Standard Five — Library and Information Resources LibraryThe Stewart Library provides a broad...

Standard Five — Library and Information Resources

Standard Five — Library and InformationResources

Library(www.library.weber.edu)

I. Purpose/Description

Overview (5.A.1, 5.A.2, 5.A.3)

The Stewart Library provides a broad range ofinformation resources and services in supportof WSUÕs mission and goals. Library servicesare provided at the Stewart Library at WSUOgden and at the WSU DavisLibrary/Information Commons, a branch of theStewart Library. Off-campus access toresources and services is available 24/7through the libraryÕs website.

Collections include print, electronic, andaudio-visual resources as well as access to anincreasingly large number of electronic data-bases, books, and journals. A staff of 47.6 FTEprovides service to the university community.

283

The library is a member of the Utah AcademicLibrary Consortium and the Online ComputerLibrary Center/ Bibliographical Center forResearch (OCLC/BCR) network. It uses theHorizon integrated library system from Dynix,the 3-M Self-Check System, the Docutek E-reserve system, the EZProxy system for off-campus access to electronic resources andservices, and the ILLiad interlibrary loan sys-tem.

Day, evening, and weekend hours are main-tained to accommodate patron needs at bothcampuses. The Stewart Library is open 105hours per week; the WSU Davis library isopen 75 hours per week. Reduced hours are ineffect throughout summer semester and dur-ing semester breaks. The library and itsresources are open to the public. Borrowingprivileges are available to members of thecommunity through the purchase of aCommunity BorrowerÕs Card.

The library supports and promotes theAmerican Library AssociationÕs Bill of Rights,Freedom to Read Statement, IntellectualFreedom Statement, Electronic Bill of Rights,and the ALA Resolution on the USA PatriotAct and Related Measures that Infringe on theRights of Library Users.

“I have always imaginedthat paradise will be a kindof library."

— Jorge Luis Borges

http://library.weber.edu

284 Standard Five — Library and Information Resources

Mission and Goals

The Stewart LibraryÕs mission is to:

1) Advance the instructional, scholarship, andcommunity service mission of WSU throughthe development of on-site collections,access to off-site resources, personalizedassistance in the use of library and infor-mation resources, and instruction onresearch strategies and tools, and

2) Assess the services we provide and the rele-vancy and use of the collections and useassessment outcomes to continuallyimprove our resources and services.

In support of WSUÕs mission to "provide stu-dents with high-quality comprehensive pro-grams in professional and liberal arts areas aswell as studies in advanced professionalfields," the library has adopted the followingstrategic goals:

¥ Continue to improve the quality andrelevancy of the collection by systemat-ically assessing the information resourcesneeds of the university community anddeveloping a focused, core collection ofprint and electronic resources to supportinstructional and research needs.

¥ Enhance access to informationresources by subscribing to electronicdatabases and full-text journals and, inconsultation with faculty, canceling printsubscriptions for titles available full-textonline.

¥ Provide a comprehensive informationliteracy instruction program thatincludes for credit, online, and on-demandinstruction in order to graduate studentswith information literacy competencies andskills that promote life-long learning.

¥ Augment the libraryÕs budget byincreasing private donations by approxi-mately 10% annually.

Resources & Services (5.B.1, 5.B.2,5.B.3, 5.B.4, 5.B.5)

Based on feedback obtained from biennial sur-veys and interviews with WSU students andfaculty, library resources and services are nowadequate to support the universityÕs curricularofferings. However, this was not always thecase. The 1994 and 1996 Commission reportsstated that there was "dramatic need for amajor increase in support for library staff andmaterials" to meet accreditation standards.Our library staff and administration were infull agreement with those reports and took sig-nificant steps to assure that the library was incompliance with NWCCU standards. We:

¥ increased the library budget, in both stateand gift funds,

¥ improved the collection (overall growth,greater use of technology, increased rele-vancy, increased user satisfaction), and

¥ increased FTE staff.

As a result of those efforts, the CommissionÕs1999 Regular Interim Report stated that:"Much has been done to improve theStewart Library since both the 1994 and1996 visits. Improvements are clearly evi-dent in three areas, Resources, Staffing(service), and Technology. Consequently,at this time there does not appear to beany question that the WSU Library meetsthe Standard IV, Library and LearningResources." As reflected in Table I on page 3,significant progress has been made in improv-ing information resources since the 1994review. While the number of electronicresources now available to students and facul-ty is particularly impressive, the collection hasgreatly improved in all areas. The print collec-tion has increased 42%, the number of videoshave nearly tripled, and the CD-ROM collec-tion has grown from 32 to 1,552.

