Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Fy24 Usability Program Test #4: Assessing Perceptions Of Research Consultations, Lindsey Skaggs

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

The FY24 Usability Testing Program was designed to iteratively assess user experience at Milner Library. The program gathers data through usability testing of the library's website and discovery layer, as well as survey questions about users' experiences with library services. Test #4 gathers information from library users about their perceptions of research consultations to inform service development. Takeaways and recommendations are included in the report.

"I’Ll Wait Zero Seconds": Faculty Perspectives On Serials Access, Sharing, And Immediacy, Rachel Elizabeth Scott, Anne Shelley, Chad E. Buckley, Cassie Thayer-Styes, Julie A. Murphy

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

This study explores how faculty across disciplines access and share scholarly serial content and what expectations they have for immediacy. The authors conducted twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured interviews with faculty of various ranks representing all Illinois State University (ISU) colleges. The findings, presented in the words of participants and triangulated with data from local sources, suggest that faculty use a variety of context-specific mechanisms to access and share serial literature. Participants discuss how they use library services such as databases, subscriptions, interlibrary loan, and document delivery, coupled with academic social networks, disciplinary repositories, author websites, and other publicly available sources to …

Aha! Centering Student Voices To Better Understand An Instruction Program, Andrea Wilcox Brooks, Cathy Craig, Meredith Riney

Communications in Information Literacy

This article describes using aha moments as an assessment approach to gain a better understanding of student learning in relation to the six frames in the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Librarians asked students to share an aha moment following information literacy instruction sessions during the fall 2022 semester. Researchers coded responses to one of the six IL frames and found that student insights most often reflected learning aligned to the “Searching as Strategic Exploration” frame, though “Information Has Value” also had a strong presence. The results provided a holistic picture …

Benchmarking It Services In Academic Libraries, Rebecca L. Mugridge, Janetta Waterhouse

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

The presenters will share the results of a 2021 survey of the academic library members of the Association of Research Libraries to determine how information technology services are organized within the libraries and whether there is a trend toward centralizing IT activities at the institution level. Survey findings from the 72 responding libraries address 14 information technology services and activities and identify who is responsible for their technology services, their level of satisfaction with the services, whether the responsibility for them has changed recently, and if so, why. Respondents also provided information about IT assessment and top three challenges. The …

Fy24 Usability Program Test #2: Baseline Catalog And Website Usability Testing, Lindsey Skaggs

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

The FY24 Usability Testing Program was designed to iteratively assess user experience at Milner Library. The program gathers data through usability testing of the library's website and discovery layer, as well as survey questions about users' experiences with library services. The purpose of test #2 was to generate baseline observations and user search behaviors to inform future usability testing design. Takeaways and recommendations are included in the report.

People, Places, & Things: Connecting Library Spaces And Services To First-Time In College Student Retention, Trina Mccowan

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

No abstract provided.

Fy24 Usability Program Test #1: Assessing Awareness Of Subject Librarians, Lindsey Skaggs

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

The FY24 Usability Testing Program was designed to iteratively assess user experience at Milner Library. The program gathers data through usability testing of the library's website and discovery layer, as well as survey questions about users' experiences with library services. Test #1 focuses on library users' awareness of subject librarians and assesses their ability to find information about their subject librarian on the Milner Library website. Takeaways and recommendations are included in the report.

People, Places, & Things: Connecting The University Of North Florida Library To First Time In College Student Retention, Trina Mccowan

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

No abstract provided.

What Works? What Doesn't Work? What Action Can We Take?, Jennifer Hughes, Michelle Lewis

South Carolina Libraries

This session demonstrated an effective and engaging exercise that empowers library staff to take action! Participants learned how to lead library strategic planning processes, change implementation, and assessment activities in a welcoming, non-intimidating manner that fosters an environment of ongoing collaboration, solutions-based results, reflection, and improvement.

