Assessment from a Distance: A Case Study Implementing Focus Groups at an Online Library

Assessing library resources and services at a distance holds unique challenges in gathering data needed to make informed decisions. This article describes the complete process of piloting virtual focus groups—from planning and implementation through the analysis of results for a completely online student population. The virtual focus group method proved effective in getting qualitative feedback to spur library improvements, and it is transferable to many different library settings.     

An Information Access Model at a Distant Branch Library

Abstract

Academic branch libraries located at a distance from the parent institution often face unique challenges in meeting users' needs for scholarly information. This is especially true for distant branch libraries that do not have a specialized function or collection, but who often face the challenge of meeting users' needs for scholarly materials across a wide array of academic disciplines. This paper discusses the definition of academic branch libraries and the information access plan developed for the Regents Center Library at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus, located some 40 miles from the main parent institution, the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. In addition, a discussion of the mission, academic programs, and special user characteristics of the Edwards Campus that impacted the development of the information access plan is included. Finally, the factors that affected and will continue to affect the plan, along with methods for managing the implementation of the plan, are provided.     

Practical Suggestions on Forming a Friends of the Library Organizaiton for an Academic Library

In a time of wide-spread budget crunches, institutional down-sizing, and general academic belt-tightening, an increasing number of academic libraries have found themselves considering the many advantages brought to them by a Friends of the Library (FOL) organization. Such groups provide additional funds, enhance relations with the administration, and provide useful links between the college and the community surrounding it. Their success, however, depends on the commitment of the director, ongoing, support form the library, and other practical tips outlined in this article.     

Interlibrary Loan Patron Use Patterns: An Examination of Borrowing Requests at a Midsized Academic Library

The results of a recently conducted study of interlibrary loan fee-based borrowing requests are presented in this article. The study examined 3,074 borrowing requests completed over a three-year period from January 2007 to December 2009. Statistics were analyzed to understand patron behavior in submitting requests and the types of materials being requested.     

Meeting Evolving Research and Curriculum Needs: A Survey of Interlibrary Loan and OhioLINK Borrowing at an Academic Law Library

The research goal was to study the law faculty's interlibrary loan and OhioLINK borrowing activity to assess current subject gaps in the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library's collection. The authors analyzed and collated faculty research interests. The results indicate that additional purchases are required to support international law and health law, two curriculum areas currently under development at Cleveland-Marshall.     

Tutorials on Google Analytics: How to Craft a Web Analytics Report for a Library Web Site

Libraries, along with other information service institutions, have entered a digital era in which resources are presented electronically through various digital platforms. The library Web site functions as the main source of information to patrons as well as a community outreach tool. Many library services now either succeed or fail based on how well users interact with the institution's Web site. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of library services, it thus becomes important for libraries to measure the performance of library Web sites. Web analytics is the ideal tool to answer questions regarding the evaluation of Web site performance. However, Web analytics can be hard to understand for those who do not have the time to familiarize themselves with all the terms and data. Writing a thorough Web analytics report can help make Web analytics easier to digest for administrators or Web site stakeholders.

This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to craft a Web analytics report. It provides suggestions on visualizing statistics, interpreting data, and customizing the report based on a real experience. The tutorial is facilitated with customized figures, charts, and tables from a real Web analytics report on the Texas Tech University Libraries Web site and concludes with recommendations on presenting the report to the administration and stakeholders.     

An Investigation of Service Expectations: Developing and Validating an Alternative Scale for Service Quality Assessment in Academic Libraries

The article provides an overview of the expectations and perceptions of library service quality from university students in Bangladesh. A modified version of the five dimensional SERVQUAL instrument was used to collect data from the universities. Respondents were asked to indicate their opinion on three columns, i.e., desired, minimum, and perception of service performance using 28 service items. It was found that the students’ desired expectation for services is unreasonably high. The study, therefore, made an effort to examine the sources of their expectation to develop and validate an alternative item-scale for service quality assessment. The results indicate that the students’ expectation sources had a significant impact on their opinion on service quality. A large proportion of students felt that their expectation for quality services is their right. This led them to rate higher desired expectation score for services. It suggests that user's desired service expectation is unrealistic and is not reliable for quality measurement. Based on this, the study argues that the prior scales of service quality assessment, particularly the calculation of the gap difference between perception of service performance and desired service expectation cannot produce a realistic result. An alternative item-scale, called real service expectation, was developed to calculate the gap score between perception of service performance and real service expectations. The computation of real service expectation, and the corresponding gap analysis could provide a new strategic direction for service quality assessment in academic libraries.     

