Entrepreneurship Initiatives in Academic Libraries

Abstract

Academic library spaces and services have widely broadened their missions away from providing only traditional research services and quiet spaces for study. Today, academic libraries are increasingly repurposing space and redesigning services to become the hub of innovation on university campuses. The literature explores entrepreneurship and academic libraries from many perspectives but with a common theme of the library as a leader in support of entrepreneurship initiatives on campus.     

How They Search,How They Feel,and How to Serve Them? Information Needs and Seeking Behaviors of Chinese Students Using Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

America has become a choice for international students to study abroad because of its advanced education system and environment. Libraries become a way for international students to access resources and experience campus life, while Chinese students are increasing gradually as the biggest component of international students. This article investigates how Chinese students use American academic libraries and their information needs and seeking behaviors, as well as Chinese students' satisfaction with library facilities, resources, and services, and their expectation for other services. The article aims to better understand Chinese students, analyze their search strategies, and better provide relevant library services for them.     

Insourcing library outreach: Engaging technical services in outreach to student organizations

Abstract

In recent years, library outreach has become an increasingly important aspect of public services work. In order to expand capacity and engage patrons, libraries should consider expanding their library outreach programs to include the efforts and expertise of technical services personnel. In this article, librarians from Texas A&M University will share how public services librarians, cataloging experts, and preservation librarians collaborated to provide support for a student-led textbook lending library for student veterans. Through this collaboration, the library was able to develop new outreach opportunities that highlighted technical services expertise as well as lend support to an important campus effort to improve the affordability of college textbooks for veterans.     

Bringing a Small Academic Library Back from the Brink

Abstract

When Villa Madonna College moved from Covington to Crestview Hills, Kentucky in 1968 to become Thomas More College, the designers of the new campus knew that the library would be a vital component of academic success for future students. As Thomas More transitioned from “College” to “University” in 2018, the library had unfortunately endured a long slow decline. With a recent renaming to the “Benedictine Library” in 2017, administration knew that more substantial changes were needed. In April 2018, the library started a new course with the 16^th Library Director in institutional history. This column illustrates the ambitious first two years of the new library administration, and details the work completed in the library’s “digital modernization plan”.     

Reference Librarians Speak for Users: A Learning Commons Concept That Meets the Needs of a Diverse Student Body

ABSTRACT

This article describes creating a learning commons at a main campus library.     

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.     

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.     

Build Your Program by Building Your Team: Inclusively Transforming Services,Staffing and Spaces

ABSTRACT

User feedback told the story of the largest and busiest campus library being dated in both physical form and programmatic function. Under the framework of a newly-developed strategic plan, library leadership initiated a comprehensive and inclusive assessment program to understand fully user needs by engaging users, campus partners, and, importantly, library personnel. Simultaneously, they embarked on a review of change management literature for guidance on implementing the required transformation. Informed by the change management philosophy of John Kotter, the library utilized the findings of the assessment program to craft and implement a sustainable transformation of its services, staffing, and spaces.     

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.”     

Breaking Down Barriers for Student Parents and Caregivers with Family-Friendly Library Spaces

Abstract

In 2016, J. Murrey Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte opened a reservable study room where student parents and caregivers can study with their children on campus. In 2018, the library opened a second family-friendly study room to meet the needs of our growing campus community. To inform the room design, the library conducted a mixed methods research study that included a user survey, an examination of room reservation and usage data, and one-on-one user interviews. This paper focuses on the user-centered design process used to inform the development of the second, family-friendly, library study room.     

Reaching Beyond Library Employees: Assessing IT Student Workers

ABSTRACT

This article examines a collaboration between academic librarians and campus IT to provide library training and assessment for computer lab consultants who work in the library. Pre- and post-tests were used to gauge lab consultants’ ability to answer frequently asked library questions using online guides. This research project also served as a pilot for collaborations between the library's Coordinator of Outreach and Peer Learning and supervisors of student workers in the library.     

