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CCLI: California library instruction conference

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CCLI 2019 – Reimagining Student Success: Approaches that Increase Participation, Representation, and Relevance

http://www.cclibinstruction.org/2019-conference/2019-conference-program/

Fabulous Keynote:
curiosity compassion communication 
Melanie Chu – Lake Tahoe CC  (HER SLIDES)

Critical information literacy and museum visitor studies = participatory learning in the library’s shared spaces. Using museum engagement techniques, librarians can better support the experience, engagement, and assessment of student learning in creative, effective, and nontraditional ways.

  • Context library  series – instructional art exhibit integrated into the  curriculum in the library lobby by local artist, low budget,  by librarian and student workers
  • Museum studies framework- personal, sociocultural, physical
  • Falk and Dierking’s  Contextual Model of learning
  • personal context – constructivist theory, individual role in their learning
    • EX: wounded Hearts exhibit, hearts students could add to the clothesline;
    • they digitized the exhibit heats and put in their IR!)
  • sociocultural context – role for social interactions and experiences in ones learning process;
  • social cognition
    • EX: patterned heritage exhibit – like a game board road map where students add to and create;
    • EX: invisible project photos of homelessness – with large post its on the wall where student can write answers to questions ending with a panal discussion about resources locally
  • physical context – role of library as as learning laboratory;
  • situated learning
    • EX:  enlisting a nation display about WW1 propaganda, students worked through the exhibit reacting and responding to it, creating their own new knowledge from that
  • Other exhibit examples with students:
    •  more than a fence (de) constructing mexico US borders. created by introduction to sculpture class. using a recycled piece of chain linked fence the interactive part was students could add messages, notes, memories on to the fence to create a personal context to them.
    • student created poster session exhibit:  Beyond the Stereotype, a social justice initiative to stop cultural appropriation (posters of students ripping up posters of these stereotypes; there was a call to pledge to civility and diversity on a butcher paper roll on the wall … this produced a lot of conversation on paper white students not understanding (wow); they used Conversations that Matter (Hashtag) virtually through the hashtag and then an in person conversation facilitated by a professor and then captured in storify. (THESE POSTERS ARE CC and FREELY AVAILABLE TO USE)
    •  The Uterus Flag Project
  • Tools that can be used to engage:

SESSION – replace scavenger hunts with Problem Based Learning (PBL)
bit.ly/pbl-lib-instruction

small group discussion on scavenger hunts – sometimes good for tours, or for INTO folks; what is the real need or  goal for scavenger hunts?

– want new students to feel welcome
– want them to know about our spaces and services

these are good things! but apply problem based learning and use in a one shot, orientation, first year writing class, etc  HOW — groups, directions, scenarios, tools, teach others.

PBL from 1970s (Barrow) – student centered, small groups, teaching guide, student demos

why PBL good?

  • self directed learning
    centered in student experiences
    build  problem solving skills in research and inquiry
    students are teachers
    focus on the students strengths!
    relevant – cultural competences
    what is the students goal for success – it may not be yours!
    always have them do a so what? question at the end

see CORA – community of online research assignments https://www.projectcora.org/ 

EX: 2 websites an NRA site give a gun take a gun but its a .org (share the safety.ogr)| greatness site that is for runners that quotes PubMed but has lots of ads and its a .com — showing its not as easy as .org vs .com

LIGHTNING ROUNDS

Data Literacy as a flipped on shot -(Mary-Michelle Moore, UCSB)
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oWb6pGt8f7UPatMgzCOEVyzvso2sPzn0Xw-r1jNX-G8/edit#slide=id.g58fe40c26f_0_156

ZInes (paige Sundstrom/UCSB)  

  • “Wins Opportunities and Thoughts”
  • Zine in instruction class
  • 4 sources, any type; list of source reflection questions (why did you choose this/what did you learn – via text to images
  • reflection
  • do it again? a group zine

Students at the Center of the Studio: Peer learning, Collaborations, and Service Design
By Beth and Jane 🙂 
A PDF of our slide are here

 

 

Presenting at CCLI!

Presenting at CCLI!

Gleeson Library

Gleeson Library

University of San Francisco

University of San Francisco

** PHOTOS of the Gleeson Library and CSUMB are here!

NW College Reading & Learning Association Conference Day in McMinnville

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Jane and I attend the NW College Reading and Learning Association conference on Saturday March 2 at Chemeketa Community College.  It was a first for us both and a really useful conference day from CRLA, who’s role is for college professionals working with student academic success in areas of reading, learning assistance, tutoring and mentoring. We visited their learning center/library/tutoring center too, see photos of their version of our flippies in the URWS and other signage. 

Shawn O’Neil an academic coach from UNCG (the school where I use to work ironically!) was the keynote and really good one at that!  He gave a really keen analogy of learning to garden and grow a tomato plant in how we want to grow out students learning. The volunteer plants he got the next season grew into more and more plants – more and more tomatoes – in the end he was able to feed many more people through the growing of very few. His 5 steps to growing your students’ growth especially in the academic coaching area:

  • INTENT – guides us to our impact, clear as to why you are there. He suggest a survey to your students:  What did you want? and What did you get?.    He provide some great talking points with students:
    • “you are an expert in your own life – every decisions you made so far is fine with all the data you had at the time”
    • “you are not broken… we are not trying to fix you … we are just the GPS and you drive you own life”
    • “ how can I learn from you, as you are the expert in your life? what experiences got you here today that have been successful; where do you want to go; what are your strengths, goals – we’ll help get you there”
    • (for when they miss a meeting or appointment with you) “ hey we missed you today? Is everything ok? Maybe you are having a hard time prioritizing, can I help?”
  • FEEDBACK –
    • Suggest the read: “Thanks for the feedback” book by Douglas Stone.
    • Replace “BUT” with “AND” in your talking points
    • Get feedback from everyone; especially those who don’t like you! and sit with it  a bit – don’t be defensive.
  • LEAD THROUGH SERVICE: Know you are an expert; Co mentor each other
  • MENTORING – build bridges, students mentor other students. Read “the Spark of Learning”.
  • BE HEALTHY – do not burnout yourself or you cannot help others. Middle management is the most difficult – hard to think well with overwhelmed and stressed day in and day out. Some tips:
    • Write down everything you do at work a week – rank it, can you stop it, can you delegate
    • Set up a train the trainer model (peer to peer and staff to staff)
    • Make it visible, what you do, how you are doing it.
    • Stay grounded in your INTENT
    • COMPLAIN IN A WAY THAT SEEKS FEEDBACK! Not just complain to complain.

Session One breakout:  Incorporating High Impact Student Engagement and Active Learning

This session offered a number of small and larger active learning activities.  The Learning Log was given to us to fill out during the session, modeling what they do with students.  Here are some of the examples:

Sole Mates – an icebreaker, find a person who has the same shoe sole as you (what you discuss depends on your session outcome but it’s a way to get people moving and meeting each other)

Names on Table Tents – when using 8×11 paper with folks names  on it here are some options:

  • Have them turn it in at the end of the session with any questions they might have written inside the table tent – a way for questions to be asked for those not comfortable asking aloud in front of everyone.
  • Have them add other info about themselves on it, one at each corner such as fav book or movie, position, major, etc.
  • Use various colors for the name and then use that to break up into groups later

Frayer Model – in small groups, to understand tough words. Picture a square divided in 4ths with the word in the center, in the 4 areas: define, characteristics, example, non-examples

Pre-reads with reading prompt –  have students read ahead of time with PROMPT as to what lens to have when reading, or what sections to concentrate on, or what themes to keep in mind. This helps them be better prepared for the discussion.

Galley walk –  on computers or flipcharts or paper on tables, 3-5 discussion questions for small classes that gauge  knowledge and comprehension; walk in small groups around, comment, review, discussion, rotate station.

Quick Writes – 1-3 min write, often used at the start of every training or meeting; a quick write on the topic before discussing, especially good for touch topics or when it’s an early morning class or to just get in the habit of writing.

3-2-1 exit ticket –  3 questions you still have, 2 new things you learning, 1 thing you will try.

They suggest these other really good options  too  – role playing, scenarios, think/pair/share, giving feedback in small groups, small groups always, students teach trainers, scavenger hunts, observing & reporting back, students create a guide or handout

Session two:  Strengths-based Holistic Approach to Academic Coaching to Neural Diverse Students  (Check out their slides for more info)

Very interesting session from two Gonzaga folks in an area I didn’t know much about!  A plant analogy again – everyone has an environment to thrive in, like a plant, some have different needs, strength and interests.  Let’s all agree the goal is empowering students to be active and independent learnings in pursuit of their academic success. They work with many students but especially those with AS, ADHD, etc:  students who are often frustrated, feel shame about their “deficits” and have low morale. A key with neural diverse students is to flip their deficit to a strength (see HANDOUT: swap this for that)  Or find other strengths they possess to help them more forward.  Book:  Strengths-based Advising: a new lends by Schreinder and Anderson (2005)

Ask students:  why are you here? What have you done in the past to help? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Dialog helps you to pull this out them. Re-framing what they share, make them realize how far they have come vs how far they think they need to go. Many many students are FIXED mindset  – change to growth mindset by focusing on awareness, choice, responsibility  with questions on what and how (not WHY!)  HOW can I help you?  WHAT can you do?  WHAT do you think you can do. NOT “do all I told you and you will be fine”   Look for their speech that denies power!  Accountability and choice.

