25th Annual
American Library Association Annual Conference
2007 Poster Session Application
Information
2006
Poster Session Committee:
Karen Lawson, Chair, Iowa State University Library (klawson at iastate.edu)
Jody Condit Fagan, Review Panel Chair, James Madison University, (faganjc at
jmu.edu)
Charlotte Dugan, Southwest Missouri State University Library (cad315f at
smsu.edu)
Candace Benefiel, Texas A&M University (cbenefie at lib-gw.tamu.edu)
Reviewers:
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Julie Banks |
Southeast Missouri State
University |
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Jeff Barber |
Regina Public Library,
Saskatchewan, Canada |
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Paul Bracke |
University of Arizona |
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Ginny Cunningham |
University of South Florida |
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LaDonne Delgado |
Mississippi State University |
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Christina Desai |
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale |
|
Mollie Dinwiddie |
Central
Missouri State University |
|
Charlotte Dugan |
Missouri State University |
|
Joni Herbst |
University of Oregon |
|
Steven Johns |
Iowa State University |
|
Martin Kesselman |
Rutgers University |
|
Joanne King |
Queens Library |
|
Karen Lawson |
Iowa State University |
|
Deborah Lee |
Mississippi State University |
|
Necia Parker-Gibson |
University of Arkansas |
|
Carl Pracht |
Southeast Missouri State
University |
|
June Schmidt |
Mississippi State University |
|
Earl Shumaker |
Northern Illinois University |
|
Lisa Speer |
Southeast Missouri State
University |
|
Julie Tharp |
Arizona State University |
2006 International
Poster Session Committee:
Sarah Beasley, Chair, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
(beasleys at carnegielibrary.org)
Reviewers:
|
|
|
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Michael Carpenter |
|
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Patrick P. McGuire |
|
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Maureen Morris |
|
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Richard E. Sapon-White |
|
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Natalia Taylor |
|
Floor Managers:
|
Julie Banks |
|
|
Sarah Beasley |
Carnegie Library of |
|
Paul Bracke |
University of Arizona |
|
Jody Condit Fagan |
|
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Steven Johns |
|
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Barbara Lewis |
|
Laura Gallegos (lgallegos at ala.org) and Delin Guerra (dguerra at ala.org)
2007
Poster Session Application Information
Applications for presenting poster sessions at the 2007
American Library Association Annual Conference in
http://www.lib.iastate.edu/ala/
Applications will be accepted between
An application form, guidelines for applying, helpful hints, and photos of sample poster sessions can be found at the website. If you don't have access to the World Wide Web or to email, please contact Jody Condit Fagan, Review Panel Chair, at 540-568-4265 (telephone) for instructions on how to apply.
Applicants will be notified by
History:
Poster sessions were introduced to the American Library Association at its
1982 Annual Conference in
Poster sessions may present any of the following:
Ø a report of a research study
Ø an analysis of a practical problem-solving effort
Ø a description of an innovative library program
Poster sessions cover a broad range of subjects grouped according to such areas as management, collection development, technology, reference, and library services to special groups.
Poster session participants place materials such as pictures, data, graphs, diagrams and narrative text on bulletin boards. During their assigned time periods, participants informally discuss their presentations with conference attendees.
SESSION I: THE COLLECTORS: POSTERS ON ACQUISITIONS,
CATALOGING AND CLASSIFICATION, COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT, HISTORY,
SERIALS, AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
SESSION II: THE EDUCATORS: POSTERS ON DISTANCE LEARNING, CONTINUING
EDUCATION, LIBRARY EDUCATION, LITERACY, AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
SESSION III: GLOBAL
SOLUTIONS. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS IN LIBRARIES
SESSION IV: OUTREACH:
POSTERS ON INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION, LIBRARY SERVICES TO SPECIAL GROUPS,
AND REFERENCE AND INFORMATION SERVICES
SESSION V: CONNECTIONS:
POSTERS ON COOPERATION WITH NON-LIBRARY INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES,
INTER-LIBRARY LOAN, LIBRARY USE INSTRUCTION, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
SESSION VI: INFRASTRUCTURE: POSTERS ON BUILDINGS AND
EQUIPMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY
SESSION I: THE COLLECTORS: POSTERS ON ACQUISITIONS,
CATALOGING AND CLASSIFICATION, COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT, HISTORY,
SERIALS, AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
I - 1 Saving our Planet and
Teaching Reading - Are These Goals Incompatible?
Judith Lechner, Auburn University, AL (lechnjv at auburn.edu)
Concern about the future of our planet has grown over the last thirty years,
and most states have some environmental standards built into their social
studies and science curricula. There is also a large body of high quality books
for children that could be used to support environmental education.
Unfortunately, in spite of the standards, many school systems have interpreted
the requirements of the federally funded Reading First program in such a way
that they have eliminated science and social studies from the primary school
curriculum in order to allow for mandated reading time in the classroom. Yet,
as librarians, we know that one can have one’s cake and eat it. That is, one
can have great reading education without short-changing content area learning.
The focus in this study is the way environmental themes have been developed in
recent (last 15 years) award-winning and recommended children’s books that can
be readily used in reading education in the primary grades. Content analysis
will be displayed through statistical tables with closer text analysis of
selected books, which will be displayed along with book jackets or other
visuals.
I - 2 Government Goldmine:
American Indian Materials in Government Documents
Colleen Major, University of Montana, Missoula, MT (colleen.major at
umontana.edu)
Jennie Burroughs, University of Montana, Missoula, MT (jennie.burroughs at
umontana.edu)
The United States Government has a long history of publishing primary and
secondary source material on American Indians. The involvement is so intrinsic
that content on American Indians is produced by nearly every agency in the
government and is spread throughout many government documents collections. The
poster session will provide an overview of the locations of American Indian
materials within the world of government information. Presenters will provide
tips for locating key sources, identify notable publication series, and
highlight tools for locating relevant materials. The poster session will offer
an opportunity to present a visual representation of the varied agency
involvement in producing government materials on American Indians. Presenters
will display sample resources and create a topical pathfinder for the session.
Attendees will depart with increased knowledge of key resources in a popular
area of research and a better understanding of the structure of government
information.
I - 3 Finding the
"Fourth Estate": New Ways of Facilitating Historical Research
Patrick Reakes, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (pjr at uflib.ufl.edu)
Marilyn Ochoa, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (mochoa at uflib.ufl.edu)
As a result of advancements in technology, traditional methods of historical
research are beginning to intersect with new methods of information delivery.
In the past, researchers have had to navigate through resources that are often
difficult to locate and access. Effective alternatives, however, are now being
developed. Digitization and electronic delivery methods are now supplementing
or replacing familiar ways of researching history utilized in the past, such as
costly visits to distant libraries and archives, or hours spent scanning
through microforms. The historical record of the press, or “fourth estate,” in
I - 4 Blockbuster in the
Academic Library: U of R’s
Nora Dimmock, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (ndimmock at
library.rochester.edu)
The Multimedia Center at the University of Rochester’s Rush Rhees Library
established a student DVD collection for leisure viewing. Because the college
is largely residential, the students wanted a place on campus like Blockbuster,
where they could borrow a few titles at a time to watch in their dorm rooms. At
this time, the Multimedia Center collection was primarily curricular with a
heavy emphasis on documentaries; all of the video and DVD collections were
shelved in closed stacks. The library agreed to work with students to establish
the collection and provide support services: acquisitions, cataloging, and
circulation. We completely revamped our ideas of access and user needs. As a
result we made changes to our catalog records, processing, shelving and
circulation procedures. We even revamped our online access so that our users
could search by format, genre, director or language. We now have a browsable
collection of over 2000 DVDs that have circulated more than 116,000 times! We
receive $3000/year for new DVDs from both the graduate and undergraduate
student councils. The success of our partnership with students will be
demonstrated in the poster session by photographs, circulation statistics, web
server statistics, survey results and text.
I - 5 International
Students’ Perceptions of Library Services
Lisa Vardaman, Troy University, Troy, AL (lisavardaman at troy.edu)
Christopher Shaffer, Troy University, Troy, AL (shafferc at troy.edu)
Laura Slavin, Troy University, Troy, AL (lslavin at troy.edu)
University library services today are faced with the ever-increasing challenge
of offering quality library services to international students who are from all
corners of the world. Libraries are not just information centers for
international students, but also communication centers and social hubs that
allow for interaction with other students. We propose to survey a random
sampling of international students at Troy University in an effort to learn
what they believe the library is doing well and also what could be improved in
order to serve them better. Approximately 10% of Troy’s campus is made up of
international students, making it especially important that this diverse group
receive the quality services they need. Additionally, university libraries
throughout America have increasing numbers of international students on their
campuses, making this topic relevant to most academic libraries in America. We
will present the survey results through both charts and graphs at the poster
session.
I - 6 Tough Times, Tough
Decisions: Streamlining, Studying and Experimenting to Save $ and Better Serve
Customers
Robyn Huff-Eibl, University of Arizona Library, Tucson, AZ (huffr at
u.library.arizona.edu)
Wendy Begay, University of Arizona Library (begayw at u.library.arizona.edu)
Toni Anaya, University of Arizona Library (anayat at u.library.arizona.edu)
In the past several years circulation and shelving statistics as well as the
usage of print reserves have declined. At the University of Arizona we have
been working to move from a traditional mediated service environment towards
increased user self-sufficiency, where the basic circulation transactions
become unmediated. Like many libraries we have increased our use of self
check-out machines, but unlike many academic libraries, we have begun to use
check-in machines and have implemented open holds, reserves and media. A
strategic project team collected data on our information and referral services
and the cost of providing reference. As a result of the data gathered and the
innovative work by circulation staff, new service and staffing models were
implemented that reduced both the number of service points and reliance on
professional librarians. Circulation staff have been repositioned from
traditional circulation work to focus their time on providing information and
referral. This has allowed our professional librarians to move off these desks
and devote more of their time towards faculty liaison, information literacy and
grant writing activities. Learn how we consolidated services into a single
desk, the challenges we faced and competencies required to create a new future
for your circulation staff.
I - 7 Using Out-of-Print
Book Dealers in the WorldCat Resource Sharing Lending String
Kristine Shrauger, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (kshrauge at
mail.ucf.edu)
Improving the interlibrary loan and document delivery services at the
University of Central Florida has been part of the department’s vision over the
past couple of years. When a press release on the Alibris website (http://www.alibris.com/librarians/ill_program.cfm?S=L)
dated January 17, 2005, read that “Alibris (ALBRS) and the Online Computer
Library Center (OCLC) announced today that Alibris has made access to their
entire inventory of 50 million new, used, and hard-to-find books available for
purchase through the OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing service,” the department
could not help but look at it for a possible new way to improve service. The
University of Central Florida’s Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery Services
(ILL/DDS) looked at several ways that ALBRS could be incorporated into the
lending string. The criterion was loose and dependent upon several factors:
status of patron, collection management, and availability within the state of
Florida. Over several months, the ILL/DDS placed Alibris into the lending
string over 200 times. The results showed several factors: the price was right,
the turnaround time was good, and it showed that the ILL/DDS department needed
to revisit the criteria in which to put ALBRS in the lending string and look at
ways to expand the criteria.
I - 8 Making the Right
Choice: Value vs. Convenience
Adriana Popescu, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ (popescua at
princeton.edu)
Patricia Gaspari-Bridges, Princeton University Library (pattygb at
princeton.edu)
Julie Arnheim, Princeton University Library (jarnheim at princeton.edu)
Princeton University Library has subscribed to a number of eBook collections
since 2001 and based on the usage reports, it was concluded that users
responded favorably to all them: Knovel, Books24x7, Ebrary and Safari Tech.
After 4 years of eBook services however, it was felt that a more in-depth
analysis should be conducted in order to assess the true value that these
collections brought to the library’s collections and services. In 2005, a small working group consisting of members
serving on the library Digital Resources Advisory Group was assigned with the
task to evaluate the usage level of the eBook collections, to assess the
qualitative characteristics of the collections in terms of currency and content
relevancy, ease of maintenance and integration with the existing library
systems and services, and to determine how cost effective is for the library to
subscribe to these services. Based on the comparative cost analysis performed,
and the qualitative assessment, a set of standard indicators was developed to
use for selection of eBook services that would address the needs of users at
Princeton University. The indicators proved to be a valuable tool for
assessment and are currently used in the decision making process for selection
of eBook services.
I - 9 Organize it! Let ERMS
Work For You!
Kristine Condic, Oakland University, Rochester, MI (salomon at oakland.edu)
Selecting and integrating an electronic resource management product can be as
painless as… cleaning 10 years of grime from an old set of silver candlesticks:
difficult at times but well worth the effort. All of those handwritten notes on
slips of paper tucked away in filing cabinets and desk drawers finally have a
home in ERMS – the electronic resource management product from Serials
Solution. Librarians at Oakland University, a medium-sized university in
Michigan, evaluated link resolver products during Fall 2005 and found that some
vendors bundled link resolvers with resource management products. The end
result was too attractive to slip by, but now, what to do with the resource
management product? Follow us through the trail of webinars, meetings, and
demonstrations that have led to the successful implementation of ERMS. Now,
details regarding interlibrary loan, database licensing, and product renewal
are all located in one centralized area, and better yet, this information is
accessible by all. A little bit of planning and patience has made this a
worthwhile venture.
I - 10 The Incredibly
Shrinking Print Ready Reference Collection: What's Left on Your Shelves?
Colleen Seale, University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries,
Gainesville, FL (cwseale at uflib.ufl.edu)
The decrease in in-person reference questions at the Public Services Desk is now a
well documented phenomenon among all types of libraries. However, the even
greater decline in fact-based, ready-reference questions received at the
Public Services Desk makes them seem as rare as gold coins these days. With the
increasing use of Google and the steady growth of factual information available
on the Web, our users can often answer most of these ready reference questions
themselves. Reference librarians are also providing reference service in a
variety of non-traditional ways (from mobile, roving reference to email to chat
or IM), many of which are offered away from the traditional desk and the print
ready reference collection. Some libraries are doing away with a traditional desk:
are print ready reference collections also becoming a thing of the past or
being significantly reduced? The purpose of this poster session is to report on
the current status of print ready reference collections in libraries. Through
an analysis of survey data, the poster will graphically present: which print
ready reference titles are being replaced with electronic titles; which are
being transferred to the reference stacks; and which titles now make up the
core ready reference collection.
I - 11 Lessons from
Hurricane Katrina: Recovering a Research Collection
Jamie Ellis, Harrison County Library System, Biloxi, MS (j.ellis at
harrison.lib.ms.us)
Jane Shambra, Harrison County Library System, Biloxi, MS (j.shambra at
harrison.lib.ms.us)
"Lessons from Hurricane Katrina: Recovering a Research Collection"
will encourage visitors to anticipate the problems that arise in the wake of a
disaster and provide methods that promote preparing for such an event. The
staff of the Murella H. Powell Local History & Genealogy Collection, Biloxi
Public Library, Harrison County Library System of Biloxi, Mississippi will
expound upon the approaches used in recovery from the damage inflicted on the
collections by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. Following this event, our
staff acquired new tools and techniques in the process of rebuilding the
collection, and we want to share this information with the library community
because of the inevitability of unexpected disasters. Included in our session
will be the following: a diagram indicating the height of the storm surge in
our department (three to four feet of water); the equipment recommended for
disaster clean up (e.g., N95 respirators, gloves, flashlights); and photographs
of the damage and recovery. In the effort to further educate participants in
how disasters can affect any library, we will provide a list of contacts for
disaster services and links to further information on the topic.
I - 12 Evaluating Digital
Asset Management Systems : A Team Approach
Janet Addison, Purdue University Libraries, West Lafayette, IN (jaddison at
purdue.edu)
Choosing a digital asset management system for a library should involve the
input of several professionals and is ultimately a team effort. It is important
to make sure professionals from differing departments have a place in the
planning and decision-making process, such as: 1) the Catalog Librarian; 2) the
Archives/Special Collections Librarian; 3) the Digital Initiatives Librarian;
and 4) the Information Technology professional. Developing criteria for
assessing digital asset management systems on the market can be challenging as
a team, especially if you are also learning as you go. This presentation offers
some possible criteria categories for these digital asset management systems,
such as metadata handling, security features, and image handling. The
presentation suggests a rating process for the various assessment categories.
