Session Abstracts

To navigate to the different sections, use the navigational links below

CARL Research Award Winners

Keywords Revisited: Information Visualization and Undergraduate Search Behavior

Melissa Brown, Instruction/Reference Librarian
Matthew Connor, Instruction/Reference Librarian UC Davis

Information visualization is a subcategory of visual literacy that explores how the graphical display of data can enhance comprehension. Indeed various technologies and pedagogical techniques based on this principle have already appeared, but they have not been systematically tested within the library instruction community. This session will describe our CARL-funded study which tested three visually-based methods of generating keywords and constructing searches on 50 undergraduates at UC Davis. We will share highlights from our qualitative and quantitative data analysis on student attitudes and search behavior, and discuss implications for library instruction sessions.


Listen and Learn

#Doesthatreallywork? Transforming the Traditional, Rethinking, Letting Go - Available Virtually

Sally Bryant, Head of Access Services
Michelle Jacobs-Lustig, Librarian for Instructional Design, Outreach and Training, Pepperdine University

After a critical examination of the "traditional," Pepperdine University Libraries has made many dramatic, yet cost effective changes in Fall 2011. We have adopted an attitude of perpetual Beta for products and library services. We learned that sometimes it is not just out with the old, but out with the too new. Twitter just isn't for our campus, and QR codes may rock it in the Graduate libraries but the undergrads have no clue. Join us for a session where we cover:

Of course, we ran into some hiccups along the way! Learn from our mistakes and successes and bring some cost effective, easy to implement ideas back to your campus. Join us for our version of a show tell.

English Composition Students: How Are They Using Their Sources?

Sharon Radcliff, Reference and Instruction Librarian
Elise Wong, Cataloguing and Reference Librarian
Saint Mary's College Library

Researchers collected papers from eight sections of English Composition at a liberal arts college and analyzed and compared sources listed in bibliographies to sources cited within the paper to see if all sources listed in the bibliographies were cited. Researchers tabulated how sources were used, including paraphrasing, stand-alone quotes and quotes either preceded by an introductory comment or followed by analysis or both. The goal was to discover how students were (or were not) using sources listed in their bibliographies and to determine the degree to which students were integrating information from their sources into their writing. Researchers analyzed the bibliographies by type of source and counted instances of un-cited data in papers. The overall purpose of the study was to help both composition instructors and librarians adjust their instructional strategies to address the problems highlighted by the study which included: Use of stand-alone quotes, use of un-cited data and inclusion of sources in bibliographies that were not cited in the paper. This research project was also an excellent vehicle for partnering with English composition faculty to learn how library instruction and composition instruction interact and overlap. The research highlighted for both how the boundary between library and English composition instruction has gaps that need to be filled by changing instructional methods and by creating more cooperation between librarians and composition faculty. Various ideas on how to accomplish this are included in the presentation.

Firm Footing: Validating a Developing Theory of Library Instruction Coordinators’ Bridge-Building Work

April Cunningham, Library Instruction Coordinator, Saddleback College

Validation isn't just about making sure a research finding is true. In fact, it's really about asking questions, uncovering discrepancies, considering alternatives, and seeing what's left out. At my session, you'll take part in this kind of validation process and contribute to a developing theory of library instruction work. This session will describe the current state of community college library instruction programs in southern California. We will focus on the bridges librarians build that span the gap between faculty and students, between researchers and sources, between the library and the campus community, and more. You'll learn about the problems currently preoccupying instruction coordinators and the strategies they're using to overcome obstacles and meet their goals for student learning. But hearing about these results is only the beginning. You'll also engage in evaluating an early-stage theory that explains the nature of library instruction coordination. Your reactions to the theory will shape the course of its further elaboration and formalization. Come to this session to keep the researcher honest, see how your experience compares to your colleagues', and contribute to new knowledge about your field.

Innovative Library, Innovative Space: How SJSU Students Use It

Crystal Goldman, Scholarly Communications and Academic Liaison Librarian
Valeria E. Molteni, Academic Liaison Librarian
King Library, San Jose State University

The Martin Luther King, Jr Library at San Jose State University is a unique combination of both academic and public library. Opened in 2003, this library serves the diverse populations of the city of San Jose, California and the university community.

The academic library has a special place with the campus in the United States; usually, it is located in a central point of the University as a focal convergence place. The library can also be transformed into a space, a location where the community gathers and also develops a sense of ownership. Moreover, the King Library is offering the space for the use of everybody, with an inclusive point of view. Nowadays library buildings are places which offer not only services but also facilitate the process of learning and discovery through reading and study. The data collected revealed that the library serves as a location that integrated personal and student life.

This presentation is centered around the students' perceptions regarding their sense of belonging towards the King Library building. The study has three goals: 1) Learn about the implementation of library services as a strategy of empowering student populations in academic libraries, 2) Identify the actual use of the library as a place by university students and 3) Make recommendations for future services that enhance the students' use of the library. In order to achieve those goals, this study involves a mixed quantitative-qualitative research approach.

