Reinventing the Library's Message Through the Alignment of Research and Instruction

This article is about the Walker Management Library staff and services at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management and its primary audience, the graduate business school community. In the spirit of continuous improvement, new goals were set to increase the library's impact on the school and the end product, the graduate business school students. To do so, the library staff retooled specific practices on how we provided reference and instruction services. Through planning and experimentation, the library staff consciously redefined our message, methods of delivery, and did so in ways that other libraries can duplicate.     

The Impact of Implementing Electronic Reserves on Staffing and Service

ABSTRACT

Electronic Reserves provides new opportunities for collaboration between libraries, new staffing challenges, and new methods for assessing library services. This article examines the impact on staffing and services of implementing Electronic Reserves in several libraries on the campus of a major midwestern research institution. Results of a staff survey and use studies are incorporated. The benefits and difficulties of centralizing the management and workflow between libraries of Electronic Reserves are analyzed, as well as other related staffing issues such as processing time, space, training, etc.     

Extreme Makeover Reference Edition: Restructuring Reference Services at the Robert W. Woodruff Library,Atlanta University Center

The Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, recently restructured its system for information service delivery by moving from the traditional one-desk model to a dual component model that is delivered from two service points in close proximity. Under the former system, services were solely delivered by reference librarians. The new system offers the same array of information services provided by a combination of librarians and library support staff who have received special training. The observed outcomes have been a higher quality of customer service delivery, an increased use of research consultation services, a more informed and engaged library staff, and increased opportunities for reference librarians to make campus visits. This article outlines the entire process from conception to implementation, including staff training requirements, statistical data, and future implications.     

Red,White, and Blues

Abstract

Over the last decade, an increasing number of academic institutions have built satellite campuses and developed online courses to meet the needs of distance learners. As these academic institutions have expanded, demand for library service has increased significantly. In an attempt to expand its course offerings to distance learners, Regent University began offering online courses during the early 1990s, and it also developed a new satellite campus. As the Regent University Library has explored new and varied ways to serve students on the new satellite campus and other distance learners, the implementation of services has been challenging, but rewarding, for the library staff.     

FROM THE EDITOR

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey of faculty perceptions of the role of the library in online distance education. The study is second in a series of related studies exploring The Pennsylvania State University's library services to patrons at a distance. In 2004, faculty of the World Campus (Penn State's online distance education program) were surveyed on their perceptions of e-learners' research needs. The faculty responded to questions on how their students access research information for their courses, whether they require their students to use the library as part of their courses, and their expectations of the library as an academic support service. The survey revealed that 60% of the responding faculty supply all of the required research information to students in their courses, and 62% do not require students to use the library as part of their course(s). The study concludes that online, distance-education faculty members have minimal to moderate expectations of the library in supporting their teaching and their students' research needs. Moreover, the study shows a significant lack of faculty awareness of existing library services and resources available to the e-learning community.     

Outside the Exhibit Case

Summary

In planning for a major traveling exhibit in UCLA's undergraduate library outreach was a priority. Programming and publicity targeted segments of the campus and community both as participants and as attendees. This collaboration came to fruition in an exciting array of programs that brought many people into the library and demonstrated the strengths of collections, resources and services to new audiences.

UCLA's College Library, the undergraduate library that recently returned to its historic and award-winning Powell Library Building, was a site for the ALA-Smithsonian traveling exhibition, “A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the United States Constitution.” The Programs and Exhibits Committee of the Library surrounded the display of this material with several months' worth of diverse community and campus programming. Events involved staff, faculty, students, local K-12 teachers, members of the Los Angeles Japanese American Community, writers, film makers, even a movie star (this IS Los Angeles)! In addition to highlighting the strengths of UCLA's Library collections through traditional means, a variety of media and multimedia programs and events supplemented the exhibit.     

The impact of information skills training on independent literature searching activity and requests for mediated literature searches

Background: Most NHS library services routinely offer both mediated searches and information skills training sessions to their users. We analyse the impact of these two services on the amount of literature searching demonstrated by users of hospital‐ based library services in the north‐west of England. Methods: Data for (1) mediated literature searches, (2) number of library users attending information skills training sessions, (3) amount of library staff time devoted to information skills training, and (4) number of Athens‐authenticated log‐ins to databases were obtained from statistical returns for 2007, and analysed for significant correlations. Results: There was evidence of quite strong correlations between the two measures of training activity and the number of mediated literature searches performed by library staff. There was weaker evidence of correlation between training activity and total literature searching activity. Discussion: Attending training sessions may make some library users aware of the difficulty of complex literature searches and actually reduce their confidence to perform their own complex searches independently. The relationships between information skills training, mediated literature searches, and independent literature searching activity remain complex.     