Make it a positive team effort by stressing open, positive, and continuing
communication. The current digital asset management systems on the market are
contrasted with repository software, stressing the importance of understanding
the strengths and purposes of the software, as well as understanding the
library’s planned projects and strategic plan. Poster text/graphics include
criteria categories; assessment rating process; communication among team
members. Handout materials reiterate the criteria categories.
I - 13 The Digital
Accounting Collection: Creating a New Collection with a New Tool
Kevin Herrera, University of Mississippi Libraries, University, MS (kherrera at
olemiss.edu)
Upon receiving the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
library collection, the University of Mississippi Libraries wanted to present
portions of this material as a digital library collection. With limited
personnel and digitization experience, we needed a solution that was easy to
learn and support. In addition to providing author, title, and subject
searches, we also wanted to search the full-text content of digitized
documents. Ideally, this system should be separate from our main library
catalog, but it should also integrate easily with it. A development partnership
with our automation vendor (Innovative Interfaces, Inc.) led to an easy-to-use
tool for creating Dublin Core records. In addition to digitizing almost twenty
years of the Accounting Historians Journal, we also worked with pamphlets and
exposure drafts drawn from the collection. Database records are displayed in
Dublin Core with attached, text-searchable PDF files. The poster session will
highlight our workflows, metadata creation, and the freely available public
search interface. Graphics will include images of the staff and public
interfaces. If an internet connection is available, the session can also
include live demonstrations of both the metadata tool and the publicly
searchable database.
I - 14 West Virginia History
Online: Undertaking Big Digital Projects on Little Budgets
John Cuthbert, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, WV (jcuthber at
wvu.edu)
In January 2005, the West Virginia University Libraries Special Collections
embarked on an ambitious project to digitize a collection of approximately
25,000 historical photographs for both access and preservation purposes. The
project includes the creation of detailed Dublin Core based metadata records
for each photo. This project is being conducted without external funding
employing mostly student labor. The results have transcended our hopes in terms
of the speed of progress, quality of the results and popularity with which our
new photo website (which currently offers nearly 10,000 photos) has been
received by the public. This poster session will include information about
planning a large digital project, the development of preservation and metadata
formats and standards, hardware and software and staffing requirements.
Included in the display will be computing equipment enabling visitors to
actually surf the West Virginia History OnView website.
I - 15 Promoting
International Children’s Literature
Susan Stan, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI (stan1sm at
cmich.edu)
Doris Gebel, Northport-East Northport Public Library, Northport, NY (dgebel at
suffolk.lib.ny.us)
The purpose of this poster session is to create awareness of international
children’s books (books available in the United States from other countries)
and to disseminate resources for finding these books. One focus of this poster
session is the newly launched award list, USBBY-CBC Outstanding International
Books, a project of the United States Board on Books for Young People and the
Children’s Book Council. The bibliography is intended to highlight excellence
in books originally published outside of the United States. Posters will feature
information about the 42 books chosen for 2006, which range in grade and
interest level from K to12. Additionally, this session will provide information
about the bibliographies recently prepared by the ALSC International Relations
Committee, entitled “Growing Up around the World: Books as Passports,” which to
date include Australia and New Zealand, the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Other
resources include the International Youth Library’s White Ravens list; the IBBY
Honor books; and the USBBY bibliographies.
I - 16 Comparison of Use and
Usability of Digital Library Management Systems: dSpace, Fedora, and Greenstone
Mark Sullivan, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (MarSull at
uflib.ufl.edu)
Marilyn Ochoa, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (mnochoa at ufl.edu)
An increasing number of institutions are turning to freeware to support their
digital collections. Several options emerged within the last five years and
have successfully competed against the larger commercial digital library
management systems (DLMS). Greenstone, Fedora, and dSpace are the three most
popular freeware systems being employed today. These allow institutions to
bring collections online without the inhibitive costs associated with systems
like ContentDM and DigiTool. This poster session will compare the features in
each of the freeware systems. We will examine some of the basic usability
issues of each interface, such as navigation, searching, and results, as well
as more advanced options from full text searching to support for the Open
Archives Initiative (OAI). Additionally, we will be comparing the number of
institutions using these newer systems. We will begin by examining member
institutions of the Association of Research Libraries. Each institution’s
online digital collection will be reviewed to determine which DLMS has been
implemented.
I - 17 First-Time
Publishing: Negotiating the Perils and Pitfalls
Denise Goetting, Edith Garland Dupre Library, University of Louisiana at
Lafayette, Lafayette, LA (goetting at louisiana.edu)
Susan Richard, Edith Garland Dupre Library, (smr at louisiana.edu)
Sheryl Curry, Edith Garland Dupre Library, (sherry at louisiana.edu)
Betsy Miguez, Edith Garland Dupre Library, (bbmiguez at gmail.com)
The four librarians who compiled Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Subject Index
(Linworth, 2003) share the problems and lessons learned while producing their
first reference book. The presentation focuses on two areas: working
relationships among the authors and communication difficulties between the
authors and the editors. Perils include selecting research partners, dividing
the responsibilities, and dealing with the decisions of producing the book.
Pitfalls involve finding a publisher, signing a contract, clarifying publishing
terminology, and working out misunderstandings. The poster session includes
regalia such as the completed book, correspondence, contract, corrected proofs,
and other items that illustrate perils and pitfalls encountered in publishing.
The presentation addresses the problems first-time authors face. It explains
the procedure involved in creating a book-length manuscript, what to expect
from co-authors and editors, and specific steps for bringing the manuscript to
fruition. The perils and pitfalls depicted in this poster session go beyond the
scope of information that the authors found while researching the publication
process. The goal of the presentation is to make the publishing journey a
smooth one for aspiring authors.
I - 18 Creating the Blended
Family: Merging Reference and Circulation
Rachael Naismith, Springfield College, Springfield, MA (Rachael52 at yahoo.com)
In terms of efficiency, customer service and staff collegiality, a one-stop
Information Desk can be a better choice than separate Circulation and Reference
Desks. Uniting public services staff can alleviate many problems. Staffs in
academic libraries are often stretched thin by expanding duties. Many student
employees are needed to staff both desks during operating hours. Often duties
among Circulation and Reference staff are blurred or duplicative. Patrons are
often shuffled from one desk to another, causing frustration. For these and
other reasons, Babson Library at Springfield College made the radical decision
to merge the Circulation and Reference Departments. Librarians and
paralibrarians operate from a single service point, the Information Desk.
Improvements included raised morale, professional development through
crosstraining, a reduced student workforce, and positive feedback from patrons.
Staff, especially paralibrarians, view their work as more challenging,
meaningful and rewarding. The poster session will demonstrate the challenges --
and success -- of this change by displaying colorful photographs, handouts, and
measurable outcomes.
I - 19 Don't Shelve the
Questions! Defining Good Customer Service for Student Shelvers
Luke Vilelle, Virginia Tech University Libraries, Blacksburg, VA (lvilelle at
vt.edu)
Christopher Peters, Virginia Tech University Libraries, Blacksburg, VA (cpeters
at vt.edu)
The shelving unit of a large academic library constitutes a large percentage of
the workforce, and the student shelvers are among the most visible library
staff members. We knew that shelvers received a significant number of questions
from customers of Virginia Tech University Libraries, but we did not know the
types of questions they received and how they handled the questions. No study
could be found that addressed these concerns. For two months during the 2005
spring semester and one month in fall 2005, we had shelvers record each
question received, the location and time, their answer, sources used to answer
the question, and any referral. The data revealed that shelvers received a wide
variety of questions, and they provided different levels of help. To help the
shelvers provide better, more consistent service, we are holding a set of
workshops for shelvers that will focus on issues identified in the survey.
Following the workshops in March, we will have another month of data
collection, to measure whether our intervention proved successful. We will
display the data in a graphical format that enables visitors to quickly
understand our findings, and provide a handout that reflects on key points.
I - 20 How Do Scholars Work?
Aligning the Library of the Future with Humanities and Social Science Research
Practices
Katherine McCready, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, MN
(mccre008 at umn.edu)
The University of Minnesota Libraries and College of Liberal Arts, with the
support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, are working to assess the full
range of research needs and practices of Humanities and Social Sciences faculty
and graduate students. Our goal has been to better understand how scholars do
their research: What materials do they use, collect, and preserve; what
services and tools are useful or lacking; what kind of technological
development is necessary; and where does the need for expertise lie? The data
collected from interviews with faculty members, graduate student focus groups,
and a survey of over 1,100 researchers allows us to identify gaps in the
research process and to develop new tools and services for successful research.
We will present this data and discuss emerging trends in Humanities and Social
Sciences research methods. We will also present prototypes of new online tools
and courses that fill the gaps in: interdisciplinary research materials and
methods, collaborative research, archive usage in graduate student research and
management of personal collections of research materials.
SESSION
II: THE EDUCATORS: POSTERS ON DISTANCE LEARNING, CONTINUING
EDUCATION, LIBRARY EDUCATION, LITERACY, AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
II - 1 Making the Connection: Distant
Students and Library Instruction
Samantha Hines, University of Montana-Missoula,
MT (samantha.hines at umontana.edu)
Distance education is a rapidly growing sector of higher education. In 2001,
the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 56% of all Title IV-eligible,
degree-granting institutions were offering distance education courses, an
amount that had nearly doubled in the three years since the previous survey.
With this dramatic growth in numbers, libraries and librarians who wish to
follow ACRL’s Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services need to
consider what services these students may not be receiving in comparison with
traditional, on-campus students. Distance education students at the University
of Montana-Missoula were missing out on a resource that 9000
on-campus students receive annually: library research instruction. In order to
correct this deficit and connect distant students to the wealth of academic
resources available online at the Mansfield Library, we developed an
information literacy program for students at a distance. The first part of this
program was offering a one-credit, online course. This poster session will
outline our program; discuss the development of the course; analyze the results
of pre- and post-tests and other data from students taking the course, and
propose further avenues to explore in providing equal library instruction
opportunities for all students.
II - 2 Data Librarianship, The Continuing LIS
Education
Tiffani Conner, University of Connecticut, Storrs-Mansfield, CT (tiffani.conner
at uconn.edu)
Jennifer Darragh, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
(darragh at pop.psu.edu)
Paula Lackie, Carleton College, Northfield, MN (plackie at carleton.edu)
What does it mean to be a librarian in the digital age? Changes in information
media, content, and mode-of-access have affected all aspects of librarianship
within all types of libraries. As a result of these changes, new skills and
specializations for the library profession are needed. One of these new
specializations is the data librarian. The duties are familiar – including
collection development, management, reference, cataloguing, and marketing, but
there is a lot more to it – much of which is not covered in library school
curricula. In this poster session we take the reader through the definition of
“data librarianship”, showcase the typical and atypical aspects of this
specialization, and why it is a desirable career track. We investigate the joys
of data librarianship from different angles, including: scenarios for working
with varied user populations (students, faculty, professional researchers, and
the general public); how your library degree and undergraduate and/or graduate
degree can benefit your career as a data librarian; how to design a data
service from scratch and use it to market your library, and; the on-the-job
training and resulting insider secrets you learn by being a data librarian that
you do not learn in library school.
II - 3 Follow Me! Are
Leadership Institutes Creating the Next Generation of Library Leaders?
Lisa Nickel, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (lnickel
at email.uncc.edu)
Jennifer Arnold, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC
(Jennifer.Arnold at cpcc.edu)
Lisa Williams, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC
(williamsl at uncw.edu)
Where is our profession going and who is leading us is there? Of growing
concern to the library profession is the insufficient number of librarians both
willing and prepared to take on leadership roles both within individual
libraries and the profession at large. This poster session will present results
of a survey directed to leadership institute attendees and attempt to determine
the impact of such institutes on librarians' willingness to move into
administrative positions (department head, director, etc.) or leadership roles
(project leader, committee chair). Survey questions and follow-up interviews
provided data on the nature and impact of the leadership institute experience,
attendees' supervisory and administrative experience, and their future
professional goals. The role of leadership mentors and the potential of
mentorship to increase the number of library leaders was also considered.
Overall, the research focused on determining what kind of motivation leadership
institutes are giving their graduates.
II - 4 Get Involved In A Big
Way! Learn how an ALA Committee Internship Can Improve your Professional
Development
Patrice Johnson, Chicago Public Library (patjohn at chipublib.org)
Larissa Gordon, Wilmington College, Dover, DE (larissa.a.gordon at
wilmcoll.edu)
This poster presentation would showcase our experience as interns on the ALA
Membership committee. We would talk about how we first became interns, what we
have done thus far in our role as interns, and what we have gained by
participating in the intern program. The intern program is a great way for
anyone, both those new to the profession and experienced librarians, to learn
about the inner workings of ALA and to prepare to take on a more active role in
the organization. We would also offer some general tips discussing other ways
to become more involved with ALA. As new librarians we have often found it a
struggle to figure out how to get involved with professional development and we
wish to make things easier for others who may be in a similar position. We
would have handouts, and the poster would include graphics, pictures, and
quotations from interviews with other ALA interns.
II - 5 Honoring Generations:
Developing the Next Generation of Native Librarians
Loriene Roy, School of Information, Austin, TX (loriene at ischool.utexas.edu)
In Fall 2003, the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin
received a $341,000 Librarians for the 21st Century grant to support a new
scholarship program called Honoring Generations. Honoring Generations has
recruited indigenous students to enter into a forty graduate credit hour
on-site program in Austin, Texas to earn their MLS degrees. Honoring
Generations focuses on four priorities: recruitment, professional education,
mentoring, and service-learning. Honoring Generations students are specializing
one of three themes: tribal school librarianship, tribal community (public)
librarianship, or tribal academic librarianship. Students are also involved in
service programs within tribal communities. They can elect to support “If I Can
Read, I Can Do Anything,” a national reading club for Native children attending
twenty schools on or near reservations in eight states. Or, they can assist in
developing library instruction support for tribal college libraries and for the
resource center at the new National Museum of the American Indian. Students
also have options to engage in paid internships. All students also complete a
Capstone or culminating experience prior to graduation. This poster session
will provide an overview of recruitment strategies, successes and challenges,
and plans for the future.
II - 6 What’s Assessment Got
to Do with It?! Exploring Student Learning Outcomes
Angela Dunnington, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA (adunnington
at selu.edu)
Mary Lou Strong, Southeastern Louisiana University (Mary.Strong at
selu.edu)
How do we measure student learning outcomes in a for-credit introductory
research skills course? How do we measure one’s ability to become information
literate? In the summer of 2004, Sims Memorial Library of Southeastern
Louisiana University developed an online assessment survey designed to measure
learning of selected library research knowledge and skills of students enrolled
in an eight-week one-hour freshman level course. Grounded in twenty-four
measurable outcomes identified from the Association of College and Research
Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher
Education, the instrument was developed through the collaborative efforts of
the Reference Department Instruction Team. This poster session will discuss
three distinct processes: planning, implementation, and evaluation. The
presenters, who are instructors of the course, will discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of the assessment tool used to evaluate student learning.
II - 7 Engaging Students in the Game of
Research
Theresa Mudrock, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle, WA (mudrock at
u.washington.edu)
As librarians, we know that research is an exciting endeavor, a puzzle to
unravel, a mystery to be solved – how can we engender this type of intrinsic
motivation and excitement in our students? What kind of research methods course
would work to instill the skills of information literacy but would also excite
and motivate students? Could play be the answer? Play is a fundamental part of
human nature. As children we learned through play. This poster will describe an
innovative research methods class that incorporates elements of play through
role-playing, gaming and creative writing. In History 221: Researching 1918,
students became soldiers, munitions workers and nurses and researched their
lives during the waning years of World War I. The poster will include a
description of the course, examples of student work and student evaluations.
II -
8 Hors d’oeuvres or Entrée? Reorganizing
Your Library Instruction Menu
Michelle Anfenson-Comeau, Louisiana State University at Eunice, Eunice, LA
(mcomeau at lsue.edu)
This study is the first part of a long-term plan to restructure the library
instruction system for the Louisiana State University at Eunice. The
investigator examines and evaluates a pilot project to increase basic library
usage skills by creating a two-class-period library instruction frame-work in
English courses. A four-step survey process was initiated in Summer 2005. The
main survey was administered at the beginning and end of each semester: English
1001 in Fall 2005 and English 1002 in Spring 2006. The main groups are those
who attended both instruction sections, those who attended one session, and
those who attended neither. The measure of learning is the difference between
survey scores prior to instruction and post-instruction. It is expected that
students who attend library instruction sessions in both English 1001 and
English 1002 will show significant improvement in library research skills, as
compared to students who attend one session or no sessions. This poster reports
preliminary survey results, and discusses how these might be applied to the
improvement of library instruction.