Journey to Team Leadership: Case Study in Transforming Library Organizational Structures - Available Virtually

Robin Lockerby, Assistant Director, Library Outreach Services
Anne Marie Secord, Library Director
National University Library

Finding ways to break out of traditional department and subject area silos has been an ongoing process. This last year, teams were identified and began to shape a new, more positive work environment. A side benefit is that productivity has increased. This session identifies the growth process and the subtle organizational changes that have taken place in lean fiscal times. The teams are project-based and are created by a team leader who has overarching responsibility for tasks. One of the early teams to be organized is responsible for collection development. As a subject area is identified for the institutional program review cycle, a team is pulled together of librarians across public services, technical services, and multimedia/systems to review program needs and library collections. Not only does the report becomes part of the university assessment documents used in accreditation, it strengthens the collaborative support between faculty and librarians across all traditional structures. The newest teams include instruction and outreach. The identified projects include development of research guides, tutorials/instructional learning objects, and outreach initiatives. As faculty are drawn into discussions of content needed to support course learning outcomes, more data is produced that becomes part of program review documentation in support of the library. The role of the library in a culture of assessment can take many forms, but the opportunity to provide unique collaborations and collection of data that support institutional goals and objectives is a great use of the new teams. With the bottom line an ever present reality, the team initiatives allow for a leaner, more focused collection of library support services. Through projects tied to institutional assessment initiatives, the library has found another way of showing sustainability.

The LibRAT Program: The Power of Peer Reference and Instruction - Available Virtually

Brett Bodemer, General Education Instruction and Reference Coordinator, Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian
California Polytechnic State University

In the face of budget cuts, retirements, and diminished staffing, how can you expand and improve your reference and instruction services to students? Kennedy Library at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has managed to do exactly this by leveraging the dynamics of peer-to-peer learning. The LibRAT (Library Reference Assistance Technician) Program originally began as a Pilot to post undergraduates in residence halls to provide on-site research assistance.

However, they soon filled staffing needs at the Research Help Desk in Kennedy Library, and in spring of 2011 began leading instructional sessions for our Information Literacy Instruction Program aimed at lower division GE classes. As the online evaluations of their sessions proved comparable, and often superior, to librarian-led sessions, we soon expanded their teaching role. In fall of 2011, they provided more than 2/3 of nearly 60 sessions - and still beat the librarian scores. The Research Help Desk is now staffed by LibRATs and one half-time librarian, and in this academic year is on track to record more transactions than last year. This program should be replicable in other environments where budgets and staffing are in tight supply.

This session will examine the pedagogical theory behind the program, give a brief history of its local unfolding, and then provide the nuts and bolts of strategies for hiring, training, and assessing student-led instruction and student reference provision. It will also offer some speculation as to why such programs might be even more successful as "Discovery" tools become more prevalent.

Mas con menos: lessons on innovation from Cuban libraries - Available Virtually

Amy Chatfield, Information Services Librarian, Norris Medical Library
University of Southern California

How would your reference practices change if you only had four computers in the entire library? What if you had to access all your online resources through a 16 kb per second connection (versus the average speed of 4000 kb per second in the U.S.)? How would you conduct interlibrary loans if there was no union catalog? How would you preserve rare books if you had no climate-controlled areas in the building? These may seem like good discussion questions for a disaster management staff retreat, but for Cuban libraries, they are the realities of everyday life. Despite major shortages of food, goods, and oil, Cuba's libraries and librarians have maintained their high standards and provided excellent service to Cubans in their personal and professional lives. Learn about innovative methods and techniques developed during the "Special Period" (1990s) and still used in the present day in Cuban libraries, including the National Library, The Natural History Museum Library, a public library branch in Havana, the National Center for Medical Sciences Information, the University of Computer Sciences and Information Technology, the Antonio Nuñez Jimenez Foundation for Nature and Humanity (FANJ), and the libraries established by the U.S. government's Interest Section. The innovations include methods of instruction and reference, data curation practices, restoration/preservation, and setting up and populating intranets. Many of the innovations in use have potential applications in U.S. libraries. The creative problem-solving mindset of Cuban librarians and administration will also be discussed to aid U.S. librarians in adopting their problem-solving strategies.

Sustaining relationships in an interdisciplinary team-based project that transforms curriculum: the Human Patient Simulation Project @ SFSU

Pamela Jo Howard, Associate Librarian
Ed Rovera, Lecturer, School of Nursing
Meg Gorzycki, Curriculum Consultant, Center for Teaching and Faculty Development
San Francisco State University

Getting appointed to a college based curriculum development project depends on how close or "embedded" the librarian is to the department. The medical librarian literature has come to define the concept of embedded librarianship as placing the librarian within the teaching faculty domain, teaching faculty's "natural habitat". This placement results in closer coordination and collaboration with subject based teaching faculty. The panel will enumerate the risks and rewards of seeing the interdisciplinary team-based project from inception to integration into the SFSU School of Nursing curriculum.

The roles and responsibilities of key personnel of a team-based project that changes established curricula will be discussed, as well as how each role adds to the overall success of the project. Educational assets available to students and faculty will be discussed, along with how to align course outcomes with professional standards, while the logistics of curriculum design and its implications will be illustrated, all through the lens of the human patient simulation project.

Participants will gain an understanding of foster an interdisciplinary curriculum development project team that is focused on transformation, specifically a human patient simulation project. Professional standards from library's, nursing and curriculum development are key to program sustainability.

An interdisciplinary project based-team has many contributing elements that must be considered. Critical processes for creating a successful project include planning, design, implementation, and evaluation. By presenting our lived experience in developing a human patient simulation project, we can help guide attendees in the formation of well-rounded interdisciplinary projects.