Try Motivational interviewing  – student is expect and they led the show, foster self-efficacy and self-trust through empathy’ guide them and help them find their strengths.  One key is being this ways as a practitioner & sharing your struggles with the students too.  Consider Intersectionality and power and oppression factors too!   (See HANDOUT: Motivational Interviewing)

ACRL-OR/WA Menucha Oct 2018

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ACRLPNW Menucha Oct 25-26, 2018  | ADVOCACY Theme  https://acrloregon.org/conferences/2018-acrl-or-wa-joint-conference/

Loida Garcia-Febo, president of ALA was the opening keynote on Libraries  = Strong Communities

Amanda Dalton, Lobbyist for OLA   “How to give an elevator speech ..” to legislators and in your professional workplace!  https://drive.google.com/file/d/131dkbFiI-O8NUBrvcpUTTX0gITkjywjT/view 

Prepare to spend time prepping and creating a 1 page sheet:  Ask yourself:

  • How did we get here? (a problem identified)
  • Where are we going? (what happened so far, possible solutions)
  • Bring the one pager you created as a “leave behind”  – this will encapsulate your elevator speech. It includes 3-4 bullets only, headline, bold/underline key points, add image/make attractive and easy to skim quickly.

Tips – especially w/ legislators

  • Make it personal. Find something about them that you can remember and connect with them on (but don’t make it something that would suck in your short time with the person, short, sweet, and lead into your main top)
  • When talking to legislators – go in, say hi and sit, do not fidget, be firm and confident
    • Also know what committees they are on, where they are from (constituents), their vote on issues or oppositions
    • Send the handout a day before to staffer; send messages after 8pm sunday night is key time
    • Always do a thank you (email) with staffers too. They are key to legislators!
  • Know your 3-4 bullet points very well and stick to them and come back to them, don’t get off topic
  • Say I don’t know but Ill follow up (which is great, b/c it means you have to follow up with them again and get your want in a second time!)
  • WII-FM (what’s in it for me) keep this in mind. They hear a lot all day so really find a way to convince them what’s good for them and why they should care
  • Manage expectations  – make it easy for them to agree with you; offer to help, talking points, etc

The Steps!

  1. Problem-solution OR law of 3 (offer 3  things/solutions); who supports/who opposes; why they should support this
  2. Message box – ONE goal, 2-3 messages (with 3-4 bullet points below each); think political ads; ALWAYS stay here, pivot back here, transition here when tangents occur.
  3. Action Item- be specific. Offer help.

OR … in other words of Inigo Montoya   https://twitter.com/eliganrood/status/1055587574188625920

Other Notes:  https://acrloregon.org/conferences/2018-acrl-or-wa-joint-conference/ 

Bishops Windows, mirrors and sliding doors – read up on for advocacy and understanding
Mirror = you
Window = understand how others may see you

The hate you give by Angie Thomas  (UW-T)
A Real Lit book club reading for social justice theme –  We believe that e sharing and cultivation of knowledge and experience is activism and a move toward social justice.

Colleen Sanders’ lightning talk  she gave a call to action to get interested library workers to sign up for a local (PNW) CritLib community of practice.

Irene herald, closing keynote, on advocacy. (In Beths words)

  • affirm issue (state high level purpose)
  • tie to org/vision (always must align)
  • State purpose (state real purpose)
  • Transform to ask in phrase “based in your…” ( show you did your history)
  • Make the ask clearly ( stay in the box)
  • Be quiet (active listening)

Key :: it’s not about meeting your goals but meeting the goals and needs of those who you are asking.
Check out AAUW vision 2020 women equity initiative
Helps to advocate – Look at unusual partners, Volunteer, Make connections

ARL/ACRL Symposium for Strategic Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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OSU Libraries & Press supported Marisol Moreno Ortiz, Philip Sites, Sarah Schuck, and Jane Nichols’ attendance at this 2 day Symposium, May 10-11, 2018.

The Symposium shared presenters’ slides and other conference materials. Viewing the program along with the slides will help inform which documents to look at. I know I’ll return to these to comb through to remember and for further inspiration.

Jane shared her notes. Reader beware! They are rough notes so some ideas may be only partially present.

A major take away is that learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion is a life long process. We will each have our own approaches, just like with any other acquired skill, knowledge, or wisdom. Does it go without saying to approach this with compassion? Compassion for self and each other. Along the way, maybe, like me, you will find attending, being present for, and participating in a symposia where all the attendees are participating in and focused on their learning to be rejuvenating and inspiring.

I think my favorite presentation was Jessie Loyer’s “Where do you work?: Rooting Responsibility in Land”. Many of these concepts about relationality and reciprocity are in her chapter “Indigenous Information Literacy: nêhiyaw Kinship Enabling Self-Care in Research” by Jessie Loyer, in The Politics of Theory and the Practice of Critical Librarianship, edited by Karen Nicholson and Maura Seale. If you want to talk with others about these concepts, it will be discussed during the Instruction Get Together Wednesday May 30, 2018, 11-noon, Autzen Classroom.

With thanks OSU Libraries & Press for your support to attend the Symposium!

ELUNA Conference 2017 (Ex Libris Users of North America)

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Tuesday – the day before Day One

As usual this will be an informal, slightly fictionalized version of the events that ensued during my travels.  I mostly tell the truth.  But I also mostly make things up as I go. So.  This all started at 5:45 am.  Unless you count the dog waking up at 5am, and again at 5:30 am forcing me to repeatedly roll over and pile the pillows over my ears (because the dog wakes the cat up and the cat meows incessantly until you get up and feed him). So I  guess I can’t blame it on the dog after all.

Planes were on time, and taxi lines were long, but I read quite a bit of “The Art of Asking” by Amanda Palmer.  I recommend it and you can borrow it when I’m done (seriously) but if you paint yourself white and stand on a milk crate, I take no personal responsibility.  Here’s what I learned as the plane flew across the midwest:
“Those who can ask without shame are viewing themselves in collaboration with – rather than in competition with – the world.
Listening fast and caring immediately is a skill in itself.
I have no interest in DIY. I’m much more interested in getting everybody to help me.  I think a better definition might be UWYC. Use what you can.”

http://amandapalmer.net/wp-content/themes/afp/paperback/assets/images/the-art-of-asking-cover.png

I also learned that it is okay to make people wait.  You are valuable. They are valuable also.  They deserve your time.  You deserve to take time.  If this is true of everyone, we need to stop hurrying and start investing.  Period.  Mic drop.

I got a cushy room.  Only for one night.  I need to pack up in the morning, move myself to a different hotel and carry my bags around. Aaargh.  Oh well.  I’m at a conference in a budget crunch.  I will complain as little as possible.

I spent the evening at a very good reception in a 3 story establishment with skeeball, foosball, pacman, and ping pong and I got to play them all.

I was also lucky enough to be joined by Dan, our discovery librarian *who I’ve added to the share in case he wants to comment or defend his honor.*

I ran into a scad of folks from the Alliance that I know who think OSU must just be an oasis of brilliancy, and who, of course, constantly threaten to steal our people (as they have with C-Dog and Zac).  Alas.  It’s hard having all the best colleagues – you guys rock.

TOMORROW.  6 am, I’ll rise, shower, and walk to the conference hotel with my prospects and my pick axe – and I’ll be digging for the dream. (“Every day that you get up and force your cards
Playing your story in fits and starts. Take your prospects and your pickaxe” Indigo Girls)

Miss you already.  Thank you for making this possible.

Wednesday Day
Or “In one hotel and out the other.”

Breakfast was delicious with bagels and scrambled eggs.  I ran into Julie Kowalski Ward from San Jose (who I met at the Access Services conference a couple years ago) – they’re going live in Alma next month and nervous! I’m going to try to have lunch or dinner with her this week and see what kind of questions she has.  Now for the conference.

Plenary
I got a chair in the back because it looks like we’ll be sitting awhile!  Record attendance again this year – over 700 people.

Habib Tabatabai is giving the welcome – mostly just recognition of the user’s group leaders and committees.  Mentioned that the user’s group will be focusing on Authentication, Knowledge Base, Alma usability and the new UI (user interface), Primo new UI, and Alma/Primo combined backoffice.

 

Mary Case – University of Illinois, University Librarian
Better Together: Enriching our Community Through Collaboration

Global community of collaboration, not just local consortia.  This includes not just shared collections and buying for the group instead of the institution, but also collaborating on data storage and preservation, research access, storage of de-duped collection and the maintenance of the agreed upon remaining print collections.  Requires a long-term plan to make sure we never lose the last known print copies as we go through the process of de-duping our collections.  OSU does this with the WEST program I think.  Those are the journal titles that come through circ and still indicate “Non-Circulating” – we have the copy that was saved!! Don’t lose it!  Public mission for collecting preserving cultural memory – special collections and archives are a huge help in this.  Not a very interesting keynote.  I’m kind of surprised.

