Applied Degrees and College Library Collections

Shaking it UP!

Dr. Katharine Janzen, Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Seneca College

Dr. Catherine Wilkins, Director, Learning Resources, Conestoga College

Jo-Anne Westerby, Library Director, Mohawk College

Tanis Fink, Chief Librarian and Director,

Learning Commons, Seneca College.

OLA 2004OLA 2004

Applied Degrees in the Ontario Colleges

Historical ContextHistorical Context

• founded in May 1965 – Educ. Min. Bill Davis

• to address high youth unemployment, low participation rate in post-secondary education, and a lagging economy

Historical ContextHistorical Context

• created a “system” of 22 (2524) Colleges of Applied Arts Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology& Technology (CAATs)

• Located in each Ontario “community” – commuter colleges

• to ensure access for all adults in Ontario

Historical ContextHistorical Context

• strategically “alternative to university”

• purposefully different from the USA model of “community colleges”

• to offer certificates, 2 & 3 yr DIPLOMA programs, post diploma and Continuing Education programs/courses

Historical Historical ContextContext

• strong focus on “vocational relevance”“vocational relevance”

• preparation of skilled workforce to meet needs of the economy

• provision for up to 1/3 of curriculum to be General Education

The Changing The Changing ContextContext

• trend to globalization in all areas of life

• “diploma” not understood globally = disadvantage to college educated

• knowledge explosion - increasing credentialism in vocations/ professions generally

The Changing The Changing ContextContext

• 2001-2002 MTCU Pilot Project for “Applied Degrees” to be offered in the CAATs - max 4 applications per CAAT

• rigorous application and approval process

• Reviewed by the Postsecondary Educ. Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB)

The Changing The Changing ContextContext

• total of 36 Pilot programs were approved by MTCU

• to be assessed in 4 years

• http://peqab.edu.gov.on.ca/pilot2.html

The Current The Current ContextContext

• “New Charter” for the CAATs – passed in June 2002, effective April 1, 2003

• pushed accountability down to Board of Governors in many areas

The Current The Current ContextContext

• legislation passed to allow ANYONE to apply to offer university programs in Ontario

• PEQAB assessment req’d

The Current The Current ContextContext

• “Differentiated Status” offered to the CAATs

• authorization to offer up to 15% of their curricula as applied bacc degrees

• PEQAB assessment req’d

The Current The Current ContextContext

• “CAPACITY TO DELIVER” at the

baccalaureate level remains an important Standard that must be met

• Library CollectionsLibrary Collections/ Resources are central

Shaking It Up!

Applied Degrees and College Library Collections

Ontario Library Association 2004

Dr. Catherine Wilkins

Conestoga College

Conestoga College Context

• student FTE 6,000• schools of: Information and

Engineering Technology; Liberal and Media Studies; Biotechnology, Community Services and Health Sciences; Business

• collaborative degree B.Sc.N.• 4 applied baccalaureate degrees

Learning Resources Vision

• Administrative Division• Collection Management Division• Learning Support Services

Division• --Educational Technology• Presentation Technologies

Division

Committees for Communication

• Academic Coordinating Committee

• LRC Advisory Committee• Information Resources

Management Committee

Applied Degrees—Impact on Collection

• 4 programs, co-op model• Assessment of current collection• PEQAB Assessment

Learning Resources

• Defining the balance• Print—books & periodicals• Media—video, CD-Rom• Electronic Resources—e-databases• Resources exist in multiple

formats• Linkage to LMS

Experience with Collaborative Degree

- B.Sc.N.

• McMaster curriculum• Resources selected collaboratively

– McMaster & Conestoga faculty/library staff

• Resources acquired according to PBL curriculum

• Feedback from students

The case for building the collection

• Degree programs, co-op model• Delivery model-project based

learning• Teamwork integrated • Curriculum Structure--themes• Science & Math, Technology &

Business, Liberal Arts• Projections based on numbers

Curriculum Themes -Architecture Program

• Foundation module• Code and regulations of practice• Construction materials and methods• Building systems• Applied mathematics• Studio principles & history of design• Computer concepts• Estimating & specifications• Human health, ergonomics• Environment & safety

Process for Collection Building

• Faculty and library reps for each degree• Identify priorities for collection—

reference, reserve and circulating materials

• Core and liberal studies courses• Ongoing dialogue to determine balance

of collection—print/media/electronic• Evaluation of resources; feedback from

students and faculty

Funding for resources

• Operating funds, donations and fundraising—college process

• Communication with faculty and senior administration—inform, educate, advocate

• Results of evaluation critical

Where are we now?

• Building the collection• Providing access• Building knowledge in the College

community re: collection needs

What does the future hold?

Shaking it Up at Seneca College!

Tanis Fink, Chief Librarian and Director, Learning Commons, Seneca College.

OLA 2004

Business Case Method

Methodology of Seneca College Library

Background

●Biggest barrier was lack of funding for collections

●How do you quantitive a library funding issue?

●A methodology was required

●Cost analysis plan for the library collections

Let’s Get to Work

How do you get started developing a cost-analysis plan for a college library collection?

What do you want?

●Partnership with faculty

●Collections closely linked to the curriculum

●Quick, effective and relevant selection

●Easy to use method for staff

●Statistical and budget framework

●Type, quantity and level of resource for the student

Birth Announcement

The story behind the birth of

the

Collection Development

Profile

Accountability

●Faculty Librarians Involvement and Ownership

●Partnership with Faculty

●Commitment of Time from faculty

●We stopped chasing faculty and they started chasing us!

Other Steps

●College Collections Standards

●Benchmarks with other academic institutions

●Measurement

●The annoying budget chart

●Estimation of all programs

●Received new funding for books!

Five Year Budget Plan-Travel and Tourism

Number of StudentsCurrent Number of booksCost of a bookHow much to maintain the collectionHow much to build the collectionCost of periodicalsCost of mediaTotal budget

Five Year Budget Plan-Travel and Tourism

1999 $15,8602000 $17,0532001 $18,0192002 $19,0402003 $20,120

Success Story

♥ Annual commitment

♥ Measurable

♥ Academic Partnership

The Applied Degrees are coming!

We did not panic!

●We had a model!

●Measurable system

●Extensive work on collections

●Excellent partnership with our faculty

Applied Degrees

Bachelor of Applied Technology in Integrated Environmental Site Remediation

Traditional Role

●Learning Commons Model

●Collection Profile Process

●Five-year Plan of collection renewal

●# of books = # of students

●Standards and benchmarks

●Faculty commitment and partnership

E-Presence

●e-books, e-journals, e-databases

●electronic library

●Learning Commons web site

●Research by Subject pages

Challenges-the grey ghost!

Challenges of Applied Degrees

●Grey Ghost of collection development

●Level of selection and availability

●Cost

●Space

●New faculty partnership

●Journal literature

The Future

What Next?

Collaboration on selection

Collaboration on storage

Pooling of resources, staffing and collections

More consortium agreements

COLLABORATION!!!!!

Jo-Anne WesterbyMohawk College

OLA 2004

COLLABORATION

COLLABORATION

COLLABORATION

COLLABORATION!!!!!