Transforming Research into Practice: Using Project Information Literacy Findings to Revitalize Instruction and Outreach

Michele Van Hoeck, Instruction Coordinator, California Maritime Academy Library
Ann Roselle, Library Faculty, Phoenix College
Cathy Palmer, Head of Education and Outreach, UC Irvine Libraries

Michele Van Hoeck, Instruction Coordinator at the California Maritime Academy, used Project Information Literacy's 2010 "Truth Be Told" report to refocus the Library's instruction program. Her presentation will highlight two major PIL findings: students reported the most difficulty getting started with research and students often work collaboratively when evaluating sources. She will describe changes made to curriculum, lesson plans, and research guides to address these findings, as well as present original results from subsequent assessment of student learning.

Cathy Palmer, Head of Education and Outreach at the UC Irvine Libraries led Irvine's participation in the Project Information Literacy (PIL) Team content analysis of handouts instructors distribute for course-related research assignments. The PIL study collected 191 handouts from instructors teaching undergraduates at 28 different U.S. institutions of higher education. Six handouts from UC Irvine faculty were included in the study. Her presentation will include details of how the results of UC Irvine’s participation were used to inform the design of a major information literacy assessment project undertaken with first year students in 2010-11.

Ann Roselle of Phoenix College (AZ) in the Maricopa Community College District used PIL's 2010 "Assigning Inquiry" report as the basis for developing an interactive faculty training workshop, a LibGuide, and evaluation tools to create better handouts for course-related research assignments. Her presentation will also include original assessment results on the impact of the workshop. Participants will receive all the necessary materials to implement this workshop at their institutions.

Discussions

Predicting Innovation in Library Environments

Michael Germano, Business Librarian, California State University, Los Angeles

Useful, valuable innovation is never accidental. It occurs in environments and organizations that exhibit climates and values that allow innovation to take root and flourish. The most significant influences, both negative and positive, upon innovation and the likelihood of innovating include leadership, competitive knowledge and teamwork. The session will examine, through live polling and discussion, these three specific factors as they exist in participants' libraries with an eye towards gauging their role in organizational cultures that support innovation. If libraries wish to innovate in meaningful ways that improve the user experience there needs to be an understanding of the role that organizational culture and values play in that effort. The session will permit a deeper understanding of the ways leadership, teamwork and competitive advantage work to ensure that innovation efforts produce results. Specific take-aways will include an understanding of the leadership styles most frequently used in attendees' libraries and the role they play in supporting innovation. A self-assessment exercise will also be conducted in order to understand individual leadership styles and their effect in supporting or quashing innovation efforts. Additionally we will explore the critical role of teamwork or shared purpose as well as competitive advantage in order to arrive at concrete steps that can be taken to ensure these values exist in order to support a library's innovation efforts.

"Connections on Demand"

Linda C. Gordon, Librarian, Wilson Library
Kitt Vincent, Regional Campus Director, San Luis Obispo and Vandenberg, San Luis Obispo Regional Campus
Darry Swarm, Librarian, Wilson Library
University of La Verne

The University of La Verne, a pioneer in the field of adult and distance education, hosts approximately 2,500 traditional undergraduate students on the main campus and 5,500 adult working students throughout California at the ten regional campuses. Programs include Arts and Sciences, Business, and Education. Challenged by lack of funding and staffing, the library struggled with ways to support over 8,000 students with only six librarians. The library and Regional Campus Administration collaborated with senior management to pilot a technology platform using licensed Adobe Acrobat Connect for content and video and free Business Skype for voice to deliver real time, interactive virtual information literacy to approximately 5,500 distance learners. The initial objectives of "Library on Demand" were to: (1) supplement existing in-person, email, and telephonic library information literacy instruction with electronic video and voice instruction; (2) use multi-channel instructional technologies to optimize outreach activities, reaching larger numbers of student communities; and, (3) use multi-channel communication and technologies to optimize student learning modality preferences and differences. The pilot program was designed in phases to test the integrity of bringing up over 1,000 students among the ten regional campus locations concurrently with a single librarian host. Later phases offer opportunities for specialized sessions. During the pilot program testing phase, connecting five to eight classrooms at a few of the ten regional campus locations simultaneously, it was recognized that this medium could be expanded to create applications fostering emerging virtual social learning communities beyond a shared information literacy experience.

So You Think You Can Manage an Institutional Repository

Silke Higgins, Digital Initiatives Librarian, King Library, San Jose State University
Crystal Goldman, Scholarly Communications Librarian, King Library, San Jose State University

Starting an Institutional Repository (IR) can be an exciting, but intimidating, prospect. A great deal of research needs to go into everything from how to choose a repository platform to collection development policies to staffing, and from gaining administrative buy-in to establishing a workable solution for tech support, to name just a few components of the process. San Jose State University started down the path to an IR in 2008 and faced many stumbling blocks along the way, some of which have been overcome and some which remain a challenge. The two managers of the SJSU repository will discuss the process they have been through and will go over the best practices and pitfalls that librarians face during the first few years of getting an IR up and running. In addition to presenting our findings - and perhaps even more importantly - the presenters would like to invite their audience to become participants, create spontaneous dialogue in an unconference-like setting, generate on-the-spot ideas, and engage in the exchange of experiences both good and bad.