 

Eric Hines – President, ExLibris North America
Global Company Update

A bit of a history of ExLibris, but one interesting thing – good company attracts good customers, BUT also good customers attract MORE good customers.  Which makes me believe that the Alliance (and OSU) are more than doing their share to keep Ex Libris flush.  One more good thing.  Community has the ability to bring things from the edges of the group to the center – for help, AND for growth.  Some of those folks on the edges have really good ideas!
Matti Shem-Tov – President, Ex Libris

Interesting points:  Over 1000 ideas have been submitted on the ideas exchange!  Wow – that’s crowd activity.  No indication from the speaker on how many of those ideas have been made real.

Break time – I got to check into my new room and the view is amazing.

Next Generation Library Services – this will be multiple speakers and appears to be a great big long advertisement for ExLibris products.  Including cheesy videos with dramatic soundtracks.

Bar Veinstein

“Generation CX” Customer eXperience.  Designing for the users – both us *libraries as customers* and OUR patrons.  Focus this year on staff workflow streamlining, increased user community collaboration, services consistently available, and addressing staff needs quickly.

New Alma UI promises less clicks to get things done, more customizable screens and fields, and a more intuitive layout.  Added 10 more ideas exchange points for each user, have developed 36 ideas so far (there’s the answer from Matti’s presentation above).  36 out of 1000, well….  Adding Benchmark Analytics (I’ll be attending a session on this later in the conference).  Ability to compare workflows and use stats against others – also unique and overlap records, etc.  These should be extremely helpful for acquisitions and cataloging to my mind. Check out Oklahoma OVAL (virtual academic lab) – they are doing some super cool things!  

“Bring joy and excitement, pleasure and fun, and Beauty to people’s lives.”  Don Norman

Shlomi Kringel

Discovery and resource lists – This discussion promises to be mostly about Summon (ProQuest), Primo and Leganto (reading lists product for course reserves).  Much of it won’t apply since we aren’t using some of these tools, but I’ll try to grab anything of value.  OOH- here’s a bit on the unified management of Primo and Alma *and a session Friday morning on it I’ll try to go to* – at this point, just a mention that combining config of the 2 products into one platform will make eas of publishing and record movement/edits much more simple.  AMEN.  Leganto looks cool but I believe it costs extra.  It allows instructors to use the lists themselves, make additions, drag and drop items into the lists, and etc.  Involves the instructors far more directly in their process of reserves, also allows for email/text integration through Canvas to notify students when a reading list has been created for their courses.

Ido Peled

Mobile Campus Solutions (CampusM) – supporting student services.  Estimated 5 hours per day on mobile devices for the average American.  Immediacy and urgency are built in to mobile devices.  CampusM creates a portal experience for mobile where all the different apps/contacts/sites they need to use can be put into one place.  Seems like ExLibris version of MyOSU, but includes “MyAccount” displays from Primo/Alma, cross platform similar to google integrations where all the things are in all the places (also like iCloud).  But can’t really tell if it’s trying to also be a learning management system like blackboard/Canvas.  Very odd.  But interesting.  ID box and push notifications – you can use cards or boxes at the entrance to rooms and buildings (or on people’s name tags) that work with apps to broadcast something whenever you’re close to them! I’m in love with this idea and need to read more on it – I think this is called cell broadcasting….

Okay LUNCH!  Macaroni and cheese, and Chicago Style pizza (as envisioned by hotel catering) – if that’s really what Chicago Pizza is like, I think my taste needs further development to get to a point of appreciation.  The mac and cheese was yum.

Alma UX – new user interface – Dana Sharvit (ExL)

This room is at almost double capacity so I’m sitting on the floor but will try to keep as good of notes as possible.  So far just an explanation of the process for coming up with the designs and functionality through user input, focus groups, and beta testers.  Workshop to get people to do their regular workflow from beginning to end – this taught them a lot about how people are using their product.

Multiple customizable menus including favorites, search display contents you can choose metadata elements you’re interested in.  Drop down in repository search displays previous 10 searches.  Right click to perform actions – no longer need all the action buttons.  Advanced searching allows you to type in the field you want (for instance “Location”) and it will bring up the terms that contain that option.  Uses “Look up OR Select” so you don’t have to go through all the steps to find your locations.  Still filters on the left, buttons on the right.  Most functions will ahve a different look but similar functionality so no need to re-learn process, but definitely we will have to re-do all the screenshots that include menus and navigation….

Rollout – May 21 for the focus group sandboxes. July for our testing sandboxes at the Alliance.  Alma community August or September release in production.

I’m actually presenting on the new UI at Summit/Fulfillment Day in early August, so I’m going to have to make huge push during that July sandbox period!  Yikes!

Analytics and Your Neighbors – Comparative Approaches – Aasof Klein @Rima Reves: this guy reminds me so much of Donovon presenting for Yoel Korick (ExL)

Comparative analytics needs to find a good balance of group size, number of institutions, comparative institution size and volume.  Benchmark Analytics requires a breadth of comparison and big data, key performance indicators (KPI), while Comparative Collection Analytics operates at a depth of comparison – small group, specific data

KPI need to be snapshot-ed every month or every year to enable the identification of trends

Example of need – ordering to shelf-ready time is significantly longer than reported at other institutions.

Data is kept non-identifying – collaborative and peer-measurable (so you can narrow down comparison sets).  Student body size, collection size, circ numbers, gate count, etc to allow you to decide peer to peer.

In analytics, Benchmark Preview.  3 subfields – KPI measures, KPI date, Institution Profile

Dashboard example allows you to choose public, academic, consortial, etc.

I’m left wondering (and will have to ask unless he says) if we will get this data from everyone or only those who volunteer – and how many will volunteer, or have the time to get the data entered?  (Just got the answer – 70% of Alma institutions have opted in.  @Dan Moore: Have we?  When was this decided? I totally think we should)! Will they supply preset canned reports that we can edit by date, location etc.?  Hoping that’s the case for consistent comparison – everyone builds reports differently otherwise and the data might not mean what you think it does.

Some areas of interest still coming – number of items in Reserves location added each year; fines and fees – money owed, how many owe, money waived.  Transit time.  Borrowing vs. Lending for resource sharing.  

Collection analysis – IS identifying – this is for working with partners to create shared collections that do not duplicate, or only duplicate to a predetermined extent.  These institutions will have agreed in advance to share their identifying inventory data with each other.  This will work really well for the Alliance.  Compare holdings, depth of collection in various areas, prep for remote storage, agreed retention of final print.  This is wonderful and cool, and will probably, ultimately decimate our print collections.  While that is painful thinking in my world, the idea of fresher collections and more space is kind of a great thing. I wish you all were here to be in on this so I won’t lose the thread of all this before I get home and have time to talk with people about it!  

Data contribution is turned on in Analytics configuration, profile question 1.  I can double check this!
Ours is NOT turned on!  So we can’t use or be used!  We’ll add this to the next SILS meeting list.

Unlocking your Library with Alma’s Open Platform – Josh Weisman (ExL)

Alma open platform – integrations with other systems, REST APIs, and community to share what you’ve learned or need to learn (blog and forum).  Use the developer network to get these things started.

Tableau Web Data Connector – allows library data to be included from Analytics.  This is brand new and available on GitHub it’s open source.  I don’t know if we use Tableau, but there’s a very easy connector that just asks for a key.  Pulls in the column names and data types, calls the API behind the scenes and populates it into the report.

SWORD Digital Deposit Protocol – not familiar with this project for document deposit interface.  But there’s an API for that.

Webhooks – a new way to communicate with Alma (HTTP callbacks) – when an event happens in Alma, it calls a REST endpoint with a predefined response – thing it does.  So when X, do Y.  You can see the back end structure in the letter activity screen.

 

Has to support GET and POST.  Configure in integration profile, Webhooks, URL and a Secret to test.  Can be used to trigger job order.  Once on job ends, start the next.  Or once a holdslip email is sent, send an SMS text message as well….  I want to learn more about all of this.

Login via email is also set up at the same place social logins are set up – this is an interesting idea if we get stuck with no internal auth.  But no EZproxy integration.

I really wish I had time to learn and apply all of these tools.  It seems like there is so much we could be doing given time and understanding.  Maybe a class on integrations?  I need to know more.

 

Administrator Changes in Primo & Alma – Jean Vik (Univ of TX)

This is the last session of the day and my tablet battery is almost dead so you may or may not get full notes in here.

Oh geez.  This is going to be a whole presentation about what gets changed in Primo instead of in Alma.  I don’t know if this is going to be too useful to me since I can’t get into Primo Back Office.

 

I just made what I hope was a quiet and graceful exit.  Off to the hotel room and then dinner with the Alliance members who are here.  Dan is coming, and maybe Richard – it’s at Olive Garden so I think ravioli is in my immediate future!

I’ll recap dinner if I get back nice and early, otherwise – I’ll catch you all tomorrow!

