Libraries and the CMS: Finding an “in” OCULA Spring Workshop – March 19, 2007 Algonquin...

Libraries and the CMS:Finding an “in”

OCULA Spring Workshop – March 19, 2007

Algonquin College, Ottawa, Ontario

Presented by:

Jennifer Peters-Lise Metadata & Digital Services Librarian, Seneca College Libraries

Today’s topics

• Why should libraries care about the CMS?

• Snapshot of current library initiatives

• Seneca Libraries’ initiatives in Blackboard

• Lessons learned

Why should libraries care about the CMS?

The portal model

• “One-stop shopping”

• Soon, students won’t need to (or want to) visit individual school-related sites.

The portal model

• This is a different concept for libraries

• The traditional paradigm would work…if only students would use our website and visit our library for all their information needs.

“73% of college students say they use the Internet more than the library…9% said they use the library more than the Internet for information searching.”

(PEW, 2002)

We want it online and be quick about it!

• The whole idea of teaching to search, locate and evaluate an item is becoming fast undervalued by students.

• Students don’t want to hunt down our information using our systems.

“I would rather use Google. It gives a broader search, more vast. Library databases are too concentrated. Google is faster.”

“I would rather have all the info electronically instead of going to the library. The library is only good for books to read on the bus”

(Library focus group with Seneca students)

Why? Because we’re busy!

“…more students are working and commuting than ever before, and the residential, full-time student is not necessarily the model…”

(New Media Consortium, 2007)

The changing shape of learning

• Not only lectures and tutorials

• E-learning and self-directed learning

• “Classrooms, dining halls, coffee shops, hallways, and even off-campus sites all are now potential learning spaces.” (Milne, 2007)

“Libraries need to be where the learning is happening…”

(Gibbons, 2005)

Contextualize the information

• Position library content with course content

• Help students make that connection between library and course

Faculty expectations

• Faculty expect the library to implement services through their CMS page

• Faculty want digitization

• Faculty want us in their courses

“What is increasingly clear…is the need for library resources and services to be

collocated and customized at a much more refined level than presently achieved.”

(Gibbons, 2005)

Snapshot of current library initiatives in the CMS

Popular initiatives - summary

• Links to library spaces – databases, catalogue

• Links to library services– ILL, virtual reference

• E-reserves

• APA/MLA guides

• Customized reading/ resource lists

• Screen casts

• Online tutorials

• How-to guides

North Carolina State University Libraries

NCSU Libraries – Library Course Views

• Currently in development – Fall 2007 release

• A set of widgets offering tailored access to library resources and services

Duckett, K. & Sierra, T. (2007). Connecting students to library resources through course views. Retrieved February 20, 2007 from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI07117.pdf

Copyright Kim Duckett and Tito Sierra 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

NSCU Libraries – Course Views

• Technical information– Widgets are in PHP– Static content, HTML files, local MySQL databases

• Content– Cross-course content, e.g. Ask a Librarian– Course specific content edited by a subject-specialist

librarian, e.g. Find articles

NSCU Libraries – Library Course Views

• Integration into the CMS but also access through native interfaces– e.g. library website, e-reserves, My Library, other

course websites

Copyright Kim Duckett and Tito Sierra 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

NCSU - conclusion

• Great example of modularization

• Streamlining design

• Contextualization of materials and library staff

Virginia Commonwealth University Library

VCU – Social Software & multi-media

• Began in 2005

• For science and engineering students

• Screen casts, videos, Podcasts, blog

Kirlew, P. (2006) Integrating RSS, video tutorials and course management software with library instruction and outreach initiatives for university students and faculty. 2006 SLA conference. Retrieved February 19, 2007 from http://www.sla.org/PDFs/2006CPKirlew.pdf

VCU – Social Software & multi-media

• Phase 1– Assignment info, links to resources, screenshots– Multimedia to accompany orientation sessions– Stand alone workshops– Multiple single-concept Camtasia videos

VCU – Social Software & multi-media

• Phase 2– RSS feeds– Blackboard course “Quick Tutorials for Scientists and

Engineers” – A blog

http://blog.vcu.edu/lse/

VCU - conclusion

• Nice integration of multi-media

• Multiple-access points

• Push the information to students

Community College of Vermont Library

CCV – The embedded librarian

• Started in spring 2004

• To address the growth of online courses, the physical distance from the library, and the high ratio of students per instruction librarian

Matthew, V. & Schroeder, A. (2006). The embedded librarian program: librarians and faculty partnering to serve online students. Presented at EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2006. Retrieved February 21, 2007 from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/powerpoint/EDU06227.pps

