User Studies: What are we learning, and
the implications for research libraries.
Crit Stuart, ARL
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Survey of Noteworthy Teaching & Learning
Initiatives in ARL libraries -- 2008
Comprehensively record innovations and
noteworthy experiments in library:
1.
2.
3.
teaching efforts
virtual resource development, and
productivity spaces …
to portray to the community.
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Purpose of the Survey
New and noteworthy:
“fresh direction or previously untried at your library
but promising” and
“significant, and perhaps modeled on and modified
from another library’s efforts.”
Identifying:
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scalable models
trends
assessment efforts
goals / aspirations / influences
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Responses to Survey
(potential for 116 libraries to respond)
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Responses to Survey
Part 1: “Information literacy / instruction”
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Campus collaborations”
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education technologists
CETL / CITL
information technology
writing programs
academic assessment office
freshman experience
academic departments & colleges
library special collections
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Audiences”
Targeted at:
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engage-able classes
freshmen
comprehensively across undergraduate cycle
graduate students (limited)
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Styles of engagement”
Framed as either:
• “formal” -- aspects of a course / curriculum /
face-to-face
• “informal” (virtual) -- serendipitous
engagement / as needed
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Enabling technologies”
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podcasts
Camtasia
videos
wikis, blogs
Second Life, Face Book
“quick bites” … trend to create resources that
don’t bore or lose audience
– commercial resources that can be tailored
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“New competencies training”
– research methodologies
• undergraduate
• graduate (limited)
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oral presentations
writing proficiency
new forms of scholarship
multimedia
data / GIS
ethics / personal accountability
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Staffing experiments”
shift to new pedagogies:
• less “talking head”
• student peer tutoring
• team teaching with academic faculty
ambitious learning outcomes:
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critical thinking
research methodologies
fluencies
knowledge creation
 ramped-up pedagogical skills and technology
training for instruction librarians
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
TRENDS
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: videos and podcasts to assist searching
catalog and databases.
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short duration
“help at hand” when stuck
useful for large lectures
familiar media
basic-to-deep coverage of a topic, skill, or
resource
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Camtasia
– embedded guides and instruction in course
management systems (screen capture, with voiceover, video, text options).
– partner with academic faculty and TAs
– pops up at critical points in the course
==> some pre- and post-assessments to determine
efficacy; monitoring “hits” of resources
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: personal librarian
• follows a class throughout 4 years; or
• focuses on freshmen in basic writing course; or
• “parents’ librarian”
– timely postings
– to promote library use through a personal
assistant; heighten awareness
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Popularizing Special Collections
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digitize collections for desktop access
stimulates critical thinking using primary materials
creates new knowledge
example of grads paired w/ undergrads for research
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Research and information competencies
– working with freshman via composition courses
– pacing info literacy throughout 4-year curricula,
with increasingly sophisticated elements
– $$ to recruit academic faculty to come onboard
– scaled to department, college, or campus (but
challenged by large classes)
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Academic integrity
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targets freshmen, all undergraduates, even grads
addresses plagiarism, copyright, open access,
embedded in freshman seminar as a segment
module persists on library Web page
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Wikis
. . . frequently linked to specific courses
– contain resources, tutorials
– training & workshop information
– exercises
– subject specific portals
– links to blogs on latest resources, current
awareness, and new tools
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Image collections promotion and use
– promoting image repositories (leased,
purchased, locally-created) to faculty for
incorporation into class presentations (w/ $$
incentives!)
– greatly accelerated use of digital stores
– ARTstor may figure prominently
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Multimedia training for faculty
– providing faculty with skills to critique new media
– capturing & editing skills
– serving courses with potential for new media
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Info instruction built on research problems
– library instructor as facilitator
– students tasked to “think, pair, share” (peer-to-peer)
– requires librarians to be adept in learning
pedagogies; engage with faculty & curricula
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: librarian supports student e-journals
– librarian liaison to editors & writers
– helps them choose scholarly resources, and to
write “with appropriate style”
– copy-edits articles with links to style guides
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Faculty & grad CMS support
Tutorials & resource creation for faculty and TAs …
– enrich course management sites
– create pedagogically appropriate assignments.
==> librarians as education technologists or CETL
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Graduate student competencies
Information competency seminars:
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research methodologies
print & digital resources
exposure to data mining tools
help with dissertation writing
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Celebrating creativity
– prize for best undergraduate research paper
– “Digital Information Literacy” contest
– displaying student & faculty works
– monthly lectures from outstanding faculty
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Themes”
Topic: inhabiting virtual spaces
• Facebook
• Second Life: holding classes w/ academic
faculty; sandbox / brainstorm space for projects
• for announcements, info resources, research
help … going where students congregate
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Information literacy & instruction
“Trends”
Topic: Parents of freshmen
– brief, hands-on workshop for parents
– remember this lecture … “When your son or
daughter turns to you for help, send them to us.”