 

Thursday Day Two

Scenes from last night include trying to walk to the dinner restaurant and being overcome by a deluge from the sky that forced me back to the hotel for shoes, socks and pants.  I was naive to believe that my status as a native Oregonian would protect me from, or at least prepare me for a Chicago-area rainstorm.  There was lightning. After that I ate some of Olive Garden’s crockery.  No really.  I’m currently attempting to digest ceramics.  Anyway – enough of that.  I got up and joined an impromptu meeting on Resource Sharing vs. Fulfillment Networks in Alma and learned a few interesting things about how they do it in Wisconsin.

 

Ex Libris Strategy Update

Oren Beit-Arie (ExL Chief Strategy Officer)

ExL wants to extend their reach beyond libraries and into research, teaching and learning, and academic leaders.  In the research cycle, funding and re-use/openness rules, and competition are the 2 main drivers.  Visibility is critical.  ExL wants to move into data management and research storage, compliance and IR community supports in a single system environment.  System of Research Records.  Researcher deposits, sync with external repositories, capture published content.  Enhance metadata and identifiers, ad data linking and OA workflows.  Sounds like they want to move into campus-wide solutions (like their campusM tool) and focus more on the building institutional repository and data management tools.  Hoping this shift in focus doesn’t take away from their Alma commitments.

 

Customer Life Cycle at ExL

Jane Burke (ExL VP Customer Success)

YIKES – going to go work on email.  This is more of the ExL sales pitch and etc.  Yay! 1 hour to catch up!  

 

Document Delivery and Delivering Digitized Items – Nate Turajski “Solutions Architect”

And now that I’ve seen the presenter’s title, I’ve decided that we should all get “Solutions Architect” name tags. What do you think?  Do you love it?

I know that circ isn’t involved in doc delivery but this looked really interesting and it’s definitely functionality we have yet to explore in Alma.  **January 2017 release notes have good instructions.  Workflow for owned physical copy by email attachment, or link if you add it to the repository.  Depositing the article allows for limits of how many times it can be viewed and how long before it’s flushed.

Use regular request feature, then patron digitization.  Add Partial Digitization designation to have pages/chapter options pop up.  Have to be copyright clearance approved – waiting for copyright clearance is a status.  When ready to digitize, change to the digitization department (instead of the circ desk) because it really is a work order.  Set up is in fulfillment configuration menu under digital fulfillment, and user needs to be set up as an operator.  This is a simple enough process that I want to try a couple of tests of it when I get back.  I know that the upstairs folks are busy busy and use the scan and deliver, but this looks like a reasonable option – not knowing their full workflow I’m not sure if this would be an improvement or not.  It sounds like sending a link will of course require us to have storage space outside of Alma (unless we want to subscribe to their Alma D repository program solution).  More later – this will be fun to explore!  AND Ray indicated that she thinks we HAVE an Alma D subscription but she’ll have to check with Al to confirm that.  

 

Lunch!  Taco bar and Churros.  Happy tummy.

 

Management Q&A

These are questions sent in by conference attendees for the ExL managers.  Most of the answers are very surface level and the questions tend to express uncertainty and worry that people really aren’t sure how migrations might go or what the future of projects in discovery might look like as ExL redirects its resources toward new products.

Live questions included addressing the Chrome upgrade that broke stuff last month and what to do with our reliance on web browsers and their upgrades.  I asked a question about the new projects vs. the commitment to improving existing products with only 36 ideas exchange implementations.  Not much of an answer.

 

Calendars in Alma – Seriously??? – Tari Keller (UKY)

She’s got 10 libraries with different hours.  Hoping she’ll have some tricks and tips but so far this looks like basic configuration. Instructions in the wiki are just as good for this part.  She seems to use the calendar for informational pieces or things like that.  They don’t trigger anything though.  She mentioned that even though the libraries had similar hours, she had to duplicate the calendar.  But I got curious and this isn’t actually true.  If you add standard operating hours to the institution calendar, they will inherit to any libraries that DON’T have their own designating standard hours.  So you put the institution hours as the most common hours in this instance and only enter standards into individual libraries that are different.  I tried it with IPPC that has no hours/due times so nothing to mess up ((hoping I didn’t break anything – I think I deleted all of my attempts)).  I am doing a session on calendars at Summit/Fulfillment Day and think I’ll be sure to mention the different closing/different due time in multi library institutions, and using events to trigger exact due date by TOU and fulfillment rules.  This could be used to have regular collection books not due until beginning of next term but allow reserves to circulate as normal over the break, etc.  Rolling rules over at 1 year – potential effect on overdue #of days if you delete too soon, but annually works well. Very basic session but at least it got me thinking!  I’ve got ideas for August now.

 

Alma Product Update and Roadmap

Assaf and Dvir (missed their last names)

Main drivers include resource management, gaining insights, UX, collaboration, open platform operability, Acquisition streamlining (and other units).

Roadmap

Insights is about Analytics and the mission to benchmark and comparative analytics – Saw a full session on this earlier.

Unified Resource Management – this is more of the Alma D I was talking about, repository deposits, digitization workflow and etc.

Alma new UI for this summer (also saw this earlier)

Collaboration – convert/transform your records to move them out for consumption by 3rd party software.  Metadata integration with linked data and enhancing the metadata editor to work with linked records, support triple store service and using BIBFRAME.  I’m sure that Ian and the upstairs crew will understand all this and that.

Audience questions about continued dedication to making the community zone functional – working with other vendors to make it cleaner and easier to ingest records without creating dupes and errors.

Alma analytics – any move to real time data? No specific plans but interested

And that was it! Not a lot to go forward with, but there were a lot of small details in the printed document that weren’t presented here.

 

Alma Working Group Meeting

I’m not a member of this group but sitting in on their meeting just to see what they’re about.

  1. Enhancements – we’re waiting on pointing and 2nd round votes.  WG leadership is hoping for a more successful outcome – may work toward presentation of a low and set number of enhancement requests (5-10 possibilities) instead of the hundreds we start with.  A way to use our votes more strategically and to put ALL your points on the biggest issue each year so we can move some of these important things forward? Does EVERY request deserve to have it’s hearing?  Or should the group remove the requests that have low impact, low transferability, small # of impacted users?  Maybe raise the bar for submission of the enhancement requests including use case, screenshots and etc.  Incomplete enhancements or those that do not make sense should just be rejected.  Number of points is inadequate, missing functionality should not be an enhancement.  
  2. Authentication Focus Group – internal password options for removing them, but we need something other than just social media pass-throughs
  3. Primo/Alma mix project – session tomorrow
  4. UX Project for new UI – improved ergonomics, working on feedback methodology, May 24 in sandboxes for early adopters.  Look, feel, and ergonomics but not changes in HOW things work, just where they are and what they look like.
  5. Community Zone management

Working group is turning over after 4 years of service and looking for new members.

 

Dinner at Big Bowl (Thai food – not bad) and then planning Alma – The Musical with Mary from UO. We will be famous, we will mock, we will sing.  Rehearsals coming to a workroom near you.

 

Friday – Day Three

 

Slept through my alarm meant to wake me up in time to get a run.  Kind of on purpose.  I was really sleepy this morning.  Ray brought her extra chips and cookies and I’m taking them tomorrow for the plane!  Super Score!

 

Automation and Batch Processing for Remote Storage – Sarah Koller (UCDavis)

Their regional storage serves 10 campuses and they DO NOT duplicate titles.  Once an item is in storage it is shared between all campuses.  Their offsite storage does NOT use Alma, so once the item is moved.  Needed the item to not show in Primo because it can’t show true availability.   Need to move both monographs and serials.  This will be about monographs.  Used “change holdings information job” – required them to use a norm rule and Droolz (I know nothing of this but hope to learn).  Norm rule added a note to each holdings that it was relocated to storage – also provided an opportunity to check that other parts of the record were clean.

Create a set for monograph single, monograph multi-volume, and serials (depending on what you’re doing) – imported from Excel as an itemized set.  Employee the norm rule in the change holdings info job.  Once run, check the records for accuracy.  Then deletes items while maintaining the holdings and bib records.  Item list should be empty.

Note needs to go in the holding record because the item records will be gone.  Holdings stays so the record shows up in Primo but without availability.  Wondering if they could add a public note to each of these with a URL to the storage facility’s page?  OR make the title of the location a link to that page?  They used a button instead and it worked better – pre populates the ILL request form they use for pulls from storage.  Also I think buttons are supposed to be better than links for low vision/blind users and screen readers.

**Side note that Haithi Trust will send links to materials that you have had but no longer have (which is why they don’t delete ANY of their bibs and holdings).  Should this be true for us too?

 

Advanced Analytics – Allison Erhardt (UManitoba)

Change editor in “My account” preferences to start on the criteria page instead of results page.

Dashboard reports are based on loan date criteria – problems include the idea that returns will only be counted on items LOANED during that time AND returned during that time.  So if your range is March Loan Dates, something borrowed in February and returned in March would not count.

Lifecycle (physical items) – Active and None (deleted will bring back everything – even though they’ve been withdrawn)

Customize error reports in the xyz button results display, display custom message to make results message more friendly.  This is done per report.