The Commission also stated in the 1999 NASCRegular Interim Report, "In the area of tech-nology, [the Stewart Library] is no longerbehind, but is most likely among the top 20%of electronically connected academic librariesin its class (i.e., comprehensive four-year col-leges and universities)."

Standard Five — Library and Information Resources 285

Library Holdings

Policies and procedures for systematic develop-ment and management of informationresources in all formats are available on thelibraryÕs website. These policies and proce-dures are reviewed and updated annually.

Electronic full-text is now our preferredmethod of providing journal articles, newspa-pers, and reference materials to librarypatrons. In 1997-98, the Utah legislature pro-vided $900,000 of ongoing funds to the UtahAcademic Library Consortium (UALC) for sub-scriptions to electronic databases. This fundingprovides students and faculty within the Utahsystem with access to a continually increasingnumber of electronic full-text titles. Using acomputer with an internet connection, stu-

dents and faculty are able to access theseresources from anywhere in the world at anytime. Consortium funding of electronic data-bases has enabled the library to use funds pre-viously spent on database subscriptions toacquire additional electronic and printresources and to make funds available to newfaculty to secure core titles in their areas ofinterest.

As part of its ongoing transition to a more dig-itized library, the library will continue toincrease its reliance on electronic full-textjournals, supplemented by rapid documentdelivery for articles not available otherwise. Itwill also continue to monitor carefully the useof print subscriptions and, in consultation withacademic departments, selectively cancel titlesthat are not heavily used or are available elec-

1993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-002000-012001-022002-03

359,892370,987388,947403,206418,497436,431458,115479,225493,744509,597

400N/AN/AN/A17,613189,128190,628192,782192,937197,761

Bound Volumes*

ElectronicResources***

2,0562,0622,1002,1962,2242,2482,2782,3092,3312,353

Journals (Current Print

Subscriptions)

197,301198,001206,001208,338210,222212,468215,277218,006219,690225,411

GovernmentPublications(Unbound)

2,5932,9088,0838,3198,3998,9239,0159,0849,4069,794

**

AudioRecordings

N/A2,5162,7553,1373,4584,3805,0885,7086,7128,363Video

Recordings

57,18159,60358,84959,37360,06361,30061,98863,35264,52964,894Maps

N/A425,007441,780453,390471,729492,899515,370540,194563,362584,461Microforms

(Fiche & Film)

553589573590624646668678749786Kits

3032384935005039481,1491,3811,552CD-ROMs

*Includes books, bound periodicals and bound government documents.**Based on a physical count of the collection completed 11-95.***Based on data provided by the Utah Academic Library Consortium. Figures listed are system-wide totals representingthe sum total of electronic books, indices, and journals to which each UALC library has access.

Standard 5: Table I. Library Holdings.

Standard Five — Library and Information Resources286

tronically. Print subscriptions to relevant aca-demic journals that are not yet available elec-tronically will continue to be added as needed.

To ensure that the online and on-site resourcesadded to the collection are relevant to curricu-lar needs, a librarian is assigned to each col-lege. Subject librarians are responsible for con-sulting regularly with faculty and students intheir assigned subject areas to assess instruc-tional and research needs and to collaboratewith faculty in developing the collection.Assessment surveys of faculty indicate that asa result of librarian/faculty collaboration, thecollection is increasingly more focused and rel-evant to the curriculum. (See section 5.E.3:"Assessment of Resources and Services" forfurther information.)

Both the Stewart Library and the newInformation Commons area of WSU Davis pro-vide students and faculty with the full-range

of services expected of any academic library,including expert reference assistance and aninformation literacy instruction program thatincludes for-credit, online, and on-demandinstruction.

The purpose of our information literacy pro-gram, which was nationally recognized by theAssociation of College and Research Libraries(ACRL) in 2002-03, is to provide students withthe skills and knowledge needed to effectivelyidentify, find, evaluate, and use informationfor academic success and to support lifelonglearning Ñ in other words, to enable studentsto become independent users of library andinformation resources. All WSU students arerequired to demonstrate computer and infor-mation literacy competency. The informationliteracy component of this requirement may bemet by taking one of the libraryÕs for-creditcourses or a competency exam.

