Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Open Source Library: It's Free As In Puppy, Terra Bianchi Gullings, Tiffany Lemaistre, Margo Duncan

Terra Gullings

At the University of Texas at Tyler Libraries we went from relying on proprietary software to implementing an open source ILS, ERM, and IR in less than two years. We did this without extra staff, money, or time. We will share our experiences learning from our mistakes and the community.

The Brief Wondrous Life Of The Syracuse Kindle, Melinda Dermody, Suzanne Preate, Nancy Turner, Scott Warren

Suzanne Preate

In the fall 2009 semester, the Syracuse University Library launched a pilot program to test two Kindle DX e-book readers as content delivery devices. The pilot objectives included exploring additional options for access to curricular resources that are cost-prohibitive and frequently requested by library users, testing a new technology, i.e., Kindle DX, for delivery of ebooks, gauging user reactions to e-book readers, and using Kindle statistics and user feedback to develop or modify services and technologies. Through the pilot, the Library gained practical experience with a new technology and attempted to determine whether an e-book reader loan program would interest …

The University Of Wollongong Library Professional Cadetship Experience: Developing The Skills For A Career In Librarianship, Rebecca Daly

Rebecca Daly

The recently established University of Wollongong Library Professional Cadetship is an opportunity for those interested in a future in librarianship to undertake combined fulltime employment and Postgraduate study in a Library and Information Science Degree. The Cadetship model also aims to partly address the problem of succession planning for the University Library which has a vested interest in securing an ongoing generation of information professionals. In September 2005 I became the first cadet to begin the three year fixed term program, beginning with placement in Lending Services, and followed by Journal Access Services, each for a six month period. Management …

Library Catalog In Transition, Charles Tremper

Charles Tremper

This article describes the history of the card catalog, along with the many problems inherent in the system as it was being practiced in 1981. Added to these issues were antiquated subject headings and imposing storage issues. The author suggests that the card catalog will eventually be rightfully replaced fully by computer catalogs.

On The “Write” Path To Student Learning: Library And Writing Center Collaboration, Hector Escobar, Heidi Gauder

Heidi Gauder

This case study outlines considerations needed for libraries and writing centers to collaborate effectively and describes benefits derived from this arrangement.

The Apprentice Researcher: Using Undergraduate Researchers' Personal Essays To Shape Instruction And Services, Jennifer Bonnet, Sigrid Cordell, Jeffrey Cordell, Gabriel Duque, Pamela Mackintosh, Amanda Peters

Jen Bonnet

Little is known about the intellectual journey of advanced undergraduates engaged in the research process. Moreover, few studies of this population of library users include students' personal essays as a point of analysis in their scholarly pursuits. To gain insights into the research trajectory of apprentice researchers at the University of Michigan, the Library examined the personal essays that students submitted for its inaugural undergraduate research award. These essays chronicled students' intellectual growth and development throughout the research process. Drawing on observations about the unique needs of these students, the authors analyze the implications for library instruction and services.

Creating A Culture Of Meaningful Evaluation In Public Libraries: Moving Beyond Quantitative Metrics, Bill Irwin, Paul St-Pierre

Bill Irwin

The current state of practice sees public libraries, like all public institutions, enduring funding challenges within the dominant political-economic environment, which is shaped by the tenets of new public management and the neoliberal audit society. Libraries, feeling threatened and unsure about their future stability, seek new ways to demonstrate their value. However, they face institutional cultural constraints when attempting to introduce new assessment methods to meet this challenge. The new dynamics require them to go beyond output measures (counts). With research findings supported by survey and interview data from Ontario public libraries, and in agreement with the current literature on …

Better Images, Better Searchers: Google Images And Visual Literacy In The Sciences And Social Sciences, Kayleigh Bohémier, Melanie Maksin

Kayleigh Bohémier

Breaking All The Rules: Lock-In At The Sciences Library, Brett Cloyd, Sara Scheib

