Instruction in a Virtual Environment

Abstract

In 2002, librarians at the Utah State University (USU) Libraries were awarded a grant to develop online tutorials. The major design challenge was to create tutorials specific to USU resources and students, including distance learners, while also making them flexible so that other Utah colleges and universities can adapt them for their own needs. The tutorials also needed to address the information behavior of a new generation of students accustomed to using computers and the Internet. While recent studies have begun to address some gaps in our knowledge of the information behavior of the Web Generation, we conducted a needs assessment to help us create a tutorial that more accurately addresses the existing knowledge and behavior of undergraduates at USU. We used multiple methods to determine the learning needs of our audience and to provide guidance for the design process.     

Using Visualization to Understand Phrase Structure

Abstract

From a concern with helping users deal with information overload, we are developing suitable visual metaphors for representing the dispersion of information and developing tools for supporting the ability of users to interact with these metaphorical displays and to navigate the information landscapes that they represent. WordView, our initial application within the OverView project, was designed to be an easy-to-use tool to study naturally occurring phrases and to support the future design of intelligent text input systems. It embodies an easy to understand graphic summary and a user-controllable inspection facility.     

Internet Engineering Reference-An Academic Strategy

Summary

The McKinney Engineering Library has always been an activist library-we play to win and winning means providing users with high quality help whenever and wherever they need it. This paper describes a multi level strategy for reaching out to engineering users wherever they are. This strategy includes the creation of several kinds of web based tools including: a full online tutorial aimed at new graduate students, specialized exploratory tutorials aimed at users who need only a quick introduction in how to use a specific tool, and topic guides on cross disciplinary design topics. An integrated part of our strategy is an aggressive marketing plan geared toward reminding our users that the Engineering Library and its website are THE places to find information and help. We have changed our thinking-the web makes the library remote from its users, not the Otherway around.     

Re-Engineering the Law Library Resources Today for Tomorrow's Users

SUMMARY

The emergence of rich and diverse digital resources requires re-visualization of traditional law library space design and usage patterns. The structure and form of extant libraries-architectural edifices that house our beloved information artifacts-serve our pedagogic purposes less well. The use of digital straw men to justify outmoded library space design impedes the timely arrival of the law library of the future. (Professor Hazelton posits that only 13% of her collection is available on Lexis and Westlaw as justification for a request for 50% of a projected new facility.) Building larger library space merely to house physical material should be reconsidered and a course of action planned and implemented that acknowledges technology's import today.     

Creating information resources and trainings for farmworker-serving community health workers

Background:Farmworker-serving community health workers have limited access to farmworker health research findings, training, and education resources. With funding from the National Library of Medicine, we are working to improve the health information literacy of both community health workers and farmworkers. We conducted focus group discussions with community health workers to explore their experiences providing health education and information to farmworkers, their information-seeking behaviors, and their technology and information needs. Data from the focus groups provided insights into the main areas in which community health workers would like to receive professional development.Case Presentation:Our team, which includes health sciences librarians, developed a resource list of educational materials for farmworker health, videos to increase community health workers'' skills finding health information online, and webinars to introduce these resources to community health workers. Videos, available in Spanish and English, included instruction on finding and evaluating online health information, accessing reputable online consumer health information sources, and advanced searching tips for Google and PubMed. Through three webinars, we introduced the resource list, videos, and design software for creating handouts and infographics to community health workers.Conclusions:Community health workers have a critical role in providing health education and information to farmworkers, and our efforts represent a first step in addressing community health workers'' limited access to professional development. Health sciences librarians are well positioned to partner with interdisciplinary teams working to reduce health disparities and provide resources and training to community health workers, farmworkers, and other underserved communities.     

Instructional design for single information literacy sessions

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe how the Understanding by Design instructional design framework can be applied to design high-quality single-session information literacy instruction. The author describes the Understanding by Design process in detail, noting modifications for single instructional session design with examples from the application of this instructional design process to design co-curricular instruction sessions for undergraduates.     

