Total Library Assessment

ASBTRACT

Library assessment as a concept is so complex that we often fail to see the entire scope of the endeavor. Consequently, our approaches tend to be somewhat piecemeal. By exploring three dimensions of library assessment (the organizational, the inquisitive, and the methodological), this article will discuss how diverse assessment practices fit into an overall scheme, or Total Library Assessment (TLA). The article also presents several strategies to maximize assessment coverage and extend the reach of the assessment librarian. This top-level view of library assessment can be a helpful intermediate step toward thoughtful, effective, structured assessment planning that operates within the context of a unique organization.     

Library Management in Trivandrum,India

ABSTRACT

The authors present assessment strategies, research results, and decision making in the process of building a website and formalizing management procedures for a library in Kerala, India serving a significant number of deaf students. The strategies include user interviews and developing user experience personas, collecting and incorporating examples from other library sites in building a new website, and communicating new methods of managing and promoting library resources to the university community. The co-presenters encountered difficulties and some resistance regarding their suggestions for changes in the website as well as the public and technical services offered by the library due to differences in infrastructure and expectations in academic culture.     

Rebuilding a High School Library Collection After Hurricane Katrina

SUMMARY

After Hurricane Katrina struck, many friends, fellow librarians at all levels, alumni, and others came to help in our rebuilding efforts at Benjamin Franklin High School. I developed an action plan that covers stages in the rebuilding process. It is extremely important that a librarian remain focused and flexible in all rebuilding efforts. The plan, procedures, process, needs assessment, and current educational, library, and technological trends are important to successfully rebuild a library. Librarians faced with any kind of disaster are encouraged to use the steps presented as a guide or modify them in rebuilding other libraries.     

Training,Supervising, and Evaluating Student Information Assistants

Abstract

Training, supervision, and evaluation of student assistants is not a topic covered in most library school curricula; it is a skill that it is assumed one will have or acquire through on-the-job experience. This article focuses on the hiring, supervision, training, and evaluation of student information assistants in the reference/electronic resource setting. Student Information Assistants are known by many names-reference assistants, peer counselors, research assistants, and database assistants, to name a few-but within this article I will use the name Student Information Assistants (SIAs).     

Special Academic Libraries and the Millennial Patron

ABSTRACT

Special academic libraries are in the unique position to blend the innovative and user focused services of academic libraries with the niche collections of special libraries when serving their Millennial student population. Millennials are a highly researched generation, but special libraries may have not updated their services to reflect the needs and expectations of this rising generation. Maine Maritime Academy's Nutting Memorial Library serves as a case study of methods in which special academic libraries can incorporate Millennials' expectations of library spaces, services, and collections in sustainable ways.     

Circulation/Reserves Area Makeover

Abstract

The following article describes a literature review on factors that went into the planning for a new circulation/reserves desk at the Livingston Lord Library at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Many issues have been reported in the literature and must be considered when designing a functional, convenient, and ADA-compliant circulation/reserves desk. The major considerations are: (1) patron traffic; (2) staff work flow; (3) ADA considerations; (4) the functionality of the circulation/reserves desk; (5) ergonomics; and (6) planning for future technology.     

Promoting Library Visibility Through Creative Programing

Abstract

Digital libraries and their librarians face a challenge to remain visible to users since almost all their resources can be accessed without having to visit the library space. Libraries with a primarily electronic collection can promote their visibility through creative programing that draws people into the library space or provides opportunities for users to engage with librarians. A new, primarily digital academic health sciences library shares its experiences with developing creative user events and programs to promote the library’s visibility.     

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.     

Providing a State-Wide Digital Library

Summary

The State Library of Delaware has brought DelAWARE: The Digital Library of the First State into being in regular, steady increments. Providing a digital library for a state library network, no matter how small, is always a project both blessed with support systems and fraught with unforeseen obstacles. You just never know what will happen next or who will show up to save the day.

By steadfastly working and collaborating with all partners (librarians, vendors, state agencies), De/AWARE: The Digital Library of the First State is being brought into existence, a product at a time. By addressing the needs and difficulties of its users, the digital library grows into something uniquely useful for the state and its citizens.     

Changing Models of Library Education to Benefit Rural Communities

ABSTRACT

Rural libraries whose librarians have expertise in digital literacy and a deep understanding of unique communities contribute to improving quality of life for residents. However, many library education programs do not include the development of students as future leaders of community growth. In this article we describe efforts to build on prior research in the Appalachian region. Offered by Texas Woman’s University School of Library and Information Studies (TWU SLIS), a designated Hispanic-serving institution in Texas, the program extends library roles by getting librarians out into their communities, working with community leaders and residents to facilitate needed and wanted change.     

Strategies for sustainable funding: a metadata review of the independent library district model

ABSTRACT

Public libraries have seen a decline in public funding, relying on a mixture of external types of funding to keep services running. With state and local governments continuing to face financial pressures, some libraries have explored alternative ways to maximize funding, by forming library districts. This report aimed at exploring library districts in three states, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon, which have similar funding structures. The report found more stable and predictable funding patterns in library districts versus their counterparts and provides evidence that is a strong alternative for public libraries seeking a change in the way they obtain funds.     