Brett Cloyd

Imagine forty first-year students at the library after hours, yelling and racing through the stacks, pulling books off the shelf before sprinting to another section. It might sound like a librarian’s worst nightmare, but it was all according to plan. In an effort to help overcome library anxiety and give our students a fun introduction to academic libraries, we broke all the rules to develop a Library Lock-In event. This collaborative effort supported by the Library, Residence Life, and the Honors Program turned out to be very successful and was one of the most well-attended programs offered to the LLCs. …

Social Media For International Students: It's Not All About Facebook, Grace Saw, Wendy Abbott, Jessie Donaghey, Carolyn Mcdonald

Jessie Donaghey

According to the OECD there are nearly four million tertiary students enrolled in a course outside their country of citizenship. In 2010 there were 335 273 international students enrolled in higher education in Australia. To support these students during their study, libraries need to find ways to communicate and engage with them.An Australian study found that international students’ preferred methods for learning about library services was through library webpages and personal contact with library staff. As more libraries experiment with social networking to inform and connect with students, we need to determine the effectiveness of this strategy for reaching international …

The Perfect Storm: The Convergence Of Social, Mobile And Photo Technologies In Libraries (Data Set), Wendy Abbott, Jessie Donaghey, Joanna Hare, Peta Hopkins

Jessie Donaghey

No abstract provided.

Story Problems: Telling Your Story Through Database Statistics, Annie Smith

Annie Smith

Librarians have collected database usage statistics for as long as they have been available. But other than using them to decide whether or not to renew a database subscription, what can we use them for? The session will begin with a brief overview of COUNTER compliance and what kinds of reports are available from vendors before discussing how to mix, blend, and splice your usage numbers to get the most out of your statistics. The session will include group activities to give you some hands-on experience.

Institute For Research Design In Librarianship (Irdl), Kristine Brancolini, Marie Kennedy

Marie R. Kennedy

Teaming Up: Benefits Of Collaborating With Library Colleagues, Kim Cornell, Lise Doucette, Dan Sich

Dan Sich

When looking to increase communication and collaboration in our library, we created a team of physical sciences/engineering librarians, library assistants, and administrators. Together, we work on setting priorities, sharing expertise, and developing skills. In three years, we have moved from traditional subject-based instruction responsibilities to working as a team to prepare and co-instruct classes. By sharing with you the benefits of our team-based system to our librarians, library system, and users, we want to inspire you to think about how to implement a similar system in your own library.

Promoting Government Information: Outreach To Non-Depository Libraries, James Shaw

James B Shaw

Some of you may recall that at last year's Fall FDLP Conference, Professor Charles Seavey (University of Missouri, School of Information Science and Learning Technologies) participated in a panel presentation about the future of depository libraries, and he remarked that "any library can be a depository." In the August 2005 issue of American Libraries, Professor Seavey elaborated on his idea in an article entitled, "Documents to the People: Musings on the Past and Future of Government Information." At some risk of oversimplification, his primary point is that the era of electronic access presents a new opportunity for any library …

Collaborative Marketing For Electronic Resources Er&L Presentation, Marie Kennedy

Marie R. Kennedy

This presentation reports on the results of an international collaborative project with 100 libraries to benchmark the marketing of electronic resources. In the presentation I describe the impetus for the project, the project planning, the execution and results of this effort. The talk highlights the collaborative aspect of the project.

The D.B. Weldon Library's Instruction Portfolio: A Grassroots, Team-Based Approach, Kim Mcphee, Melanie Mills, Marg Sloan

Melanie Mills

2011 Library Technology Conference [Review], Anne Shelley

Anne Shelley

This review evaluates the 2011 Library Technology Conference.