II - 9 The CIRLA Fellowship:
A Recruitment Model for Promoting Diversity in Librarianship
Nedelina Tchangalova, University of Maryland Libraries, College Park, MD
(nedelina at umd.edu); Andrew Young, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
(ayoung at jhu.edu) Hector Morey (hmor
at loc.gov) and Julius Jefferson (jjefferson at crs.loc.gov), Library of
Congress; Netta Cox, Smithsonian Institution (coxn at sil.si.edu); Sandra
Marroquin, Georgetown University (marroqus at georgetown.edu)
The United States is among the most diverse countries in the world. The library
profession in the U.S. does not reflect the same level of
diversity. Anticipating that a large number of information specialists will
retire in the next few years, the field has an opportunity to diversify its
pool of librarians. In addition, there is a growing need for librarians
specifically trained and experienced in the work of research libraries. This
poster session shares the efforts undertaken by the Chesapeake Information and
Research Library Alliance (CIRLA), a group of nine research libraries, to
develop a unique recruitment and professional training program designed to
solve both problems: recruiting for diversity and developing expertise within
the functional areas of research librarianship. The CIRLA Fellowship program is
a cooperative model that may be replicated and supported with little external funding.
The poster session will cover the genesis and actualization of the program,
articulate its definition of diversity, and share suggestions for ways in which
libraries, academic and otherwise, may cooperate to meet challenges to the
profession. The poster will include photographs and graphics, and tools that
other libraries can use to develop a similar model.
II - 10 InfoLit Credit Courses: A
Programmatic Approach
Nancy Goebel (nancy.goebel at ualberta.ca) and Kristen Kruse (kristen.kruse at
ualberta.ca), Augustana Faculty - University of Alberta, Camrose, Alberta,
Canada
Augustana is a faculty/campus of the University of Alberta and is located in
Camrose, Alberta, Canada. Augustana's context is that of undergraduate liberal
arts and sciences focusing on teaching as its highest priority. Augustana has
21 for-credit discipline-specific Information Literacy (IL) courses. Assessment
is an essential element of our IL program and currently takes 3 forms:
pre/post-tests within the IL courses (provides an indication of the development
of student IL skills); survey of current students and graduates who have taken
any of the IL courses (to gain feedback on the student's/graduate's perception
of the usefulness of the course in subsequent undergraduate/graduate research
as well as general life research); and analysis of final grades for each course
(provides the ability to compare grades by gender, discipline, year of study,
etc.) This poster session will provide background information on the courses
and focus on assessment practices and research findings. Sample assessment
materials and graphs displaying the results gathered by assessment tools will
be provided. Additional information may present faculty and student IL Awards,
an IL video, a standardization of citation guides project and the annual
Augustana IL workshop.
II - 11 Problem-Based
Learning Library Instruction
Mark Dibble, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, TX (mdibble at tlu.edu)
Learning how to do research is a hands-on activity. Problem-based learning
(PBL) is an instruction method designed to put students into real world
research situations to create an effective learning environment. PBL was
originally developed as a teaching method in medical schools to give students a
direct, hands-on learning experience. By creating relevant research problems
for the students to explore, PBL shifts the learning focus away from the
instructor and onto the students themselves. Blumberg Library at Texas Lutheran
University is moving its instruction program to a PBL focus. This poster
session focuses on the way Blumberg’s librarians use PBL to teach students
research skills in a general composition class. One of the main reasons for
using PBL as a teaching method is to increase students’ critical thinking skills,
so they can transfer the learned skills to other classes. Thus, instead of just
focusing on the students’ present research needs, PBL allows the library to
teach a broader set of research skills that students will use throughout their
education. This session will present information on learning objectives,
methodology, why PBL was chosen as a teaching method, evaluation methods, and
why it is more effective than traditional teaching methods.
II - 12 Medical Library
Recovery project for Southeast Louisiana
Jessica Delgado, Medical Library & Archives, Ochsner Clinic Foundation
Adelaide M. Fletcher, Medical Library & Archives, Ochsner Clinic Foundation
Ethel Ullo Madden, Director, Medical Library & Archives, Ochsner Clinic
Foundation (infodesk at ochsner.org)
Amanda Riley, Medical Library & Archives, Ochsner Clinic Foundation
in lieu of cancelled session: Promoting Lifelong Learning: An Information
Literacy Tutorial for Undergraduate Students, Elvira Saurina- Solanes,
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile-Library System, Santiago, Chile
(esaurina at puc.cl)
The Ochsner Medical Library & Archives in New Orleans will present a poster
about our Medical Library Recovery project for Southeast Louisiana
(http://nnlm.gov/scr/recovery). The poster will share about a library dealing
with Katrina, and going the extra mile because of the hurricanes.
II - 13 “And the Audience
Says...”: Using Audience Response Systems in Library Instruction
Tiffany Hebb, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN (thebb at depauw.edu)
Kathryn Courtland Millis, DePauw University (millisk at depauw.edu)
Krista Knapp, DePauw University (kknapp at depauw.edu)
Looking for a way to incorporate more active learning in your instruction
sessions, and get quick assessments of your students’ knowledge and skills? An
audience response system (ARS) can do this and more. Each student is given a
remote control at the beginning of class, and uses that to answer both scripted
questions appearing on a presentation screen, as well as “on-the-fly” questions
delivered orally or written on a whiteboard. DePauw University librarians are
using an ARS and finding that students are more engaged in the sessions, quiet
students are more likely to have their voices heard, and that it’s an excellent
way to do quick pre-tests, post-tests, and general progress checks throughout
the class. It helps the librarian to determine what the students do and don’t
know, and it grabs the attention of students who sometimes realize that they
did not know everything that they thought they did. This poster will provide
details about the system, examples of the types of questions asked, the factors
that made it more successful in some classes than others, and comments from
students in the sessions.
II - 14 The Media is the
Message: Information Literacy Instruction through New Media
Amanda Hornby, University of Washington, Bothell/Cascadia Community College
Campus Library, Bothell, WA (ahornby at uwb.edu)
New media – in the form of wikis, streaming media, personal computing, and
artistic forms – plays an increasing importance in our lives. New media also
creates an exciting opportunity to infuse new energy into information literacy
instruction. This poster session will detail a workshop created for an upper
division course at the University of Washington, Bothell that encouraged
students to explore and critically evaluate new media, while simultaneously
advancing librarian and faculty collaboration. In collaboration with the
participating faculty member, this workshop helped to define "new
media" both theoretically and practically. Students were presented with
different websites that demonstrated characteristics of new media and new
technologies. Students were given materials to help them critically read and
evaluate new media, and share their evaluations with their peers. The workshop
enabled students to understand and apply key information literacy concepts to
sources that have real relevance in their lives. The work completed by students
was assessed by the instruction librarian and faculty. The poster will exhibit
the successful classroom activity, graphic representations of the new media
websites used, the assignment and assessment tools, and the process through
which the workshop was developed. This exercise in critical inquiry set up a
foundation for innovative information literacy instruction to students and
successful librarian-faculty collaboration.
II - 15 Flex Your Technology
Muscles: Enhancing Marketing and Collaboration
Diane Schrecker, Curriculum Librarian,
Constantly changing and evolving technology presents new and affordable ways to
promote academic libraries. According to
AU WebStats, the Library and
II - 16 Unlocking Secrets of
the Net: Finding Scholarly Information on the Internet Workshops for Faculty at
Salem State College
Dennis Nancy, Salem State College, Salem, MA (ndennis at salemstate.edu)
G. Earl Scharfenberger, Salem State College, (escharfenberger at
salemstate.edu)
To maximize Salem State College faculty’s use of the Internet and address their
interest in finding high quality information on the web, the Bureau of Faculty
Research and Outreach Librarian at Salem State College conducted four “Finding
Scholarly Information on the Internet” workshops from Summer 2005 to Spring
2006. Through demonstrations and hands-on practice, 15 participants in each
workshop were introduced to the “visible” and “invisible” Webs; subject
directories; portals; digital libraries; and specialized search engines as they
searched for research studies, primary documents, journals, statistics, data
sets, etc. in various disciplines. Faculty applied “super searching” techniques
in hands-on exercises. Trends in scholarly communications such as D-space and
open source sites were demonstrated. Participant surveys immediately following
the workshop and after a six-month interval were conducted to evaluate the
immediate and long-term impact of the workshops. The poster session will use
text, photographs, and charts to describe the planning, execution, and
evaluation of the workshops. Copies of the workshop web pages and bibliography
will be distributed.
II - 17 Using Multiple
Technologies to Deliver Instruction to a Large Class
Peggy White, University of Calgary Library, Alberta, Canada (pwhite at
ucalgary.ca)
Inquiry-based learning requires a small class setting to be effective. Three
years ago, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Calgary designed an
inquiry based first year course given to 600 first year engineers using
technology as the enabler. One component of this course is an information
literacy session, delivered in this environment and employing multiple
technologies to teach 160 students in four connected labs concurrently. The
environment includes a control center with an audio hookup, podium camera,
podium computer and document camera and four labs with ten group tables, each
with access to two PC's. The session includes mini assignments prepared in
collaboration with the Engineers Without Borders student group and is highly
interactive.
II - 18 It Takes a College:
Collaborating for Writing and Information Literacy
Rebecca Stuhr, Grinnell College Libraries, Grinnell, IA (stuhrr at
grinnell.edu)
Catherine Rod, Grinnell College Libraries (rod at grinnell.edu)
Classroom and library faculty are clearly partners in incorporating information
literacy concepts and skills into the curriculum. Writing center instructors
are an obvious addition to this collaborative pairing. All three groups share
the goal of developing good student writing and all recognize that the
principles associated with information literacy provide an important means of
reaching that goal. These same information literacy principles also provide the
basis for the collaboration among these three groups. At Grinnell College,
writing lab instructors and library faculty work with first year students in 32
first-year seminars. Librarians and writing lab instructors have also
experimented with a number of other collaborative outreach efforts through
shared reference appointments and joint drop-in sessions. Other projects are
underway. There have been a number of hurdles to our collaboration. This poster
session will describe the ways in which writing lab instructors and library
faculty collaborate, our unique strengths, and the different ways we work with
classroom faculty. We will also elaborate on the difficulties we have
encountered in pursuing this collaboration. The poster will be in the form of a
large format color power point slide incorporating text, photographs, and other
images.
II - 19 De-Puzzling Library
Lingo: An Interactive Crossword Puzzle and Tutorial Suite for 21st Century
Graduate Students of Library and Information Science
Bridget Kowalczyk (Bridget.Kowalczyk at sjsu.edu), Lorene Sisson (lorene.sisson
at sjsu.edu), Robert Bruce, (albion at pon.net), and Marci Hunsaker (marci
_hunsaker at sbcglobal.net), San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Gaming and technology meet in the Library Online Tutorial for the School of
Library and Information Science Students (L.O.T.S.S.) at San José State
University. This tutorial is designed to level the playing field for new
library and information science graduate students through an innovative,
challenging and enjoyable introduction to librarianship that incorporates the
principles of multiple styles of learning. The tutorial begins with Lingometer,
a visual indicator that tracks performance through a diagnostic quiz of 20
questions. Lingometer is followed by three interactive modules that guide
students through search strategies in databases important to the discipline,
each concluding with a short quiz. The crossword puzzle constitutes the final
piece in this suite of instructional modules. What is unique to this learning
tool is its ability to randomly generate a 25-word crossword puzzle focused on
library and information science terminology, thus contributing to knowledge
retention. Scores are emailed to students. Detailed reports by class section
are made available to professors and their library liaisons, enabling
collaboration. Information literacy instruction can then be customized based
upon group performance. Results from preliminary data indicate that the 24/7
availability of this tutorial appeals immensely to distance learners, busy
professionals, and multitasking future librarians.
II - 20 In Search of
Excellence: Chinese American Librarians in the 21st Century
Lian Ruan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL (lruan at
fsi.uiuc.edu) and Jian (Anna) Xiong, Southern Illinois University Carbondale,
Carbondale, IL (axiong at lib.siu.edu)
The most current U.S. census no longer provides a detailed breakdown by
occupation for Asian American groups and makes it difficult to know what
Chinese immigrants do and how many of them have been in the LIS field. There is
an increasing need to understand Chinese American librarians as one of the
largest ethnic librarian groups in American library communities, and renewed
interest to demonstrate and prove its critical roles in the LIS profession.
There is a strong desire for these librarians to break the status quo so they
are able to climb the career ladders to reach full potential. However,
literature review reveals that there are only two studies (1979 and 1996) on
the profile of Chinese American librarians. An updated study to fill the
research gap is in much need. Lian Ruan and Jian Anna Xiong conduct a joint
survey project among current members of the Chinese American Librarians
Association. The poster session with graphs will demonstrate research
methodology and key findings on successful stories and share lessons learned
from the Chinese American librarians. The project is partially funded by Sally
C. Tseng Professional Development Grant. A full report will be presented at the
ALA Conference.
SESSION III: GLOBAL
SOLUTIONS. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS IN LIBRARIES
III - 1 Sister Libraries –
How to Internationalize Your Library
Patrick Sullivan, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA (sullivan at
mail.sdsu.edu)
The ALA Sister Library initiative has been in existence for a number of years,
but many basic questions still exist. How can I find a match in another county?
What should we expect in terms of time commitments? What language skills are required?
What sorts of resources or services are most commonly shared between Sister
Libraries? Does the process work the same for academic libraries and public
libraries? These and many more questions will be answered. This poster session
will detail a number of successful Sister Library relations, both academic and
public, as well as provide an overview of the process of researching and
establishing a Sister Library relation. The benefits of having a Sister Library
will be reviewed, providing critical information needed when deciding whether
to pursue such a program within your library. Whatever part of the world in
which you plan to explore such a relationship there are partners ready and
willing to work collaboratively as your Sister Library. If it’s time for your
organization to take that first step please stop by the Sister Library poster
session.
III - 2 Exchanging Skills
and Cultures: How to Benefit from the International Exchanges Committee of IRRT
Robin L. Kear, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL (kear at
nova.edu)
David Hickey, University of Florida
Arif A. Jamal, University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Johan H. Koren, Murray State University
Would you like to work in a library in another country? Anything is possible if
you are willing to try. Let us help you. This poster will highlight the Web
site services of the IRRT Committee on International Exchanges and will focus
on methods and strategies for finding an exchange or visit location, finding
funding for exchanges, a checklist on preparing for an international exchange,
and information sources about exchanges. The personal growth aspects of
traveling and working abroad will also be explored. Best practices of
international exchanges will be showcased and examples of successful interactions
will be exhibited.
III - 3 Academic Librarian's
Outreach as 2002 World Library Partnership Volunteer in South Africa
Mary Wrighten, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH (mwright at
bgsu.edu)
This poster session will demonstrate how we accomplished establishing a basic
high school library in Mbazwana, South Africa with a circulation system that
allowed the faculty and students to take ownership of the library in three
weeks. The World Library Partnership Inc. Inform the World Volunteer Program
provided a unique opportunity to teach, learn, and grow while experiencing
another culture.
III - 4 Volcanoes, Dragon
Fruit, and Librarians: The Expansion of Grassroots Lending Library Projects in
Nicaragua
Norah Connolly, Simmons College, SIR, Boston, MA (nconnolly at mac.com)
Janet McEathron, , Saint Paul, MN (jiggidy.janet at gmail.com)
A partnership between the Simmons International Relations (SIR) group at
Simmons College in Boston, MA and the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Movil in Nicaragua,
the first lending library program in Nicaragua, began in the summer of 2005
when seven library students volunteered at the library in San Juan del Sur
(SJDS). The SIR volunteers assisted in hosting a conference with Nicaraguan
library workers about book repair, story times, and collection development
practices. This presentation addresses issues encountered by volunteers and the
critique process employed to ensure a sustainable project and relationship
between Simmons and the SJDS Biblioteca. The rewarding and challenging
experience of the conference was adjusting to the economic and technological
challenges of a developing country. Lesson learned, the library’s success is
determined by its impact on the surrounding communities, not by its technology.