Textbook affordability: New roles for the academic library

Pearl Ly, Access Services and Emerging Technologies Librarian
Pasadena City College

With rising tuition costs and a persistent economic downturn, not being able to afford textbooks and class materials is a barrier to higher education for many students. Most libraries have reserve systems for instructor-owned materials or library-purchased textbooks. Although textbook availability in the library can greatly help low-income students, this service heavily impacts library staff work flow and patron interactions. Students often assume the library has all of their textbooks and become frustrated when a textbook is not available. Innovative models for library textbooks are emerging among academic libraries including the use of restaurant pagers, open textbook reserves (not behind the Circulation Desk), and collaboration with campus entities for funding. Although libraries can increase textbook access, they often utilize stop-gap measures that do not address the high and rising prices of textbooks irregardless of print or electronic format. Conversations about open access textbooks and other learning materials are occurring nationwide. In this Discussion Session, presenters will introduce main issues related to textbook access and affordability. Different textbook lending and reserves models will be presented and discussion with attendees about other possible models will be facilitated. In addition, presenters will share a case-study of library textbooks at Pasadena City College and lead a brainstorming session on campus-wide strategies for open access textbooks and learning material. Participants will discuss including promoting open access and working with publishers and also generate ideas for sustainable textbooks change on their campuses.

Escaping Flatland: A Discussion of Data Visualization in Libraries

Andrew Weiss Digital Services librarian Oviatt Library, California State University, Northridge

Edward Tufte in his groundbreaking studies of charts and visual displays has described the desire to expand beyond the 2-dimensional page as "escaping flatland". This discussion session will begin with a background description of Tufte's work in data visualization and will explain how this can be related to library web and digital collection design. The background section will also display working visual examples of how the presenter has incorporated such data visualization in his projects, including his work with Fort Hays State University and the Kansas Cosmosphere, as well as in his projects at California State University, Northridge. Time will be allotted for the discussion of essential questions data visualization raises: 1) How can libraries better improve data visualization in general? 2) How have others tried to "escape flatland"? 3) How can California public and academic libraries (including CSU and UC) find ways to collaborate and share these innovations? We will also examine and discuss both strong and weak attempts at data visualization in libraries.

Visibility and Intentionality: Assessing the Research Process through Student Research Narratives

Melanie Sellar, Education Services Librarian
Patrick McMahon, Professor of English and English Program Coordinator
Andrew Ogilvie, Adjunct Professor of English
Mary McMillan, Director of Library Services
Marymount College

Small innovations at Marymount College (California) are leading to far reaching assessment and curricular reforms of the information literacy (IL) program within the institution. A key tool to these reformations has been the student research narrative - a seemingly simple, yet very powerful pedagogical and assessment tool. Use of these narratives allows educators to pivot information literacy assessment away from examining exclusively end products (e.g. final papers) -- which obscure whether the critical thinking skills espoused by the ACRL standards are actually being exercised -- to piloting assessments that allow us to encourage and evidence student thinking about their research process. In this session you will learn about the value of research narratives to learners and educators alike, you will compare evidence of student learning in end products versus research narratives, and you will acquire strategies for how to launch this pedagogy collaboratively with writing faculty at your own institution.

Where are the Librarians? Innovative Approaches to Reference and Instruction, and Implications for the Librarian’s Role

Official Presenters
Shahla Bahavar, Director, Public Services Division I, University of Southern California (Panelist)
Brett Bodemer, General Education Instruction and Reference Coordinator, Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Panelist)
Angela Boyd, Reference Services Librarian, University of California, Santa Barbara (Moderator)
Lise Snyder, Collection Management Coordinator, College Library, University of California, Los Angeles (Panelist)

Academic librarians strive to provide high quality reference and instruction services and engage with their user communities. How do they balance their sense of commitment when faced with financial constraints and added responsibilities in the workplace? The current economic climate, together with growing student demands for immediate support and also expanded opportunities for distance and collaborative learning, make it tempting to assign professional duties to paraprofessionals and student workers. Given the demands for greater accountability, it is appropriate for libraries to assess current practices and alter delivery methods for reference and research instruction. In this discussion session, participants will have the opportunity to listen and contribute to the perspectives on both sides of a debate that, on the one hand, advocates the value of students in the provision of reference/instruction services and, on the other hand, seeks to understand the role of librarians amidst these innovative changes. Through this session, participants also will gain a better understanding of the unique benefits students receive from both their peers as well as academic librarians.

Growing and Preserving an Academic Library Facebook Community

Kenneth Simon, Reference and Instruction Technologies Librarian
Jamie Hazlitt, Outreach Librarian,
Loyola Marymount University

In mid-2008, librarians at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) created a Facebook page with no particular goal in mind, other than exploring this new medium. Unsurprisingly, many months later, our page had little activity and only 200 fans. In March 2010, in our second semester in a brand new building, we aspired to take advantage of our increased visibility on campus and improve our Facebook presence as well. We felt that increasing the size of our Facebook community was one small but vital piece of a larger vibrant communication presence that includes our website, e-newsletter, blog, and print publicity. To achieve this, we combined Facebook ads targeted to current students and alumni with a "Facebook Fan Drive" in which we posted a weekly prompt, such as "describe one thing you would change about the library," or "share a photo of the library." Participants were then randomly selected to win prizes. In just four weeks, our number of fans increased tenfold, and we received feedback that informed improvements to library spaces and services. Today, with over 2900 followers, 800 check-ins, and a small but steady level of user interaction, we continue to explore new ways to keep this community engaged. We will describe the successful growth of the LMU Library Facebook community, and share data regarding our peer institutions' outreach efforts using the social network. Then, we will lead the audience in a discussion to brainstorm new ways to engage and interact with our respective library Facebook communities.

