People at the Center: User-Focused Librarianship

VLA College & Special Libraries Fall Program
November 9, 2018
9am – 3:30pm
 
Vermont Technical College
Judd Hall, Randolph Center, VT
 
Program of the Day
 
Continually evolving landscapes and limited resources reveal new opportunities and inform new approaches. Let’s take a fresh look at who we serve and how we can meet them where they are. Who are our stakeholders? How do we get to know them? How can our services, programs, collections, and systems reflect their identities and respond to their needs?
 


Journey Mapping in the Durick Library
Presented by Beth Dietrich and Stacey Knight, Saint Michael’s College
 
In the spring of 2018 the Durick Library conducted a user experience study to go beyond measuring students’ perceptions of their library use and satisfaction and truly find out how students are using library services and resources.  We chose journey mapping as our primary assessment tool and created fourteen web and physical scenarios for students to complete.
 
This presentation will discuss how we implemented our user experience study including methods of data collection, journey map creation, study findings, and recommendations. We will also discuss how we collaborated with faculty for student participation and created meaningful work for our library interns.
 
Slides: Journey Mapping in the Durick Library
Full Project Report: User Experience in Durick Library: Journey Mapping Student Experience
 


Mentoring the Mentors: A Pilot Project in Information Literacy
Presented by Daisy Benson and Scott Schaffer, University of Vermont
 
At the University of Vermont writing and information literacy are tied together by campus wide learning outcome for writing and information literacy. This semester we are collaborating with our Writing Center and Writing in the Disciplines program to pilot a project that matches writing and information literacy mentors in first-year seminars. Working as a team faculty, librarians, and mentors are expanding how students understand and share their knowledge about information literacy. We will discuss our role in the project and how we are working to train and empower the mentors to work with other students.
 
Slides: Mentoring the Mentors: A Pilot Project in Information Literacy
 


DIY Video Streaming at a Small Academic Institution
Presented by Amy Frazier, Middlebury College
Streaming video is a growing challenge in academic libraries. Vendors of streaming video are often unpredictable as an expense item, particularly for smaller institutions, and many films are simply not available on any streaming platform. Throughout the 2017-18 academic year, Middlebury College Libraries worked with other departments to develop an in-house process to make streaming film and video available for use in coursework, especially those films not available from vendors. In this presentation, Middlebury College Film & Media Librarian Amy Frazier will describe the background of the project, as well as the platforms, technical considerations, legal and copyright considerations, and workflows we developed to make this program work, as well as the processes — and sometimes, the mistakes — that got us here.
 
Slides: DIY Video Streaming at a Small Academic Institution
 


Challenges & Rewards with an Institutional Repository: ScholarWorks @ UVM
Presented by Fred Pond and Chris Burns, University of Vermont
 
UVM Libraries launched ScholarWorks @ UVM in 2013 to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly works of faculty, students as well as make collections, reports and other materials more discoverable and available.
This institutional repository has grown to over twenty collections, comprising of student dissertations and theses, public health projects, historic botanical research, Vermont history, faculty publications and more.
Challenges include varied participation across campus, impacting workflow in library positions, and adding another library service.
Author’s works enjoy increased discoverability from all over the world, from low income countries to individuals that seek information without the benefit of library resources. IRs support libraries’ intellectual mission.
 
Slides: Challenges & Rewards with an Institutional Repository: ScholarWorks @ UVM
Supplemental Resources
 


How Can We Help You? Feedback to the Vermont Department of Libraries
Vincent M. Livoti, Statewide Consult for Special Populations and Director, ABLE Library
 
VTLIB is working to reconstitute regular communications with Vermont’s academic community. This participatory discussion will cover assistive library services we can offer your enrolled students from the ABLE (Audio, Braille, Large-Print and Electronic) Library, while seeking feedback for better engagement with the field going forward. VTLIB is also looking to be advised on how your libraries are addressing challenging issues – such as opioids, race-and-culture bias and intellectual freedom.
 
Slides: How Can We Help You? Feedback to the Vermont Department of Libraries
 


What Do Our Users Really Think? Effective Survey Design for Academic Libraries
Presented by Joshua Becker, Southern New Hampshire University
 
Creating effective surveys for library users poses a variety of challenges.  How do you ensure a meaningful response rate? Which online product best fits your library’s needs and budget?  How will survey data ultimately be used? At Southern New Hampshire University our faculty survey on library instruction underwent several modifications over three years.  Annual results revealed the strengths and challenges of our instruction program. This presentation will discuss our process, best practices in survey design, and offer strategies on creating effective surveys at other institutions.
 
Slides: What Do Our Users Really Think? Effective Survey Design for Academic Libraries
 


Small-time UX: Doing User Research on Limited Time and Limited Budget
Presented by Sarah Sanfilippo, Southern Vermont College
 
Southern Vermont College Library will share the results of usability tests on our website. Like other academic library websites, the SVC Library website is used by students and faculty to access databases, book research appointments, view current library events, and more. While many believe that usability testing is time consuming and cost-prohibitive, SVC Library was able to conduct efficient research for less than $100 and make meaningful, user-centered changes to its website. By sharing our method, we hope to show other libraries that user research is not only possible; it’s also much easier than you think.
 
Slides: Small-time UX: Doing User Research on Limited Time and Limited Budget
 


Let’s Meet at Your Place: Integrating Library Content Into a Student Portal
Presented by Daisy Benson, Gary Atwood, Dan DeSanto, and Graham Sherriff, University of Vermont
 
For years, librarians have been encouraged to go where students are instead of waiting for them to come to the library. In the digital environment, where can libraries position themselves to meet the most users and provide the most timely assistance? For UVM students, one of the highest-traffic and highest-visibility locations is the “MyUVM” portal, their one-stop shop for many essential services, such as email, grades, and advising. In this presentation, you will learn how UVM librarians collaborated with Registrar’s Office Banner programmers to integrate point-of-need educational content into the portal and extend instruction services into a key student space.
 
Slides: Let’s Meet at Your Place: Integrating Library Content Into a Student Portal