Digital Commons Network^™

Average Cost Per Interlibrary Loan Article Request At Western Libraries, Amy Stefany, Meghan Williams, Jenn Mccool

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Western Libraries faces a budget shortfall that must be addressed before fiscal year’s end. The Director of Scholarly Resources and Collections Services has asked the ILL staff to determine the average cost of an ILL article for comparison to subscription cost-per-use data. The comparison will be used to inform discussion regarding possible subscription cuts in the coming fiscal years, and to address the current shortfall.

This research report begins with a general explanation of interlibrary loan at Western, then takes a look at documented strategies used by other libraries to calculate similar averages, and lastly explains the methodology used to …

Citation Patterns Of Engineering, Statistics, And Computer Science Researchers: An Internal And External Citation Analysis Across Multiple Engineering Subfields, Madeline Kelly

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This study takes a multidimensional approach to citation analysis, examining citations in multiple subfields of engineering, from both scholarly journals and doctoral dissertations. The three major goals of the study are to determine whether there are differences between citations drawn from dissertations and those drawn from journal articles; to test a methodology incorporating both internal and external citation sources; and to explore the citation habits of researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subfields. The results reveal variations in how STEM subfields conduct research in career and academic settings and are more nuanced than internal or external citation data …

Western Washington University Libraries And Learning Commons Diversity Committee Charge, Western Libraries Diversity Committee, Rebecca M. Marrall

Libraries and Learning Commons Diversity Committee Documents

Created in 2011, and revised in November 2014 and again in August 2015 by the 2014 – 2016 Diversity Committee, this document houses the charge of the Western Washington University Libraries Diversity Committee.

Western Washington University Libraries And Learning Commons Diversity Committee Charge, Western Libraries Diversity Committee, Rebecca Marrall

Western Libraries Departmental, Committee, and Working Group Documents

Created in 2011, and revised in November 2014 and again in August 2015 by the 2014 – 2016 Diversity Committee, this document houses the charge of the Western Washington University Libraries Diversity Committee

“Service Animals In The Libraries: Developing Best Practices For Multiple Service Points.”, Rebecca M. Marrall

Rebecca M Marrall

Responding to patron concerns about an animal in the library can be a difficult scenario for library professionals. But what if the animal in question is a service animal? How do library professionals best respond to patron concerns while respecting the rights of an individual with a disability and their service animal? This webinar will provide an overview of how Western Washington University Libraries developed a Best Practices document for its personnel in order to consistently address concerns about service animals—including tailored recommendations for specific service points. Upon completion of this webinar, attendees will have new knowledge, and some resources, …

“Collective Cultural Competency: Promoting A Dialogue About Diversity In An Academic Library.”, Rebecca M. Marrall

Rebecca M Marrall

In Summer 2014, Western Libraries developed and hosted an internal event titled, “Understanding the 21st Century Library Patron.” During this half-day event, the library personnel examined changing demographics of the United States in conjunction with the Association of College & Research Libraries 2012 Diversity Standards for Cultural Competence during an interactive workshop. Attendees then made recommendations for enacting inclusive library services, which ranged from outlining programmatic objectives; discussing recruitment and retention within all employee categories; best practices for service points; and much more. The enthusiastic response to this event prompted the Diversity Committee of Western Libraries to continue the conversation …

“Cats, Dogs, And More? Service Animals In The Library And How One Library Developed Best Practices.”, Rebecca M. Marrall

Rebecca M Marrall

Responding to patron concerns about an animal in the library can be a difficult scenario for library professionals. But what if the animal in question is a service animal? How do library professionals best respond to patron concerns while respecting the rights of an individual with a disability and their service animal? This proposed poster session will provide an overview of how an academic library developed a Best Practices document for its personnel in order to consistently and respectfully address concerns about service animals, emotional comfort animals, and therapy animals. Furthermore, this document resulted in tailored recommendations for specific service …

“Library-Led Publishing Services.”, Rebecca M. Marrall

Rebecca M Marrall

This poster session represents the work of an Emerging Leaders (EL) Team tasked by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Publications Committee to investigate whether RUSA should create resources for 21st-century reference and user services librarians interested in the concept of “library as publisher.” Attendees will find a proposed definition of library publishing, the results of an environmental scan of support provided by library and affiliated professional associations, results of a survey gauging interest in library publishing services, and recommended next steps for RUSA.

Report: Library As Publisher? A New Initiative For Rusa?, Rebecca M. Marrall, Beth Boatright, Crystal Boyce, Sarah Espinosa, Angela Kent

Rebecca M Marrall

This report was a product designed for the Reference & User Services Association’s “Library as Publisher” Emerging Leaders project. Reference & User Services Association asked this Team to create a report, furnished with informed recommendations, on the following questions: • Define “Library as Publisher.” • Which already existing professional tools are available on this topic? • Does RUSA have a role in creating professional tools on this topic?