Poster Sessions

Using scholarly communication and data management to increase face time with engineering students

Tony Aponte, Science and Engineering Librarian, UCLA Library

At UCLA, the Science and Engineering Librarians are typically granted about 10 minutes to introduce themselves and library services to new engineering graduate students during fall departmental orientations. In this poster, you will learn how one librarian leveraged the appeal of new and timely scholarly communication issues such as data management plans, author's rights, and using copyrighted material in the classroom to carve out a much larger role for the library in the Electrical Engineering department's fall orientations. Highlighting new library services that address these issues rather than traditional services (reference and collections) allowed the library to present itself in a new light. This resulted in the faculty coordinator scheduling a mandatory one and a half hour long library session with all new graduate students in the department. The poster will provide an introduction to UCLA Library scholarly communication services, an overview of the content presented in the orientation with an emphasis on data management, and techniques for pitching scholarly communication instruction sessions to faculty.

Cerberus Customer Service: Librarian and Faculty Collaboration Across Disciplines in a Student-Focused Environment

Mark Bieraugel, Business Librarian, California Polytechnic State University

With the stress of ongoing budget cuts librarians are tempted to hunker down and focus exclusively on their clients, their college, department or assigned area. But collaboration across campus, within new areas, with different faculty and students, can be beneficial to both student and faculty learning.

How a Learning Management System Improved Training and Communication for Library Student Assistants

Jennette Bristol, Public Services Coordinator, Pearson Library, California Lutheran University

At California Lutheran University, Pearson Library, we have overhauled our Student Assistant Training process by using Blackboard, an electronic Learning Management System. This is the primary LMS used at our university, thus makes it economical for us to tap into. Our paper consumption is greatly reduced by posting and updating our training manuals, documents, quizzes, and forms. This project has been extremely valuable in creating a well-trained and managed student assistant workforce for the library. Our assistants are presented with uniform training material and can work in a self-paced manner. In addition, training has become more exciting! We now include video content in our training materials. We can link out to customer service articles and web pages that enhance training. Our student assistants’ favorite tool is the Substitution Board. This discussion board has been set up to post shifts that they need to miss and it enables them to keep the library adequately staffed at all times! Students can subscribe to this list to receive an email when a posting is made. Turn-around time for shift coverage is usually instantaneous. Informative updates are posted and instantly received, improving communication. Training quizzes that auto-score make tracking usage a breeze. Progress evaluations are more easily compiled via the "grade center". It's easy for managers to track those who may need more prompting to work on training material and also easily see those who are excelling!

Multimedia Exhibits: Getting the Most Bang for No Buck

Christy Caldwell, Research, Outreach and Instruction Librarian
Ann Hubble, Digital Initiatives Librarian
Christy Hightower, Science Collections Coordinator
University of California, Santa Cruz

Library exhibits are an excellent way to connect users to Library materials. With QR codes, smart phone users can connect to those materials instantly and at their point of need. We will illustrate our collaboration with our campus natural history museum to show how we used QR codes to provide a low-budget multimedia experience, while also highlighting library resources. We will explain how to track usage of QR codes, and how to plan for smart phone compatibility with various digital file types and institutional authentication protocols. We will also suggest ways to provide access and information to users without smart phone access.

Demand-Driven E-books + Usage Data = Informed Collection Development

Emily K. Chan, Academic Liaison Librarian
Susan L. Kendall, Collection Development Coordinator
Carole Correa-Morris, Head of Acquisitions
San José State University

With preliminary analyses of usage data from the EBook Library (EBL) patron-driven acquisitions program, this poster session will illustrate how a large, urban university library can process the data provided by an electronic book vendor to creatively learn more about its users and their general e-book usage patterns. San José State University's (SJSU) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library implemented a patron-driven acquisitions program on March 1, 2011. The goals of this program were multi-fold: 1) to make electronically available a wide collection of items without concurrency limits, 2) meet users' needs on a timely basis, 3) and maximize the collections budget by purchasing materials as needed and selected by University users, while minimizing physical space requirements. To accomplish these goals, in September 2011, SJSU's Library implemented a widget that requested demographic data from its EBL users. Users identified their status (i.e., faculty, staff, or student) and area of discipline. Correlating these data points with EBL-usage statistics, SJSU librarians and staff have begun to question the validity of long-held assumptions about the habits and needs of its users. Evaluating vendor-provided statistics allows librarians to identify user behaviors to innovatively meet users' needs in the area of collection development. Analyzed data will inform collection development, specifically which subjects may be complemented by the e-book format. Usage statistics can also indicate how e-books are being used across the campus community and disciplines. This poster session will present the process, methods, and findings of SJSU's first two semesters using a patron-driven acquisitions program.

Creating a Successful Mentoring Program: Developing SANDALL Buddies

Allison Coltin, Document Delivery Supervisor, University of Southern California

Are you thinking of creating a Mentoring program, but you are unsure how to start? The SANDALL Buddies program was created in fall of 2010, in conjunction with San Diego Area Law Libraries (SANDALL), for library students with an interest in law librarianship. This poster details the initial development of the Buddies program as well as the steps used each summer when preparing for a new cohort. The aspects covered include: recruiting participants, developing goals, matching criteria and the technology used for virtual pairings. It also covers key elements needed for a program to be sustainable. SANDALL Buddies is now in its second year with some pairs in San Diego and some pairs matched virtually with participants located throughout California. The program has been fully adopted by SANDALL with the intent of continuing and expanding it in future.