In addition to its for-credit courses, the libraryprovides instruction sessions for English 2010and First Year Experience (FYE) classes and acontinually growing number of course-inte-grated, subject-specific sessions. Students inthe English 2010 and FYE sessions completean assignment demonstrating their ability toeffectively use library databases and internetresources. An increasing number of senior-level capstone courses also include an informa-tion literacy component and assessment oninformation literacy.

Along with their collection management andfaculty liaison responsibilities, subject librari-ans are committed to providing course-inte-grated instruction to inform students and fac-ulty of library resources available in theirareas of interest, which we believe is essentialif those resources are to be used. Academic fac-ulty and librarians collaborate on the informa-tion to be covered in these sessions and stu-

dents demonstrate theirability to use the resourcesin their required researchpapers.

The libraryÕs commitmentto subject-specific instruc-tion is evidenced by a138% increase in the num-ber of sessions offered over

the past seven years Ñ rising from 71 sessionsin 1994-95 to 169 in 2002-03. An annualgrowth rate of approximately 10% is expectedfor the next three to five years.

To help faculty maximize their use of libraryresources, subject librarians frequently provideindividualized instruction sessions. They alsooffer specially designed workshops sponsoredby the Teaching and Learning Forum.

Facilities and Access (5.C.1, 5.C.2)

The facilities at both WSU Ogden and WSUDavis are pleasant, inviting, and adequate forinformation resources, equipment, and person-nel. The Stewart Library is centrally located atWSU Ogden within easy walking distance ofclassrooms and parking lots, and theInformation Commons at WSU Davis is a

"Libraries are not made; they grow."¾ Augustine Birrell

state-of-the-art facility ideally located to servestudents and faculty. Both meet ADA require-ments, are adequately wired to support librarytechnology, and are "wireless" to support thecomputing needs of students with laptops.Electronic access to library resources and serv-ices is available to WSU students and facultyanytime, anywhere.

The renovation of the Jack D. LamprosTeaching, Learning & Technology Hall(Lampros Hall) and relocation of some non-library departments and a student computerlab previously housed in the Stewart Librarywill free up additional growth space for collec-tions and space to add a much-needed thirdelectronic classroom. Private funding will besought to cover part of the remodeling costs.

Utilization of Information Resources andServices

As indicated in Table II on page 6, the libraryÕsresources and services are well used. Use ofour electronic resources is reflected in thenumber of visitors to our website Ñ up 13%over 2001-02. Page visitors to our EReservesystem increased from just over 10,000 in2000-01 to more than 44,000 in 2002-03. Useof printed journals continues to decline, whichfollows a national trend and confirms that stu-dents and faculty prefer to use electronic jour-nals when given a choice.

Contrary to the decline other academiclibraries in Utah are experiencing, the use ofour book collection continues to increase.While "user assistance" types of questionsanswered at the various service desks rose, thenumber of reference/research questionsanswered continues to decline. We attributethis to an easier, more stable method of off-campus access and increased student familiar-ity with using technology to access libraryresources. Enrollment in our online course, theinternet Navigator, has increased from 523students in 2000-01 to 2,046 in 2002-03. Threepart-time faculty members were hired in 2002-03 to help us meet student demand for theclass.

Cooperative Arrangements

The library has a number of cooperativearrangements with other libraries and net-works including the Utah Academic LibraryConsortium (UALC), which now includes sev-eral Nevada academic libraries, the BCR, theAMIGOS Library Network, and the OCLC. Allof these arrangements enhance our resourcesand services. Copies of formal agreements andlicenses are available in the library adminis-tration office.

Personnel, Management, Planning(5.D.1, 5.D.2, 5.D.3, 5.D.4, 5.D.5,5.E.1, 5.E.2)

From 1995-96 to 1999-00, when much of thecampus was in retrenchment, budgeted librarystaff positions increased from 39.2 FTE to 47.6FTE (21%). Part of the increase came aboutwith the addition of three staff in 1997-98funded by new legislatively allocatedEducation and General (E&G) funds. Fundsfor a fourth position were used to extend con-tract commitments for existing employees,increasing the FTE for those employees. Aninternal reorganization, economies of hiring,restructuring of several positions, and extend-ing some nine-month faculty positions to 11-month appointments have all contributed tothe increase in FTE. Additionally, the libraryemploys approximately 21 FTE student assis-tants.