Preparations for the August 2006 trip involve creating a catalog development
plan, creating a collection development plan, and expanding resources for
library outreach in Spanish-language countries. The 2006 conference will expand
to include the Nicaraguan National Library Association members (ANIBIPA). The
conference will be tailored to the needs of members with no formal library
education or training; emphasis will be placed on becoming lending facilities.
III - 5 Exploring Seven
Aspects of Sustainability in Regard to Existing and New Grassroots Lending
Library Projects in Nicaragua and Other Developing Nations
Jane Mirandette, Director, San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Movil, San Juan del
Sur, Nicaragua (janem101 at aol.com)
John Furlong, Brentwood Public Library, Brentwood, MO (jfurlong at
sbcglobal.net)
The San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Movil in Nicaragua, the first project of the
Hester J. Hodgdon Libraries for All Program, is five years old and currently
successful and sustainable. Three additional grassroots lending libraries are
scheduled to open in various cities in Nicaragua in 2006. This poster will
describe them, explore seven aspects of sustainability and address how this
expansion can be facilitated without jeopardy to the original lending library
program and its mobile projects. Issues of sustainability and methods to avoid
failure here and in other programs in developing nations are addressed by the
presenters. Plans to further develop the volunteer programs to include
assistance and direction for the new libraries are also outlined. Copies of our
Seven Aspects of Sustainability and additional material will be provided.
III - 6 Revitalizing African
University Libraries
Barbara Ford, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (bjford at uiuc.edu)
Susan Schnuer, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs (schnuer at
uiuc.edu)
Dawn Cassady, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs (dcassady at
uiuc.edu)
The Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, with support from two
three-year grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the MacArthur
Foundation, is assisting 10 grantee university libraries in Nigeria, Ghana,
Uganda, and Tanzania in the move to a fully automated online catalog and
e-resource environment that will better serve the research and learning needs
of their users. A team of librarians led by Mortenson Center staff already has
visited the African institutions twice, focusing training on library
automation, library management systems, characteristics of a great university
library, retrospective conversion, and fund-raising. Librarians from each
institution also have visited the Mortenson Center for two months. During that
time, they studied automated libraries in the United States and got additional
training specific to their chosen library management system. Photos taken at
the African institutions will highlight and complement details about the
training process presented in this poster session.
III - 7 Ashore on the Coasts
of Bohemia: A Semester Teaching Subject Analysis and Metadata Principles at
Charles University in Prague
Richard Sapon-White, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
(Richard.Sapon-White at oregonstate.edu)
Since the fall of communism, the Czech Republic has been reforming its
educational system and adopting international cataloging standards and
practices. This poster describes the experience of teaching courses in subject
analysis and metadata at Charles University’s Institute of Information Studies
and Librarianship in Prague, Czech Republic. These courses were important in
demonstrating U.S. library methods, such as LC Classification and shelf listing
procedures, as well as educational techniques, such as classroom discussions
and written examinations. Class lessons, using presentation software, were
posted to a web page for later review by students lacking English proficiency.
Class sessions included demonstrations of Classification Plus and Cataloger’s
Desktop on the Web as well as descriptions of cooperative cataloging programs.
For an American librarian to teach library science abroad requires planning as
well as sensitivity and understanding of the other country’s history, library
culture, and educational system. Occasional cultural gaffes are probably
unavoidable, but preparation and sensitivity can keep these to a minimum.
III - 8 Bridges Across the
Atlantic: US and Ugandan Librarians Collaborating Our Digital World
David Atkins, John C. Hodges Library, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
TN (datkins at utk.edu)
Barbara Dewey, Dean of University Libraries, The University of Tennessee
Anthony Smith, The University of Tennessee
Scholarship and learning are global endeavors. Higher education, therefore
academic libraries, find themselves both thinking and acting globally in the
pursuit of initiatives supporting international teaching, research, and
learning. Also, human intangibles such as serendipity, generosity, curiosity,
and the love of teaching create the personal bonds required to sustain these
global pursuits. In 2002, The University of Tennessee Libraries (UT) leapt into
this world of global endeavors with very personal and direct collaboration with
the University Libraries at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (MUL). This
poster session illustrates how two seemingly different universities, apparently
worlds apart, forged an enduring, exceptional, and mutually beneficial
partnership focusing on resource sharing, digital collection creation,
professional development, and mutual admiration. This programs success inspired
others at UT and MU to seek and establish their own cooperative ventures.
III - 9 Texas A&M
University at Qatar and Texas A&M University in College Station Libraries:
24/365 Resource Sharing and Customer Service
Suzanne Gyeszly, Texas A&M University at Doha, Qatar (suzanne at tamu.edu)
Charles Gilreath, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (cgilreat at
lib-gw.tamu.edu)
Texas A&M University at Qatar Library (TAMUQL) was established in September
2003 to serve the curriculum, research and service needs of undergraduate
students, their faculty and staff members in the fields of Mechanical,
Electrical, Petroleum and Chemical Engineering. Currently serving a student
body of 140 and some 20 faculty, the TAMUQ library is over 8,000 miles and 9
time zones away from the main Texas A&M University Library (TAMUL) in
College Station. The time difference and the various Texan and Muslim holidays
created an excellent example of the 24/365 reality of library services in which
both institutions share print and electronic resources and complement each
other’s reference services when needed. Aggies, both in Qatar and in Texas, are
able to request books and articles in both libraries via the deliverEdocs
service all year around. Table of contents of the TAMUQL newly acquired
specialized technical journals were scanned and sent to the home institution’s
faculty. Licenses for E-resources were extended to all the distance users, and
reference questions could be asked via voice-over-internet phone connections in
addition to TAMUL’s virtual chat services. The well established library
policies and new services introduced by the home institutions are known by all
Qatari users via Information Literacy classes and the regularly updated
websites of TAMUQL and TAMUL librarians.
III - 10 Creating an
"Equivalent Experience" 7000 miles from Home: Georgetown University
Builds a Library in Qatar
Karl Debus-Lopez, Georgetown University, Washington, DC (ked37 at
georgetown.edu)
Mark Jacobs, Georgetown University (jacobsm at georgetown.edu)
Between May and August of 2005 the Georgetown University Library developed the
collections, services, and space for a totally new library for its School of Foreign
Service in Doha, Qatar. The new Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
Library in Qatar is fully integrated into the collections and services of the
DC campus and also serves as a stand-alone library for the Qatar patrons. Using
information contained within a blog that was created to track the development
of the library, this poster will present the steps necessary to create a new
library in a foreign country and culture. Information on creation of the
physical structure, hiring of staff, development and integration of services
with DC, coordination with other campus administrators, and the building of the
initial start-up collection (approval plan creation, PromptCat, and shelf ready
services) will be presented. Integration of the Qatar campus into the licensed
and free electronic resources and web presence of the DC campus will be
discussed as well.
III - 11 21st Century
Chinese Academic Libraries from the Perspective of International Students
Studying in China
Shugin Jiao, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO (jiaos2 at slu.edu)
Fu Zhuo, Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, MO (jiaos2 at slu.edu)
Xiaoying Zhou, Remin University, Beijing, China (jiaos2 at slu.edu)
Liming Zhou, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China (jiaos2 at slu.edu)
With China’s economy constantly developing, more and more international
students go to China to study and research. Will they experience challenges
similar to those faced by the international students in America? Do Chinese
academic libraries provide special library services to their international
students? We, the researchers from China and the United States, are interested
in the perspectives of international students in using their Chinese academic
libraries. Surveys will be conducted at Wuhan University and Beijing
University. The researchers will get feedback in the areas of general library
services, library policies, library collections, electronic access, fees, and
the library environment from the international students. The international students’
unique library experiences will also be collected through additional comments.
This research will be quite significant for Chinese academic librarians to
become more aware of characteristics of their library services and also provide
a window for American librarians and researchers to learn the current
development of Chinese academic libraries.
III - 12 Integrating
Information Literacy into a U.S., China & Argentina Cooperative E-Learning
Course
Xiwen Zhang, California State University, San Bernardino, CA (xzhang at
csusb.edu)
This presentation demonstrates the success of integrating information literacy
into an international e-learning course entitled "Extended Education
Internet Project Comparing the Grape Industries of Central California with
those of Mendoza Province, Argentina and Yunnan Province, China."
Instructors from three countries developed four chapters on Blackboard.
Information literacy is the first chapter with online testing. Students in
China and Argentina studied information literacy materials and practiced
information retrieval techniques using their national library online catalogs,
accessible databases and Google. Students were required to complete an
information literacy test on Blackboard. American instructors were available
through Blackboard communication tools. Mixed groups of students from both
countries communicated and discussed what they learned. The Internet resources
related to students’ research topics were posted on Blackboard. The
instructional design, active learning and assessment issues on an international
e-learning platform will be discussed.
III - 13 Andean Amazon GIS
Web Portal
Catherine Marsicek, Florida International University, Miami, FL (marsicek at
fiu.edu)
This poster session will demonstrate the development and uses of the Andean
Amazon Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Web Portal (AAGWP), a project
currently funded as a National Leadership Grant for Digital Library Research
and Demonstration through IMLS. The AAGWP is a GIS-based portal designed for
users to acquire, harvest, and publish standardized geospatial data and
metadata about the physical and socioeconomic environments of the Andean Amazon
region in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Perú. The Andean Amazon is an area of
enormous ecological and cultural diversity. It is also the site of many of the
world’s most bitter struggles between development and conservation interests.
Today’s environmental problems are complex and will require solutions that successfully
integrate scientific, economic, political and cultural data. These types of
projects produce large quantities of data in varied formats. Storing,
organizing and sharing these data is a constant challenge, in particular when
investigators are spread across multiple countries. The AAGWP supports current
major international global-change research initiatives in the Andean Amazon
region. In addition to its research applications, the AAGWP will be used to
support outreach and education programs and to positively influence policy
decisions and resource management in this sensitive region of the world.
III - 14 Information Access
In Africa: Making Connections with Children and Young Adults Sustaining
Themselves and Their Communities
Deborah LaFond, University at Albany, Albany, NY (dlafond at uamail.albany.edu)
Angel Batiste, Area Specialist, The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., --
State -- (abat at loc.gov)
This poster session is designed to offer educators and students in the United
States an opportunity to make connections with Africa, especially its various
cultures and peoples. The session will highlight a variety of initiatives
including African AIDS education and prevention projects, publishing and
library networks, library education, and ICT development. African bookmobile
projects, book fairs, literacy programs, models of book donation programs and
direct support to African publishing and community development will be
explored. Obtain information on international associations and non-governmental
organizations which address efforts to promote literacy and information access
in Africa. Come learn how you might make important cross cultural connections
in your libraries and classrooms while supporting children, young adults, and
adults to empower communities in both the U.S. and Africa.
III - 15 Stepping into the
21st Century: Using Modern Tools to Better Services in a Haitian Library
Elizabeth Pierre-Louis, Fondation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL),
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (epierrelouis at fokal.org)
Thierry Cherizard, Fondation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL), Port-au-Prince,
Haiti
The Bibliothèque Monique Calixte (BMC), located at the second floor of the
Fondation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL), is part of a network of more than 40
libraries supported by the Foundation. Although the BMC has a collection of
more than 15,000 books and 9,000 members, it is still manually managed. Since
October 2005, in order to make library resources more accessible, FOKAL’s
Library Program decided to computerize the BMC. We will present the different
steps in this process, as well as the diversified uses of our website, current
and future (online catalog). Another project is to computerize the best of our
40 partner libraries in order to strengthen the network. We will present the
many challenges in carrying out this project. This poster session is therefore
a great opportunity for us to present to the world our work and to receive by
return all kinds of suggestions and collaboration.
III - 16 Open Book,
Staff-Less Library: The Era Library
Chen Chao-chen, Library Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (cc4073
at ms73.hinet.net)
Although Taipei Public Library has 40 branch libraries and 14 reading rooms,
people still ask for more neighborhood libraries near their home. In order to
provide more convenient services, Taipei Public Library has collaborated with
department store Carrefour to set up a pilot staff-less computer-operated
library on the Neihu store's grounds (opened July 22, 2005.) Using a Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) system and a self check-in and check-out
system, people insert an RFID library card for entering the Library. Borrowers
only need to insert a card, scan the book and take a receipt from the computer
before taking a book home. If borrowers try to take the book out without
following these procedures, an alarm bell sounds as they leave the library.
Returning the book simply involves dropping it off in a library return box.
This allows the public to borrow books from a library with ease, convenience
and speed. The new system is quicker, allowing several items to be checked in
and checked out at once. RFID technology enhances materials security and
reduces theft and associated costs by updating users’ accounts instantly.
III - 17 East-West Center
Children’s Library
Mumtaz S. Memon, East-West Center Alumni Association, Jamshoro, Pakistan
(mumtazs.memon at MUET.edu.pk)
The basic idea behind this project is “If children cannot come to books, lets
take books to children.” There are virtually no library services available in
the rural areas of Pakistan. Establishing even small libraries on the division
or district level will not meet the objective. Big book mobiles cannot go into
the rural areas due to lack of proper roads. The small three wheeler transport
designed in China called Chin Chee has been a very successful means of
transport in rural areas. These Chin Chee are converted into small compact book
mobiles. (Design and pictures of these will be presented in the poster
session.) This project is staffed entirely by volunteers. "Adopt a Moving
Library" is the next slogan for the project, which can be taken to the
Earthquake effected areas of Pakistan.
III - 18 Outreach Activities
of Karnataka Public Library System
P.Y. Rajendra Kumar, Department of Public Libraries, Government of Karnataka,
Bangalore, India (py_kumar at yahoo.co.in)
V.P. Konnur, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India (pvkonnur at gmail.com)
Basavaraj S. Horatti, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore, India
T.M. Vijayabhaskar, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore, India
Puttaswamy Gowda, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India
Karnataka State Public Library system is regarded as the best network of public
libraries in the country. The Karnataka Public Library (KPL) Act was enacted in
1965. In the past 40 years, KPL has developed a network of 4000 Libraries
serving a population of 55 million. During the current year the opening of 2500
more libraries in rural Karnataka is proposed. In addition to its regular
services, KPL has initiated the following three main outreach activities to
reach unserved populations: linking the Public Library with schools; converting
popular Kannada language materials into Braille; and digitizing 100,000 Kannada
language books.
III - 19 Nurturing Our
Roots: The Reference and Information Service of the Heritage Library, National
Library of Trinidad and Tobago
Marsha Winter, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and
Tobago (winter.marsha at gmail.com)
The Heritage Library is a reference and research library whose primary goal is
to collect and preserve resources in all formats written and published by
citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, about Trinidad and Tobago. The library’s
collection includes rare books, newspapers, photographs, compact discs, special
collections, and government documents. In addition, the library also collects
material written about the wider Caribbean region. The Heritage Library’s
collection, which was established in the 1950s, is an invaluable resource. In
2002, when the National Library of Trinidad and Tobago officially opened its
doors, the Heritage Library of Trinidad and Tobago found a home, in the brand
new building. Unfortunately, the library has also been faced with internal challenges,
the major being a shortage of professional staff to provide an efficient
reference service and to develop and maintain the library’s collection. The
poster display will mainly seek to give visitors to the conference a brief
history of the Heritage Library, highlight some of its resources and some of
the activities the library has participated in, examine some of the challenges
the library currently faces and provide examples of reference requests that
have been completed at the library.
III - 20 The Department of
State's International Libraries, Librarians, and Library Programs
Wendy Simmons, Department of State, Washington, DC (simmonswa at state.gov)
The U.S. Department of State's library and information programs are well-known
overseas, but not among members of the American library community. The
Department has made changes in its programs over recent decades in response to
many of the same challenges faced by special and public libraries in the U.S.
Dr. Wendy Simmons, a State Department Information Resource Officer for over 12
years and an adjunct professor of library science at the University of
Maryland, has recently written a chapter for the 2005 edition of "Advances
in Librarianship" (Vol. 29), entitled, "Three Decades of Challenges
and Changes in US Embassy Libraries Around the World." (Elsevier). In this
poster session, Dr. Simmons, together with library colleagues from embassies
around the world, will explain what they do as Information Resource Officers,
what a U.S. embassy library is and does today, and what new library initiatives
the Department of State is currently undertaking.