A Better Reference Evaluation Survey

Mira Foster, Senior Assistant Librarian, San Francisco State University

This poster presents a "reference evaluation survey" for advanced subject liaison research consultations. Most reference service evaluation focuses on the first impressions of general reference service, but this brief online survey obtains student opinions about subject specific support they may have received from multiple encounters with a librarian throughout a research project. A brief online survey distributed by email at the end of the semester in which they ask their librarian for help provides students with the opportunity to: - evaluate their librarian's service and expertise after a project's completion rather than shortly after the interaction - share which aspects of the librarian's help they found most useful - reflect on their overall research process and perform a final stage in constructivist learning when answering, "What advice or information related to your research assignment do you wish someone had given you sooner?" In addition to giving customer feedback, the survey results help the librarian to: - set priorities for time spent during exchanges - quantify the skills, tips and topics typically covered - describe the varying media in which reference services are provided - collect tangible advice to use for future students of similar research assignments. Coupled with library instruction evaluation surveys, this instrument provides a more rounded and customized view of students' needs throughout their research process.

So What Do They Ask? Analyzing the Content of Digital Reference Transactions

Kymberly Goodson, Decision Support Analyst, Univ. of CA-San Diego Libraries

Most academic libraries have long provided reference service through multiple means. The UC-San Diego Library offers the service in-person, as well as by phone, chat, email, and most recently, text. One year after implementing text reference, use of it was evaluated to determine if it should be continued. The content of questions asked by email, chat, and text was also analyzed. The content of reference questions asked in-person is often understood only anecdotally or by a discipline-specific liaison. Online tools like QuestionPoint facilitate greater understanding of the questions users ask by storing transcripts of these transactions. Nonetheless, some institutions may not have time to review transcripts even for accuracy and completion, let alone for a holistic view of user inquiries. To determine the topics of questions most frequently asked through its digital reference services, the UCSD Library conducted an assessment of the content of digital reference questions. Doing so supported the library's decision to continue its relatively new text service and also informed the creation of canned responses to frequently asked questions, expansion or clarification of web pages and publications, highlighting of heavily sought information, and other modifications to best address questions users were likely to have. In the assessment of 1509 total transcripts from the Winter quarter of 2011, 1055 chat, 307 email, and 147 text transcripts were reviewed. This poster will outline characteristics of UCSD's digital reference services, assessment details, similarities and differences between methods, topics of the most frequently posed questions, and outcomes from the project.

Librarians collaborating with faculty to develop and deliver an Evidence-Based Eye Care course

Ruth Harris, MLIS, Instruction and Education Coordinator
Frances Chu, MSN, MLIS, Associate Director of Reference and Outreach
Rudy Barreras, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Library, Western University of Health Sciences

Librarians at the Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Library at Western University of Health Sciences worked with the Dean of the College of Optometry to develop and teach a course on Evidence Based Practice (EBP) for third year optometry students. Librarians taught sections on EBP, EBP resources, health literacy, and staying current with the literature. These sections were taught didactically utilizing TurningPoint clicker technology to assess initial understanding by providing appropriately structured PICO statements using a multiple choice question format, thereby permitting the students to pick the "best" PICO statement. The instructor created assignments that would assess the students' ability to apply EBP and the students’ long term ability to apply EBP concepts. While using TurningPoint clicker technology, it appeared that librarians were effective in teaching EBP when evaluating students immediately after the lecture. However, students were not able to apply EBP concepts effectively if structured PICO answers were not provided. This could be due to the fact that the concepts taught were not being effectively assessed by the assignments. Librarians concluded that they were able to effectively teach EBP concepts to students using a structured answer format. However, when students were asked to apply concepts without that structured answer format, they were unable to do so effectively. As a result, librarians see the need to work with the instructor to further refine and assess the instruction and assignments.

Going beyond a library tour: Leading one-shots using iPads and QR codes

Ngoc-Yen Tran, Manager, Collection Development, California Lutheran University

According to the 2011 ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology report, "institutions and instructors do not fully harness [technologies] to create opportunities for more varied, inspiring, and beyond-the-classroom learning experiences." The challenge for libraries is how to use technologies to excite and provide experiential learning for students to improve their information literacy skills. Using iPads in conjunction with QR codes, students will be able to explore the library in teams in order to find the differences between scholarly and popular articles, primary v. secondary sources, and to use WorldCat Local to find their own articles. At the end, we all come back together to talk about what they found, and for me to show them some last minute things, as well as assess their learning. Find out more about how the activity is set up and explore ways to use QR codes in library instruction sessions

Supporting our Invisible Patrons: Engaging Staff on a University Campus

Jamie Hazlitt, Outreach Librarian, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University
Courtney Hoffner, Science and Engineering Librarian, UCLA Science and Engineering Library

In 2009, the new William H. Hannon Library at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) opened its doors, and quickly became the academic hub of campus. A flurry of outreach towards faculty and students showcased the library's scholarly and instructional services in the new facilities. However, thousands of LMU staff members walked past the new library daily without realizing that the amenities within could be a rich employee benefit for them and their families, and the library was also missing out on a valuable opportunity to connect with users who are embedded within student affairs, academic departments, athletics, and everywhere in between. LMU librarians decided to use the allure of their new building as an opportunity to redesign their outreach efforts towards these often "invisible" patrons. This poster session will outline the outreach efforts of the LMU librarians to engage the university's diverse employee population with the library, its collections, and its services by designing, promoting, and executing a workshop series called "LMU Staff: It's YOUR Library, Too!" The drop-in series included library orientation and privileges, basic research skills, outreach to ESL staff, Googling, financial research, and image research. The poster will describe the scope of these workshops, publicity efforts, and assessment. As the originators of this series are now in new roles (Outreach Librarian at LMU and Science and Engineering Librarian at UCLA) the poster will also discuss the evolution of this series at LMU, and the adaptation and implementation of a similar staff information literacy program at UCLA.