Western Washington University: Diversity Unconference, Rebecca M. Marrall

Rebecca M Marrall

In May 2015, an editor of the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Washington State Chapter Newsletter e-mailed me with a request to write an article detailing the organization and results of the Diversity Unconference, which was held at Western Libraries on January 5th, 2015.

Collaboration Between Tribal And Non-Tribal Organizations: Sharing Expertise, Knowledge, And Cultural Resources, Elizabeth Joffrion, Natalia Fernández

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

We are aware that many archival repositories in the West hold sensitive native cultural materials and that many of us live and work on or near historical tribal lands. This proximity offers important opportunities for building trusting relationships that can heal ancient wounds and that create a more just society.

Collaborations between tribal and non-tribal organizations bring diverse communities together, often for the first time, to educate and learn, to address misinterpretations of the past, and to share cultural resources and knowledge. By examining data obtained through a nationally distributed survey, our research explores how successful partnerships between tribal and …

Collaborations Between Tribal And Nontribal Organizations: Suggested Best Practices For Sharing Expertise, Cultural Resources, And Knowledge, Elizabeth Joffrion, Natalia Fernández

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Collaborations between tribal and nontribal organizations bring diverse communities together, often for the first time, to educate and learn, to address misinterpretations of the past, and to share cultural resources and knowledge. By examining data obtained through a nationally distributed survey, this research explores how successful partnerships between tribal and nontribal institutions are initiated, developed, and maintained; examines the degree to which the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials were used in the development of policies, procedures, and memorandums of understanding; and reveals the “lessons learned” across a wide range of collaborative projects and partnerships. This overview of collaborative models …

Leveraging Library Ecology: Growing Beyond Boundaries To Cultivate A Sustainable Knowledge Community Through Team-Based Librarianship, Jenny K. Oleen, Ellen R. Urton, Meagan J. Duever, Casey D. Hoeve, Livia Olsen, David Vail

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Higher education increasingly challenges libraries to thrive while adapting to fiscal realities, imploring institutions to accomplish more with less, and leverage assets creatively. When competing demands vie for attention, interdisciplinary concepts such as sustainability may be neglected, or simply absent from a library’s mission. A team-based community of librarians can galvanize existing assets wherever they reside within an organization. This approach requires that librarians transcend traditional boundaries to reveal untapped or underutilized expertise. Interdepartmental teams within a library can address topics difficult to assign to one designated specialist, and access the education, interests, or networks possessed by multiple individuals across …

Subject Matrices: An Innovative, Collaborative Approach To Serving The Agricultural Sciences, Jenny K. Oleen, Livia Olsen, Jason Coleman

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

In 2009, Kansas State University Libraries (K-State Libraries) moved from subject-based departments to user-based departments. From this change, subject matrices, including the Agriculture and Biological Science Matrix, were developed to address subject-related issues. This matrix is comprised of librarians from many K-State Libraries’ departments and is a conduit for sharing information interdepartmentally and developing collaborative opportunities. Libraries wishing to maintain a traditional subject-liaison model can adapt key principles underlying the matrix. Subject liaisons can go beyond siloed perspectives by soliciting advice from individuals outside the library. Another approach is to disturb established structures and introduce selective pressure to inspire innovation.

Open Access Publishing In Higher Education: Charting The Challenging Course To Academic And Financial Sustainability, Mark I. Greenberg Mls, Ph.D.

Journal of Educational Controversy

The benefits, pitfalls, and sustainability of open access publishing are hotly debated. Commercial publishers dominate the marketplace and oppose alternative publishing models that threaten their bottom line. Scholars’ use of open access remains relatively limited due to awareness and perceived benefits to their professional goals. Readership of open access publications is generally strong, but some people disagree that more readers leads to increased citations and research impact. Libraries have grown their influence by supporting and promoting open access, but these efforts come with significant financial costs. Today, open access has flourished most significantly as a philosophy: the belief that the …

The Role Of Stories In Library Marketing And Communications, Clarissa J. Mansfield

Western Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The Role of Stories in Library Marketing and Communications: We in the library profession know that libraries offer a wide variety of services and resources to our communities and patrons, but despite the unique programs we host, the access we provide to print and online resources, special collections, and archival materials, or even research and writing assistance, finding proactive ways of effectively communicating this to our users can be challenging. Likewise, it is not uncommon for libraries to have to compete for financial support and human resources in an era of reduced funding and shrinking or flat base budgets. Combine …