SESSION IV: OUTREACH:
POSTERS ON INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION, LIBRARY SERVICES TO SPECIAL GROUPS,
AND REFERENCE AND INFORMATION SERVICES
IV - 1 Expanding Horizons –
Winning Ways with Resources
Vivian Cisneros, Newcastle High School, Newcastle, OK (vcisnero at
newcastle.k12.ok.us)
Melody-Leigh Teten, Newcastle Public Schools, Newcastle, OK (mteten at
newcastle.k12.ok.us)
Kathie Thomas, Pioneer Library System, Newcastle, OK (kathie at pls.lib.ok.us)
This poster will show one small-town library collaboration success story, and
give steps for replicating it. A partnership between the school and public
libraries in Newcastle, Oklahoma, enables students to access their public
library resources through their school library. This partnership is especially
beneficial to the middle and high school students, who often have no way of
getting to the public library. The poster will show the steps taken to
implement this program, the everyday logistics of running it, statistics/graphs
on resources made available to students through this access, statistics/graphs
on increased circulation for the public library, and examples of forms used. We
will include a chart of the steps followed when a student needs a public
library item, including approximate time from request to delivery, and an
outline of the various areas of collaboration including: book, audio book, and
video/DVD check-outs; free access to databases; shared programming (i.e. public
library provides the funding and advertising, school provides the venue and
audience); book sales; and research support. A school library’s limited funding
and small, aging collection do not have to mean students cannot do proper
research or read the popular new bestsellers their friends are all reading!
IV - 2 Networking Library
Services Around Journals
Ulrike Junger, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Berlin, -- State -- (ulrike.junger
at sbb.spk-berlin.de)
Taking the example of the German Union Catalogue of Serials
(Zeitschriftendatenbank or ZDB), one of the world’s largest databases for
serials, the poster will show how a formerly mere catalogue for journals has
evolved to become an essential part of a web-based infrastructure serving
library users nationally and internationally with information about and access
to journals of all kinds. It will be described how bibliographic information is
exchanged with and used by other information systems, e.g. subject based
portals, how information about holdings and availability is provided to e.g.
ILL- and document delivery services and how the ZDB is connected to and
integrated with other databases and information systems. The aspect of seamless
navigation will be especially focused on.
IV - 3 Enhancing Reference
Desk Transactions for Students from Non-American Cultures: Tips and Report
Justina Osa, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (joo2 at
psulias.psu.edu)
Sylvia Nyana, The Pennsylvania State University (san17 at psu.edu)
Clara A. Ogbaa, Texas State University-San Marcos, (N/A)
Everything that occurs on the Public Services Desk involves communication. As a follow-up
to studies conducted on model communication behaviors that enhance reference
desk transactions at
IV - 4 Information Literacy
Assessment: A Global View
Dr. Lesley Farmer,
This session provides a meta-analysis of the patterns and trends in the
information literacy content being assessed and the approaches used to measure
knowledge, skills, and dispositions. A systems approach is used to examine how
assessment is conducted and used to impact learning and the learning
environment. What findings have emerged about information literacy as it is demonstrated
by the academic community? How have academic communities dealt with these
findings? These questions are studied to help the academic community plan
effective interventions systematically. The analysis will also examine the
extent to which these issues have been addressed internationally, and which are
shaped within a cultural context.
IV - 5 Deliver the Right
Information to Illinois Firefighters at the Right Time
Lian Ruan, Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
Champaign, IL (lruan at fsi.uiuc.edu)
As the statutory State Fire Academy, the central objective for the Illinois
Fire Service Institute (IFSI), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is
to prepare and help Illinois firefighters develop the core skills required to
effectively meet the emergency fire service needs of their communities.
Building upon the groundwork and arrangements made by IFSI, through previous
Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) and other funded grant projects, the
new LSTA grant project is entitled “Creative Use of Libraries (CUOL Grant!) –
Deliver the Right Information to Illinois Firefighters at the Right Time.” It
aims to employ innovative technology to create “The Digital Illinois Fire
Departments Training Network Database” to address firefighters’ local training
needs. The proposed poster session with graphics will demonstrate how IFSI
Library trains 25 selected fire departments to maintain a digitized record of
their training calendars and provides access to this digital information. With
this systematic knowledge about today’s firefighters’ changing training needs,
also working with their local public libraries, the new service helps improve
the training of firefighters by providing “at the right time” access and usage
of fire emergency information resources. The poster session will present how
the IFSI Library strengthens partnerships among fire departments and local
public libraries.
IV - 6 Huulta! Teen Read
Week - Apache Style
Mary Ellen Keeton, Mescalero Apache School, Mescalero, NM (mkeeton at
mescaleroas.org)
The ALA-sponsored Teen Read Week was celebrated with a Native American flair at
Mescalero Apache School in Mescalero, NM from October 17-21, 2005. This first
ever TRW at MAS blended tradition and culture with reading promotion as
students, staff, and tribal members enthusiastically participated in engaging
activities throughout the week. “Huulta” posters and banners announcing this
important event were displayed throughout the school, in the community, and at
various events including the homecoming game. The eye-catching posters featured
a photo of the school principal, book in hand, reading and wearing a
traditional camp dress and turquoise jewelry. Portraying the role of the
storyteller, she is surrounded by student representatives reading their
favorite books. To emphasize the universal importance of reading, participants
received bracelets and bookmarks embossed with “Read" and “Huulta” (“read”
in Apache). Activities included scavenger hunts, research worksheets, and
Sustained Silent Reading, all of which enabled participants to practice the
information problem-solving process; apply effective reading skills; and
recognize and use a variety of information resources formats. The event was a
success as evidenced by observation, formal evaluation, and informal
participant feedback. ALA attendees will view worksheets, photos, posters, and
banners. Additionally, bookmarks and bracelets will be distributed. Huulta!
IV - 7 Is the Medium Still
the Message?? – Differences in Reference Questions Based On How They are Asked
Susan Hurst, Miami University, Oxford, OH (hurstsj at lib.muohio.edu)
Matthew Magnuson, Miami University (magnusm at muohio.edu)
In Marshall McLuhan’s 1964 work “Understanding Media” he uttered his famous
statement, “The medium is the message,” while discussing the consequences of
new technologies. In the 40 years since then, new technologies have had
profound impacts on the practice of librarianship. While library patrons in the
60’s were limited in their reference possibilities, today’s reference services
come in many guises – chat, instant messaging, email, telephone and in person.
In an effort to better understand the uses and consequences of technologies on
reference services, librarians at Miami University in Ohio gathered data during
spring semester 2006 on the number and types of reference questions and what
medium was used. The results of this research will be displayed at the poster
session. Frequency of questions, most common questions, and a categorization of
the types questions will be reported. Graphs and charts will show correlations
between the various types of patron queries (e.g. directional, technical,
in-depth, ready-reference) and the mechanisms used to ask them. Unexpected
benefits and possible avenues for further research will also be discussed. By
better understanding how patrons use various services, the existing services
can be improved and new ones developed.
IV - 8 Reaching Out to the
Net Generation on Campus: Promoting the MSU Libraries in the Residence Halls
Newkirk Barnes, Mitchell Memorial Library, Mississippi State University, MS
(nbarnes at library.msstate.edu)
Gail Peyton, Mitchell Memorial Library (gpeyton at library.msstate.edu)
The Reference Department at Mississippi State University (MSU) Libraries
maintains an active Outreach program whose purpose is to promote the Libraries’
resources and services both on and off campus, and to create and develop
partnerships with the University’s various constituencies. One group the
Department targets consistently is undergraduates who live on campus. These
students are part of the “Net Generation,” a demographic characterized by a
heavy reliance on the Internet for all types of information, including scholarly.
In order to make undergraduates more aware of the high-quality online research
tools available through the MSU Libraries, the Reference Department goes
directly to the students. Each fall, the Reference Department provides a
library orientation for the resident hall staff, encouraging them to schedule
presentations for undergraduates in their respective halls. Throughout the
semester, the Reference Department responds to numerous requests for these
presentations, which focus on the Libraries’ online resources and other
services of interest to the “Net Generation.” The Department evaluates the
residence hall visits individually and then assesses the initiative as a whole
at the end of each academic year. This poster presentation describes the
Reference Department’s outreach to the residence halls in more detail, using
both narratives and pictures.
IV - 9 Public Services Desk
Staffing Trends: A Survey
Julie Banks, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO (jbanks at
semo.edu)
Carl Pracht, Southeast Missouri State University (cpracht at semo.edu)
There has been a sea change in Public Services Desk activity in academic libraries
over the last several years. Examples of this include a decreased number of
questions at the Public Services Desk, an emphasis on information literacy, and the
dismantling of some physical desks. These, and other, alterations beg the
question: has Public Services Desk staffing been impacted, especially in the use of
personnel without an ALA-accredited MLS? To answer this, the investigators developed
a twenty-question survey and, after a pilot study, sent it over the Internet to
a random sample of 191 academic librarians, who work in universities that
enroll between 5000-15000 students. Surprisingly, sixty percent of the 101
returned surveys indicate that the number of Public Services Desk staff has remained
the same in the last three years. Another interesting finding is that sixty-two
percent of the libraries use personnel who do not hold an ALA-accredited MLS.
This number is not dramatically different from data reported in two research
projects in the ‘70s and ‘80s. However, for thirty-eight percent of the
respondents, this trend began less than five years ago. Examples of other
questions include when and how often non-degreed personnel work at the
Public Services Desk and how important reference librarians will be in the next
twenty years.
IV - 10 The FIRST Family:
Librarian Support for Faculty Scholarship
Connie Maxwell, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX (cmaxwell at mail.twu.edu)
John Hepner, Texas Woman's University (jhepner at mail.twu.edu)
Suzanne Sweeney, Texas Woman's University (ssweeney at mail.twu.edu)
Scholarly and teaching activities of 200+ faculty members on four campuses
currently are supported by 12 librarians through the FIRST (Faculty Information
Research Support Team) program at Texas Woman’s University (TWU). Faculty
members registered for FIRST are assigned a personal librarian, who becomes
familiar with their subject specializations and topics of interest. Services
generally provided by the librarian include database searching, retrieval and
delivery of print and electronic library materials, generation of interlibrary
loan requests, and selection and setup of table-of-contents and database search
alert services. The librarian may assist also in the development of grant
applications, the preparation of manuscripts for publication, and the
development of course materials. Experience has shown the workload to be
surprisingly manageable, even for a relatively small staff. The program is
evaluated annually by participating faculty, who also are requested to list
publications, grants, presentations, etc., for which the FIRST program was
used. Comments on annual evaluations indicate the FIRST program greatly
contributes to the quality and quantity of faculty publications, grants,
professional presentations, teaching, and other scholarly activities. The
session will include services, costs, time management techniques, structure,
evaluation tools, and the use of outcomes to benefit the library and
librarians.
IV - 11 The First Wave:
Floating in the Florida State University Strozier Library
Katherine Ott, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (kott at
mailer.fsu.edu)
Responding to the professional literature on library anxiety and
characteristics of millennials, Florida State University Libraries embarked on
a program to bring information services to patrons in the Strozier library
without forcing them to go to the Public Services Desk. Since this type of program
has been done in public libraries and because there is talk in the Strozier
Library of going to a deskless reference service, this program seemed the best
way to start a first phase of a shift in service. This phase would test if this
program was feasible if it was accepted and if it would work. This first wave
of the project had trained students walking the floors offering assistance in
the stacks and at computers. Statistics taken by the first wave shows that this
program is a valuable asset to the library and should be continued even if we
don’t get to a deskless service. In the second wave, we plan to use staff
members who worked the information desks as floaters, while shifting the
students who were floating to the information desks. We are currently working
toward accomplishing and analyzing the statistics of this phase of the project.
IV - 12 When Worlds Collide:
Implementing a Training Program for IT Student Workers in the Library
Eric Hinsdale, Carleton College, Northfield, MN (ehinsdal at carleton.edu)
Heather Tompkins, Carleton College (htompkin at carleton.edu)
In Fall 2004, Carleton College transformed its Public Services Desk into a joint
computer help/Public Services Desk, called Research/IT. Students from the Student
Computing Information Center (SCIC) joined reference librarians at the desk,
bringing with them the SCIC’s distinct culture. As differences between the SCIC
and library culture emerged, library staff realized they would need to bridge
this divide gradually by socializing student workers into library culture. In
Research/IT’s second year, librarians collaborated closely with the help desk
coordinator to implement a formalized training program with the goal of raising
service levels. Focusing on customer service, the training emphasized both
commonalities and differences between the service points at the SCIC and the
library. Librarians noticed a positive shift in student attitudes and behaviors
almost immediately. In addition, librarians related more effectively and
comfortably with SCIC workers. Using charts and diagrams, supplemented by
narratives, this poster will trace the development of the training program over
two years, explore training outcomes, and share results of Research/IT
evaluations. Photographs will illustrate the physical space of the service points.
An increasing number of institutions are transforming their reference services,
often by creating “information commons.” The Research/IT experience offers
important insight into collaborating with information technology departments.
IV - 13 Wiki at Work:
Implementing a Wiki in Reference Services
Angela Kille, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (angelakille at
gmail.com)
This project describes the process of implementing a wiki in the Reference and
Information Services department of the University of Texas Libraries in Austin,
Texas for sharing information internally on topics such as assignment-related
resources, new databases, subject-specialist research tips, and changes that
might impact service to patrons, particularly students. Named after the
Hawaiian term for “quick,” wikis are interactive Web sites to which users can
contribute. In a wiki, any user with a Web browser can add new pages or add new
content to existing pages, as well as change or delete existing information.
Users can also edit the organization of the wiki, in addition to the content,
and need not know HTML or have Web design skills. This project covers the
process of implementing a wiki from the initial selection of the wiki software,
to the installation and configuration of the wiki, to creating content for the
wiki. The project will provide information on what worked well, what did not,
and what changes should be made in the future as well as describe participation
and usage of the site. The poster will include screenshots of the wiki Web site
and include details about its content.
IV - 14 Your Place or Mine?
Face to Face Reference Services Across Campus
Darcy Del Bosque, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
(darcy.delbosque at utsa.edu)
Kimberly Chapman, University of Texas at San Antonio (kimberly.chapman at
utsa.edu)
Having a hard time getting students to use library services? The University of
Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Library promoted several reference services during
the Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 semesters. Direct-2-U Reference, Crash Courses,
and Drop-In Tours reached out to students in innovative ways to encourage
non-library users to see what they were missing and to give current library
users even more choices. Direct-2-U Reference provided students a chance to get
research help on their own turf. Librarians provided research assistance at
several locations across campus, combining the benefits of face-to-face (f-2-f)
reference with the convenience of getting help without going to the physical
library. Library Crash Courses promoted subject-specific assistance without the
formality of in-class instruction. Drop-In Tours allowed curious students to
figure out the layout of the library and get answers to their questions.
Presenters discuss how to tap into staff enthusiasm for providing alternative
services, techniques for implementing the services quickly, and effective
strategies for promoting the library across campus. Direct-2-U Reference, Crash
Courses, and Drop-In Tours were evaluated using attendance statistics, student
surveys, and feedback from librarians. Presenters will describe how ongoing
evaluation improved the direction, marketing, and overall success of the
reference services.
IV - 15 A Usability Study of
MetaLib: Process, Issues and Possible Solutions
Marilyn Ochoa (mnochoa at ufl.edu), Rae Jesano (rae at
library.health.ufl.edu), John Nemmers
(johnemm at uflib.ufl.edu), Carrie Newsom (carnews at uflib.ufl.edu), Maryellen
O'Brien (OBrien at law.ufl.edu), and Paul Victor, Jr. (pauvict at
uflib.ufl.edu), ) University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
The MetaLib Library Portal (MetaLib) is a research tool that enables searching
multiple electronic resources in a single interface simultaneously and provides
links to resources' native interfaces. Many libraries have already implemented
this library portal, or various components of it. Prior to launching MetaLib at
the University of Florida, the Libraries conducted a usability study to ensure
that the MetaLib features implemented were appropriate for UF's research
community. A handful of faculty researchers and graduate and undergraduate
students volunteered to test and discuss the product during the Spring 2006
semester. The benefit of this soft-launch enabled the development of a more
effective resource for the UF academic community and provided a basis for new
instructional initiatives. This poster session will illustrate the process to
evaluate MetaLib, which includes determining a timeline, developing
scenario-based and focus group questions to be submitted to the University's
Institutional Review Board, recruiting participants, and conducting the
usability testing and focus groups. In addition, this session will provide
examples of how tasks were analyzed, major issues identified (such as relevancy
and functionality), and solutions recommended in the formal "Usability
Test Report for MetaLib" submitted to the Task Force's parent library
committee, the Resource Navigation Group.