Evaluation and Iteration: using statistics to help craft your libraries social media presence

Danielle Kane, Research Librarian for Emerging Technologies and Service Innovation, University of California, Irvine Libraries

The UC Irvine Libraries seeks a balanced approach for using new technologies, we attempt to go beyond the simplistic negative or positive assessments of social media and its usage in Libraries to determine what are the core services or tools that we should explore and potentially utilize for our unique user groups. Once we have determined to try a tool or service we run pilot assessments which include a comprehensive assessment plan. We let our users determine how we use the tools by using different tactics formulated from research and personal knowledge of how these tools work and are used and then evaluating the responses of our users. Using this system of pilots, evaluation and iteration we make numerous small adjustments to our processes and techniques to refine our presence on and messages using social media. In addition to measuring the response of our users we also track the investment of staff time into maintaining these services. The library has implemented pilots using Facebook, Twitter, Geolocation and QR codes just to name a few. Each social media service provides different evaluation tools to their users, utilizing the evaluation tools provided and what can be gathered separately we develop an assessment plan geared toward that service. The poster will share our approach to utilizing social media in our library, including how we create our assessment plans, how we determine to evaluate our pilots and how we decide what changes to make in our approach.

Food for Fines

Pearl Ly, Access Services and Emerging Technologies Librarian, Pasadena City College
Jared Burton, Adjunct Librarian / Circulation Library Technician II, Pasadena City College

During a time of much financial difficulty and food insecurity, libraries can encourage students and other library patrons to donate food items to waive library fines. "Food for Fines" drives in all types of libraries are becoming common. Library food drives incentivize students to be responsible patrons and also civic-minded. This activity can be used for library staff team building while advertising, collecting, and donating food items. In addition, the library can garner goodwill from students, increase circulation statistics, and support the community. This poster will include best practices for developing Food for Fines events, implementation tips, and recommended resources. Presenters will have examples of marketing materials and strategies utilized at Pasadena City College and will be able to address specific questions for any libraries interested in holding their own event. Food for Fines is an easy event that any library, patrons, and a community can benefit from.

SUSTAINABILITY IN INFORMATION LITERACY FOR THE WORKPLACE

Linda Salem, Head, Reference Services, San Diego State University
Svetlana Kondratenko, University Librarian, Southern States University

In the modern competitive job market, what can be an additional incentive for employers to hire a candidate who is a recent university graduate? What innovation in information literacy instruction can best prepare students at the graduate level to compete for jobs in their profession and be an important component in their career advancement? The project presented by Linda Salem (San Diego State University) and Svetlana Kondratenko (Southern States University) analyzes how two different professional areas, business and education, can dictate differences in teaching methods designed to meet the information needs of MBA students as knowledge workers and Ed. D. students as leaders of learning organizations. Using a qualitative and inductive approach, including student, Faculty, and employer surveys, the presenters study and compare what general and specific information literacy skills in these professions make a potential employee a competitive job candidate. The major part of this analysis covers students' perceptions about information literacy expectations in their future careers. These perceptions are compared with what was learned about faculty goals for students in these professional degree programs. An important component of this study is the analysis of employer expectations of successful employees in a profession. Findings recommend different approaches to information literacy design for business and education graduate students to prepare them for the workplace. Presenters specifically explain how they transformed instruction techniques to include database searching strategies, group study activities to foster problem solving, and individual consultation sessions that emphasize resource evaluation skills.

The Distance Librarian: Figuring out the Virtual, Co-Taught, One-Shot...in a Pinch, from Afar

Kerry Scott, Collection Development Department Head
Kenneth Lyons, Research, Outreach and Instruction Librarian
University of California Santa Cruz

In many cases, remote library instruction is offered to geographically dispersed, or distance, students by a librarian who is on-site in the library or elsewhere on campus. But what happens when the librarian is off-site and the students are in the library? A telecommuting collection-development librarian-a state away-and a campus-based instruction librarian endeavored to find out. Working with a willing professor and technology on hand, a 21st-century instruction session-focused on location and retrieval of primary sources-was created, using a combination of free and for-fee applications and equipment. Users' information learning needs were met, the existing level of service was maintained and, in the process, the institution's instruction horizons were expanded.

Calling Yesterday, Texting Today: Starting a Text a Librarian Reference Service

Gayatri Singh, Reference Services Coordinator and Librarian for Communication, Social Sciences and Humanities Library
Amy Butros, Assistant Director and Instruction and Outreach Librarian, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Library
UC San Diego

Are you thinking of expanding your Ask a Librarian services? How do you start a new service with less staff and resources? This poster discusses the UC San Diego Libraries Text a Librarian service pilot. This poster will highlight the implementation, staffing, marketing, and evaluation of the service. A number of factors lead to a successful pilot. Once users add us to their list of contacts, sending a question is easy. Using a team of librarians and staff, and an email notification system spread the workload around so one person or unit wasn't overwhelmed. Using an online product helped ensure everyone had easy access to the tool.

Lightning Rounds

CARL (California Academic and Research Libraries) Helps In Difficult Times

Kelly Janousek, Librarian, California State Univ., Long Beach

CARL helps during difficult times by developing leadership skills, proving practical information to make us more efficient and fostering skills as a professional. BUT are you too busy to be involved? Are you asking, "Why should I volunteer to be a part of this association?" In a lightening round, see what possibilities there are in CARL that only takes a small amount of your time. Make this YOUR association, to help YOU enjoy and do better in your job.