To provide the quality and quantity of libraryservices needed to adequately support theinformation resources and service needs of theuniversity community, our goal is to increasestaffing by five positions.

Library faculty and staff are well trained, haveexpertise in their areas of responsibility, andare committed to providing quality libraryservices to the community. All have currentand accurate position descriptions in whichauthority, responsibility, and expectations areclearly delineated. All faculty and staff arereviewed annually and mutually agreed-upongoals are set for the following year. Ongoingtraining and professional development are



2002

-03

2001

-02

2000

-01

1999

-00

1998

-99

1997

-98

1996

-97

1995

-96

1994

-95

Circ

ulat

ion

Stat

istic

s14

7,32

914

5,87

914

8,58

314

6,81

814

5,92

0*16

1,68

4 15

7,75

715

3,82

014

5,79

9

Web

Site

Visi

tor S

ess.

326,

378

288,

339

250,

729

188,

047

N/

AN

/A

N/

AN

/A

N/

A

Instr

uctio

nal S

essio

nsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

nsSt

uden

tsSe

ssio

ns

Refe

renc

e/Re

sear

ch A

ssist

.

No.

of Q

uesti

ons

12,2

7612

,670

15,9

3120

,417

24,4

12*

30,3

0336

,642

37,0

6032

,625

ERes

erve

Facu

lty16

115

815

7

Item

s Av

aila

ble

3,45

22,

557

1,87

6

Page

Visi

tors

44,5

2537

,774

10,2

74**

Lend

ing

Requ

ests

8,84

78,

805

7,68

26,

089

5,90

95,

551

5,09

95,

654

5,35

3

Borro

win

g Re

ques

ts4,

351

4,33

84,

560

3,86

13,

735

4,09

93,

054

3,65

13,

634

Inte

rlibr

ary

Loan

Use

r Ass

istan

ce

No.

of Q

uesti

ons

38,7

2334

,108

34,6

68

Stud

ents

Sess

ions

Subj

ect S

peci

fic16

92,

419

159

2,90

216

33,

045

134

2,52

92,

251

116

1,77

810

21,

444

921,

501

951,

433

71

Engl

ish 2

010

101

2,15

210

02,

199

962,

248

962,

091

2,06

297

1,78

378

1,65

775

1,90

091

1,56

078

FYE

(Firs

t Yea

r Exp

.)29

609

1938

328

595

3572

770

931

420

2133

024

Oth

er33

442

2426

046

970

3649

861

035

745

591,

216

8539

421

580

29

TOTA

LS:

332

5,62

230

25,

744

333

7,19

130

15,

845

5,63

227

94,

726

260

4,64

727

63,

795

207

3,57

317

8

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

Stud

ents

Cla

sses

For C

redi

t Cla

sses

1335

19

251

1130

015

460

245

1440

820

418

1648

825

449

21

Inte

rnet

Nav

igat

or18

2,04

611

1,17

37

523

*Decreases reflect the change from quarters to semesters in 1998-99.**Figure is for spring semester 2001 only; earlier figures not available.

Stan

dard

5: T

able

II. U

tiliz

atio

n of

Lib

rary

Res

ourc

es.


essential, and resources are allocated to sup-port the costs associated with improving theknowledge and skills of faculty and staff. Inany given year, over 95% of the library facultyand staff will attend conferences, workshops,and seminars. Satisfaction data indicate ahigh level of student and faculty satisfactionwith the quality of assistance provided bylibrary faculty and staff. (See section 5.E.3)

We are committed to the team concept and areorganized into functional areas:

¥ Collection Management/Faculty Liaison¥ Information Literacy Instruction ¥ Reference & Information Services¥ Systems & Access Services (Circulation,

Interlibrary Loans, Media/Reserve, LibrarySystems)

¥ Bibliographic Services (Acquisitions,Cataloging, Serials, Binding)

¥ Archives & Special Collections

Strategic plans for the various areas andteams are available on the libraryÕs website.

Library faculty serve on the Faculty Senateand on university committees. The most rele-vant committees include:

¥ Academic Resources and Computing¥ Curriculum and General Education¥ Teaching, Learning, and Assessment¥ Research, Scholarship, and Professional

Growth¥ Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal

Planning

Faculty and some staff are members of theUtah Library Association, the AmericanLibrary Association, the Association of Collegeand Research Libraries, the American Societyof Information Science & Technology, and theSpecial Libraries Association. Faculty alsoserve on a number of Utah Academic LibraryConsortium committees.