Medical librarians' knowledge and practices in locating clinical trials for systematic reviews

Objective:In regard to locating clinical trials for a systematic review, limited information is available about how librarians locate clinical trials in biomedical databases, including (1) how much information researchers provide librarians to assist with the development of a comprehensive search strategy, (2) which tools librarians turn to for information about study design methodology, and (3) librarians'' confidence levels in their knowledge of study design methodology. A survey was developed to explore these aspects of how a medical librarian locates clinical trials when facilitating systematic reviews for researchers.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, a 21-question survey was sent to medical librarians via several email listservs during April 2020. Respondents were limited to librarians who make the decisions on search terms for systematic reviews.Results:Responses (n=120) indicated that librarians were often asked to search for various types of clinical trials. However, there was not a consistent method for creating search strategies that locate diverse types of clinical trials. Multiple methods were used for search strategy development, with hedges being the most popular method. In general, these librarians considered themselves to be confident in locating trials. Different resources were used to inform study types, including textbooks, articles, library guides and websites.Discussion:Medical librarians indicated that while they felt confident in their searching skills, they did not have a definitive source of information about the various types of clinical trials, and their responses demonstrated a clear need and desire for more information on study design methodology.     

Integrating Information Literacy into an Online Undergraduate Nursing Informatics Course: The Librarian's Role in the Design and Teaching of the Course

ABSTRACT

Integration of information literacy as a core component into a new online undergraduate nursing course proved to be a learning experience in course design and teaching. This article describes the framework for the course design that combined cultural competency, informatics, and information literacy and was grounded in informatics competencies for nurses at the beginning level, an informatics textbook, and the Neurnan Systems Model. The librarian's role in this process and the information literacy unit's content and written assignment are detailed, and challenges in the collaboration are also addressed.     

Online health information seeking and digital health literacy among information and learning resources undergraduate students

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, students have trouble coping with the available health information regarding the coronavirus in their daily lives because of misinformation.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate online health information seeking and digital health literacy among information and learning resources undergraduate students at Taibah University during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsTo investigate the primary goal, this study used a simultaneous exploratory mixed methods design. Seventeen students participated in phone interviews, and 306 were invited to complete an online survey.AnalysisThe collected data was analyzed using both quantitative (SPSS) and qualitative (NVivo 10) methods.ResultsSearch engines, social media, and YouTube were most often used by the respondents as sources to search for COVID-19-related information. COVID-19 symptoms, restrictions, and the current spread of COVID-19 were the most searched topics by the respondents. Significant and relevant differences emerged for the digital health literacy subscales “information search” and “adding self-generated content”. However, there were no significant differences in the digital health literacy subscale “determining relevance”.ConclusionUsing the internet to provide health information tailored to the needs and interests of students to seek health information online and thereby improve their health literacy.     

A health literacy analysis of the consumer-oriented COVID-19 information produced by ten state health departments

Objective:The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the public''s need for quality health information that is understandable. This study aimed to identify (1) the extent to which COVID-19 messaging by state public health departments is understandable, actionable, and clear; (2) whether materials produced by public health departments are easily readable; (3) relationships between material type and understandability, actionability, clarity, and reading grade level; and (4) potential strategies to improve public health messaging around COVID-19.Methods:Based on US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics from June 30, 2020, we identified the ten states with the most COVID-19 cases and selected forty-two materials (i.e., webpages, infographics, and videos) related to COVID-19 prevention according to predefined eligibility criteria. We applied three validated health literacy tools (i.e., Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool, CDC Clear Communication Index, and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level) to assess material understandability, actionability, clarity, and readability. We also analyzed correlations between scores on the three health literacy tools and material types.Results:Overall, COVID-19 materials had high understandability and actionability but could be improved in terms of clarity and readability. Material type was significantly correlated with understandability, actionability, and clarity. Infographics and videos received higher scores on all tools.Conclusions:Based on our findings, we recommend public health entities apply a combination of these tools when developing health information materials to improve their understandability, actionability, and clarity. We also recommend using infographics and videos when possible, taking a human-centered approach to information design, and providing multiple modes and platforms for information delivery.     

Panel 2: The Implications of Digital Scholarship for Research Libraries: Challenges of Access and Preservation

ABSTRACT

The panelists present observations on the impact of digital scholarship for library goals related to information access and preservation based on their experiences in a variety of Web-influenced environments. The advent of digital forms of publishing and information retrieval signal significant changes in our understanding of library business models, user services, and the role of special collections.     

What a User Wants: Redesigning a Library's Web Site Based on a Card-Sort Analysis

ABSTRACT

Web site usability concerns anyone with a Web site to maintain. Libraries, however, are often the biggest offenders in terms of usability. In our efforts to provide users with everything they need for research, we often overwhelm them with sites that are confusing in structure, difficult to navigate, and weighed down with jargon. Dowling College Library recently completed a redesign of its Web site based upon the concept of usability. For smaller libraries in particular, such a project can be a challenge. The Web site is often maintained by one or two people, and finding the time and resources to conduct a usability study is difficult in that situation. Additional demands of a site redesign, from restructuring page layouts to adding visual appeal, only add to the burden. However, our team of four librarians was able to do it. We focused on vocabulary and organizational structure using a card-sort analysis. This analysis taught us how our users approach the information on our site. Task-based testing confirmed what the card-sort analysis had taught us and smoothed out design problems. Incorporating user feedback at nearly every stage of the process allowed us to create a site that more closely mirrors how our users look for information on our site. This study details how using testing and analyzing results throughout the redesign process created a better, more user-friendly Web site.     