5-Minutes of a Day in the Life of the Pirate Librarian.

Felicia A. Smith, Information and Instructional Services Librarian, Stanford University

This lightning round presentation will demonstrate my most successful active learning exercises. In keeping with the conference theme, my "creativity" stems from my belief that a didactic approach to teaching library skills has proven to be dreadfully dull and thus ineffective. My solution to combat boredom is to incorporate educational games with predetermined learning objectives. I will include activities that received the best feedback from student and professor evaluations when I taught a Chemistry Research Skills class for academic credit for sophomore chemistry majors. My exercises were published in a peer-reviewed journal that has been downloaded more than 1,800 times. "Games for Teaching Information Literacy Skills." My classes were in high demand because I, not only, incorporate the latest brain-based theories in my class design but I also, taught class dressed in a full pirate costume. My "Pirate-Teacher article has been cited by other peer-reviewed journals since it was published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship. The costume and students' favorite activities will be shared during my lightning round presentation. I will show an excerpt from my "Citation Cop RefWorks YouTube video that has been viewed 8,600 times by people in different countries and even RefWorks uses my video in their training. My proven effective and creative examples offer something for everyone, more are available in my recently published book, Cybrarian Extraordinaire: Compelling Information Literacy Instruction. This session will allow audience members to take away creative, innovative concrete examples that can be used in any type of classroom immediately.

Note Taking Apps for the Serious Researcher

Mira Foster, Senior Assistant Librarian, San Francisco State University

This presentation will introduce some personal productivity apps that can be used during research projects to organize resources and ideas across multiple devices and through The Cloud. In addition, a quick comparison will show how users can choose between tools based on their individual learning styles and note taking habits.

What?! You're still spending time managing your library's Facebook page yourself?

Ngoc-Yen Tran, Manager, Collection Development, California Lutheran University

Within a few months, Pearson Library at California Lutheran University went from having 15 likes to 111 likes. What's our secret to having a thriving Facebook page? How did we use this medium in a new way? Hiring a student to help manage the page resolved our lack of time to devote to updating the page as well as finding relevant bits of information to post. Find out what our challenges and opportunities were, how we scheduled the posts and updates, specific posts that we found created more interactivity, and get inspired on how to rejuvenate your library's Facebook page.

Improve Library Security Reporting with Google Forms

Pearl Ly, Access Services and Emerging Technologies Librarian, Pasadena City College

We commonly hear with the economy going down that crimes goes up. With continuing financial issues and rising tuition costs in higher education, pressure on our students and community members are increasing. Many academic libraries may be seeing a rise in security incidents including abuse of staff, protesters, theft, violence, and more. Timely communication between library staff and administration is needed in order to maintain safety of patrons, staff, and the library building. After a dramatic increase in security issues at Pasadena City College Library in summer/fall 2011, we implemented Google Forms for web-based security incident reporting and build a incident database for library administration when working with Campus Police. Through the use of this free technology, we were able to quickly implement a library-wide security reporting system and to systematically and thoroughly document incidents. Training for staff was minimal and there has been an overwhelmingly positive response from library staff and administration. A lightning round presentation on this topic would introduce an innovative and easy way to improve internal and external library safety communication. In addition, examples from our Google Form use will be shared along with implementation tips.

On the go: Developing a mobile web presence for your library

Margot Hanson, Web Services and Reference Librarian, Golden Gate University

Why put time and energy into mobile efforts? Reports on national trends and our own local website analytics show us that there is indeed a growing demand for a mobile-friendly, mobile-accessible library web presence. Libraries have been responding by creating mobile presences to enable our students and patrons to access our services on the go, but not all libraries have the resources to create mobile apps or mobile websites from scratch. This presentation will highlight one library's experience and demonstrate some practical possibilities for increasing your library's mobile presence without coding necessary.

Unconference

--- Speed Networking ---
Summary: You only get one chance to make a first impression. Kick off your unconference experience by getting to know your fellow attendees and perfecting your "elevator pitch"! We'll briefly discuss what makes the ideal first impression and work on refining our own responses to the perennial question "What do you do?" Share and repeat.

--- Round Table ---
Summary: A classic staple of unconferences, the round table brings everyone together as a group to discuss topics chosen on the spot. Participants drive the conversation according to their concerns and by their contributions.

--- Solve for U ---
Summary: Taking a cue from the tech sector, attendees will have the opportunity to apply "moonshot thinking" to tackling problems. Utilizing prior submissions and/or discussions from earlier in the day, participants will select a single problem to tackle and work in separate teams to formulate competing solutions. Show and tell to follow.

--- Crowdsourced Boot Camp ---
Summary: Each attendee brings a unique set of skills and experiences with them. Why not leverage that expertise for the benefit of everyone? Participants themselves will educate, explain, or demonstrate how to accomplish a task, create an item, or understand a concept. Topics will be based on attendees' knowledge and interests.

--- DIY Think Tanks ---
Summary: Attendees will brainstorm possible topics for discussion based on interests, current events, or conference proceedings, with topics ranging from "improving customer service through mobile media" to "future thinking in academic libraries" (and anything in between!). Participants will vote and select the most popular topics then divide into separate "think tanks" to discuss. At the end of the session, each think tank will share the results of their discussion.

  • Flickr: #carlconf2010
    www.flickr.com
    This is a Flickr badge showing public items from Flickr tagged with carlconf2010. Make your own badge here.

    •