As a unit within the Academic Affairs Division,reporting to the provost, the library is fullyinvolved in institutional planning. The univer-sity librarian sits on the DeansÕ Council and isa member of a number of university commit-tees. Subject librarians regularly communicatewith faculty and students in the departments

for which they have collectionmanagement/faculty liaison responsibilitiesand serve as advocates for the informationresource needs of those colleges/departmentswithin the library.

Since 1996, the institutional curricular plan-ning process has included mandatory consulta-tion with the library. Subject librarians reviewall new course/program proposals in their sub-ject areas to assess the adequacy of informa-tion resources to support the new course/pro-gram prior to its approval by the Curriculumand General Education Committee. On thosevery rare occasions when resources are deter-mined to be inadequate, funds are allocated toacquire the needed materials prior to the timethe new course is taught.

Excellent working relationships exist betweenthe library and other departments on campus.As information resources are increasingly web-based, the library works especially closely withdepartments located in the InformationTechnology division and relies heavily on thestrong support it receives from ComputingSupport Services, Systems and Networking,and Telecommunications.

Library Budget (5.D.6)

The library receives operating funds fromthree sources:

¥ E&G monies allocated to WSU, both ongo-ing and one-time

¥ State monies allocated to the UtahAcademic Library Consortium (UALC)

¥ Gifts

E&G

Ongoing E&G monies to support libraryresources, services, and staffing increasedfrom $2,185,955 in 1994-95 to $3,045,141 in2002-03, a 39.3% increase. The $82,848decrease in E&G funds from 2001-02 to 2002-03 reflects a university-wide decrease in leg-islative funding.

As illustrated in Table III on page 8, the totallibrary budget from all three sources has


1994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-002000-012001-022002-03

E & G Base:

Salaries 976,1511,048,0141,083,2621,214,2311,238,0491,304,2351,379,9511,483,7661,471,594

ResourceInformation 700,000810,736784,015794,973966,4761,084,3141,066,3141,066,347987,217

Operations 50,36875,00092,013100,29260,00025,56018,00000

HourlyWages 73,73176,16484,74687,28854,16934,16929,20312,94525,000

Travel 8,5008,5008,5008,5008,5000000

Benefits 377,205404,899418,843444,543450,302498,514526,864564,931561,330

TOTAL 2,185,9552,423,3132,471,3792,649,8272,777,4962,946,7923,020,3323,127,9893,045,141

One-time/Ongoing* 155,900183,000183,000183,000183,000220,606219,204

HorizonSoftware 5,731.5525,431.72

HorizonHardware 22,634.5086,540.23

HorizonServer (64,263.00)

HorizonPCs 21,300.0021,132.90

HorizonTOTAL 140,338**

Gifts 110,269215,276421,820281,336595,410366,166423,061571,840176,329

TOTALS 2,296,2242,934,8272,893,1993,114,1633,611,7063,495,9583,626,3933,947,9353,440,674

One-time/Not -Ongoing 27,500

LegislativeOne Time:* 55,800

UALC

*For information resources **Total includes 1995-1997

Standard 5: Table III. Stewart Library Budget.

Standard Five — Library and Information Resource 291

increased substantially, rising from $2,296,224in 1994-95 to $3,440,647 in 2002-03, an overallincrease of 49.8%. These increases in E&G,UALC, and gift funds have enabled the libraryto make significant progress in improving itscollection of information resources.

With the exception of funds to acquire addi-tional staff, the libraryÕs overall budget (E&G,UALC funding, and gifts) is minimally ade-quate to meet current basic operational needs.This assessment of adequacy is based on theassumption that if information resources andfacilities are perceived to be adequate, as isindicated in our various assessment surveys,then the budget providing them must also beadequate. (Funding to maintain and secure thenetwork and information technology isaddressed in Information Resources later inthis Standard.)

Assessment of Resources andServices (5.E.3.)

Assessing the quality of our resources andservices and making improvements based onthe information received from our assessmentefforts is an ongoing priority. The data citedreflect, from a userÕs perspective, recent effortsto enhance library services and improve thecollection and make it more relevant to thecurriculum. Additional information on ourassessment efforts is available under"Assessment" on our website(programs.weber.edu/assessment).

