and departmental consultations
- Integration of ORCID into research division lead inductions
- “Researcher Digital Identity Check” sessions
- Instructional videos demonstrating CentAUR-ORCID connection
- Targeted email campaigns
Integration Impact
Following our repository integration in summer 2020, we saw an initial surge in ORCID connections, but this tapered off to a lower sustained rate. This pattern is common – technical implementations create temporary spikes in activity but require continued advocacy to maintain momentum.
The “Four Simple Steps” Campaign
With a CRIS implementation on the horizon, we wanted to maximize ORCID adoption beforehand. Our targeted email campaign followed these principles:
- Simple, targeted messaging with clear instructions
- Concise action steps (five simple steps to link ORCID)
- Personalized links to individuals’ own ORCID records
- Easy access to help resources including videos and support contacts
We identified researchers in two categories:
- ~170 with no ORCID iD found
- ~220 with an ORCID iD but not linked to our repository
Results
The campaign generated impressive results:
- Immediate action from many recipients
- Most completed the linking process without requiring additional support
- Follow-up emails captured additional participants
- Some specialized help was needed (particularly for those with duplicate IDs)
- Very little resistance to participation
- Overall researcher participation rate increased to over 70%
- Total number of ORCID IDs linked to CentAUR now exceeds 1,000
Recommendations for Other Institutions
Based on our experience, we recommend:
- Prepare your support infrastructure first – Create simple, clear guidance before launching any campaign
- Target your messaging – Generic appeals are less effective than personalized outreach
- Explain the “why” – Communicate the benefits and necessity of linking ORCID IDs
- Simplify instructions – Make the process as straightforward as possible
- Prepare for questions – Have standard replies ready for common queries
- Follow up systematically – Plan for reminder messages to non-responders
- Make it routine – Establish processes for new staff onboarding
Looking Forward
Our journey with ORCID continues to evolve. As we prepare for CRIS implementation, we’re focusing on continued “mop-up” of remaining researchers and establishing sustainable processes for new staff. The value of ORCID is increasingly recognized by our research community, particularly among early career researchers who see it as “just part of life” in academia.
Further Reading
For a more detailed breakdown of the University of Reading’s ORCID implementation strategy, metrics, and campaign specifics, check out the comprehensive case study in the ORCID Advocacy Toolkit on WikiBooks. The case study includes additional information about technical integration details, specific challenges encountered, and templates that other institutions might find useful for their own ORCID implementation journeys.
This blog post is based on Karen Rowlett’s presentation at the UK ORCID Advocacy Clinic in November 2024. It is part of our ongoing series highlighting successful ORCID implementation strategies across UK institutions. If you’d like to share your institution’s ORCID story, please contact us at [email protected].