***Bins act like a filter in reverse.  Groups your data together.  Loans per hour and per day of week.  Lists each one which is not what you want.  Put them in a bin and it will tell you how many instead.  Use Edit Formula and choose Bins tab.  Add a Bin to get Loan Time “Is between”

This is something I needed just 2 weeks ago. @Amila: This would have been so helpful when you were pulling laptop loans and returns.  Keep it in mind for the future.

Prompt order to put months in order instead of alphabetical.  Edit prompt (pencil button, options, choice List Values)

Adding a chart or pivot table from the view button (with the plus mark)

***Filter by results of another report – this for patron purge.  Report of expired patrons filter by report of expired patrons with fines.  add filter that the primary ID appeared in previous list (last option in the filter list- based on results of another analysis.  @April: let’s look at this as it will make your patron purge lists so much easier to use.  We should be able to cut out the entire excel portion of the process!!

Analytics special interest group list

MOST USEFUL SESSION

 

Just Like Starting Over – Using Primo and Alma for Course Reserves

Molly Gunderson (PSU)

Reserves are free in Alma, (even eReserves), more mobile friendly, single sign-on

Their method:

  1. Create Course (Terms list can be edited – @Rima: Would this be helpful?), add dates and instructor.  Save.
  2. Create Reading List from the course’s dropdown Menu.  Use status complete because if you walk away it might not ever get finished.  Click on “Work On”
    1. Repository addition do search, find item, change location, add item policy if needed
    2. Personal copy – material type is limited to book or article.

Nothing new here yet.  This is very much the same as what we’re doing.

Widgets for CMS (for us Canvas).  I’m not sure if we have this and don’t know how we would get it done…. I think we have a chat widget so wondering if there might be a search box with it?

They are creating an item for eReserves that is a “Course File” and then link that out to the list of stored documents – she did not designate where that list lives, but the documents are stored on PSU servers rather than in Alma.  If we have Alma-D we could use their space and use links which she said is preferable so you can count clicks.

 

Data and Holds from Alma to Banner – Joe Ferguson (UTennessee)

Students who owe more than $X, a hold is sent to banner – not monetary data, but a hold. Sent to banner daily, updated in Alma hourly

Uses PHP script, MySQL Database, Alma Integration Profile.

Integration profile to export user blocks (it’s in the patron loader profile – already set up, just needs to be configured and turned on).  Sends file to the MySQL Database (this is the same idea as the parser program you use @Emma when you send fines and fees).  Database writes a file that Banner understands and dumps it on a server for Banner to pick up.  Hourly, runs a job to check if the student still owes $X – if not, writes to file to REMOVE the hold. Could use Webhooks (just learned about these the other day but runs and if/then or do/when process and could keep from having to run for updated removals hourly).

They are mostly doing this because they only send active fines over after they are a year old!! So they need a way to dig at people to get the fines paid – the hold does that without posting charges to Banner until they are super old.  They also take cash which is good because it potentially keeps students from getting pushed into collections unless they’ve been a year out, but still allows a built in “nudge.”  They don’t send faculty/staff charges at all!  Only have them pay in-house.

**@April: Check and see if the “Fine Fee Status” in Analytics could be used in setting the patron purge report more easily.  

When they send the fines to Banner, the Bursar’s office sends the library money and buys the debt.  If this is true for them, is this happening here?  I had always heard that we didn’t get money from the Bursar unless/until the student actually PAYS the fine.  If we are really being paid for the debt, before it is paid this makes me really nervous.  I wonder who at Kerr I should ask.

 

The only thing left is the key note at 2pm!  I’ll see you then.  LUNCH!

 

I spent the hour after lunch helping Julie Ward from CSU to look at her fulfillment configuration.  They go live next month and I wanted to help her understand how the rules and their order matter. I missed the keynote speaker except for now he’s answering questions that I have no context for.  I feel bad that I missed it but hoping that was helpful for Julie – she’s awesome.  There are so few people still here but I wanted to be able to see the afternoon sessions (it looks like there’s actually one more after this) and not get home after midnight.  

 

Closing Session – Habib Tabatabai, ELUNA chair

Financial summary report, introduction of new committee.

Next year’s conference will be May 2-4, 2018 in Spokane Washington at the Davenport Grand Hotel! This should dramatically reduce conference costs for Alliance institutions and foster a huge amount of residence sharing.  We’ve all got friends in Spokane!

 

Alright everyone.  That’s a wrap.  I fly out tomorrow and should be back to work on Monday!  Thanks to all of you who held down the fort while I was away.  I’m sorry to read that you have dealt with odors, power outages, absences, car trouble, plague and loneliness.  While I can’t resolve these problems, I will be happy to return and share in your misery!

 

OLA Conference 2017 – Thursday, April 20th

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Amila’s notes from Thursday, April 20th, at the OLA Conference 2017. Conference website: https://orlib17.wordpress.com/

Keynote: “Libraries Save: Sharing Resources, Building Community & Providing Refuge During Uncertain Times” (8:30am-10am)

I didn’t take notes during the keynote but the speaker, City of Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, was very inspiring. She has led an interesting and often challenging life and her keynote focused on all of the ways that libraries were indispensable to her as she was dealing with youth homelessness, burgeoning political activism, opening an alternative bookstore, her son’s cerebral palsy, and running for city council. I would look her up if you’d like some inspiration!

Poster session (10am-11am)

This went great! I drew in a lot of people and told them our story and answered questions they didn’t even know they had. Since our poster was so… wordy… it meant that people could read the poster without my intervention, which was also nice. There were a lot more public library folks from small libraries so it wasn’t quite the same crowd or level of enthusiasm as at the Access Services Conference (and David wasn’t there to rile the crowd up). A lot of people took my fliers and said they’d be in touch with questions. One guy has wanted to start a board game collection at this library for years and we may have inspired him to just go for it!

Session 1: Libraries Save: Group Discussion about Innovative and Creative Approaches to Serving Community Needs (11am-12:30pm)

This session was kind of a continuation of the keynote with Chloe Eudaly. Chloe wanted to know what issues our libraries were dealing with, what cool things we were doing, and how she could help or connect us to people who could help. It was an “unconference” style so we just went around the room and talked about our libraries. As such, this session was a hodgepodge of ideas, resources, and cool things to look into. Here are some of them:

  • A lot of the public libraries are letting non-profits use their conference rooms for free. Unfortunately, we can’t do this. Our classrooms (Barnard, Autzen, and the Willamette seminar rooms) are not available to groups that are off-campus. The classrooms are free to use for OSU groups. We have fairly strict policies governing the use of these rooms as they are quite popular and they are some of the only free and easy-to-reserve multipurpose rooms on campus.
  • Some libraries had programming to teach people where to start engaging in the community and how to donate time and money. I didn’t write down which libraries, though. It sounded like Multnomah County was doing some of this work?
  • Multnomah County also has a “digital equity in learning” librarian position that sounded pretty cool. Here’s a little more on their library’s digital inclusion work (aka, services that tackle poverty and barriers to information access): https://www.benton.org/blog/innovators-digital-inclusion-multnomah-county-library
  • When speaking of hunger and food charity, people mentioned a new book that was just released by MIT Press about “the Unholy Alliance between Corporate America and Anti-Hunger Groups”. It’s called “Big Hunger” and it looks pretty interesting: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/big-hunger
  • I didn’t know this about eastern Oregon: 50 rural public libraries in eastern Oregon are part of a nonprofit called “Libraries of Eastern Oregon” and they collaborate on programs and services like science programs for lifelong learners and eBay workshops. It sounds pretty cool – rural libraries banding together to enhance the social capital of their often under-supported communities! Their website: http://librariesofeasternoregon.org/wp-site/
  • A lot of people in the audience had noticed that immigrants were not coming in to libraries as much as they used to because they’re afraid of the government and ICE and the library is a pseudo-government entity. People have found that library use, outreach, etc. have all declined because of this.

Session 2: Inclusive Library Team Culture (2pm-3pm)

This was a session by McMinnville Public Library staff about their 2013 initiative to create an inclusive library team culture and set staff ground rules and customer service standards that everyone must abide by. Their ideas were quite radical so the session was pretty interesting. Here’s a summary:

