Services to Distance Learners: Planning for E-Reserves and Copyright

Abstract

This paper focuses on the outreach to over 3,000 students taking classes at over 80 locations within the State of Maine, as well as students taking classes nationally via the Web through the University of Maine System Network (UNE1). The discussion will briefly note the wide range of collections and services available through the University of Maine System's digital library and the Off-Campus Library Services Office. In particular, the discussion will center on reserve services for students at remote locations, using traditional paper copies and particularly electronic reserves, and the copyright issues that surround the e-reserve service.     

Hacking Blackboard: Customizing Access to Library Resources Through the Blackboard Course Management System

Academic libraries have long been trying to gain access to users through their favorite online spaces, such as social networking sites. In this article a project of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's University Libraries, which integrated library resources with the campus course management system, Blackboard, is detailed. The main objective was to push the best resources to students based on their actual needs. For years, static HTML Web pages were created, but the proliferation of these pages required tremendous maintenance. In addition it is not certain that students are able to access the most relevant resources buried deep in the Web site. Because of these challenges, the Course Resources Tool and the Library Resources Portal were created to provide high levels of customization based on information that was gathered from users as they log into Blackboard. The tools have been customized so that subject specialist liaisons can integrate library resources at the major, department, course, and course section levels. Despite some difficulties in launching and promoting these projects, there has been positive feedback. There was also an increase in usage statistics that rivals the use of the library's main Web site. This article describes the tools, documents the difficulties with each phase of the project, and discusses the lessons learned. Also, a brief overview of possible expansions of the Blackboard Course Resources Tool and the Library Resources Portal is provided.     

Rethinking Library Service to Distance Education Students: Analyzing the Embedded Librarian Model

Since fall 2009, reference librarians at The George Washington University's Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library have been embedded in online classes through Blackboard within the School of Nursing and School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The authors sought to determine the types of questions asked of the librarian, with the goal of informing future interactions with distance education classes to help develop a standard “protocol” for working with this population of students. Eighty-two questions were categorized and qualitatively analyzed. The findings have prompted librarians to explore tools such as Elluminate Live!, a tool that allows librarians to provide synchronous instruction within the Blackboard environment.     

Eponyms,Inventions and Devisers: A Contest

ABSTRACT

In the summer of 1998, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill conducted a pilot project for electronic reserves using Contec North America's ‘C3’ e-reserve system. This paper discusses how the pilot project was implemented, including equipment required for the system, types of materials placed on reserve, and problems encountered and solved. It also examines the areas that will determine the future of e-reserves at UNC-CH, copyright management, web access, and the incorporation of multi-media and online articles.     

Using Blackboard for Training and Communicating with Student Employees

Abstract

The circulation staff at Staley Library, Millikin University, in Decatur, Illinois, experimented with using Blackboard courseware to train student employees. Staff and students' feedback offer additional ways to utilize Blackboard's features. Some promising applications for training and communicating with student employees are described. The student employees' Blackboard course page continues to evolve as an integral part of student employee training.     

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.     

Faculty-Librarian Collaboration to Teach Research Skills: Electronic Symbiosis

SUMMARY

This article discusses faculty-librarian collaboration to integrate technology in a course that focuses on teaching empirical research methodologies and library research skills to elementary and early childhood education graduate students. Vygotsky's theory, standards in teacher education, and information literacy standards form the conceptual framework that supports this collaboration. The purpose and procedures of this collaboration, as well as student, faculty, and librarian outcomes, are discussed. This present collaboration on bibliographic instruction and the use of Blackboard courseware is framed within the context of past history of collaboration and future plans to expand this collaboration.     

The Development of RoboDemo Tutorials in an OCLS Blackboard Space

ABSTRACT

The geographically, culturally, and academically diverse student population of Southern New Hampshire University encompasses more than 30 time zones and includes students enrolled in bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs. There is a constant challenge to reach out and make them aware that they have at their disposal an academic support resource such as the university's Shapiro Library. Although the Internet is an integral part of how our off-campus students “get to class,” its search engines also remain a means for conducting much if not all of their academic research.