Successful Equity, Diversity, And Inclusivity (Edi) Initiatives In Progressive Public Libraries And Their Communities, Jameson Paul Ghalioungui

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) initiatives in public libraries are noble and endless endeavors that take many forms of action. Obviously, no one community, nor library, is the same. Consequently, no one community and/or library-centered EDI journey is the same. However, interestingly, progressive Illinois (IL) state libraries have walked the same roads. Interestingly, these realizations have led to a shift in priority and strategic focus resulting in many of these libraries to take action by contracting consultants to conduct full-scale equity assessments. Conclusions from these kinds of equity assessments have helped to contextualize and legitimize EDI-focused strategic planning decisions and …

User Feedback On The Elements Influencing The Efficiency Of Resources, Services, And Facilities Offered By Higher Education Institutions' Libraries, Ramakrishna Kona

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined User feedback on the elements influencing the efficiency of resources, services, and facilities offered by higher education institutions' libraries. This study distributed 1164 questionnaires and received responses of 1030, the overall response percentage is 88. The survey found that the response rate varied between 71 and 100 among teachers, 68 and 91 percent among research scholars, and 84 and 95 percent among postgraduate students. The study found that the majority of students visit the library once a week. The study reveals that the majority of the users (nearly 96%) responded positively and expressed their view that the …

Users’ Assessment Of Digital Reference Service Delivery In Private University Libraries In Enugu State., Innocent O. Adayi Dr, Rachael Ify Neboh Mrs, Gloria Oluchi Edeh Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined users’ assessment of digital reference service delivery in private university libraries in Enugu State. The study is guided by four research questions. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised of the entire undergraduates of private universities in Enugu State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 500 undergraduates to assess the delivery of digital reference services in their university. Structured questionnaire was used for data collected, while mean and standard deviation was used for analyzing the data collected for the study. The finding revealed that, digital reference service …

The Use Of Marginalia To Inform Patron Needs, Richard Mako

ACRL New England Chapter Annual Conference

This is a presentation of my research in marginalia of students and faculty in a large urban academic library. More than 300 individual examples was collected and then analyzed to determine patron need.

Opportunities Lost: Tracking Denied Service Requests To Advocate For More Resources., Jen Ferguson

ACRL New England Chapter Annual Conference

Many academic library staff are well used to tracking their interactions. Many academic library staff are also well used to leveraging data to demonstrate the value of the services they provide. In addition to tracking interactions in our reports to senior leadership, our data services group began reporting the requests we could not meet, such as: the workshops we couldn't deliver, consultations we couldn't provide, and projects we had to regretfully decline. We were not sure how our report detailing services we were unable to deliver would be received, but it was largely met with approval and encouragement, especially amongst …

Taking A Snapshot Of The Academic Library Needs Of Esl/Multilingual First Generation College Students, Kieran Ayton, Laura Faria Tancinco

ACRL New England Chapter Annual Conference

This poster ties into the conference themes of making the library "accessible" to all students (focusing on ESL/MLL student populations) and providing interactive and engaging instruction that holds attention.
While there has been a significant amount of research on how academic librarians can work with multilingual international students, there is a gap in the literature for how academic librarians can best serve multilingual/ESL learners who have completed some or all of their education in the U.S. The learning objective of this poster is to demonstrate the way academic librarians can collaborate with ESL/multilingual learner (MLL) instructors to assess the academic …

Collection Development: It's For Everyone, Alice Pearman, Christin Wixson

ACRL New England Chapter Annual Conference

Collection assessment is rising in importance in academic libraries. Identifying gaps in collections, determining which resources are no longer useful, and assessing for diversity, equity and inclusion are all topics of discussion at conferences and in the literature. But why wait to identify the gaps in our collections when we can prevent them now?
Collection development is a skill practiced by most academic subject librarians. However, with many institutions shrinking the number of librarians available to do collection development, not to mention our shrinking materials budgets, this task often doesn't get the attention it deserves.
We will also share how …

Demonstrating Law Library Value Through Mission-Centered Assessment, Amanda Watson, Amanda Karel, Amanda Runyon, Leslie Street

All Faculty Scholarship

This paper presents a history of evaluation in U.S. academic law libraries, shares survey results about our collective professional mindset, and offer practical steps for law libraries that are ready to abandon a pervasive culture of evaluation.