  • Here’s a link to their staff ground rules, also includes 14 takeaways: http://www.mcminnvilleoregon.gov/library/page/inclusive-library-team-culture-ola-presentation-2017
  • What prompted this change?
    • Between January and June 2013 20% of their staff retired, 50% of staff were working new duties, and 80% of staff were under a new supervisor. Needless to say, this caused internal issues.
    • Upstairs vs downstairs tension (reference vs circulation)
  • They asked themselves: “What rules can we abide by day-to-day that would improve our relationships and service?”
  • At the staff retreat they decided to create staff ground rules that everyone would follow:
    • Brought in an outside facilitator to help them.
    • Brainstormed positive and negative ideas on post-it notes, did the dot exercise (similar to what LEAD did at the last retreat).
    • Then aggregated suggestions to the ground rules above.
  • They framed these new rules positively, as a good change
  • They read these rules at every meeting, as a refresher.
  • This change created a leadership pipeline:
    • As a leader, no longer just completing tasks. They’re now delegating and encouraging others to complete tasks.
    • They even relabeled departments as “teams” and dept heads to “leaders”
  • Breaking the rules and documenting that behavior:
    • The rules are very behavioral – it’s possible to document if people are following a rule or not.
    • The rules are very useful for setting expectations.
    • Documentation of behavior is necessary if you want to change behavior.
    • They talk to employees who are not following the ground rules. Wow! Lots of people asked about this!
    • Staff ground rules are all about what behavior people need to display. This has actually made the conversations and documentation easier.
    • It’s the responsibility of supervisors to not shy away from those conversations. Better to have difficult conversations sooner than later.
    • The supervisor has to step up and tackle an issue as the starting point to resolving it. Example: Saturdays weren’t divided up fairly. Their supervisor stepped in and made them fair.
  • You need concrete rules to point to when conflicts happen – to hold people accountable.
  • They had disciplinary proceedings for people who did not follow the ground rules. It did lead to some dismissals. Wow!
  • To get people with the attitudes they want, they’re very careful with their hiring. They care more about attitude and positivity thank skills.
  • Some other ideas that stemmed from this or are related to this:
    • They chose to care and do little things for people. They went from not caring about coworkers to genuinely caring about them.
    • Talked about focusing on positives and strengths.
    • Go with the flow: influence rather than control.
    • Give credit rather than take it.
    • Servant leadership: Serve those under you, help them succeed
    • Getting to yes: What way can we tell a customer “yes”
  • Also talked about developing customer service standards (see link)
  • All in all, they noticed a definite change in the library aura after implementing the ground rules. Even the patrons noticed and commented on how much better the library had become!

Session 3: Time Management: An Unconference Session (4pm-5pm)

This was an unconference-type session where we just shared recommendations and experiences about time management. There were about 30 of us and all of us have tried multiple time management techniques so there were a bunch of good ideas going around. We sat around in a circle and hashed things out. It was an informative session.

  • Here are some methods and tools for time management:
    • Pomodoro Technique. A lot of people in the group had ADD / ADHD. Apparently people with ADD experience time non-sequentially? So, techniques like Pomodoro don’t work well for people with ADD.
    • Dot journal / bullet journal: customizable, lots of physical writing (if you like that kind of thing)
    • TickTick task app: better for easy things
    • One Note and other note-syncing programs / apps
    • Errands app
    • Trello: a board app for tasks
    • GTD: “Getting Things Done” philosophy. Anything that takes more than 1 step to complete is a project.
    • Toggl app: tracking what you did with your time. Also has a useful Google-based extension.
    • Outlook
    • Google Calendar: Has “goals” that look for open spaces in your calendar to add your incremental goals (like a 15 min walk)
    • Sand timer: Yes, a physical sand timer for like 3 minutes or so for replying to emails. Imposes a time limit, prevents you from overthinking it
    • Paperclip reward system: Reward yourself for good behavior by adding a paperclip to a chain and building a chain of success. Really, this includes any method to gamify your incremental focus successes.
  • How to focus:
    • Plugin that yells at you when you navigate to a time-wasting page
    • Set fake deadlines. (How to make yourself really believe them?)
    • Respond to things right away before the urge to ignore it kicks in
  • Before you establish priorities, establish criteria for what’s important to you
  • Using people as a time management tool: reporting to others to hold yourself accountable.
  • When someone asks for help we often don’t want to say no. We like helping and saying yes. What to do?
    • Can say “Yes, but can you take this other thing from me?”
    • Give yourself time to respond yes or no. Tell them you’ll get back to them.
    • Think of it this way: when you say yes, you’re taking time away from other projects and tasks you want to do as well.
  • Pay attention to your body – observe stress before you get sick
  • Many of us in the group are bad at estimating how long something takes.
  • Look into appreciative inquiry, a change management tool

Library Assessment Conference 2016

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” If you are not at the table you might be on the menu”

Plenary Session 2 – Keynote III: Brian Nosek, University of Virginia, Promoting an Open  Research Culture http://projectimplicit.net/nosek/

Space:

Reading Library Spaces: Using Mobile Assessment to Complete Your Library’s Story by Tobi Hines, Cornell University, Camille Andrews, Cornell University and Sara Wright, Cornell University

  • SUMA – most useful for asking a specific question
  • Improvements — Optimizing the screen real estate, adding a multiplier button, managed list of the most popular configurations

Evidence-Based Decision Making Using New Library Data, by Heather Scalf, University of Texas Arlington

  • Sampled 4 times a day for 3 weeks – found over 400 students studying at 2am (we generally have only 40); learning who is in the library by having swipe cards in and out  – used that for example to keep coffee shop open past 10pm; found out it’s mainly engineering students. Used EZproxy to determine habits of online students.

Driving the BUS: A Multimodal Building Use Study and Needs Assessment  by Mandy Shannon, Wright State University  

  • Building use study (Current use patterns and constrained needs)and needs assessment (prospective and unconstrained needs) – two different apples. Study – Semester, week, day. 2 days a week, 6 times a day, 6 weeks a semester.
  • Data: gate counts; used SUMA (zone based analysis – as a whole on some floors and zones on other floors according to noise levels, and grabbed info on tech use, furniture, and size), white boards for voting and why; questionnaire on random tables; photographs by those doing use counts that can’t easily come up in other data count methods. (ALL DONE IN SPRING TERM). Needs assessment survey in Fall with office of institutional research. Analyzed data = variety, diverse, it depends.  Still value quiet.
  • Tip – build in planning time! Work with a non library entity for perspective.

Don’t Dismiss Directional: Analyzing Reference Desk Interactions to Develop an Evidence-Based Content Strategy for a Digital Wayfinding System Christine Tobias, Michigan State University 

  • Developed their content via Ref desk transaction — looking at directional questions (like we are doing with concierge data!) 
  • MSU Digital Signage Working Group: allowed library to centrally manage signage, created formal guidelines for future digital signage installations (this was in collaboration with the whole university). This group included UX librarians/staff
  • Content strategy:  Signs had to include school brand, campus maps, emergency information in addition to wayfinding;  organized directional questions into broad categories (ex. events/exhibits, photocopiers etc) Renovated floor maps, directory, event scroll, weather on 1 screen

Shh Stats: Mining the Library’s Chat Transcripts to Identify Patterns in Noise Complaints Jason Vance, Middle Tennessee State University

After the Ribbon Cutting: Creating and Executing an Efficient Assessment Plan for a Large-Scale Learning Space Project Krystal Wyatt-Baxter, University of Texas at Austin Michele Ostrow, University of Texas at Austin

  • Repurposed staff space into media lab, active learning classrooms, and writing center.
  • Tips – use mixed methods, show users the changes, start with loose policies and grow them, maybe sure you are super granular in assigning who does what. And – Take workflow into account to schedule time intensive methods for when you are less busy

Lead Users: A Strategy for Predictive, Context-Sensitive Service and Space Design Ameet Doshi, Georgia Institute of Technology  Elliot Felix, brightspot strategy

  • “The future is already here but it’s just not evenly distributed”  – william gibson
  • Eric Von Hippel –  book – Democratizing Innovation  “lead users”
  • Everett M Rodgers  – book  – Diffusion of Innovations  “early adopters”
  • Methodology:
    • ID Lead users (early adopters) top 15%  – ask around in the library for who falls in this group; looked to advisory boards
    • Engage through interviews (1st), workshops,  shadowing (quietly, unobtrusively), journaling (for a week) –  then they synthesized the data with post it notes to get insights.
    • ID workarounds, innovations — looked for key moments, discovery times, when they were growing, creation times, showcasing moments
    • Compare their behaviors to how other users are trending – what could they learn from those people?
    • Create  concepts based in lead users ideas and new ones to meet their needs. (gave some examples)
    • The methodology will only get you so far, you have to cultivate the empathy of your users so they will open up, share and be willing to allow you to shadow them.

From Data to Development: Using Qualitative Data to Create New Ideas and Solutions Ingela Wahlgren, Lund University, Åsa Forsberg, Lund University

  • 2nd largest university in Sweden.  A 62 foot reference desk!!
  • Touchstone tours – users showed librarians a tour of the key touchpoints the person used when visiting the library (30 min)
  • Cognitive mapping – had users draw their vision of the library, change color pen every 2 minutes (for 6 min total) so you can see what they saw as important (drew first) then interviewed them for 10 min afterwards (EX:  first showed the cafe, then commented on the so-so exhibit, then drew the restrooms, and then sits in his spot, then nothing much else except he lastly wrote “I do not know what happens in here”  haha!)
  • Then spent 2 days in a conference room to analyze data and do affinity mapping and analysis.  EX change – moved their digital sign to near the restroom where people were queuing and would see and read it!
  • Sorted using how now wow matrix http://gamestorming.com/games-for-decision-making/how-now-wow-matrix/
  • Insights:  Can gain many insights from just a few people &  Asking people in person gives a much higher response rate —  went into the library and just asked people instead of sending an email to a ton of people

Space: Describing and Assessing Library and Other Learning Spaces Bob Fox, University of Louisville, Steve Hiller, University of Washington, Martha Kyrillidou, Quality Metrics, LLC Joan Lippincott, CNI

 

 

Assessing to Transform an Aging Learning Commons: Leveraging Multiple Methods to Create a Holistic Picture of Student Needs Jessica Adamick, University of Massachusetts Amherst Sarah Hutton, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Desk stats (libanalytics)  – from  3 different service points in one area. Use Tableau to visualize. Headcounts –  every hour for a 6 weeks a year
  • Microclimate spaces  analysis – classroom, presentation style practice and group study space (what worked and what didn’t, place to test before developing long term)
  • Focus Groups  – Had school of management, do it they did 10!
  • Ethnographic research  – used anthropologist on campus, and her students did the work, part of their syllabus,  they with many different methods
  • Workflow studies too
  • Findings and Recommendations!
    • Wayfinding and communication problems identified.
    • Consolidated ref, ill and circ
    • Individual spaces in open area (semi-enclosed seating).  Students like microclimates – smaller areas within the larger area.