RoboDemo(now Captivate) tutorials are continuing to be developed to attract and inform our students about the library's capabilities to assist them with their academic work. Housed in a Blackboard OCLS Resource space for SNHU Online faculty, these tutorials are available for downloading and insertion in individual classes. The tutorials are also available directly to students for viewing via the Shapiro Library Web page. This session will walk attendees through the deciding factors behind their development and the accompanying “learning curve” of lessons picked up along the way.     

E-Reserve in Blackboard

Abstract

Ryerson University Libraryin Toronto, Canada, embarked on an electronic reserve pilot project in 2004. The project soon took on new directions, including integration with Blackboard, using its new Content Management System (January 2005), employment of SFX links to offer database options for accessing articles (April 2005) and experiment with streaming a digitized video (May 2005). The reasons for these innovations are multifold. User's convenience of access via a portal like Blackboard is paramount. The SFX multi-database menu is revolutionizing electronic reserve access, though the concept has yet to be tested widely. Streaming AV content is ideal for distributed learning. From the staff perspective, the OpenURL Connector for SFX links is convenient for locating databases and creating links. SFX links are maintained centrally by the Collections Team in the Library and may reduce the occurrences of broken links. Some technical issues remain to be resolved. Extra library authentication after the Blackboard log-in and multiple clicks for downloading articles through SFX are the major ones reported. Excessive copy right clearance costs for digitized videos, lengthy course packs, business cases and so on are delaying or prohibiting some electronic reserve requests. The project has expanded the Library's collaboration with other e-learning stakeholder groups on campus and heightened copyright awareness in the University community.     

Bibliographie Instruction for Business Classes

Abstract

A contribution to an issue devoted to end-user research needs and information-seeking behavior, this paper describes a cooperative venture between faculty members, librarians and students to assess and improve methods of bibliographic instruction for business classes in order to assist students with their research needs. At St. Edward' s University' s Scarborough-Phillips Library, bibliographic instruction (BI) of business information is offered to students upon the request of faculty members of the Business School-it is not a required credit course. A new approach to eliminating information overload in BI sessions was attempted, proved successful and will likely be repeated.     

Streamlining Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan Services for Distance Learners

Abstract

Technological advances in the processing of interlibrary loans have enabled libraries to deliver materials electronically to users. Delivery is especially beneficial for distance education students for whom typical interlibrary loan services are often not a viable option. The author conducted a survey of libraries that serve distance education students to determine which systems and processes, used in traditional interlibrary loan, are transferable to the delivery of materials from the “home” institution to off-campus students. To complement the survey, the results of a case study of experiences at Western Michigan University (WMU) are presented. WMU uses ILLiad and SFX systems to facilitate the request and delivery of interlibrary loan and document delivery requests to students both on and off-campus students.     

Using Blackboard in Library Instruction: Addressing the Learning Styles of Generations X and Y

Studies show that recent generations of college students have a learning style with identifiable characteristics. Library instruction efforts must adapt to these learning styles. Course management software (CMS), such as Blackboard, is one resource available to academic librarians to meet the challenges posed by the "Net Generation." At Stetson University, the use of Blackboard courseware in library instruction sessions successfully addressed the unique learning styles of students.     

Clio Use at Colorado State University-Pueblo

Abstract

Colorado State University-Pueblo, Interlibrary Loan Department has used Clio software for nearly seven years on a variety of network and client operating systems. The department has integrated Clio functions with WebZap and WebView electronic request and article delivery software, as well as the request features offered through OCLC's FirstSearch databases. An ongoing project is the interoperability of Clio-Request with the ILL request forms offered by the Ebsco databases. Originally purchased to automate copyright claiming, Clio has more than proven its flexibility and usefulness over the years.     