Applying Acrl’S Framework “Scholarship As Conversation” To Teach Undergraduates Article Anatomy Through Active Learning, Jessica Varsa, Justin B. Ingels

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

In Fall of 2022, UGA Libraries Faculty conducted IL instruction for hundreds of undergraduate First-Year Odyssey students. As part of this required course, library faculty are faced with the challenge of conducting workshop-style instruction through a one-shot format, focusing on both integral library skills and how to interpret a research article. R&I Librarian, Jessica Varsa worked with Dr. Justin Ingels, Public Health faculty, to develop a lesson plan on reviewing and interpreting academic journal articles through the lens of the ACRL’s’ Framework that embraces active learning strategies.

This presentation will provide a critical reflection about active learning techniques used in …

An Assessment Of Effective Serials Management In Selected Academic Libraries In Niger State, Nigeria., Muhammad Kasim Bala, Yahaya Abdullahi Isah, Amina Ibrahim

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper reports an examination of effective serials management practices in some academic libraries in Niger state. The study specifically investigated the types of serial materials in the libraries. It also examined the acquisition methods as well as methods applied in organizing serial materials in the studied libraries. Challenges bedeviling effective management of serial information sources also form the objective. The study further made a review from different sources on management of serials in libraries. The population of the study consisted of twenty three (23) staff manning the serials units of the affected libraries. Questionnaire and observation check-list were used …

Checking In Without Burning Out: Designing Sustainable Assessment Plans For An Undergraduate Peer-To-Peer Research Mentor Program, Kevin Moore, Hannah Krauss

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Learn how librarians developed a programmatic assessment schedule for their undergraduate, peer-to-peer research consultant service with an emphasis on practicality and sustainability. This poster and its supplementary materials present the finished plan, which addresses 13 programmatic learning outcomes over the course of six semesters, offering one model for how to approach a large-scale assessment project systematically and intentionally without burning out library staff.

“I Want My Prc”: Engagement Of Undergraduates With And Assessment Of The Peer Research Consultant Program, Karlene T. Clark, Avery Breiland

Librarian Publications

Purpose

This paper describes the benefits found in undergraduate students working to provide research assistance to their peers. The discussion includes how soft skills are built, along with how the position has aided in both educational and building towards their future careers. The paper is submitted for the special issue on “The future of peer-led research services.”

Design/methodology/approach

The authors provide a viewpoint from both a peer research supervisor and a student currently working as a PRC. The paper covers the requirements and implementations at the beginning of the program along with the changes that have occurred to better streamline …

A New Life For The Read Scale: Calibrating A Time And Effort Measure For Patron Interactions, Bettina Peacemaker, Megan Hodge

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Why did you do this activity, project, or research?
Patron interaction statistics tell compelling stories. However, rich interactions are often reduced to a single number. The READ (Reference Effort Assessment Data) Scale adds a welcome qualitative dimension. Academic libraries embraced the scale to measure the effort and knowledge provided by those staffing information and research service points. The 6-point scale is relatively simple and easy to implement, with interactions involving no specialized knowledge and effort at one end with those requiring the most on the other end. Developed by Gerlich and Berardt in 2003, it is still widely used in …

Improving A Library Faq: Assessment And Reflection Of The First Year’S Use, Vanessa Arce, Michelle Ehrenpreis

Publications and Research

In 2020, the Leonard Lief Library created a searchable online knowledge base (FAQs) as a complement to virtual reference during the library’s pandemic-related closure. One year of search query data was used to assess the online knowledge base. This paper discusses the assessment’s findings and planned improvements to the FAQs.

A content analysis of user queries revealed what users are seeking in the knowledge base. The study examined the actions taken by users after conducting a search to determine the knowledge base’s success rate.