Dialogic Approaches to Strategic Planning in Academic Libraries: An Appreciative Inquiry Case Study at Oviatt Library

This article provides an overview of the status of strategic planning in academic libraries. It discusses the trend towards “dialogic” (e.g. Appreciative Inquiry) rather than “diagnostic” (e.g. SWOT) approaches to strategic planning—a trend aligned with a dialogic movement in organization development. The authors explain the difference between dialogic and diagnostic methods and what made Appreciative Inquiry (AI) a good choice for strategic planning at Oviatt Library, California State University, Northridge (CSUN). In the final section, the authors present a case study of the Oviatt Library project with information about the planning process including staffing for the project. Although focused on academic libraries, the information about strategic planning frameworks and processes is applicable to any type of library.     

Balancing Act for the Future: How the Academic Library Engages in Collection Development at the Local and Consortial Levels

ABSTRACT

Collection development remains a major focus and concern of current interest for all types of libraries. Consortia began as a means of sharing resources and of leveraging purchasing power for its members. How does a library balance its individual collection needs, both present and future, when it is a member of a consortium? Do the expectations of the consortium outweigh the needs of the individual library member? This article will address how an academic library engages in collection development at the local and consortia levels, addresses the benefits and challenges of consortia memberships, and responds to its local patrons in light of its obligations and commitment to a consortium.     

Outreach at a Public,Academic, Regional Library- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

Summary

Bell Library at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has reached beyond its walls to utilize as well as to enrich the diverse community resources in our midst. In terms of distance education library support, the purpose is to compensate libraries that support A&M-Corpus Christi students living in their locales. In terms of consortium arrangements, we have played an integral part in the creation of the Coastal Bend Health Information Network, which is a unique blend of local college/university libraries and local hospitals. We have implemented the rather novel idea of having a specialized library, specifically a hospital library, outsource its library operations to our university library. When the local Art Institute of South Texas was brought under the university's organizational umbrella, Bell Library's contribution was to provide acquisition, processing, and cataloging support for Art Institute library holdings. We have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with a “sister library” in Mexico. In summary, Bell Library strives to know and cultivate community interests that parallel our own.     

Telephone Calls Received at an Academic Library's Reference Desk: A New Analysis

ABSTRACT

It has been established that much of the assistance provided to library patrons at reference desks does not require the knowledge and expertise of a professional librarian. Is the same thing true of the telephone calls received at reference desks in academic libraries? This article reports the results of one academic librarian's reference desk transaction log analysis which focuses on the categories of assistance provided to patrons who called the library's reference desk.     

How to Drink From a Fire Hose Without Drowning: Collection Assessment in a Numbers-Driven Environment

As collection budgets have dwindled, library acquisitions has become a data-driven field that relies on hard numbers. Libraries are struggling with the demands of adapting to a numbers-driven environment, both from a personnel and a data management perspective. This article includes a literature review, survey results, and practical advice that can be applied to most library environments. A model of transferable outcomes is introduced that encourages libraries to create a data pool of statistical information that can be applied to collections decisions in a variety of ways to quantify the impact of library resources to the broader community.     

Analyzing Recorded Transactions to Extrapolate the Required Knowledge,Skills, and Abilities of Reference Desk Providers at an Urban,Academic/Public Library

ABSTRACT

Much has been written about the competencies that reference providers must exhibit to be successful at their positions given today's technology-rich, information environment. Many have proclaimed new mandatory technological and attitudinal qualities for librarians, while others have interviewed future, practicing, and hiring librarians for their perspectives on this topic. This study adds to the existing literature by examining a dataset of 9,683 recorded reference transactions collected during the fall 2012 semester in an urban, academic/public library. This dataset provides a very current look at the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities that reference providers need to be successful at this library.     

The Perfect Storm: Examining User Experience and Conducting a Usability Test to Investigate a Disruptive Academic Library Web Site Redevelopment

Abstract

The researchers conducted a task-based usability test of the effectiveness of online research beginning on the library Web site homepage. The participants included five university faculty members, six graduate students, and six undergraduate students. All participants reported feeling satisfied with their overall research experience, though most were unable to effectively complete all the research tasks of the test. The researchers identified weaknesses in the approach and process of many participants, and overall usability issues of the library discovery tool and other library Web site pages and research interfaces. Findings indicate the need to strategically incorporate self-service information literacy and research skills help into the library Web site, and to implement navigation and design changes to the library homepage, discovery tool interface, online catalog, and across all the library's Web services.