Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Secret Shoppers In The Library, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Purpose: Like many libraries, Georgia State University (GSU) Library consistently evaluates most of its services and resources, but the provision of high-quality reference service is assumed more than it is measured. As part of its fiscal year 2010-2011 Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Plan, GSU Library committed to investigating the quality of reference services provided by library employees in order to get a better picture of this core, and under-assessed, function of the library.

Design/Methodology/Approach: In 2009, the library evaluated customer service skills of library employees using the secret, or mystery, shopper approach often used in retail establishments in the private sector. …

Ipads As Clipboards: Simple, Portable Assessment, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Purpose: Ongoing, systematic assessment can be a challenge for many libraries. Traditional methods like surveys can be time-consuming for researchers to develop and test and are easy for populations to ignore and delete from their inboxes. Scheduling interviews, focus groups, and usability tests with students and their unpredictable schedules can be a hassle. Georgia State University (GSU) Library sought innovative ways of gauging the perceptions, preferences, and satisfaction of its students, while addressing some of these assessment challenges. After participating in a campus iPad pilot program with Freshman Learning Communities, the library was allowed to keep its assigned iPads in …

Assessing The Strategic Credibility Of Special Collections And Archives, Erin Passehl, Rick Stoddart

Erin Passehl Stoddart

In this time of often precarious funding at many colleges and universities, any case that can be made to illustrate how a department strategically fits into the overall university mission is not only worth merit, but an essential survival technique. This “strategic credibility” within the university is a vital form of currency in determining institution-wide resources prioritization, collaboration opportunities between organizational units, and overall direction of departments. This poster provides a case study of academic special collections in the Northwest and examines the methods these departments use to demonstrate value to the university. This poster considers how well do special …

Navigating The One-Shot Instruction Session: Using Assessment To Drive Instruction, Elisa Slater Acosta

Elisa Slater Acosta

Assessing Value From The Digital Collection End-User: The Western Writers Series Digital Editions Experience, Thomas Hillard, Rick A. Stoddart

Rick A Stoddart

How end-users and stakeholders value a digital collection is one of the most compelling questions in library assessment.This presentation reports on a series of interviews with stakeholders and potential end-users of the digital collection “Western Writers Series Digital Editions.” These interviews were undertaken to determine in what ways these digital humanities materials might be used by scholars and incorporated into their research process. Interview participants were identified through scholarly citations and works cited lists. The outcomes of these interviews are supplemented by additional interviews with the editors of the original print editions of the Western Writers Series, as well as …

Assessing The Strategic Credibility Of Special Collections, Erin Passehl, Rick A. Stoddart

Rick A Stoddart

In this time of often precarious funding at many colleges and universities, any case that can be made to illustrate how a department strategically fits into the overall university mission is not only worth merit, but an essential survival technique. This “strategic credibility” within the university is a vital form of currency in determining institution-wide resources prioritization, collaboration opportunities between organizational units, and overall direction of departments. This paper presents a case study of academic special collections in the Northwest and examines the methods these departments use to demonstrate value to the university. This paper considers how well do special …

Assessing Value From The Digital Collection End-User: The Western Writers Series Digital Editions Experience, Thomas Hillard, Rick A. Stoddart

Tom J. Hillard

How end-users and stakeholders value a digital collection is one of the most compelling questions in library assessment.This presentation reports on a series of interviews with stakeholders and potential end-users of the digital collection “Western Writers Series Digital Editions.” These interviews were undertaken to determine in what ways these digital humanities materials might be used by scholars and incorporated into their research process. Interview participants were identified through scholarly citations and works cited lists. The outcomes of these interviews are supplemented by additional interviews with the editors of the original print editions of the Western Writers Series, as well as …

The Assessment Buffet, #11;Coming Back For Thirds, Elisa Slater Acosta

Elisa Slater Acosta

You’Re Doing More Than You Think: Acknowledging The Small Victories In Assessing Digital Literacy Instruction, Rick A. Stoddart

Rick A Stoddart

Tapping Into Student Feedback: Instant Surveying With A Tablet, Jennifer Jones, Bryan Sinclair

Bryan Sinclair

Ongoing assessment in academic libraries, particularly the measurement of student perceptions, preferences, and satisfaction, can be a challenge to schedule and execute. To address this challenge, Georgia State University Library piloted the use of tablet computers (iPads) loaded with survey software to poll subjects quickly in the library buildings. The result was a practical, hands-on model that maximized convenience for both subjects and researchers and that other campus administrative and academic units can easily adopt. Presenters will discuss methodology, the benefits of using tablets for formative assessment, recommendations, lessons learned, and ideas for future projects.

Tapping Into Student Feedback: Instant Surveying With A Tablet, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Ongoing assessment in academic libraries, particularly the measurement of student perceptions, preferences, and satisfaction, can be a challenge to schedule and execute. Georgia State University Library piloted the use of a tablet computer--in this case, Apple’s iPad--loaded with survey software to poll subjects quickly in the library buildings. The result was a practical model that maximized convenience for both subjects and researchers, and that other campus administrative and academic units easily can adopt. Presenters will discuss methodology, benefits of using tablet computers for formative assessment, recommendations and lessons learned, and ideas for future projects.

The Learning Narrative Within Libraries, Rick A. Stoddart

Rick A Stoddart

Our libraries iare rich with stories and we all play a part in enacting each storyline. Each narrative we embrace helps illuminate what we value and how we go about describing that value. This lightning talk will use the OSU Learning Goals for Graduates to highlight the learning narrative within libraries. The talk will provide inspiration about how this story might inform our understanding of the library and what role we might play together in writing its next chapter.

Assessing The Strategic Credibility Of Special Collections And Archives, Rick A. Stoddart, Erin L. Passehl

Rick A Stoddart