The knowledge base was successful in answering user questions almost half of the time. The top …

It Assessment In Arl Libraries, Rebecca L. Mugridge, Janetta Waterhouse

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

With the rapid pace of change and the high cost invested in information technology, it is important for academic libraries to evaluate the information technology solutions they use in their institutions to determine whether they are meeting the needs of their students, faculty, staff, and other users of their libraries and resources. This study presents the results of an online survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) academic library members to benchmark the assessment strategies that they used to evaluate their IT activities. This article compares their responses with earlier studies to identify trends and make recommendations for effective assessment …

Metacognitive Awareness For Il Learning And Growth: The Development And Validation Of The Information Literacy Reflection Tool (Ilrt), Sara Robertson, Michele Burke, Kimberly Olson-Charles, Reed Mueller

Communications in Information Literacy

This article describes the development and validation of the Information Literacy Reflection Tool (ILRT), a metacognitive self-assessment for use with undergraduate researchers. It was developed as a teaching and learning tool with the intent to help students recognize and engage the metacognitive domain as a step toward developing personal agency and self-regulation as lifelong, metaliterate learners. Throughout the scale development, three studies were conducted with nine expert reviewers and 44 community college students to consider content and face validity and 542 community college students as part of an item-reduction and construct validation effort. The resulting scale is most appropriately construed …

Review: Implementing Excellence In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: A Handbook For Academic Libraries, Lalitha Nataraj

Communications in Information Literacy

Review of Lee, C., & Lym, B. (Eds.). (2022). Implementing excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion: A handbook for academic libraries. Association of College and Research Libraries.

Leveraging Online Tutorials And Performance Assessment To Improve Information Literacy Instruction, Eric A. Kowalik

Library Faculty Research and Publications

Leveraging the campus Learning Management System (LMS) and rapid e-learning development software such as Articulate Storyline allows educators to develop and deploy interactive tutorials for performance assessment of student's knowledge. This quick hit chronicles the development, deployment, and assessment of a suite of tutorials for information literacy instruction. Opportunities and challenges will be highlighted as well as how working with a dash boarding tool like PowLeveraging the campus learning management system and rapid e-learning development software such as Articulate Storyline allows educators to develop and deploy interactive tutorials for performance assessment of students’ knowledge. This quick hit chronicles the development, …

Programmatic Characteristics Of Open Education Initiatives At U.S. Post-Secondary Institutions, Jon Bull, Michele Gibney

University Libraries Librarian and Staff Articles and Papers

Although a number of academic research papers showcase the benefits of Open Educational Resources (OER) on student success metrics, the literature still lacks a central collection of knowledge identifying programmatic characteristics between 4 year public, 4 year private, and 2 year community colleges that support these OER initiatives in the United States. To address this gap in the literature and provide evidential statistics that suggest common programmatic characteristics, this quantitative study collected 149 survey responses from program managers of OER-related initiatives at institutions of higher education in the United States. While some previous research on this topic has focused on …

Rethinking The Future Of News Literacy Education: Results From A Mixed Methods Study, Judith Rosenbaum, Jennifer Bonnet, R. Alan Berry

Library Staff Publications

In an era where most people rely on social media for their news and claims of fake news are rampant, news literacy is seen as increasingly important. In recent years, there has been a surge in initiatives to enhance news literacy among news consumers. However, our understanding of the effectiveness of these initiatives is limited. This study presents the findings from a mixed methods examination of the effectiveness of an online, asynchronous news literacy program offered to adults across the United States. While quantitative findings show that the program made little difference in participants’ already high levels of news literacy, …

Ils Transition Mission: Creating Ease For Our Patrons, Marina Narvaez

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

University of Arkansas Libraries implemented a new library system, OneSearch, that became fully operational in July 2022. In the planning for this transition, collaboration among colleagues outside the committee and preliminary user-feedback became necessary as decisions were finalized. Participants were requested to perform searches on several material types, narrow or broaden their retrieval, and provide general observations. This poster provides information and analysis of the feedback gathered.