IV - 16 Can You Read Me Now?
Text Messaging Reference in an Academic Library
JB Hill (jbhill at selu.edu), Rodney Clare Jackman (rjackman at selu.edu),
Cherie Madarash-Hill (cherie.madarash-hill at selu.edu), and Dayne Sherman
(dayne.sherman at selu.edu), Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA
According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project survey, approximately
134 million American adults own cell phones and 27% report using the text
messaging feature on a monthly basis. Of college-age Generation Y’s (ages
18-27), 63% report using the text messaging feature on their cell phones on a
regular basis. The challenge and opportunity for academic libraries is to reach
out and better serve students’ information needs through this new technology.
In Spring 2005, Sims Memorial Library at Southeastern Louisiana University
initiated a “Text A Librarian” service that enables students, faculty and staff
to send questions and to receive answers from librarians via text messaging. By
using a dedicated text messaging telephone number and Email SMS conversion
software, provided by Altarama Systems and Services, librarians can send and
receive text messages. This presentation describes and reports on the
integration of “Reference by SMS” into Sims Memorial Library’s digital
reference service. The issues that will be addressed include the promotional,
technological and training challenges that are unique to providing reference
service via text messaging.
IV - 17 CSI: New Orleans
Chat Scene Investigation – Using Transcript Analysis to Solve the Mysteries of
Digital Reference
Matthew Bejune, Purdue University Libraries, W. Lafayette, IN (mbejune at
purdue.edu)
Librarians are accustomed to keeping track of the number of reference questions
they answer each hour they are on the Public Services Desk. But do they count
questions by subject, or difficulty level? Do they keep track of each patron’s
affiliation with the library? Do they evaluate how well questions were
answered? The proliferation of digital reference software that retains
reference transcripts has radically enhanced our ability to understand
reference, from the number of questions asked to the subject of questions asked
to how well we answer their questions. This poster session will report research
results from a meta-analysis of twenty research studies that have used
Transcript Analysis (TA) to better understand digital reference (chat, email,
IM, VOIP, etc.) services. The intent of this research was to see what
information could be gleaned from TA and how useful the methodology would be
for improving digital reference services. Preliminary results from the analysis
have been encouraging showing that TA has been used to analyze over twenty
facets of the digital reference encounter. Information gleaned from TA has
great utility, though it is unclear from reading the literature how researchers
improved their digital reference services after they did their studies.
IV - 18 Taking Chat to the
Next Level: Analyzing Chat Transcripts
Carla Pfahl, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, MN (pfahl001 at
umn.edu)
Van Houlson, University of Minnesota Libraries (houls001 at umn.edu)
Kate McCready, University of Minnesota Libraries (mccre008 at umn.edu)
What can be learned from mining the questions asked via a chat reference service?
How can we better shape our services to meet our patron’s needs? Chat
transactions uniquely capture each individual question asked yet few ways have
been talked about as to how to retrieve this information and best use it to
your library’s advantage. Staff from the Ask Us! Virtual Reference Service at
the University of Minnesota Libraries will highlight ways for the libraries to
analyze their reference chat sessions in order to improve services and web
tools. Over 650 chat transcripts were analyzed to evaluate the types of
questions being asked and the effectiveness of providing virtual reference
using synchronous communication over the web. Find out what our virtual
reference staff found out and how they are using this information to better
help their patrons.
IV - 19 A Bridge to TexShare
for Small/Rural Libraries
Loriene Roy, School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin,
TX (loriene at ischool.utexas.edu)
Mariela Gunn, School of Information , The University of Texas at Austin
(mariele.gunn at gmail.com)
TexShare is a multitype consortium of libraries in Texas administered by the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). Among the many TexShare
services is a database program providing access to commercial databases from
such providers as OCLC, EBSCO, InfoTrac, and ProQuest to TexShare. TSLAC staff
has long felt that small and rural libraries under use the databases; staff
reported in January 2004 that only 4 percent of database use came from these
library environments. In spring 2005, graduate students in the “Library
Instruction and Information Literacy” developed and provided TexShare database
training to librarians working in small/rural settings. The “Bridge to TexShare
for Small/Rural Libraries” was launched in May 2005 and includes database
tutorials, pathfinders on locating subject-related information, search tips,
and links to other resources. Students provided face-to-face training at a
rural public library. Phase two of the “Rural Bridge” project will include two
levels of evaluation. TSLAC staff will assist in providing feedback on the Web
site. We will also host focus groups of rural librarians to ascertain their
awareness of the Web site, their evaluation of site content, and their
projected use. Our research model may also include collecting follow-up data to
measure actual site use.
IV - 20 Takin' It to the
Streets: Reference a la Carte
Jamie Coniglio, Fenwick Library - George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
(jconigli at gmu.edu)
“Reference a la Carte” is a mobile reference service offered by the Reference
Department of Fenwick Library, George Mason University. Designed as a simple,
effective and fun approach to faculty and student outreach, librarians offer on
the spot information and/or reference assistance outdoors at campus “hot spots”
between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm (whenever weather permits). Equipped with wireless
laptop, walkie-talkies, handouts, maps and a colorful book truck, librarians
are increasing visibility and awareness of reference service and library
resources. Tips for takin' it to the streets
at your library will include
photographs, handouts, sample schedules and statistics.
SESSION
V: CONNECTIONS: LIBRARY INSTRUCTION, OUTREACH, AND
COOPERATION WITH INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES
V - 1 Child Care & Early Education
Research Connections
Amy Ryan, National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University, New
York, NY (ar2381 at columbia.edu)
Child Care & Early Education Research Connections is a partnership among
the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University, the
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University
of Michigan, and the United States Child Care Bureau. CCEERC's goal is to promote
high-quality research and the use of that research in policymaking. CCEERC's
Website (www.childcareresearch.org) features a continuously updated database
and archive of more than 7,000 publications, datasets, assessment tools, and
other materials from the many disciplines that study child care and early
education. The database includes many full text resources and citations for
peer-reviewed journal articles. Database resources are enhanced with extensive
metadata, including abstracts and terms from the CCEERC thesaurus. Additional
site content includes datasets and statistics for quick online analysis or
download, information about research methods for a lay audience, tips for
assessing research quality, and a glossary of research terms. CCEERC also offers
technical assistance, including workshops on using and archiving research data,
and answering questions about accessing documents, instruments, and data. This
session will focus on the selection, acquisition, organization, and indexing of
database content, and the development of metadata for the management,
retrieval, and presentation of content through the Website.
V - 2 Collaboration and
Camaraderie: Creating Careers at the Carnegie Library
Elizabeth Brumfield (brumfielde at carnegielibrary.org) and Gregory Lagrosa
(lagrosag at carnegielibrary.org), Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,
PA
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Job and Career Education Center (JCEC),
located in a dverse urban setting, has fostered a viable community in order to
assist job seekers from many different backgrounds. The first way JCEC did this
was to create viable partnerships with non-library institutions such as the
Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and
Duquesne University. The second was to create a supportive community atmosphere
in the JCEC that allows job seekers to get back on their feet. While at the
JCEC, job seekers can network among themselves and with employers at events
such as a Non-Office Holiday Party, our Annual Job Fair, and the Tech Café. The
presentation will be separated into three sections. The first will detail the
alliances that the JCEC has made with various non-library institutions by
displaying photos of events that we have jointly organized. The second will
show how the JCEC has created a community of job seekers by displaying photos
of events and testimonials from job seekers who have been helped. The third
section will focus on the JCEC and show use and job placement statistics and
have samples of materials that the JCEC uses.
V - 3 Corporate Sponsorship
in Libraries
Susan Yoo, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (seyoo01 at syr.edu)
Dennis Donald, Syracuse University (dgdennis at syr.edu)
Min-Chun Ku, Syracuse University (minchun_ku at yahoo.com.tw)
Kimberly Hagedorn, Syracuse University (kmhagedo at syr.edu)
Scott Nicholson, Syracuse University (SRNichol at syr.edu)
Funding sources have always been an important factor for libraries, whether
potential sponsors are government, corporate, or private. With government
sponsorship of libraries remaining stable or declining as costs rise, corporate
sponsorship has become a consideration for many libraries. Corporate
sponsorships have both positive and negative impacts on libraries.
Organizational concerns regarding corporate sponsorship are corruption of the
institutional identity and reputation as well as further reduction in
government funding. Concerns about the sponsor include corporate takeover
attempts, instable and inconsistent financial sources, and additional duties
imposed onto librarians. On the other hand, corporate sponsorships can enable
libraries to provide users with an increase in quality, services and community
involvement, enhance visibility, and improve physical infrastructures, all of
which can lead to an increase in use. With careful preparation and attention to
the details corporate sponsorship can be beneficial for both libraries and
corporate entities. We present guidelines for helping libraries establish clear
policies for working with sponsorship entities as well as some case studies of
library sponsorship. This poster proposes both alternative sources of funding
and pragmatic tips to guide libraries through exploring the pros and cons of
corporate sponsorship.
V - 4 Exploring Common
Ground: Writing Center/Library Collaboration
Mardi Mahaffy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM (mmahaffy at
lib.nmsu.edu)
When working on a research paper, students often turn to both the library and
the writing center for assistance before the paper is due. It’s not unusual for
reference librarians to be approached with a problem, such as checking grammar,
better suited for the writing center. Writing center staff, in turn, may
realize that a paper they are evaluating is lacking in library research. At New
Mexico State University, the library and writing center initiated
“office hours” in each others’ buildings in an attempt to better serve the
student at the place and time that a need for referral is recognized.
Initially, the humanities librarian served in the writing center 3 hours a
week, first taking walk ins and then allowing students to sign up ahead of time
for consultations. The writing center subsequently established a presence in
the library during evening and weekend hours when the writing center wasn’t
open. This poster will succinctly outline how the extended services were
implemented and marketed at each location and evaluate the results, comparing
the successes and failures of each. Graphics will include marketing notices and
photographs of the spaces utilized at each location.
V - 5 The Brooklyn Superhero Alliance and
Tutoring Center
Emily Nichols, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY (e.nichols at
brooklynpubliclibrary.org)
In 2005 the Brooklyn Public Library and 826NYC entered into a unique
partnership. 826NYC is a free after school tutoring center dedicated to
supporting students aged 6-18 in developing creative and expository writing
skills. Cooperating with BPL, 826NYC transformed a basement classroom in our
Williamsburgh Branch into a comfortable and inviting drop in center staffed by
trained adults from the community. The outer room is set up as a newsroom where
the Brooklyn Satellite newspaper is composed and published by students. The
inner vault is the meeting room of the Brooklyn Superhero Alliance, complete
with flashing lights, magnetic maps of the neighborhood, and new computers for
writing and researching. Inside the Center the distractions of the library
floor disappear and students engage individually with tutors. In January 2006
our tutoring center will open and by June we will have many examples of student
work and the participation levels of students and neighborhood volunteers as
well as evaluations of the program by students, teachers, and volunteers.
Images of the space will show how to arrange a room dynamically and appealing
to youth, with a small budget. 826NYC was founded by author Dave Eggers and
members of their Board include Jon Scieszka, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Sarah
Vowell.
V - 6 Native Voices:
Building a Better Collection of Children’s Books by and about American Indian
People
Jeff Berglund, Department of English, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff,
AZ (Jeff.Berglund at nau.edu)
This poster session outlines the history of children’s books about Native
peoples and examines the increasing trend of publishers—particularly
independent presses—for involving Indigenous authors and artists in the process
of giving voice to tribal and culturally specific visions of the world and history.
I discuss the need to build collections that help center these culturally
sanctioned visions of life and how to contextualize historically inaccurate or
“outsider” accounts, which are still an important artistic legacy in the
evolution of the representation of American Indians. My specific example
considers a range of children’s books—illustrated picture books and young adult
fiction—about the Navajo/Diné Long Walk (1864-1868) when the Diné people were
forcibly imprisoned by the U.S. government outside of sacred homelands. The
poster presentation will include illustrations, excerpts of troubling
representations, models of culturally sensitive presentations, and generalized
criteria (and lists of recommended titles) to consider when selecting books that
portray Native people today and in historical situations.
V - 7 Once Upon a Culture:
The Multicultural Storytelling Project at the Texas A&M University
Libraries
Jane Smith, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (janeasmith at
tamu.edu)
Miguel Juarez, Texas A&M University (mjuarez at lib-gw.tamu.edu)
Rebecca Hankins, Texas A&M University (rhankins at tamu.edu)
Storytelling, once considered to be of interest only to public and school
librarians, is now a valid subject for collection and research in academic
libraries as well. Courses in the history, art and technique of storytelling
are offered in the anthropology, performing arts, education and library science
departments at many universities; pre-service teachers and future business
leaders are instructed in the uses of storytelling in classrooms and
corporations. This poster session showcases the Multicultural Storytelling
Project at the Texas A&M University Libraries, an undertaking that explores
the oral and traditional MS5000literature of ethnic communities and cultures in
America to promote multicultural storytelling through research, publications,
and programming. The Project builds upon the interdisciplinary nature of
storytelling by developing, co-sponsoring, and collaborating on activities and
events with student organizations, faculty, and departments at Texas A&M
University. The poster will provide a visual representation of our programmatic
output that can serve as a model for library, community, and campus
partnerships.
V - 8 Participatory
Diversity Efforts at Texas A&M University Libraries
Miguel Juarez, Texas A&M University Libraries, College Station, TX (mjuarez
at lib-gw.tamu.edu)
Brenda White, Texas A&M University Libraries (bwhite at lib-gw.tamu.edu)
The Texas A&M University Libraries sponsors a Diversity Program
Coordinating Committee. This committee is charged with developing guidelines on
the nature and content of diversity programs for the library, with developing
and presenting a program of between 10 and 12 diversity related events for the
benefit of library faculty and staff focused on one or two clear themes each
year and in identifying other quality diversity-related programs at the
university or in the community and communicate information about those programs
to library faculty and staff. The two themes for 2005-06 are “Hispanic Issues”
and “Disability Issues.” This poster session focuses on two successful projects
presented by the Diversity Committee: a panel discussion on disability in the
workplace led by library employees and (2) a discussion session titled
“UnwRapped,” where library employees contributed to the program in a Jerry
Springer type of forum that invited audience participation. Our efforts have
motivated library staff’s involvement in attendance at programs and in the
creation of activities, such as a staff presenting the History of Tejano Music
and Media staff developing a comprehensive resource list on holdings of
Diversity in the media collection.
V - 9 Using banned books to
teach literary analysis at the high school level
Wendy Stephens, Buckhorn High School, New Market, AL (wendysteadmanstephens at
gmail.com)
This poster shares a senior English research project and a collaboration
between the high school library media specialist and a classroom English
teacher. Each student chose a book from the school library from among
frequently challenged titles. This selection allows students to find something
of interest, but also provides a range of text, ideal for classes of mixed
ability levels. Students then used online databases to research both the
critical reception of a particular controversial title and the history of
challenges to the title. In class, the seniors read on censorship issues and
wrote opinion essays in preparation for the summative assignment, a paper
presenting an overview of the controversy surrounding their book. The school
librarian also discussed publishing, collection development, community
standards, and what would happen if a book in the library was questioned. The
conversations revealed students' perceptions of libraries as tax-funded
cultural institutions. The resulting papers and subsequent reflections on the
part of the students revealed a high level of intellectual participation, and
they also responded to reviews and criticism in an authentic way. The project
proved so successful at promoting higher-order analysis, it being expanded to a
school-wide event in conjunction with Banned Books Week this fall.
V - 10 AUBIExpress: Desktop
Delivery at Auburn University
Pambanisha King, Auburn University Libraries, Auburn, AL (kingpam at
auburn.edu)
Juliet Rumble, Auburn University (rumbljt at auburn.edu)
As the electronic availability of library materials rises, many libraries
search for ways to provide electronic access to their print collections.
AUBIExpress provides electronic (pdf) copies of articles and book chapters from
resources located at the three Auburn University Library branches. The service
is available, free of charge, to Auburn University faculty, staff, graduate
students, persons with disabilities, and AU distance education students. There
is a maximum request limit of five items per person per day and an item size
limit of 50 pages. Requests, submitted through an online form, are usually
processed within 2-4 business days. This service provides users with access to
portions of the print collection and supplements database access for older
journal holdings. Our analysis of this service will focus on usage statistics,
including number of requests (figures are available for 2003-2005), user status
(e.g. faculty, grad, distance education, etc.), user education (instruction on
copyright and fair use, providing accurate citation information, locating
library holdings, etc.), and costs and benefits of the service (e.g. labor
costs vs. public relations benefits).