Consulting Detectives: How One Library Deduced the Effectiveness of Its Consultation Area & Services Camille Andrews, Cornell University Tobi Hines, Cornell University

  • Context/Goals
    • Mixed methods  assessment for consultation area
    • Multiple help desks in 2014 which was confusing with different hours
    • Declining reference traffic,
    • Wanted to improve the visibility of the internal and external consult services
  • Methods:
    • Completed lit review, site visits and environmental scan
    • Focus groups
    • Interviews with staff
    • Prototype spaces and surveys
    • Space observations
    • Reference transaction analysis
    • LED TO: people don’t mind separate desks, but need to know where to get what ⇒ Wayfinding!  Highly visible first point of contact, but a quieter area for longer ref consultations. Also – improve signage, merge poster printing and circ, made room for in depth consult services.
  • RESULTS:
    • New, eye-catching signage that listed each service available.
    • Everyone that works at the combined circ/printing desk knows how to do everything, student coverage has improved.
    • Reconfigured space using existing furniture and tech for consult space, available for group study after 6pm.  Used SUMA to get info on size of groups using it after 6pm.
    • Added a (paper?) survey so students could complete
    • Staff survey to ask what worked and what could be improved.
    • More visual and acoustic privacy wanted — will be purchasing furniture that will work for this.
    • Will add digital signage at entrance  and will have tablets on stands at various workstations
    • NOTE: Important to know what other institutions are doing BUT make sure you listen to YOUR users.

Public Workstation Use: Visualizing Occupancy Rates Jeremy Buhler, University of British Columbia

  • Assessment as map-making – showing a rough sketch of how/where people are and what they’re doing/using.
  • Multiple campus study.  But hadn’t researched basic questions about numbers, distribution, placement.
  • Simple data – how many logins/logouts – but doesn’t tell about occupancy.  Excel allows to extract occupancy rates, which gives a much richer dataset – same pattern, but the bars show concurrent occupancy rather than number of logins/logouts.  These bars show when they’re at full occupancy.
  • Studied occupancy rates/patterns at specific locations – realized they were under-occupied in some spaces (people don’t know they’re there), at 100% occupancy in others (that are obvious).
  • Set up for anything that has target based time stamps so that they could set goals for workstation use.  (see slide for url to show tableau data visualization)

Library Snapshot Day, or the 5 Ws—Who, What, When, Where, and Why Are Students Using Academic Library Space: A Method for Library User Experience Assessment Gricel Dominguez, Florida International University Genevieve Diamond, Florida International University Enrique Caboverde, Florida International University Denisse Solis, Florida International University

  • one day library snapshot day!
    • 1 day, 3 hours, observational
    • 6 public floors, 9 zones
    • Teams of 2-4 per zone (2 single researcher in 2 zones)
    • 34 factors in 3 categories under observation
    • IRB
    • A little ethnographic work too, tweet campaign across campus including the provost, marketing
  • Purpose – to ID user behavior and needs and find areas for improvement and promote library as a place
  • Methods – sweating sweeps and observation
  • What they did:  ID zones/locations to observe, came up with factors, choose a time of term, created an intense checklist, scheduled it with everyone, did practice run through, include staff too!

 

Organizational Issues/Other 

Assessment by Design: A Design Thinking Project at the University of Washington Libraries Linda Garcia, Washington State University Vancouver (linda.garcia@wsu.edu) Jackie Belanger, University of Washington    http://libraryassessment.org/bm~doc/belanger-handout.pdf

Space Assessment Via Tableau  – U of Washington Libraries  https://visualibrarian.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/library-space-assessment-in-tableau-a-step-by-step-guide-to-custom-polygon-maps-and-dashboard-actions/

Used Tableau to visualize the data https://public.tableau.com/profile/libraryviz#!/vizhome/REACH_1/REACHDashboard

Using Peers to Shed Light on Service Hours for Librarians
Hector Escobar, University of Dayton @greenghopper Heidi Gauder, University of Dayton

  • Staffs a ref desk about 40 hours a week
  • Surveyed peers institutions about their reference staff on the desk
    • What does your reference staffing model look like now
    • What are the roles of your librarians
    • Have there been shifts
  • Combined service desk was most, then traditional service desk, then other then ref consultations only (smallest)
  • Results:
    • Mixed bag of who staffed – (see slide)
    • Have the number of public service hours for your professional librarians declined?      60% Yes 40% No
    • 12 of the 17 will change or have changed service approaches by decreasing service hours.
    • Decreases because of liaison activities, less consultations, more chat reference
    • How can you be equitable Workload Policy. (fairness important)
    • http://www.slideshare.net/HectorEscobar20/using-peers-to-shed-light-on-service-hours

Active Learning with Assessment
Katharine Hall, Concordia University Meredith Giffin, Concordia University

  • Developed staff 2 part workshop with active learning exercise to learn about assessment
  • Workshops also met strategic plan initiative to increase skills/share expertise
  • The same people who did not like it before still did not not like it afterwards!
  • Scenario breakout groups good chance to work with others and get different perspectives on assessment
  • Active learning component of the workshop was successful

 

A Comparison Study of the Perceptions, Expectations, and Behaviors of Library Employers on Job Negotiations as Hiring Employers and as Job Seekers
Leo Lo, Old Dominion U  Jason Reed, Purdue

  • 74% of our profession have negotiated a job offer in the past.  This is low compared to national average which is 82%.
  • Why don’t some people negotiate? Afraid to jeopardize the job offer.
  • What you should know:
    • Employers expect candidates to negotiate.
    • Only 71% have withdrawn the offer.  If so, it’s because salary demanded was unreasonable. Or issues arose during background check, or candidates did not accept one or more elements of the offer. Or they suspected the candidate was holding out for another position.
    • Didn’t find significant gender diff in negotiation, but older respondents were less likely to negotiate
    • People who had more jobs tended to negotiate MORE
  • How much flexibility is there for salary?  Seems like there is more depending on how senior the position was.
  • Human psychology at work here  – as employers we believe there is flexibility but (same people) as job seeker do not see there is flexibility!
  • Australians (this was presented at an Australian Library Association conference) believe Americans are “more proactive” and more likely to negotiate. So cultural norms or assumptions about cultural norms may affect behavior.  
  • Questions for these researchers to ask later: did you distinguish between staff-level and faculty-level (tenure specific) librarian positions? did you take into account whether job seekers were “currently employed” at the time of their search?    
  • READ: “You’re hired! An analysis of the perceptions and behaviors of library job candidates on job offer negotiation”   The Southeastern Librarian 64(2), 2-13.

Impact of Academic Libraries on UG Degree Completion  http://crl.acrl.org/content/early/2016/09/27/crl16-968.full.pdf

 

 

 

 

2016 Designing Libraries for the 21st Century Conference Summary

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The Designing Libraries for the 21st Century conference held in Calgary, Canada in September 2016 was attended by Margaret Mellinger, Beth Filar Williams and Victoria Heiduschke. It included a pre-conference day on Learning Spaces and one on Data Visualization.  

Overall key takeaways:

  • All space design must be purposeful and intentional
  • When doing even minor redesigns of space it’s most helpful to bring in outside consultants to help with the process and planning
Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning (TITL)

The Learning Spaces pre-conference was held in the brand new Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning (TITL)

Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning (TITL)

Key Highlights:

  • When designing spaces think first of the intention and purpose, not the furniture and arrangement. It’s all about the LEARNING–not the things in the space.  What are the gaps on campus? Should be intentional, but note duplicating a space might really have a new intention or group or bring together multiple disciplines as like the real world.
  • Foundational design  characteristics to consider
    • Flexibility – Versatility such as all movable furniture so the space can rearragned for a new intent.  For example, the TITL had a large lecture hall room which could be pushed back like bleachers to make any sort of active learning classroom
    • Transparency such as rooms with glass walls or open spaces to see learning in the process
    • Collaboration
    • Technology  – the backbone- a critical aspect for 0918161020all space.  For example, TITL has the tech boxes throughout the space in the floor.
  • System architect – create blueprints for students workflow and instructors workflow while in the design process. (hint: this is service design thinking)
Reflection Loft area

Reflection Loft area

Conversation Pods hang from up high!Key highlights:

Conversation Pods hang from up high!Key highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core values of design concepts within a space and with partners:

  • Intention —Everyone need think “how does my work contribute positively to student learning?”
    • Think about regular practitioners, and the occasional practitioners, and the students…but also the consumer – those who will not do these big research projects, but chat, connect with others on campus, etc.
    • Offer  “Seeding SoTL” initiatives – (http://www.ucalgary.ca/taylorinstitute/seed-SoTL) – form a reading group, a teaching square, a community of practice, hosts a small unconference. Note: often instructors learn in small, informal conversations, than big former presentation settings.
  • Flexibility/Versatility —  Adapt to specific context and recognize that quality and effectiveness are informed by these contexts: existing experience, local context, knowledge catalysts (networkers and connectors) … and connect these networks and groups by providing resources and meaningful opportunities to connect these networks.
  • Transparency — Share process and products with other out of respect, trust, and desire to contribute to knowledge growth. EX: the teaching academy (highlighted on the wall of honor) goal is to make teaching and learning open and shared.  EX: open classroom week, where 20 instructors allowed over 200 observers to come to their classroom, to see the real authentic learning and teaching in process – not for telling these people what they did wrong but to simply observe. Teaching is tough, let’s share with each other.Core Values image
  • At VCU they classify their spaces into three areas:   Destination space, study space and campground spaces..