Surviving to Thriving: Advancing the Institutional Mission

ABSTRACT

Academic research libraries can employ several approaches to advance the institutional mission. First, libraries can shift from goals focused on collections and traditional library services and instead align with their campus academic plan and an emphasis on supporting the institution's strategic initiatives. A second approach is for libraries to modify their organizational structures from being function-based on the tasks that traditional libraries performed (e.g., public services, technical services, collection development) and move instead toward organizational units that directly support their university's missions (e.g., undergraduate education; graduate and professional education; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and public engagement). The key is to have library staff engaged in work that contributes to vital institutional outcomes such as student success and faculty research productivity. Academic research libraries should also continue to work towards an assessment program that demonstrates the value of the academic research library in providing quality services that advance the institutional mission.     

Doctoral Dissertations at a Distance

Abstract

The model suggests that librarians can assume the role of co-supervisor to ensure that the literature review of a doctoral dissertation is comprehensive and relevant. Librarians can also assist research students, make sure their supervisors are kept abreast of new information resources in their research disciplines, and act as a mentor to both student and staff member in library matters. The model was developed in recognition of the special support needs of off campus research students who are disadvantaged by isolation, time and distance. It is anticipated that adoption of the model will lead to increased rates of completion, higher standards of research, an improvement in information and literacy skills of research students and supervisors, and reduced isolation for off campus researchers.     

Expanding Beyond our Library Walls: Building an Active Online Community through Facebook

This article demonstrates how Facebook, a popular social networking Web site, provides libraries with the opportunity to develop an outreach presence and information portal within an online community. While much of the recent literature examines Facebook and defines its potential use within libraries, this article focuses on the use of Facebook's newest feature: customizable Facebook Pages. In December 2007, librarians at the State University of New York at Buffalo began exploring the use of Facebook Pages to virtually reach out to patrons and market library services. Based on user response and Page statistics, librarians found the use of Facebook Pages provided a welcome extension of services and a unique form of outreach that reached beyond the campus community. Through a University at Buffalo Libraries Page on Facebook, librarians can update and inform students, faculty, and staff of new events, workshops, library services, and resources. Librarians at the University at Buffalo maintain an active online community that reaches more than 300 fans. Fans provide discussion and feedback regarding library services, offering a more interactive extension of the Libraries homepage. This article explains the design process, including the use of third-party and custom applications. Challenges, ideas, and user response in regards to the use of Facebook Pages in a library setting are also presented.     

STARS Portends a Bright Future for Resource Sharing

ABSTRACT

Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) is a new section of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) that will bring together librarians and library staff involved with interlibrary loan, document delivery, remote circulation, access services, cooperative reference, cooperative collection development, remote storage, and other shared library services, as well as publishers, producers, and suppliers of products and services that support resource sharing activities. This brief article provides information about the section and its activities.     

Orienting Neighborhood Youth to an Academic Library

Summary

Early in 1997, full Web access was added to Babson Library's public workstations. In a few short months, library computers became a mecca for neighborhood youth. The library's “open door” philosophy and Springfield College's strategic vision to strengthen campus/community ties brought the library to the forefront of actively developing services for community youth. An outreach program for community youth was designed to address the issue of computer access. The development of the program involved the entire library and provided an opportunity for collaborative interaction among the library, related campus programs, and community agencies. Its impact on the library brought to the forefront the debate between “academic service” and “community service.”     

Instruction and Outreach at Colorado State University Libraries

Summary

The Colorado State University Libraries' instructional outreach services have undergone significant changes since the reorganization of Reference Services in January of 1998. The new organizational structure created a separate group for instruction, outreach and staff training, which includes the extended university programs position (distance learning), and a new position, the undergraduate instruction librarian. This new group gives the Libraries an avenue in which to provide focused instruction to the Colorado State University community and limited outreach to campus affiliates and the Fort Collins community. This article discusses outreach activities before and after the reorganization including services to specific populations such as African Americans, Hispanics, distance learning populations and extension services, undergraduates, and disabled students.     

FOLIO的技术选型与运营模式研究

FOLIO作为开源的"第三代图书馆服务平台",提供了一种全新的模块化应用环境。FOLIO由图书馆、开发商、服务商共同参与建设,工作流的架构不仅能够很好地支撑现有的业务,还能灵活地支持图书馆未来可能发生的未知服务。本文结合微服务介绍FOLIO平台,通过性能测试比较说明其技术选型更适合高并发性的网络环境要求;同时介绍了FOLIO社区组织和商业模式,提出国内图书馆可以从技术推广和角色转变两个方面切入,以更好地融合FOLIO的生态环境。     

References

ABSTRACT

Electronic reserves offers many advantages over traditional print reserves in terms of service efficiency but it can also provide considerable cost and time savings to the library if these savings are measured over an entire semester or year. If the library looks beyond traditional means of evaluating success, e-reserves contributes to a sense of community on campus by helping to create more satisfying relationships between staff, students, and faculty. An effective electronic reserves system also enables the campus to take advantage of emerging technology for educational uses, and encourages continued development of innovative and imaginative teaching on campus.     