Web 2.0 Tools Ease Renovation Service Disruptions at The Ohio State University Libraries

ABSTARCT

The Thompson Library, the main library of The Ohio State University (OSU), began a major renovation in fall 2006 that required the library to close for three years. During this time, the bulk of the circulating collection and many of the personnel relocated to an interim facility. The distance imposed by the renovation created special challenges for service to patrons and communication among library faculty and staff. The OSU Libraries used blogs, podcasts, a wiki, instant messaging, and the campus course management system to reach as many of the constituents of the campus community as possible.     

Implementing an Action Plan

Abstract

A university library implemented a three-pronged marketing action plan to increase library visibility on campus. The plan included a publicity campaign, a formalized liaison program, and a user satisfaction survey. The year-long effort did return library instruction statistics to earlier levels but did not increase reference usage. Several factors are identified as potential causes for its limited success.     

The Service Side of Systems Librarianship

Abstract

Describes the role of a systems librarian at a small academic library. Although online catalogs and the Internet are making library accessibility more convenient, the need for library buildings and professionals has not diminished. Typical duties of a systems librarian and the effects of new technology on librarianship are discussed. Services provided to other constituencies on campus and the blurring relationship between the library and computer services are also presented.     

Creating a Library-Wide Collection Management Cycle: One Academic Library’s Approach to Continuous Collection Assessment

Abstract

Collections assessment in academic libraries has experienced a shift in recent years from project-based models to continuous models that aim improve the responsivity of library collections to campus needs. This article reports on how one university library used a library committee with representation from across library departments to develop a holistic, on-going Collection Management Cycle. This newly created process evaluates the entire library collection over a five-year period and aligns with library reporting requirements for university program review to minimize additional workload and improve the impact of external reporting activities.     

A Systematic Approach to Assessing the Needs of Distance Faculty

Abstract

Beginning in the 1990s, various academic units within our health sciences institution moved aggressively toward providing courses and programs via distance education. Without a centralized campus distance education office, distance library services from our campus evolved sporadically in response to individual needs. In 2001, the library hired its first distance services librarian, whose primary responsibility was to develop a written distance library services plan. In accordance with the ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services, the library determined that the formulation of an effective plan required a formal needs assessment of the faculty providing distance education. In this paper, we will discuss the process for developing this needs assessment, based on focus groups and a written survey instrument. We will also address some of the challenges we faced with this approach. Preliminary data identified copyright clearance and lack of awareness regarding library services as the major barriers to distance faculty seeking course support from the library.     

Providing Library Services to Distance Education Students

Abstract

This article documents the development of library services to distance education students in conjunction with the growth of online distance education courses at the University of Scranton. Personal computers and the development of the Internet have had a significant impact on the delivery of library services to patrons and have given academic libraries the ability to provide distance education students with library services and resources equivalent to those provided for campus students.     

University of Central Florida Librarians on Location

Abstract

Librarians on Location is an innovative project implemented at the University of Central Florida and is designed to move reference service out of the library to meet the needs of students. At two campus locations outside of the library, librarians use a wireless laptop to provide reference service and demonstrate library resources. The intent is to proactively meet the information needs of those students and faculty who might otherwise remain unaware of the extensive resources provided by the library. The nature of the project also addresses differing information-seeking styles in an informal setting. Because of the location in different buildings on campus, the project enhances the library's visibility to faculty, administrators, and students. Librarians on Location is one part of an ongoing and innovative outreach program at the University of Central Florida Library.     

Building a Path to College Success: Advocacy,Discovery and OER Adoption in Emerging Educational Models

ABSTRACT

In this case study we will examine the role of the library in Open Educational Resources through the lens of library value described in Megan Oakleaf's 2010 ACRL report. While librarians in our organization have traditionally not played a role in textbook adoptions, the campus academic goal to increase online, blended and competency-based models is a strategic direction that intersects with the library's strategic vision to increase its contribution to online learning. Further, we will describe the process of building a partnership around OER with the campus Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and articulate the impact of our combined services on faculty adoption of OER and student success.