Ideas to consider at OSULP:

  • Photo diary interviews with our users.  Here is an example:   Understanding user in our Learning spaces, by Susan Beatty U of Calgary Studying students on their perceptions of library learning spaces. Why do they choose specific spaces to learn? They learn in different spaces and different ways.  Have them photograph specific types of spaces, then interviewed them about photos such as “what are the features, what would help you learn, how top you use them”  Recruited by asking “do you study in the library?”  gave $25 gift card for the interview. Used social media to recruit along with posters. Hoped for 20 and got 50 interested, all types and levels.  Results: learning awareness, even if they did not use the space they knew what it was best used for. (See my photos) Though she didn’t ask the value of the library, they told her — functionality, they want to be able  to move to various spaces and access various services, in one place….also a sense of belonging or Ownership, and key to academic success. (see her slides for details) Also mood and motivation – comfort zone, not necessity comfy seats,  but safe, space to be open to learn and achieve their goals.
  • Student Videos: Ask students to a 1-5 min video on why they love the library. Give a prize to winner. Use these to show the trustees! (Purdue libraries); and  make use of stairwells, for quotes, poetry, of students or former students, or art by students; helps students make this space, their space. Could be a great partnership with SMS. 
  • Visiting Libraries: Bring a student or multiple students with you when visiting other libraries for ideas on creating intentional spaces.  
Data Viz wall

The Data Visualization pre-conference was help in the Taylor Family Digital Library  (http://tfdl.ucalgary.ca/faqs)

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Key Insights | application to OSULP:

  • Because screen technology is changing so quickly, Edmonton Public Library will wait until 2019 to finalize hardware decisions.  
  • The programming that will happen in the space is more important than the space – it is also the more difficult part. While we have been talking with faculty about the data vis space, we also need to interview students, analyze curricula and frame the need for this space in broader digital and data literacy terms.
  • What I liked about the Auraria Library was the examples of low cost applications that could be employed and displayed when curriculum or research based content was not available. Good for keeping content fresh and for attracting tour groups to interact with the wall.
  • Hire a part-time, dedicated project manager (outside of the contractors, vendors, facilities people) –  someone to represent the libraries’ interest and schedule.
  • Form a group to prior to installation
  • SANDBOX VR in public spaces  – this would be a fabulous event for us to do with Ecampus people  (NCSU is doing this)

Closing Panel: Rethinking the organization as you redesign space

Organizational Change:   For major renovations or organization structure changes, Murray-Rust suggest these important lessons:

  • Actively manage and socialize change  – protect people’s self esteem and minimize fear and anxiety.  
  • Seek out and accept outside help. There are reasons for change and outsiders can help
  • Offered Mindfulness training for staff 12 – 1:30 once a week.

University of Rochester New Service Model in Old Spaces

  • New space includes:  New desk called   “Q&I” (questions and information); Computing and Tech “Sandbar” ; Very few fixed workstations; Research consults throughout the space “YOU ARE THE REFERENCE DESK” ;  Popup programming; 3 digital screens
  • Process for organizational change over 3 years: started with strategic plan and a facilities master plan; Created a series of working groups to arrive at a service models for access and reference (hired Brightspot for this); THEN did the space design
  • Key points: staff drove the changes, which were a series of incremental ones – renaming spaces, creating new services, making service desks smaller

Important Lessons:

  • Gained important lessons from Leading Change by John Kotter.
  • Everyone has to see themselves in their roles and understand the narrative.
  • Moved from “my library” to “our library” learned to work in groups (not always in consensus – there are gradients)

University of British Columbia, Barber Learning Center

  • How does the organization respond to space changes and when are spaces no longer viable?  They consolidated a bunch of libraries and service points.  
  • Process for organizational change was a “seismic shift”  There was a strong initial vision, but they also have staff who work in community-driven ways.  They have a governance council.
  • Staff organized a community of practice to take charge of their own development and this was particularly effective.  

Important Lessons:

  • If you are the person with the drawings, you must go beyond communicating change and socialize change.  
  • Make your first teams as big as possible – people support what they help build
  • Imagine the project as a chapter in the library’s story
Studio Bell - National Music Center

Studio Bell – National Music Center

Studio Bell Music Makerspace

Studio Bell Music Makerspace

Mount Royal University Library - reclaimed skateboard wall

(new) Mount Royal University Library – reclaimed skateboard wall

Mount Royal University - Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts

Mount Royal University – Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts

Beth’s ALA 2016 Summary

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flying

Window views: from Portland, to Phoenix, to Orlando!

atlas rocker

…got to see an rocket launch from my Aunts porch!

After taking vacation on the front end to see family….

ocean

West coast beaches are beautiful but you can SWIN in the Atlantic!

…I headed friday to ALA in Orlando!  As I have been rotating off many of commitments and committees this past year, it was nice to wrap up many things and enjoy ALA networking with new and old friends.  My main focus this year was seeing the ALA Sustainability Round Table (of which I was a founding member & published an article on) finally have a real presence at ALA. Check out these   to hear more and read about two of the sessions SustainRT hosted in American Libraries Magazine:

Carribean Libs at ALAAlso, a panel of Caribbean Librarians spoke about The National Library of Aruba: Promoting, Enhancing and Embracing Green Education  0701161555

Did you notice the name badges had no plastic sleeve, thank  SustainRT folks for pushing back on that!

atwood

Margaret Atwood was hilarious  – so witty – I found myself laughing out loud. I cant wait to read her book this fall as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare project!

browns posters

I also got to see my former colleagues from UNCG as we celebrated the much deserved award to one of my favorite folks at UNCG Brown Biggers as LJ’s Paralibrarian of the Year.

I enjoyed small group discussion at the Heads of Public Service DG meet up where we discussed space allocation and staffing with no miraculous answers but nice to connect with others in similar roles.  The  ACRL ULS Taking Our Seat at the Table: How Academic Librarians Can Help Shape the Future of Higher Education was a little disappointing in content  – hmm or maybe we are already doing many of the things discussed – though I did hear some large libraries say they are stopping their Gov Docs collecting (!), and much on affordable textbook initiatives. I did really like this slide quizzing us on what we should know/be able to answer about our schools.

2 min quiz on your school

and this humorous one on how to earn your seat at the table!

earn a seat at the table how

 

 

OLA debrief….

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A few of us met to share what we learned at OLA and ideas on what we might be able to apply here:

Library of Things Lightning Talks:  Giveaway boxes – seeing libraries as a cultural center. What people need and what people want along with academic mission  EX: seed library, partner with food pantry; tool lending library.  Issues: staff problem to maintain and lack of space.  Ideas:  do we have to be the keepers?  facilitate where to go to get these types of things? like a libguide?  OR could be have a spinning rack to display but store them elsewhere.
Follow Up???? 

Better connection with public library and Valley library? a think session between the two entities? when they get a new adult services manager we should connect. Getting public library card applications in our library so students can get cards to access resources?
Follow up: Maybe Beth should be the liaison to this new adult services manager? 

“doing more with less” marketing in libraries. what do we want the users to get from the libraries rather then everything that is overwhelming to them.
Follow Up: spotlight feature on website needed, to highlight events/items/info – is this happening? Beth/Uta will ask Mike 

The Edge Tools – assessing & measuring your technology needs and usage; free for basic set; ts for public libraries from Gates foundation but can our land grant mission help us get access?
Follow Up:  brooke/lori will follow up on possibilities of getting access to this 

Other good sessions:

  • Curiosity Session – people loved it and would love to see it again. 
  • Auto ethnography Session  -telling your own story; approaches to research; your story; gather a wide collection of stories; self assessing reactions to an event, content, etc. emotional intelligence based. Beth still doesn’t quite get this 🙂 
  • OR Readers Choice Awards Books  https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/  Ideas: maybe kelly could do book talks like this? How about a poetry slam on 4th floor rotunda once a month/quarter? maybe talk to Marty about book talks for Press Books?  Follow up:  Korey will contact Marty about this idea