Social Media For International Students: It's Not All About Facebook, Grace Saw, Wendy Abbott, Jessie Donaghey, Carolyn Mcdonald

Wendy Abbott

According to the OECD there are nearly four million tertiary students enrolled in a course outside their country of citizenship. In 2010 there were 335 273 international students enrolled in higher education in Australia. To support these students during their study, libraries need to find ways to communicate and engage with them.An Australian study found that international students’ preferred methods for learning about library services was through library webpages and personal contact with library staff. As more libraries experiment with social networking to inform and connect with students, we need to determine the effectiveness of this strategy for reaching international …

Zen And The Art Of Stacks Maintenance: Rethinking An Ancient Practice, Margo Smith, Melissa Laning

Melissa Laning

The University of Louisville Libraries’ 2000-2001 Strategic Plan includes specific objectives related to improving the delivery of materials to users. This broad objective covers many strategies ranging from increasing electronic access, improving web page design, using vendor-supplied cataloging records and reallocating funds to high demand subject areas. Undergraduate user demand for monographs remains high. Therefore, reducing the number of days required to shelve new acquisitions and to re-shelve circulated items is an important objective for the library. Leo Egghe notes that, “Shelving and keeping library shelves in order is very important and is basic for the use of a library.” …

Using Teaching Faculty Focus Groups To Assess Information Literacy Core Competencies At University Level, Jodi Tyron, Emily Frigo, Mary O'Kelly

Emily Frigo

Grand Valley State University librarians designed and conducted teaching faculty1 focus groups to gauge their response to a new information literacy (IL) core student competencies document created to support a developing library IL programme. Although the competencies were inspired by existing, widely known information literacy standards and guidelines the University Libraries’ Information Literacy Competencies document (ILCC) is unique and written specifically to address the university’s culture and curriculum. The authors of this paper formed a research team to assemble two groups of teaching faculty from various disciplines and to analyse focus group transcripts using a content analysis approach. The resulting …

A Librarian Reacts To Wikileaks, Bill Sleeman

Bill Sleeman

No abstract provided.

Reaching Out, Reaching In: Building A Multi-Resource Network, Michiel Moll, Petro Coreejes-Brink

Michiel E Moll

CPUT Libraries and community engagement

The Crisis In Scholarly Communication, Part Ii: Internal Impacts On The Library, With A Focus On Technical Services, Hillary Corbett

Hillary Corbett

This article, the second in a two-part series, focuses on the roles that various library departments can and should play in the development of a robust scholarly communication program. It discusses how the crisis in scholarly communication affects different work areas and groups of staff. A whole-library approach to addressing the crisis can reveal how each department's responsibilities require management of different scholarly communication issues. The article also addresses the ways in which technical services is particularly impacted by the crisis in scholarly communication in order to provide a more in-depth analysis of how a discrete work area within the …

Effects Of Library Instruction On University Students’ Satisfaction With The Library: A Longitudinal Study, Anthony Stamatoplos, Robert Mackoy

Robert Mackoy

Consideration of satisfaction should be an important part of the evaluation of library services. Satisfaction depends, to some extent, on patron expectations of services. This study evaluated changes in student expectations following library instruction and how they were related to overall, long-term satisfaction with the library. Satisfaction appeared to be related to student perceptions of information accessibility, staff competence and helpfulness, computer usefulness and ease of use, and skill level for using libraries. The study suggests that libraries may be well served by measuring patron satisfaction and learning what variables drive satisfaction at particular libraries.

Know Your Students, Ann Marshall, Vicki Burns, Judi Briden

Ann Marshall

Reading Matters: What The Research Reveals About Reading, Libraries And Community, Catherine Sheldrick Ross, Lynne (E.F.) Mckechnie, Paulette Rothbauer

Paulette Rothbauer

The Costs And Benefits Of Library Site Licenses To Academic Journals, Ted Bergstrom, Carl Bergstrom

Ted C Bergstrom

Scientific publishing is rapidly shifting from a paper-based system to one of predominantly electronic distribution, in which universities purchase site licenses for online access to journal contents. Will these changes necessarily benefit the scientific community? By using basic microeconomics and elementary statistical theory, we address this question and find a surprising answer. If a journal is priced to maximize the publisher s profits, scholars on average are likely to be worse off when universities purchase site licenses than they would be if access were by individual subscriptions only. However, site licenses are not always disadvantageous. Journals issued by professional societies …