V - 11 Network with Ethnic
Media to Provide Programs to Immigrants
Frank Xu, Multilingual Center of Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY (f.xu at
brooklynpubliclibrary.org)
Tiger Wang, Multilingual Center of Brooklyn Public Library
Multilingual Center is a specialized division to serve the immigrants and
ethnic communities. In the past few years together with the Marketing
department the Center has initiated a multilingual Public Service Announcement
(PSA) to network with the media in Spanish, Chinese and Russian, the major
languages spoken in Brooklyn. Publicizing over the various media resources
including newspaper, radio/TV stations, magazines as well as the website, the
library can reach widely and deeply the ethnic communities to keep them timely
informed of what kind of library service is and will be offered. The connection
and collaboration established with the media have created a wonderful tool for
the center to plan and implement the programs, events and classes very
effectively. Some of the programs, for instance, are heavily publicized and
reported by the influential media such as CCTV, Sina.com and Channel One
Russia, reaching over the audience domestically and internationally.
V - 12 Library Outreach:
Cracking the Faculty Code
John Juricek, University of Southern California-Marshall School of Business,
Los Angeles, CA (juricek at usc.edu)
Grace Xu, University of Southern California-School of Social Work Information
Center, Los Angeles, CA (gracex at usc.edu)
Susan Gardner, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (susangar at
usc.edu)
Librarians at the University of Southern California (USC) recognized that many
of their faculty were either unaware of major library resources and services or
uninformed in how to use them. They attributed this to a gap in communication
and decided to increase awareness of services through renewed outreach efforts.
The Social Sciences Team Outreach Task Force was formed to examine current outreach
practices at USC and other peer institutions and make recommendations for
improved outreach to faculty. The methodology consisted of a literature review,
a review of other library web pages for faculty at peer institutions, an
informal poll of members of three major library list servs, and a survey of USC
library selectors. This poster session will chronicle and summarize the Task
Force’s four-part methodology through graphs, charts and textual summaries,
concluding with a series of targeted recommendations for future outreach
efforts at USC. As of January 2006, the final recommendations of the Task Force
are still being formulated, but materials for the poster session will include a
new checklist of outreach methods for librarians, a draft of a revised “Faculty
Information” web page for the library web site, and a new library welcome
brochure for new faculty members.
V - 13 Meeting Them Where
They Are: Marketing Processes to International Student Populations in U.S.
Academic Libraries
Maud Mundava, The University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville, TN (mmundava at
utk.edu)
LaVerne Gray, The University of Tennessee Libraries (lgray at
aztec.lib.utk.edu)
In this age of globalization, knowing users and meeting their information needs
is increasingly becoming a challenge. There is a strong international student
and faculty presence at many academic institutions. Information providers must
adapt their marketing skills, print and online collections, services, and
workforce in order to meet the information needs of such a clientele. When
looking at marketing in a customer-driven organization, Hewlett-Packard states,
“Knowing customers’ needs is not enough…. We need to know what new product;
features and services will surprise and delight them. We need to understand
their world…” (Hutt and Speh 2001). Given this scenario, what role can
librarians play in providing a learning environment that enables international
students realize their potential? How can librarians engage various student
bodies to utilize information services for their academic needs? This session
will examine the importance of creating valuable marketing approaches to meet
the needs of international students’ populations on U.S. campuses. Marketing
will be defined in library context. Examples and illustrations of activities
and strategies being employed by other libraries to create a welcoming
environment for all students will be given.
V - 14 More Than Just a Cup
of Joe
Caroline Crouse, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (cpcrouse at umn.edu)
Meghan Lafferty, University of Minnesota (mlaffert at umn.edu)
In an era of declining gate counts, how can an academic library draw students
in and help students make it a place of their own? This is a dilemma that faced
the University of Minnesota libraries, particularly with respect to
undergraduates. A series of focus groups and surveys of undergraduate and
graduate students and faculty members in 2003 and 2004 indicated an
overwhelming demand for coffee shops in campus libraries. The responses
suggested that coffee shops could help “integrate the libraries into students’
daily lives.” In response, the libraries created the Wise Owl Café in the
Science and Engineering Library. More than a place for a cup of coffee, the
café is intended to be a “learning café,” where collaborations, conversations,
and new ideas can begin in a social environment. Exhibits and events, primarily
science-related, meant to generate discussion are an important feature of the
café. This poster will address the assessments that led to the development of
the café, how the café is being integrated into the larger learning goals of
the libraries, and the response of the university community to the café – the
good, the bad, and the ugly.
V - 15 Penguins, Frisbees, and
Trading Cards: Catching the Student Eye
Carolyn Sanford, Carleton College Gould Library, Northfield, MN (csanford at
carleton.edu)
Kristin Partlo, Carleton College Gould Library (kpartlo at carleton.edu)
In 2001, the Carleton Reference and Instruction department (R&I) recognized
a problem common to many college libraries: students simply were not aware of
reference services. Fueled by a Mellon Information Literacy grant, R&I
developed a plan to increase their visibility through imaginative publicity. They
designed campus READ posters, ran radio spots and Frisbee raffles, and even
pioneered the idea of "librarian trading cards." The effort has paid
off: Research/IT desk questions and individual consultations have increased,
online database use is up, and the reference area bustles with more activity.
The trading cards have been especially successful, helping students contact
their liaisons and helping librarians "break the ice" in classrooms.
They send the message that librarians are friendly and approachable. The cards
attract attention: students ask for autographs, tour guides point them out,
visitors "ooh" and "aah," and even American Libraries and
Mpls St. Paul magazines took notice. The poster will show how creative ideas
and a sense of humor in publicity can effectively raise librarians' visibility
on a college campus. R&I's colorful posters, handouts, and trading cards
will be included, as well as graphs charting the effect on reference use and
the results of the Spring student survey.
V - 16 Reaching Out:
Strategies and Resources for Library Career Recruitment
Julie Brewer, University of Delaware Library, Newark, DE (jbrewer at udel.edu)
Megan Kinney, Oberlin College Main Library, Oberlin, OH (megan.kinney at
oberlin.edu)
Recruitment is a continuing and vital interest for the future of the library
profession. All library institutions, associations, and individuals should be
prepared to reach out to the next generation of library workers. The goal of
the ALA Recruitment Assembly in presenting this poster session is to energize
new recruitment initiatives and introduce the latest library career recruitment
resources. This poster session will demonstrate the content and uses of the new
library career recruitment website LibraryCareers.org. The website features the
breadth of career choices and specializations in all types of libraries, as
well as practical information about how to pursue appropriate education and
look for a job. A wireless internet laptop connection will support interactive
demonstrations. The poster session will also highlight a variety of recruitment
initiatives hosted by individual institutions and professional organizations.
Sample initiatives range from job shadowing, career fairs, panel programs, and
IMLS grants. Attendees will be able to review sample program descriptions and
promotional materials that may be adopted for use in other locales. These
recruitment initiatives and many more are accessible via the new online ALA
Recruitment Clearinghouse, which will also be demonstrated on the wireless
internet laptop connection.
V - 17 Serial Marketing on
the Sly
Tina Lackey, Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne, WY (tlacke at state.wy.us)
The Wyoming Library Roundup is a quarterly, theme-based magazine that reaches
beyond library walls and into the community telling readers what libraries do,
and what libraries can do for them without blatantly marketing to them. Past
issues have included: Wyoming Authors; Health; History and Genealogy; and
Innovation. The Wyoming Library Roundup goes out to a regular mailing list of
about 5,000 library professionals, supporters, elected officials and
individuals in Wyoming and in all other 49 states. In addition, each quarterly
issue is sent to specific markets appropriate to the theme. Depending on the
theme, an additional mailing list is created, focusing on residents of Wyoming
who would be interested in that topic. For example, the History and Genealogy
issue was sent issue to members of the Wyoming Historical Society. Hundreds of
people who have received the mailing as a single issue have requested to stay
on the mailing list. We have had tremendous success and recognition. Librarians
from around the country have praised the magazine and the impact we have made
in bringing libraries and their contributions to a new level of interest and
importance. The display will include many graphics, including magazine
enlargements and explanations of the entire process.
V - 18 Talking Books: Using
Traditional Readers’ Advisory to Build Connections between Community College
Librarians and Faculty
Jennifer Arnold, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC
(jennifer.arnold at cpcc.edu)
Gena Moore, Central Piedmont Community College (gena.moore at cpcc.edu)
Community college libraries must develop innovative outreach programs designed
to build connections between librarians and faculty. The CPCC Libraries’
program series BookMarks represents a successful attempt to use a shared love
of reading as a platform for making those important connections. BookMarks is
not a traditional book club, but rather a fun and easy way to promote the
libraries’ leisure reading collection and to engage with faculty and staff in
an informal and collegial setting. Conceived as a casual brown-bag lunch event,
library staff engaged the program attendees in a conversation about their
favorite or most recently read book. A newsletter of the reviews was
distributed at the event, posted on the library website, and displayed at the
campus libraries. Thematic programs were also developed and authors and other
local, professional book reviewers were invited to speak. The BookMarks series
proved successful at creating goodwill between librarians and the college
community and increasing circulation of leisure reading materials. The collegial
bonds formed at BookMarks also enhanced the libraries’ profile on campus. This
presentation features information and ideas for academic libraries interested
in developing and marketing programs that foster relationships between
librarians, faculty, and staff.
V - 19 The Visible Subject
Librarian: Establishing Your Presence Among Faculty & Students
Jessica Albano, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (jalbano at
u.washington.edu)
Theresa Mudrock, University of Washington (mudrock at u.washington.edu)
Subject librarians play a strategic role in a library, one that encompasses
public service, instruction and collection development. Subject librarians are
the bridge between library and user, between collections and service. We are
the public face of the library for our primary clientele, the faculty and
students on our campuses. Why then are we so often invisible? A 2004 survey of
faculty at the University of Washington revealed that the faculty were for the
most part highly satisfied with their subject librarian. Unfortunately the
survey also showed that more than half of the faculty and graduate students did
not know of the existence of their subject librarian. How can we make the
invisible subject librarian visible? This poster provides practical strategies
- tools and tips in marketing subject librarians and the services that we
provide. In addition we will present data from our survey that provides
insights into the type of services that our faculty and graduate students seek
- those that fall into the traditional venue of subject librarians such as
communication, instruction and collection development -- as well as those
services that expand the definition of subject librarianship to incorporate a
greater role in the activities of the department.
V - 20 What's the Scoop?
Creating Effective Library Newsletters
Bess Robinson, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (merobnsn at memphis.edu)
Pamela Dennis, Lambuth University, Jackson, TN (dennis at lambuth.edu)
Thura Mack, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN (tmack at
utk.edu)
Newsletters are great public relations tools: they shape attitudes toward and
beliefs about the library, complement library instruction, and help ensure that
a library’s information programs meet ALA guidelines. Colleagues from The
University of Memphis, Lambuth University, and the University of
Tennessee—Knoxville discovered a shared interest in what comprises an effective
research-oriented newsletter. We designed and distributed to various listservs
a survey inviting the editors/producers of this type of publication at other
academic libraries to divulge their best-kept secrets—both good and bad!—about
their newsletters. Survey questions reflected our interest in audience, format,
and frequency; design; marketing strategies; library resources, equipment, and
services promoted (and how); reader feedback; writing/producing
responsibilities; and newsletters’ roles in technology-intense academic
environments. Fifty-nine people responded from sixteen states. Our poster will
include statistics and responses from the survey, ideas of what to showcase,
basic design considerations, and the “nuts and bolts” of planning and
constructing a newsletter. We will provide copies of our respective institutions’
newsletters and invite attendees to share newsletters. Handouts will include a
bibliography of newsletter-related resources and Web sites; questions to
consider before, during, and after starting a newsletter; and instructions for
archiving/preserving newsletters.
SESSION
VI: INFRASTRUCTURE: POSTERS ON BUILDINGS
AND EQUIPMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY
VI - 1 After the Flood: Tulane’s Library
Recovers from Hurricane Katrina
Anne Houston, Tulane University Library, New Orleans, LA (ahouston at
tulane.edu)
When the levees broke in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the basement of
the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University flooded with nine feet
of water. The library’s Music, Government Documents, Newspaper and Microfilm
collections were inundated, and the building’s mechanicals were destroyed.
While many materials were lost, recovery efforts were able to save library
collections on the upper floors and restore the building to functionality in
time for Tulane’s reopening in January of 2006. This poster presentation will
feature photos of the damage, information on the ongoing recovery process, and
plans for building a safer and better library in the future.
VI - 2 What Do They Do in
Those Study Rooms Anyway? Results of a Survey at St. Cloud State University
Robin Ewing, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN (rlewing at
stcloudstate.edu)
Students view the academic library as a place to study or meet with groups.
Additionally, the increased emphasis on collaborative learning has created more
demand for group study rooms that are conducive to work. The St. Cloud State
University Library administered a survey in Spring 2006 on study room
perceptions after a Spring 2005 focus group expressed some dissatisfaction with
the library’s study rooms. This short survey asked what students want in study
rooms, why they use the rooms, and how the service can be improved. The survey
also covered topics such as furniture, equipment, and service. During one week
of the Spring 2006 semester, everyone checking out a study room was asked to
complete a survey. This poster session outlines the development of the survey,
results of the survey, and the preliminary conclusions reached. The
presentation will also include photos of the study rooms and graphs detailing
the usage patterns for the study rooms.
VI - 3 Can Librarians Be Techies?" -
Expanding Your IT Department Using Current Staff
Janice Granger, Birmingham Public Library / Jefferson County Library
Cooperative, Birmingham, AL (janice at bham.lib.al.us)
The Computer Service Liaison Program (CSL) is a program which is based on the
training of current employees holding any job title to be responsible for
providing first-level support management of all technology equipment. They are
essentially the “ears and eyes” of the JCLC Automation (IT) Department. The IT
Staff of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative has not increased, while the
number of computers and other equipment has more than tripled over the past
five years. A CSL Coordinator is given the task of overseeing this program.
After attending an initial training session, staff attend update sessions at
least once a year, and are visited by the CSL Coordinator. Through the use of
the CSL program, branches and departments have someone on staff who can
troubleshoot problems when they occur. The time taken to resolve many routine
problems has decreased by more than fifty percent. The visits to departments
and branches by the Automation Staff have been reduced by more than 60%. As the
program grows, CSLs are trained to perform additional tasks. In the beginning
they were trained to clean, maintain and troubleshoot. Now they are installing
new computers! Handouts, sample materials, photographs, Powerpoint
presentations, etc. will be provided.
VI - 4 Cross-institutional
Usability Study on Two Academic Library Web Sites
Judy Jeng, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ (jjeng at njcu.edu)
The aim of this research is to develop a model and a suite of instruments for
evaluating usability of academic digital libraries. After extensive literature
review, four criteria were selected: effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction,
and learnability. The model considers both quantifying elements and affect
measure. The Rutgers University Libraries’ Web site and the Queens College Web
site were selected as the test sites. It was a cross-institutional usability
study. Forty-one students participated in the study. In order to confirm
findings, the experiments were conducted in two stages: in February/March 2004
and in September/October 2004. The study found there exist interlocking
relationships among effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Their effect
sizes range from medium to strong. The study results indicate that demographic
factors, including gender, age, status, academic major, ethnic background,
years at the institution, and frequency of using the library’s Web site, do not
have statistically significant effect on performance. However, it appears that
ethnic background may affect satisfaction ratings. The study also examined the
issues of user-lostness and click-cost. Users’ criteria on ease of use,
organization of information, terminology, visual attractiveness, and mistake
recovery were uncovered. The performance data reported in the study could also
serve as benchmarks for comparison.
