Planning and Implementing the Use of New Online Research and Networking Tools by Librarians at an American University to Improve Engagement with the Campus Community

Mark A. Vargas

Library Director

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, 2009

Purpose of the Session

Provide overview of the research skills of SXU students

Explain how using new research and social networking tools helps raise information literacy and engage the campus community

What is the Current State of Information Literacy?

Research Skill = Information Literacy

Ability to find, evaluate, and use information

Understand the scholarly, peer-review process

NOT computer literacy, NOT media dependent

Observations from the Library

Limited awareness of the scholarly, peer-review process

Perceived skills exceed capabilities

Students have difficulties finding materials

Total reliance on Google and Wikipedia

Librarians’ Perspective

No chance for a library research course

Limited role in general education classes

Where We Started

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

FacultyOutreach

FacultyOutreach

InformationLiterate

Students

InformationLiterate

Students

Basic Engagement Principles

Stop trying to make students little librarians

Reach them on their level

Reach them using their tools

Simplify, simplify, simplify

Faculty Outreach

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

FacultyOutreach

FacultyOutreach

InformationLiterate

Students

InformationLiterate

Students

Located the Team Players

Group willing to work with the Library

Reviewed results of the ICT exam

Willing to experiment

ICT Compared Proficiencies Is not a computer-skills test

SXU students performed well below the national average in three categories; just met average in the other categories

Major Environmental Changes Faculty learned in age of

limited information

Students have almost unlimited access to information

Library has resources impossible to obtain just a few years ago

Common Problems…

Library assignments often don’t have clear learning objectives

Students don’t know why the assignment is made

Assignments don’t match the research skills of the students

Assignments are often too esoteric or too complex, especially for freshmen and sophomores

Better Teaching Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

FacultyOutreach

FacultyOutreach

InformationLiterate

Students

InformationLiterate

Students

Library Tutorials using Adobe Captivate

Built-in assessment

Standardize instruction on scholarly, peer-review process

Instruction as homework rather than in-class

Reduce duplicate instruction; reach more students

Tutorial Interactivity Must engage students

Students choose options, input data, make choices, take quizzes

Must be completed by average student in about 15-20 minutes

Examples of Tutorials

Scholarly, peer review sources Research v. review, abstracts, keywords Finding primary research materials Specialized nursing research Evaluating statistical data SWOT analyses

Feedback Students

#1 question: why didn’t I get this sooner?Very helpful in understanding research

concepts

FacultyUseful as homework, less class time needed

for library instruction

Better Communication Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

FacultyOutreach

FacultyOutreach

InformationLiterate

Students

InformationLiterate

Students

Communication Through Their Tools Tried and dropped Ask Away

Implemented Meebo chat service, Twitter, and Facebook, BookNews

Experimenting with ConnectYard

Meebo

Totally open, easy to use Instant chat Librarian on duty almost all hours the

Library is open Wide variety of questions Tremendous success

2nd most popular academic library Twitter site

At least two updates daily Tiny URLs for bibliographies Facebook for engagement, not research Focus is on SXU students

Twitter and Facebook

Electronic newsletters for new materials in many topic areas

View, or email subscription, or get RSS feeds

Patrons can leave comments

Book & DVD News

Better Research Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterTeaching

Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterComm.Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

BetterResearch

Tools

FacultyOutreach

FacultyOutreach

InformationLiterate

Students

InformationLiterate

Students

Why Libraries Lost Virtual Patrons

Traditional searching was too complexToo many choices (catalogs, databases)Too many different interfacesMany interfaces over designed

Patrons naturally preferred less efficient but easier to use interface: Google, Bing, etc.

What SXU Library Wanted

Easy to use

Search tool that unified searching for any format

Kept our ILL capabilities with the I-Share consortium

WorldCat Local

1st Illinois library to implement

Research tool that combines searchingBy format, including journal articlesBy locationFull interlibrary loan functionSaving to social network sites

WorldCat Local

Patrons do not have to choose databases or catalogs

If SXU doesn’t have it, patrons can usually get it through ILL or purchase

Allows patrons to locate, retrieve, share information seamlessly

Summary

SXU Library is attempting to engage its patrons on their level, using their tools

Are we successful? Anecdotally, yes. Over time, we will build quantifiable assessment measures to improve and expand our operations.