Aligning experiences: comparing and contrasting K12 and post-secondary space,resources, and services to smooth the college transition

Abstract

In this study, researchers used basic qualitative research to understand the spaces, resources, and services available to K12 students in their school libraries. Using observation and semi-structured interviews with K12 teacher librarians, this research allowed for a comparison of the K12 and post-secondary environments through which the authors were able to identify similarities and differences in function and service. In this article, the authors explore strategies to ease the transition of K12 students to the college environment, including collaboration between post-secondary and K12 libraries, robust orientation programs, and alignment of information literacy initiatives. This article adds to the body of college readiness literature and suggests avenues for future research.     

Building Community: Partnering with Students and Faculty to Design a Library Exhibition Space

ABSTRACT

An academic library's space has traditionally operated as a repository, but with the proliferation of new media and interactive technologies, libraries now also serve as incubators of ideas. Architecture students at Auburn University recently took part in renovating the design library. With the librarian acting as client, they were asked to investigate diverse materials and design methods to create a dynamic and interactive exhibition wall which would showcase the creation of new knowledge and facilitate the dissemination of new information. This article discusses how the plug-in wall acted as a catalyst for the school's renewed communal investment in the library.     

Expanding Library Support for Faculty Research in Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ABSTRACT

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Library Alliance conducted a study to assess library services in support of faculty research. Funded by an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant, and with support from LYRASIS, the study involved two different assessments. The first assessment was of faculty members and their support needs for research. The second assessment was of librarians to understand current capacity and needs related to support libraries provide to faculty. While the HBCU Library Alliance acknowledges that libraries do not have the capacity to address all the challenges to faculty research, the results from this study can serve as a tool to augment the academic infrastructure to support research.     

Shopping for Health Information

ABSTRACT

In this time of ongoing health care changes, consumers need to become better informed to actively participate in their health care decisions. As a result, hospital libraries are being challenged to address this need. Scottsdale Healthcare's Health Sciences Libraries have responded to this challenge by establishing a Health Information Center at the premiere shopping mall in the area. Implementing a Health Information Center at a mall is a unique way to bring medical information to the community. The purpose of this paper is to describe the planning process, the implementation, and the future vision of the Health Information Center at Scottsdale Fashion Square.     

Understanding the Characteristics,Concerns, and Priorities of Adult Learners to Enhance Library Services to Them

Summary

Adult students, while often aware of library services offered by the institution they are enrolled in, often seek the familiarity and convenience of a local public library. These libraries may or may not be able to assist students with their assignment. In either case, librarians can establish an environment of good will and future support by acknowledging the unique characteristics, concerns, and priorities of the adult learner.     

Providing Library Outreach to Student Athletes

Summary

Student athletes' schedules can be very tightly structured around classes, homework, study, practice, and athletic events. As a result, they do not have the same freedom with their schedules as the average student. A library outreach program was developed at Valdosta State University to target the Department of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, and specifically the student athletes. The goals of this program are: (1) to provide the Department faculty and staff with a library contact or liaison, (2) to help student athletes learn to use the Library more effectively under pressure, thus relieving some of the stress they face with their demanding schedules, and (3) to make the library a less intimidating, more welcoming environment. The Library's outreach program is incorporated into the Department's NCAA CHAMPS (Challenging Athletes' Minds for Personal Success) program and includes tailored library instruction sessions. CHAMPS, as designed by the NCAA, does not currently include a library skills component.¹ Library outreach may be defined as any activity or program such as tailored library instruction that is created “to meet the information needs of an unserved or inadequately served target group.”² Outreach activities often focus on a specific user population such as high school students, off-campus students, international students, non-traditional students, and even faculty, and are often a method of promoting the use of the library.³ Providing outreach to student athletes is not well documented, however, there are a handful of universities with some type of outreach program to student athletes in place.⁴     

Library Learning Spaces: Investigating Libraries and Investing in Student Feedback

ABSTRACT

We examine how students in academic libraries work; their furniture, technology and space needs; research methods used to determine these; and the results and evolution of our space design and assessment efforts. From the creation of a new collaborative center at Mann Library at Cornell University in 2007 to our latest space redesign in 2015, we've used a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods—including surveys, interviews, usability tests, and participatory design exercises—to discover the study behaviors and needs of users, applied this data to help redesign our collaborative study spaces, and assessed the results.     

From Assessment to Implementation: Using Qualitative Interviews to Inform Distance Learning Library Services

ABSTRACT

While broad assessment projects are often used to steer library strategic planning initiatives, this article will present the benefits of qualitative interviews with distance learning constituents as a framework for developing a focused vision and targeted services. This article will describe the planning and execution of an assessment project used to build a foundation for future library resources and services to target off-campus users. The benefits of this analysis will be detailed. Based on the data, implementation strategies were devised to strengthen and further develop the distance learning unit at Florida State University Libraries.