VI - 5 Extreme Browser
Makeover
Kathryn Millis, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN (millisk at depauw.edu)
Tiffany Hebb, DePauw University (thebb at depauw.edu)
In one afternoon, with no money, you can customize library computers to save
time, direct people to recommended resources, and be prettier too! Users of the
Firefox browser can markedly change its display and function, and download (or
adapt) thousands of “plugins” to make reliable resources (including your
library’s) easier to find and use. (Diehard IE fans: the next version promises
some of this.) Come see how DePauw University librarians are customizing
Firefox to get organized, streamline repetitive tasks, and promote our
resources and services. We’re adding our catalog and popular databases to the
search engines available directly from the browser toolbar (even when not at
our website). Desktops show whether IM reference is online. “Favorites” folders
on staff computers immediately load, with three quick clicks, several related
pages into one browser window, arranged in easily navigated tabs. (One at
circulation includes our OPAC, databases, FAQ, a private staff blog that
automatically forwards new entries to their supervisor, etc.) Colors and
graphics coordinate with library décor and campus web design. Librarians at
DePauw University will provide data on time saved in routine tasks, staff and
patron feedback on increased ease of finding information; and (hopefully)
increased use statistics.
VI - 6 Facebook-worms: The
Impact of an Online Social Networking Trend on Academic Libraries
Laurie Charnigo, Jacksonville State University, Houston Cole Library,
Jacksonville, AL (charnigo at jsu.edu)
Paula Barnett-Ellis, Jacksonville State University (pbarnett at jsu.edu)
While online education is growing at a rapid rate across the United States, so
is the presence of virtual academic social communities. Students in over 2,000 colleges
and universities communicate and meet other students daily through Facebook, an
online social network for students. The November, 28, 2005 issue of Fortune
describes Facebook as “the ninth most highly trafficked website in the U.S.”
The popularity of Facebook has primarily been addressed in popular business
magazines, newspapers, and numerous student newspapers. Online social
networking, a category Facebook falls under, is just beginning to emerge as a
subject of inquiry to both sociologists and library and information scientists.
The authors of this session report on the results of surveys sent to academic
librarians throughout the country on the use of Facebook in their institutions.
The purpose of this study is to find out what impact, if any, Facebook has had
in the library. The authors seek to obtain a better understanding of the
practical ways Facebook has affected academic libraries and, perhaps more
importantly, librarians’ perspectives towards, roles, and knowledge of Internet
social trends and their place in the library.
VI - 7 Low-cost Recording of Web Usability
Tests
Martin Courtois, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (courtois at ksu.edu)
A common method for conducting web usability tests is to sit with subjects at a
web-connected computer and ask them to interact with the site in some way. In
order to gather data for later analysis, it is necessary to create a record of
actions taken by subjects, such as which links they click and which pages they
visit. At the same time, subjects are commonly asked to “think out loud” and
describe why they clicked on a particular link, difficulties they may be having
in using the site, etc. In this poster session, I will show how to configure
and use HyperCam software to record subjects’ spoken comments and cursor
movements during web usability tests. This method produces clearer images and
sound than videotaping, is less intrusive, provides easy playback, and is
available at a fraction of the cost of dedicated usability recording software.
A laptop computer will be available for conference attendees to try using
HyperCam and to view previously recorded usability tests.
VI - 8 If you stream it, will they come?
Three Years Later: Assessing Streaming Video for Library Instruction
Virginia Cole, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (vac11 at cornell.edu)
Maureen Morris, Cornell University (mm342 at cornell.edu)
In 2002-2003, a series of streaming video tutorials on navigating library
databases were created and made available to users on the Library website at
Cornell University. The goal was to provide another option for
self-instruction. Intended users were Cornell students, staff, and faculty
doing library research at a computer at home, in an office, in a campus
computer lab, or in a library. Technologically savvy undergraduates were
assumed to be the prime audience. Links to the videos were added to a number of
pre-existing Reference web pages, the most popular of which, "Seven Steps
for Effective Library Research," is a page that gets tens of thousands of
hits monthly. This poster will present a preliminary analysis of user viewing
of streaming library instruction video at Cornell three years later. Can users
find the videos? Once discovered, do users watch the videos? Why? Why not? The
analysis is based on an examination of web statistics on the videos
supplemented by in-depth user interviews.
VI - 9 Reading Between the Contour Lines: A
Contextual Approach to GIS Instruction
Jeremy Donald, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX (jdonald at trinity.edu)
GIS librarians will have a role in helping students and faculty adopt a
technology that is new to most undergraduates. Central to this role is the task
of putting GIS technology in a context appropriate for new users of all
backgrounds, interests, and learning styles. I propose six approaches to
fostering this context for librarians and faculty to consider. They are
designed to arm GIS educators with easy ways to promote spatial literacy, and
range from descriptions of classroom activities to ideas for library
programming. Drawn from a course on GIS and politics and co-taught by a
librarian and Political Science professor in spring 2006, these approaches will
be evaluated by students in the course, and a set of outcomes related to
spatial literacy will be assessed at the conclusion of the course. The poster
will use ideas from Stephen Mamber’s work on narrative mapping to create a
visually compelling presentation of the context and content of the six
techniques for fostering spatial literacy in the GIS instruction environment.
Featuring screen shots, photographs, maps and charts, the display will offer
the specifics of each activity while placing each in the context of creating a
campus/classroom culture of spatial literacy.
VI - 10 The Librarian
Runner: Information Literacy and Tablet PCs
Todd Quinn, Dakota State University, Madison, SD (todd.quinn at dsu.edu)
In Fall 2004, Dakota State University began its wireless mobile computing
initiative. Freshmen and sophomore students were required to use a TabletPC
(wireless laptop with digital inking functionality) in all their courses. In
combination with WebCT, the initiative has precipitated students and faculty
into a paperless learning environment. It has given the Mundt Library faculty
the opportunity to experiment with new approaches to reaching student learning
outcomes for information literacy. In this presentation, library faculty will
describe changes in instructional methods and will discuss results and lessons
learned. In doing so, others will learn specific techniques and can consider
some of the pedagological decisions that affect the use of these technologies.
The poster will include graphs, data, evaluation information, and photographs
to emphasize the mobility and flexibility of the instruction.
VI - 11 The Big One:
Reaction and Recovery Following Katrina
Beth Stahr (bstahr at selu.edu) and Ladonna Guillot (lguillot at selu.edu),
Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA
On August 29, 2005, the United States experienced the worst natural disaster in
its history. In the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, librarians at
Southeastern Louisiana University Sims Library provided unprecedented library
services to the storm’s victims and relief workers. Librarians were among the
first to respond to the University’s call for emergency phone line volunteers
to assess the status of students and employees and assist displaced students
from other institutions. While some librarians helped National Guardsmen and
other relief workers housed on campus, the Sims Reference Department provided
Internet access to FEMA, American Red Cross, and satellite flood imaging
websites for a community paralyzed by a communications breakdown. Displaced
library faculty from the New Orleans area academic institutions struggled to
find work environments, and one reference librarian received a temporary
assignment in Sims Library. In an ongoing collaborative effort between
Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University Health
Sciences Center New Orleans, a library-within-a-library was created to serve
nursing, dental, allied health, and medical students impacted by the storm. LSU
and Southeastern librarians worked to secure Katrina Emergency Relief Funding
for the restoration of services.
VI - 12 IT Competence for
All: Propel Your Staff to New Heights
Linda Eells, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (lle at umn.edu)
Janice Jaguszewski, University of Minnesota (j-jagu at umn.edu)
In May 2005, the University of Minnesota Libraries appointed a Staff
Development Framework (SDF) group, charged with the development of a curriculum
and supporting organizational infrastructure to deliver technology-related
training for all Libraries staff (approximately 300 people, including
librarians and support staff in all job functions). The group's overall purpose
was to foster communication and collaboration between trainers, information
technology support, and staff. Specific goals were to establish a baseline of
core IT competencies expected of all Libraries staff; administer an assessment
of staff IT competency levels to identify gaps and patterns in staff IT skills
and identify intermediate and advanced IT skills necessary for defined job
roles; develop a supportive IT curriculum model to enable staff to achieve the
required core and higher-level competencies; and recommend a staffing model to
support current organizational training needs. This poster will outline the
process the SDF group followed to develop a list of core IT competencies, and demonstrate
the use of this list in the staff skills self-assessment process. Assessment
results will inform the design of a training curriculum and staffing model that
support the needs of all staff in achieving higher levels of IT competency.
VI - 13 Technology Use in
the Classroom by Faculty in Science and Engineering Disciplines -- CANCELLED
6/16/06
Sainath Chinnaswamy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (chinnaswamys at
u.library.arizona.edu)
Elizabeth Kline, University of Arizona (klinee at u.library.arizona.edu)
Jim Martin, University of Arizona (martinj at u.library.arizona.edu)
In the present day we are in the midst of a technology revolution which has
changed the way faculty members interact with students. There has been an
increased emphasis on the use of educational technology as part of the
curriculum in an effort to connect and interact with students. In this study we
investigate faculty members’ preferences regarding the use of technology as
instructional tools in courses offered by science and engineering disciplines
at the University of Arizona. This is a research in progress and we are
currently in the process of surveying faculty members to examine their
preferences for various educational technologies. We would like to determine if
faculty members from different discipline use educational technologies
differently. In addition we would like to analyze if factors such as age, rank,
gender, and class size play a role in determining the type of educational
technology used. Finally, we would like to determine the role played by the
library and other campus organizations in helping faculty members learn and use
educational technologies. The results of our survey could play a crucial role
in the strategic planning process for the library and could determine the
extent of our involvement in providing services related to educational
technologies.
VI - 14 A Little Good News:
Using RSS Feeds in Library Outreach and Instruction
Tiffany Hebb (thebb at depauw.edu), Kathryn Courtland Millis (millisk at
depauw.edu), and Krista Knapp (kknapp at depauw.edu), DePauw University,
Greencastle, IN
Most librarians have heard of RSS feeds, and a number of us now use news
readers and aggregators to get our favorite news sources delivered to us for
one-stop viewing. At DePauw University, librarians are exploring ways to
deliver information to our patrons via RSS feeds. We have changed our “Library
News” headlines on our home page to be created from a blog that
generates RSS feeds. Patrons with news readers can now add the library news to
their aggregators, where they’re more likely to see it. Additionally, we are
finding useful feeds already created by others, and delivering them to our
patrons via subject guides, Blackboard, and pathfinders created for library instruction
sessions. For example, a class guide created for a “Media, Culture &
Society” library instruction session contains New York Times Media &
Advertising feeds as well as up-to-date headlines from organizations such as
FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting). This poster will provide a basic
introduction to RSS feeds and news aggregators, but will primarily focus on how
to use them to get the most current information to your patrons.
VI - 15 EBSCOhost Visual Search: Usability Test
Results
Jody Fagan, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA (faganjc at jmu.edu)
In what manner does a “visual search” interface support students’ academic
research? Should libraries and information providers invest their energies in
pursuing alternative search interfaces? EBSCOhost Visual Search offers the
opportunity for users to interact with their results graphically, with results
clustered by subject. This poster session will feature the results from eight
formal usability tests of EBSCO’s new “visual search” and “traditional search”
interfaces. Audio, video, and screen capture software, and pre- and post-test
surveys were used to analyze the sessions and determine students’ success and
satisfaction levels during given research tasks. In addition to aggregate data,
the poster session will feature colorful screenshots of searches-in-action
along with illustrative quotes from students. A battery-powered laptop will
show video clips illustrating the process and the results. Thanks to both EBSCO
and Groxis, Inc., for their assistance with this project.
VI - 16 Emerging
Technologies: Use of PDA Devices in Academic Libraries
Alex Rudshteyn (alex at brooklyn.cuny.edu) and James Liu (jliu at
brooklyn.cuny.edu), Brooklyn College of
the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY
The purpose of this project was to create a technological infrastructure that
will allows patrons of the library to transfer citations, the library's catalog
search results, and other materials easily from our public workstations onto
their portable electronic devices, thus more effectively integrating these
devices into the flow of research and study. This session will present
development results and research findings that address use of PDAs in the
Library’s settings and describe student experiences with beaming stations and
strategies for emerging technologies use in the Library.
VI - 17 Open-Source to the
Rescue: IT Support Call Tracking with Liberum Help Desk
Kevin Herrera, University of Mississippi Libraries, University, MS (kherrera at
olemiss.edu)
Budget-minded libraries with small IT departments often have the same needs as
larger institutions. The University of Mississippi Libraries’ IT department
needed an online system for submitting and tracking IT support requests. In
June 2003 the Libraries began testing the open-source Liberum Help Desk
software as a web-based tool for reporting, tracking, and routing library IT
support requests. When new requests are submitted, the Help Desk system
automatically sends e-mail messages to the person submitting the call and to
support personnel. The e-mail message contains a live link to the webserver so
that users and support personnel can monitor the progress of the request. Since
its initial implementation, over 1,300 staff-initiated requests have been
submitted using the Help Desk website. Visuals will show example screens
including: support request forms; sample user e-mail messages; department,
category, and user configuration screens. The handout will include information
on Liberum downloading and support forums, hardware and software requirements,
UM’s minor custom changes, and sample categories used by UM. Visitors to this
poster session will learn the basics needed to use Liberum Help Desk at their
home institutions. If an Internet connection is available, the session can also
include live demonstrations of the web-based system.
VI - 18 Organizing Web
Chaos: How an Open Source Content Management System Help One Library Regain
Control of Its Web Site
Cassie Wagner, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL (cwagner
at lib.siu.edu)
Morris Library’s web site was barely under control. Years of ad hoc
developments had left it with no clear structure and very little page-to-page
consistency in terms of either writing style or overall appearance. In
mid-2005, Morris Library took a step toward organizing its web site chaos
installed the open source content management system Plone and used it to
rebuild its website. The library trained over 30 staff members to use Plone to
create and update web content, a task formerly handled by a single, harried web
development librarian. Even with such decentralized content generation, the web
development librarian is able to keep the website organized using Plone’s
built-in workflow controls, including the feature that gives her final approval
of every page before it is available over the live web. This overview of Plone
and how it has changed one library’s approach to website development gives
other libraries interested in content management systems or looking for ways to
organize their website chaos a chance to learn more about potential solutions
from those who have already undertaken the process. This presentation will be
made visually interesting through the inclusion of screen shots and graphical
elements. Print handouts will also be provided.
VI - 19 Reaching Out to the
Web Browser: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Toolbar
Christopher Hamb, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbane, IL (chamb
at uiuc.edu)
Lisa Hinchliffe, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (ljanicke at
uiuc.edu)
David Ward, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (dh-ward at uiuc.edu)
In recent years, web browser toolbars have flourished. Unfortunately most of
the toolbars currently available are only designed to search popular search
engines and websites. Due to the popularity of these type of toolbars, the UIUC
Library decided to create a web browser toolbar that focuses on the online
resources provided by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library.
In this poster we present our new feature-rich web browser toolbar called I-Go.
The I-Go toolbar allows users to search several resources including the Library
catalog, online journals and databases, and the University Library website. The
toolbar also provides links to all University Department Libraries, Library
hours and our Ask a Librarian service. We also decided to include several
resources that were not library specific but relevant to the University community
at large. We believe that the I-Go toolbar will not only aid users in their
search for Library materials but will also act as a marketing tool and promote
new Library services. The I-Go toolbar is currently available for Internet
Explorer and Firefox web browsers. Initial focus groups have shown great
interest in the toolbar and since its release, feedback from users has been
very positive.
VI - 20 To Build a Better Public Services Desk
Lisa Beall, Auburn University Libraries, Auburn, AL (beallis at auburn.edu)
In an attempt to improve reference services, our library (Ralph Brown Draughon
Library of Auburn University) enlisted two Auburn University
industrial design students to help us re-design our Public Services Desk. Like most
libraries, our existing Public Services Desk was the typical counter design - with
librarians on one side of the counter sitting in chairs, and our customers
standing on the other side and leaning over the desk to see the computer
screen. In our discussions with the industrial design students, we talked about
the changing nature of reference work, our desire to make the reference area
feel approachable, inclusive, and comfortable for both us and most especially
for our users. After several meetings with the industrial design students, we
were presented a Public Services Desk design which everyone loved. In May 2005 the
new desk was installed in our library. This new design provides a comfortable
consultation/reference area for us to work one-on-one with our patrons. Both we
and our patrons have a comfortable chair, we both have access to the wireless
computer keyboard and wireless mouse, there is room on the desk for our patrons
to lay out papers and books, and everyone can see the computer screen
comfortably. This new design is superior to any other Public Services Desk design we
are aware of. http://www.lib.auburn.edu/socsci/docs/better-ref-desk.html