Libraries of Today and Tomorrow: How Architecture Can Help Craft a Responsive New Language

ABSTRACT

Many of us remember the library from our childhood because it had one simple objective: to provide open and free access to information. This has largely been the case since Andrew Carnegie developed his formula to build libraries for communities across North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Fast forward to the 21st century and our world has become increasingly interconnected and less predictable. Rapid change due to innovation and technology is the norm and as a result, we expect our buildings to adapt to these changes as seamlessly and immediately as possible. Across the built environment, we are finding ways to make buildings amenable to changing user groups. Schools absorb changes in pedagogy and enrollment. Commercial space adapts to changes in tenants and brand. Workplace environments evolve with technology, headcount and collaborative styles.

As libraries continue to evolve, architecture will be at the forefront of solving real, functional issues for clients, while honoring everything libraries are trying to accomplish. At the same time, the design expression reflects the truly unique expectations we are now asking our buildings to solve.

As architects, we can be your advocates in planning new facilities that are amenable to change, as well as existing facilities that require reimagining in order to meet new criteria. Through design, we meet these new challenges, while inspiring community connections in well built, well cared for and well loved spaces.     

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.     

Online Information Retrieval in School Library Media Centers

Abstract

In the 1990′s, school library media specialists must stress their expertise as teaching professionals in order to make informed decisions relating to the automation of library catalogs. The cognitive paradigm provides a user-centered perspective of the information retrieval process and confirms the problematic nature of the new technology for children. By applying the cognitive viewpoint to online information retrieval, school library media specialists can help guide system design and plan instructional programs that are developmentally appropriate for children.     

Student success pocket-graphic: a mountain of data transformed

Abstract

How does a small community college library, without marketing experience or budget, advocate for its value to a campus community and its administrators? We did so by creating an engaging, bright, and easy-to-read “pocket-graphic.” In this column, we reflect on the process of shaping a multi-use product out of a mountain of data. Through research in design practices, field observations of popular information tools, and an uncomfortable step into braggadocio, we learned to articulate the successes of our library. Our “pocket-graphic” told our story, yes – but it also provoked surprise, questions (“you really have all that?”) and delight in the lesser known successes (“you really DO all that!”). In the process, we connected our students more deeply to helpful services and resources, faculty to supportive instruction, and positively changed the tone of conversation with all our stakeholders. By turning data points into selling points, we found insights and a focus that moved our own development forward, helping ourselves to define improved priorities for advancing our critical role in student success.     

Too Much of a Good Thing

Abstract

Information overload is a problem that affects law librarians every workday. Information overload occurs when the receiver receives so much data that the receiver is unable to engage in higher levels of processing. Technology and cultural influences play a significant role in creating information overload. Law librarians are particularly susceptible to information overload due to the characteristics of their profession. We should care about information overload because it has lasting negative consequences for our profession. Even though information overload is a real problem with serious consequences, there are numerous ways to minimize information overload and its effects.     

Application of Instructional Design Principles in Developing an Online Information Literacy Curriculum

ABSTRACT

An online information literacy curriculum was developed as an intervention to engage students in independent study and self-assessment of their learning needs and learning outcomes, develop proficiency in information skills, and foster lifelong learning. This column demonstrates how instructional design principles were applied to create the learning experiences integrated into various courses of the medical curriculum to promote active learning of information skills and maximize self-directed learning outcomes for lifelong learning.     

A keynesian approach to University library management

Abstract

The “Afrocentric-Eurocentric approaches” dichotomy is strangely out-of-place in an African context and is curiously out-of-touch with the issues that are significant in library and information work. In its predominant perception of itself as a “counter-offensive” to Eurocentrism, the Afrocentric approach is drawn into a struggle that can only entrench contrary positions and serve divisive interests. More importantly, and as a challenge to information science theorists, Afrocentrism requires an examination of both its overt Pan-Africanist overtones and its covert potentially racist undercurrents. It is proposed that the Afrocentrism vs Eurocentrism duality needs to be deconstructed. The debate is better-suited as a vehicle to sharpen concepts in the design of library and information services that recognize universal continuities.