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Response to Survey
Part 2: “Physical spaces & programming”
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Targeting”
Undergraduates
Grad students (emerging trend)
Faculty (emerging trend)
==> SPEC kit in 2009 on graduate and faculty
spaces
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Collaborators”
Collaborations:
Campus administrators
Multimedia
Freshmen
Alumni
Honors classes
Writing clinic
Student Advisory Council
Library staff
Innovative faculty
Assessment specialists
Undergraduates
Student organizations
Food services
Student Government
Tutoring
CETL / CITL
Security
Graduate students
Counseling Center
OIT
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Enabling technologies”
– individual and group computers
– multimedia capacities
– touch screens, large display capacities
– team software
– myriad devices to loan
– variously scaled printing, format conversion
==> sandboxing, testing new tools and software,
experimentation
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Ambiance”
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influenced by customer expectation & input
dynamic and quiet zones
malleable settings; ergo-smart furnishings
multi-purposed spaces (co-controlled by users)
emphasis on light, art, displays, current
awareness, “celebrating who we are”
– persistence of good food & drink
– ability to meet & greet; see & be seen
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Community”
– creating the perfect convening ground for study
… where one meets friends and classmates
– letting students suggest what happens in the
space
– allowing students to support each other via acts
of adlibbed kindness
– giving the student power to alter the space
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Changes to library organization”
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concern with user success and learning outcomes
consolidation of service points
emergence of new positions
rise of assessment, metrics, on-going analysis
collaborations outside the library
formalized connections with clients & partners
sandboxing / experimentation / flux
reconsideration of primary vs. secondary real estate
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Ideals”
Undergraduate commons:
– supporting rich suites of technologies
– partnerships with student support services
– 24 hour mixing grounds reflecting student life,
celebrating their creativity, hosting “cool” events,
supporting both hard work and down time
– gradually informed by ongoing assessment (but
difficulty assessing learning outcomes)
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Ideals”
Faculty / grad commons
– influenced by success with student commons
– combining previously scattered faculty-support
services in one site …
– sometimes with full production facilities; growing
focus on learning object creation; sandboxes to
test latest equipment & software
– training in basic and multimedia software;
enhancing pedagogy, writing, media fluencies;
creating of knowledge & new publishing forms
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Ideals”
Faculty / grad commons
– training in CMS, digital & multimedia, pedagogy,
info lit constructs tied to course learning
outcomes
– quiet spaces as well as mixing grounds
– exhibits, presentations, special events
– kitchens for catering & special functions
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Faculty commons”
Ohio University faculty commons
Convenes 3 key offices for faculty development
• Center for Academic Technology
• Center for Teaching Excellence
• Center for Writing Excellence
• Media Production
• Library collection development
• Smart conference rooms
• Multimedia; audio / video editing
• Casual meeting / mixing space & hosting events
 “What can we do to support teaching and research?”
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Faculty / grad data center”
Columbia -- Baker Library -- Digital Humanities Ctr (2009)
– identification of & access to all formats of resources in
humanities
– assistance with & training in extraction of data
– creation of new digital content (transformation and original
production)
– editing & mark-up of digital content
– mining: close study, annotation, analysis of digital
– incorporating digital objects into writing & other scholarship
– assembling & managing personal info collections
– collaboration on instruction and research activities
– assist with new forms of publishing
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Undergrad, grad, faculty commons”
U Penn Weigle Information Commons
A collaboration of Library & School of Arts &
Sciences; with support from Communications,
Writing, CETL
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focus on group learning
emphasis on multimedia, for individuals and classes
exceptional training tracks for faculty & for students
support for research, project management, writing,
presentation, “entire creative process”
– faculty training in new pedagogies & fluencies
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Undergrad support”
University of Minnesota
SMART Learning commons -- many campus units
involved
– peer assistance in gateway courses & skills (math,
sciences, stats, economics, writing, library research)
– agile response to emerging, high-impact courses
– expert peers conduct group study experiences
– (coming) peer assistance with research techniques
– technology & skills development workshops
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Undergrad commons”
Cornell Mann Library
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for “high-energy” group work
interactive, smart screens with team technology
mobile technology workstation carts
moveable furniture
privacy screens, tackboards, easels
separate area for quiet, grad student retreat
showcase for artwork and multimedia coursework,
supporting annual student expo fair
==> designed by students & faculty of Communications and
Design & Environ Analysis Departments
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Physical spaces & programming
“Virtual vetting”
Prototyping spaces in virtual environments
• portraying renovations in Second Life or other virtual
spaces
• inviting revisions / alternative models
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
What to make of the current landscape?
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
What role has assessment played?
• unevenly applied
• perhaps more mimicry rather than discovery
• tied to legacy & tradition
• increasing curiosity around assessment
 innovative libraries take assessment &
customer engagement seriously
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Keeping the focus on user-centered goals
• challenging to do
• planning processes need to be formalized,
strengthened & stabilized
• projects informed by the right kinds of
assessment
• learning how to interpret data
• always centered on the users’ needs
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
Connecting with students & faculty
• libraries must value and practice client
communication throughout the organization
... cannot be handed off
• no more reticence, timidity, avoidance of the
populations we serve
• we have to learn how this is done, with
mentors and support.
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org
The new conversation
• structured conversations
• informal conversations
• myriad casual contacts & immersions into
our clients’ world
• seeing and hearing in fresh ways
• creating excitement around what we learn,
and applying the knowledge to programming
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org