Www.arl.orgAssociation of Research Libraries User Studies: What are we learning, and the implications for research libraries. Crit Stuart, ARL

www.arl.orgAssociation of Research Libraries

User Studies: What are we learning, and the implications for research libraries.

Crit Stuart, ARL


Survey of Noteworthy Teaching & Learning Initiatives in ARL libraries

-- 2008

Comprehensively record innovations and noteworthy experiments in library:

1. teaching efforts

2. virtual resource development, and

3. productivity spaces …

to portray to the community.


Purpose of the Survey

New and noteworthy: “fresh direction or previously untried at your library

but promising” and “significant, and perhaps modeled on and modified

from another library’s efforts.”

Identifying:– scalable models– trends– assessment efforts– goals / aspirations / influences


Responses to Survey(potential for 116 libraries to respond)


Responses to SurveyPart 1: “Information literacy /

instruction”


Information literacy & instruction“Campus collaborations”

– education technologists– CETL / CITL – information technology– writing programs – academic assessment office– freshman experience– academic departments & colleges– library special collections


Information literacy & instruction“Audiences”

Targeted at:– engage-able classes

– freshmen

– comprehensively across undergraduate cycle

– graduate students (limited)


Information literacy & instruction“Styles of engagement”

Framed as either:• “formal” -- aspects of a course / curriculum /

face-to-face• “informal” (virtual) -- serendipitous

engagement / as needed


Information literacy & instruction“Enabling technologies”

– podcasts– Camtasia– videos– wikis, blogs– Second Life, Face Book– “quick bites” … trend to create resources that

don’t bore or lose audience– commercial resources that can be tailored


Information literacy & instruction“New competencies training”

– research methodologies• undergraduate• graduate (limited)

– oral presentations– writing proficiency– new forms of scholarship– multimedia– data / GIS– ethics / personal accountability


Information literacy & instruction“Staffing experiments”

shift to new pedagogies:• less “talking head”• student peer tutoring• team teaching with academic faculty

ambitious learning outcomes: • critical thinking• research methodologies• fluencies• knowledge creation

ramped-up pedagogical skills and technology training for instruction librarians


Information literacy & instruction

TRENDS


Information literacy & instruction“Trends”

Topic: videos and podcasts to assist searching catalog and databases.

– short duration– “help at hand” when stuck– useful for large lectures– familiar media– basic-to-deep coverage of a topic, skill, or

resource



Topic: Camtasia – embedded guides and instruction in course

management systems (screen capture, with voice-over, video, text options).

– partner with academic faculty and TAs– pops up at critical points in the course==> some pre- and post-assessments to determine

efficacy; monitoring “hits” of resources



Topic: personal librarian• follows a class throughout 4 years; or • focuses on freshmen in basic writing course; or• “parents’ librarian”

– timely postings

– to promote library use through a personal assistant; heighten awareness



Topic: Popularizing Special Collections• digitize collections for desktop access

• stimulates critical thinking using primary materials

• creates new knowledge

• example of grads paired w/ undergrads for research



Topic: Research and information competencies – working with freshman via composition courses– pacing info literacy throughout 4-year curricula,

with increasingly sophisticated elements– $$ to recruit academic faculty to come onboard– scaled to department, college, or campus (but

challenged by large classes)



Topic: Academic integrity– targets freshmen, all undergraduates, even grads– addresses plagiarism, copyright, open access, – embedded in freshman seminar as a segment– module persists on library Web page



Topic: Wikis. . . frequently linked to specific courses – contain resources, tutorials – training & workshop information– exercises– subject specific portals– links to blogs on latest resources, current

awareness, and new tools



Topic: Image collections promotion and use– promoting image repositories (leased, purchased,

locally-created) to faculty for incorporation into class presentations (w/ $$ incentives!)

– greatly accelerated use of digital stores– ARTstor may figure prominently



Topic: Multimedia training for faculty– providing faculty with skills to critique new media– capturing & editing skills– serving courses with potential for new media



Topic: Info instruction built on research problems– library instructor as facilitator

– students tasked to “think, pair, share” (peer-to-peer)

– requires librarians to be adept in learning pedagogies; engage with faculty & curricula



Topic: librarian supports student e-journals– librarian liaison to editors & writers– helps them choose scholarly resources, and to

write “with appropriate style”– copy-edits articles with links to style guides



Topic: Faculty & grad CMS supportTutorials & resource creation for faculty and TAs …

– enrich course management sites– create pedagogically appropriate

assignments.==> librarians as education technologists or CETL



Topic: Graduate student competencies

Information competency seminars: – research methodologies

– print & digital resources

– exposure to data mining tools

– help with dissertation writing



Topic: Celebrating creativity– prize for best undergraduate research paper– “Digital Information Literacy” contest– displaying student & faculty works– monthly lectures from outstanding faculty


Information literacy & instruction“Themes”

Topic: inhabiting virtual spaces• Facebook• Second Life: holding classes w/ academic

faculty; sandbox / brainstorm space for projects• for announcements, info resources, research

help … going where students congregate



Topic: Parents of freshmen

– brief, hands-on workshop for parents– remember this lecture … “When your son or

daughter turns to you for help, send them to us.”