Selecting Electronic Document Delivery Options to Provide Quality Service

Abstract

Providing electronic document delivery (EDD) services to off-campus students can be a challenge. Methods of delivery that work well for one group of users might not work at all for another group. Knowing and using the different EDD service options to accomplish the goal of providing quality service to students results in a win-win situation. Student expectations of timely delivery of material are met and the department develops a reputation of dependable quality service. Library users have raised expectations from the 24/7 services available through the World Wide Web. Providing EDD of information to the researcher's desktop helps the library meet these needs and expectations. However, the options for desktop delivery can also be overwhelming, so knowing how and why different software and delivery methods work enables the practitioner to control the outcome of the transaction. This control over the service also ensures that quality service expectations are met by the library since the practitioner has the ability to use a variety of delivery options to the user's desktop.     

Guest Editorial: An Opinion on the Opinion—An Access Services Librarian's Perspective on the Georgia State Ruling

The authors examine, based on a survey of users, the e-reserve management software landscape. Library course reserve processing staff was surveyed to determine what management systems, if any, are being used and how effective they are in meeting the needs of the library, the faculty, and the students. Although there are many positive aspects to such systems, there are some shortcomings, which the authors discuss.     

Finding Our Way as “Embedded Librarians”

ABSTRACT

Librarians at the University of Central Missouri were invited to provide research assistance for an online history course delivered through the Blackboard course management system. In consultation with the course instructor, it was decided that we would serve as “embedded librarians,” offering online tutorials on library resources and providing research assistance to students as they worked on a short research paper assignment. Our experiences with the course instructor and with students have provided us with some clear insights into the particular challenges that librarians face in an online course environment.     

Use of the University Library,Elibrary, VLE,and Other Information Sources by Distance Learning Students in University College Dublin: Implications for Academic Librarianship

This paper reports on a study of the information behavior of Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) distance learning students in the Quinn School of Business, University College Dublin (UCD). In order to gain a better understanding of the information behaviors of distance-learning students, the study sought to answer the following research questions:

• What are the main sources of information for the BBS distance learning students?

• What are student perceptions of the virtual learning environment (VLE), Blackboard employed by the Quinn School of Business?

• To what extent, if any, is there evidence of collaborative information behaviors and practices?

The full cohort of BBS distance-learning students was surveyed. A total of 55 out of 136 (40.4%) responded to the survey. Data were collected by means of a self-completion online questionnaire. The paper presents the findings of the study and considers implications for academic librarianship. The chief sources used by the students to assist them with study are web search engines (primarily Google) and content from the VLE (Blackboard). Search engines and the university elibrary are the main sources used by the students when conducting an information search for their course, however the students also rely significantly on their lecturers with regard to acquiring information for their coursework. The study also found that collaboration with regard to information sharing is a major facet of the information world of this cohort of students.     

利用Blackboard网络教学平台提升信息检索公选课品质

Blackboard教学管理平台集课程组织、资源建设、评价及交流等功能于一体,已经广泛应用于国内外各类教育机构的教学活动中。实践证明,充分利用Bb这个成熟完善的教学平台,在完善教学体系、加强交流互动、进行教学评估以及开展远程教学等方面,对提升信息检索课的品质都非常有帮助。     

文献传递中申请未满足的原因分析及对策研究

文献传递中申请未满足的原因主要有读者主动中止和文献传递馆员无法提供读者所指定的文献两大类。读者中止文献传递通常是受到时间和费用的影响,文献传递馆员无法提供读者指定的文献则受到文献馆员业务水平、馆藏地、读者提供的申请信息的影响。当前部分学者主要从资源建设、系统完善和馆员培养三个方面给出了一些建议以提高文献传递的满足率,此外我们还可以从工作任务的分配、基本流程的制定、有效的知识共享机制三个方面进行探讨。     

Integrating with users is one thing,but living with them? a case study on loss of space from the Medical Center Library,University of California,San Diego

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Medical Center is the primary hospital for the UCSD School of Medicine. The UCSD Medical Center Library (MCL), a branch of the campus''s biomedical library, is located on the medical center campus. In 2007, the medical center administration made a request to MCL for space in its facility to relocate pharmacy administration from the hospital tower. The university librarian brought together a team of library managers to deliberate and develop a proposal, which ultimately accommodated the medical center''s request and enhanced some of MCL''s public services.