When Life Hands You Lemons: Overcoming Obstacles to Expand Services in an Embedded Librarian Program

ABSTRACT

Having launched a pilot program of embedding librarians in faculty Blackboard courses, a team of university regional campus librarians reviewed their library services to faculty teaching online, off-campus, and traditional courses, and returned for Round 2. Just as the library services offered in this collaborative effort were taking off, conditions worsened. A storm of staff reductions, budget cuts, and administrative reorganization hit. Despite the climate of uncertainty and challenges, the embedded librarians persevered as they are convinced of the value of collaborating with faculty in Blackboard as active academic research consultants to further students’ information literacy skills. Project Information Literacy's findings validate this strategic solution. Consequently, the embedded librarians assessed users and implemented sustaining practices to the program to maximize its impact. Moving in the right direction is essential and doable, no matter the difficulties.     

Network-enabled digitized collection at the Central library,IIT Delhi

The emergence of the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web (WWW), as a new medium of information delivery, coupled with the availability of powerful hardware, software and networking technology, triggered large-scale commercial and non-commercial digitization programmes the world over. During the past decade, great progress has been made in both theoretical and practical research in the digital library. Besides, acquiring and buying access to digital collections, academic and research libraries are exerting efforts to initiate digital library projects in their respective institutions so as to build their own digital collections. Moreover, proliferation of network-enabled electronic information products are exerting ever-increasing pressure on traditional libraries, which, in turn, are committing larger portions of their budgetary allocation to either procuring or accessing web-based full-text search services, CD-ROM products, online databases, multimedia products, and so forth. The increasing commitment for building up network-enabled digitized collections at the Central Library, IIT Delhi coincides with the installation of a fibre optics based campus LAN connected to a 2 MBps VSNL Radio Link enabling faster access to the Internet for the academic community of the Institute. The availability of high-speed Internet connection has led to the launching of a number of sponsored and unsponsored projects for building network-enabled digitized collections within the framework of the traditional library and information services at the Central Library, IIT Delhi. The Library has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to embark upon the digital world. The article outlines various constituents that contribute to the making of a digital library at the Central Library, IIT Delhi.     

Seniors connect: a partnership for training between health care and public libraries

Kaleida Health Libraries, in partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, presented "Seniors Connect: A Health Information Project." The program was funded by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Kaleida Health Foundation. The purpose of the project was to teach African-American and Hispanic senior citizens or their caregivers residing in the city of Buffalo how to search the Internet to find quality, accurate, understandable health information. Attendees were taught to distinguish quality information from inaccurate, misleading, and fraudulent material. A total of fourteen training sessions were offered. The Seniors Connect program was initiated with health fair at each branch library, conducted by Kaleida Health staff, to provide an opportunity for participants to learn about health care services available in their community; observe demonstrations of health information searches on the Internet; learn about new treatment modalities for diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid abnormalities, and hypertension; and interact with area health care providers and library staff. The sessions were highly rated by attendees and many participants expressed their gratitude for a program geared specifically toward seniors.     

北美研究图书馆支持校园创业的服务实践与启示

[目的/意义]调查北美研究图书馆对校园创业支持的总体情况和典型案例,为国内图书馆提供参考和借鉴。[方法/过程]首先构建图书馆支持创业的一般模型,然后采用网站调查法、文献分析法,对多所研究图书馆的创业支持情况进行考察,归纳创业支持的内容与形式等。[结果/结论]目前北美研究图书馆为校园创业提供的支持包括：创业素养教育与信息服务、创业/创客空间与设施、创业拓展活动、微观制度安排等;服务尚有较大提升余地;我国大学图书馆可根据支持模型结合自身实力构建信息平台,开展创业支持服务。     

Going Global: Providing Library Resources and Services to International Sites

ABSTRACT

The Brooklyn campus library of Long Island University (LIU) seized the opportunity to take a proactive approach to providing library resources and services to the university's Global College community. An active link connecting the library, Global College headquarters, and international sites has been created. After carefully evaluating the needs of faculty and students across the globe, the authors recount how the library supports the teaching and learning activities of this unique user group. This article describes the LIU Brooklyn campus library's efforts to promote and implement customized resources and services to users on different continents.