Response to SurveyPart 2: “Physical spaces & programming”


Physical spaces & programming“Targeting”

Undergraduates

Grad students (emerging trend)

Faculty (emerging trend)

==> SPEC kit in 2009 on graduate and faculty spaces


Physical spaces & programming“Collaborators”

Collaborations:

Campus administrators Alumni Freshmen

Multimedia Honors classes Library staff Writing clinic Innovative faculty

Student Advisory Council Assessment specialists

Undergraduates Student organizations Student Government

Food services Tutoring

CETL / CITL Graduate students Security Counseling

Center OITOIT

==> creating the “one stop shop”

Collaborations:

Campus administrators Alumni Freshmen

Multimedia Honors classes Library staff Writing clinic Innovative faculty

Student Advisory Council Assessment specialists

Undergraduates Student organizations Student Government

Food services Tutoring

CETL / CITL Graduate students Security Counseling

Center OITOIT

==> creating the “one stop shop”


Physical spaces & programming“Enabling technologies”

– individual and group computers– multimedia capacities– touch screens, large display capacities– team software – myriad devices to loan– variously scaled printing, format conversion==> sandboxing, testing new tools and software,

experimentation


Physical spaces & programming“Ambiance”

– influenced by customer expectation & input– dynamic and quiet zones– malleable settings; ergo-smart furnishings– multi-purposed spaces (co-controlled by users)– emphasis on light, art, displays, current

awareness, “celebrating who we are”– persistence of good food & drink– ability to meet & greet; see & be seen


Physical spaces & programming“Community”

– creating the perfect convening ground for study … where one meets friends and classmates

– letting students suggest what happens in the space

– allowing students to support each other via acts of adlibbed kindness

– giving the student power to alter the space


Physical spaces & programming“Changes to library organization”

– concern with user success and learning outcomes– consolidation of service points– emergence of new positions– rise of assessment, metrics, on-going analysis– collaborations outside the library– formalized connections with clients & partners– sandboxing / experimentation / flux– reconsideration of primary vs. secondary real estate


Physical spaces & programming“Ideals”

Undergraduate commons:– supporting rich suites of technologies– partnerships with student support services – 24 hour mixing grounds reflecting student life,

celebrating their creativity, hosting “cool” events, supporting both hard work and down time

– gradually informed by ongoing assessment (but difficulty assessing learning outcomes)



Faculty / grad commons– influenced by success with student commons– combining previously scattered faculty-support

services in one site …– sometimes with full production facilities; growing

focus on learning object creation; sandboxes to test latest equipment & software

– training in basic and multimedia software; enhancing pedagogy, writing, media fluencies; creating of knowledge & new publishing forms



Faculty / grad commons– training in CMS, digital & multimedia, pedagogy,

info lit constructs tied to course learning outcomes

– quiet spaces as well as mixing grounds– exhibits, presentations, special events – kitchens for catering & special functions


Physical spaces & programming“Faculty commons”

Ohio University faculty commonsConvenes 3 key offices for faculty development

• Center for Academic Technology• Center for Teaching Excellence• Center for Writing Excellence• Media Production• Library collection development • Smart conference rooms• Multimedia; audio / video editing• Casual meeting / mixing space & hosting events “What can we do to support teaching and research?”


Physical spaces & programming“Faculty / grad data center”

Columbia -- Baker Library -- Digital Humanities Ctr (2009)– identification of & access to all formats of resources in

humanities– assistance with & training in extraction of data– creation of new digital content (transformation and original

production)– editing & mark-up of digital content– mining: close study, annotation, analysis of digital– incorporating digital objects into writing & other scholarship– assembling & managing personal info collections– collaboration on instruction and research activities– assist with new forms of publishing


Physical spaces & programming“Undergrad, grad, faculty

commons”

U Penn Weigle Information CommonsA collaboration of Library & School of Arts & Sciences; with support from Communications, Writing, CETL– focus on group learning– emphasis on multimedia, for individuals and classes– exceptional training tracks for faculty & for students– support for research, project management, writing,

presentation, “entire creative process”– faculty training in new pedagogies & fluencies


Physical spaces & programming“Undergrad support”

University of MinnesotaSMART Learning commons -- many campus units

involved– peer assistance in gateway courses & skills (math,

sciences, stats, economics, writing, library research)– agile response to emerging, high-impact courses– expert peers conduct group study experiences– (coming) peer assistance with research techniques– technology & skills development workshops


Physical spaces & programming“Undergrad commons”

Cornell Mann Library– for “high-energy” group work– interactive, smart screens with team technology– mobile technology workstation carts– moveable furniture– privacy screens, tackboards, easels– separate area for quiet, grad student retreat– showcase for artwork and multimedia coursework,

supporting annual student expo fair

==> designed by students & faculty of Communications and Design & Environ Analysis Departments


Physical spaces & programming“Virtual vetting”

Prototyping spaces in virtual environments

• portraying renovations in Second Life or other virtual spaces

• inviting revisions / alternative models


What to make of the current landscape?


What role has assessment played?

• unevenly applied• perhaps more mimicry rather than discovery• tied to legacy & tradition• increasing curiosity around assessment

innovative libraries take assessment & customer engagement seriously


Keeping the focus on user-centered goals

• challenging to do• planning processes need to be formalized,

strengthened & stabilized• projects informed by the right kinds of

assessment• learning how to interpret data• always centered on the users’ needs


Connecting with students & faculty

• libraries must value and practice client communication throughout the organization ... cannot be handed off

• no more reticence, timidity, avoidance of the populations we serve

• we have to learn how this is done, with mentors and support.


The new conversation

• structured conversations• informal conversations• myriad casual contacts & immersions into

our clients’ world• seeing and hearing in fresh ways• creating excitement around what we learn,

and applying the knowledge to programming

Documents

Www.arl.orgAssociation of Research Libraries User Studies: What are we learning, and the implications for research libraries. Crit Stuart, ARL