Matthew, V. & Schroeder, A. (2006). The embedded librarian program: faculty and librarians partner to embed personalized library assistance into online courses. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 29 (4). Retrieved February 19, 2007 from http://www.educause.edu/apps/eq/eqm06/eqm06410.asp

CCV – The embedded librarian

• Initially: – 2 courses where the Librarian is TA– Participated in discussion forums for mid-term and

final papers

CCV – The embedded librarian

• Now:– Over 40 courses– “Ask the librarian” dedicated forum– Video conferencing for library instruction– Blackboard courses for specific programs

(Matthew & Schroeder, 2006)

CCV - conclusion

• Another great example of contextualization of information

• Bringing the library and librarians to the students

Various Schools

Various schools

• Guide to integrating library resources into the CMS

• Web page outlining how to integrate library resources into the CMS

https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/library/for_faculty/faculty_working/libe_moodle/integrating_resources/

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/services/instruction/resources/blackboard.html

http://library.canterbury.ac.nz/services/infoserv/webct.shtml

• Don’t need to re-invent the wheel; use existing examples

• Collect and promote your integration ideas.

Various schools

Seneca Libraries Initiatives in Blackboard

Initiatives

1. E-reserves

2. Library Tab

3. Plagiarism Tutorial

E-reserves in the Content System

E-reserves in the Content System

• Content System

• All staff, students and faculty have a “My Content” section

• Library has access to a shared “Library Content” section

E-reserves – how they work

1. Library staff or faculty find links to readings online or scan print materials

2. Post links in the Library Content portion of the Content System

3. Faculty link to the readings from their course

4. Library staff update readings list as required

E-reserves in the Content System• What we liked:

– Familiar system– Pushing materials– Logical hierarchical display– No extra cost

E-reserves in the Content System

• Why we’re not using it:– Cataloguing – Reports– Statistics– Administrative control

None-the-less…

• Blackboard as our interface for e-reserves.

• Back end – digital asset management system (EDC)

The Library Tab

Library tab

• Began in 2004

• Bring library resources and services to students within Blackboard to form “a complete online academic learning environment”.

• Not recreate the library website

Library tab – the library’s vision

• Name the tab My.Library

• Library specific information

• Combination of modules– Static modules– Interactive modules

The mock-up for the Library Tab

Library tab – the result

• Name the tab My.Research

• Library and other information

• Static modules

The library’s vision

The result

Library tab

• Interactive modules are not developed yet

• A search engine module was developed instead

Library Tab - Status

• Focus on only 3 modules for now– Interactive search– Interactive library account– My Journals/Magazines

• Going small scale

The Plagiarism Tutorial

Plagiarism Tutorial

• Given the rights to modify “You quote it, you note it” created by Vaughn Memorial Library, Acadia University

• Pilot project with potential college-wide rollout for all 1st semester students

Plagiarism Tutorial

• Required the ability to measure student success and the tutorial

• Build question pools using Respondus, create tests in course pages from pools, record scores in gradebook

Plagiarism tutorial – how it works

1. Import the questions for each quiz into Respondus from an RTF document

2. Output these questions as a “question pool”3. Store these “pools” on the library content system4. Import “pools” into BB course5. Create two tests from the “pools” using the random block6. Set adaptive release so that the link to the tutorial is given after the

pre-assessment is completed and the link to the post-assessment is given after the tutorial is “reviewed”

7. In Gradebook: record the scores of the quizzes but remove the weighted option

Plagiarism tutorial - challenges

• Finding a way for the tutorial experience to flow from piece to piece

• Adding the tutorial package to a course is somewhat advanced

• Working with IT to address these challenges

Plagiarism tutorial pilot

• Completed first pilot with 5 faculty and 11 classes

• We should have the results at the end of this semester; contact me for more information in the spring.

Future library/CMS projects

• RSS feeds• Web page - integrating library resources into BB• Increased IL

– More tutorials– Screen casts– Library contact info

Lessons learned

• It’s okay to maintain content externally and use CMS as the user interface

• Test copiously before you offer a service

• Get buy-in from above by aligning with faculty success stories

What we would do differently next time

• Impress stakeholders immediately to gain their cooperation

• Ask if the CMS supports a certain initiative before exploring alternative software

• Train all front desk library staff on the CMS early

Presentation:http://tinyurl.com/24lfom

jennifer.peters-lise@senecac.on.ca

Yahoo & IM: senlibjennhttp://people.senecac.on.ca/jennifer.peters-lise/

References and further reading:http://tinyurl.com/262etj