Student Feedback

The Noel-Levitz Student SatisfactionInventory (SSI), which WSU administers every

three years to approximately 1,000 students(weber.edu/ir/surveys.htm) includes two state-ments relevant to the library: "Library staffare helpful and approachable," and "Libraryresources and services are adequate." Based ona Likert scale, trend data indicate studentsÕsatisfaction levels with library resources, andservices have increased from 1997 to 2003.

Results from in-house interviews conducted in1998-99 and again in 2002-03 with over 200students who were using the library indicatedstrong satisfaction with library resources andservices. Approximately 90% of the studentsinterviewed in 1998-99 and over 93% of thoseinterviewed in 2002-03 said they were satis-fied with both the assistance they received andthe resources available to them.

Biennial in-house surveys are conducted toassess student satisfaction with the servicesprovided in the public service areas of thelibrary. The results of these surveys indicatean overall high level of student satisfaction.Over 95% of the respondents in 2002 indicatedthey were satisfied or very satisfied with thequality of service provided in the variousAccess Services areas. Student satisfactionwith Reference & Information Services wassimilarly high. Over 94% of the respondentsindicated overall satisfaction with the assis-tance provided by reference staff, 89% weresatisfied with the electronic resources, and88% expressed overall satisfaction with thelibraryÕs website. Following the redesign of thesite in 2003, we expect overall satisfaction willbe higher in the future.

Student evaluations are collected for alllibrary courses, for the sessions provided forEnglish 2010 and FYE classes, and for a repre-

13. Library staff are helpful & approachable. 4.97 5.50 5.34

4.49 5.26 5.3218. Library resources & services are adequate.

Noel-Levitz Question 1997 2000 2003

0.37

0.83

Difference between1997 and 2003

Standard 5: Table IV. Student Satisfaction Data.

Scale: 1=not satisfied at all, 7=very satisfied

http://departments.weber.edu/ir/Noel_Levitz_Info_Page.html

http://programs.weber.edu/assessment/

sentative number of subject-specific sessions.In 2001-02, 96% of students surveyed inEnglish composition and First Year Experiencecourses indicated satisfaction with the course-integrated instruction provided by library fac-ulty and staff.

Faculty Feedback

Faculty satisfaction with library resources andservices is assessed biennially also. Consistentwith the student feedback cited earlier, theresults of our faculty surveys indicate strongfaculty satisfaction overall with libraryresources to support their teaching and stu-dent assignments and with the general knowl-edge, efficiency, and helpfulness of librarystaff. On a one to five satisfaction scale, nearlytwo-thirds of the faculty respondents in 1998-99 and over 80% of the respondents in 2001-02indicated they were satisfied or very satisfiedwith library resources, and 95% (1998-99) and97% (2001-02) indicated similar levels of satis-faction with the library staff.

Focus Groups

The library routinely uses student, faculty, andits Friends of the Library advisory board asfocus groups to assess and help improve specif-ic services. A recent example is usability test-ing of our website. Focus groups providedimportant input on what they didnÕt like aboutour old site and that information was used indeveloping the new site. Focus group testing ofthe new site resulted in additional improve-ments that made the site more intuitive, userfriendly, and graphically pleasing.

II. Significant Changes Since1994

Although our library mission has not changedsignificantly since 1994, we have made a num-ber of important changesÑsome in response torecommendations contained in accreditationreports, and others as a result of our variousassessment activities. Significant changes rele-vant to our stated goals include:

Continue to improve the quality and rele-vancy of the collection:

¥ Improvements made to the on-site andonline collections (see Table I on page 3).

¥ Because of the growing importance of web-based resources, the libraryÕs website wasredesigned and professionalized and ongo-ing usability studies were instituted.

¥ A document delivery service now deliverslibrary-owned and interlibrary loan materi-als to faculty and staff.

Enhance access to information resources:

¥ A full range of library services is now avail-able at the WSU Davis InformationCommons.

¥ Off-campus access to electronic resourceswas significantly improved and simplifiedwith the installation of EZProxy software.

¥ An electronic reserve system (EReserve)was implemented, which allows students tohave 24-hour access to materials placed onreserve by their professors. The use of thesystem has increased from approximately10,000 users in 2000-01 to more than44,000 in 2002-03.

¥ More than 65 additional computers havebeen placed in the public areas of thelibrary to better meet the computing needsof students. The library is also completelywireless.

¥ Library hours have been increased to 105hours per week, up from 93, during regularsemesters. This is comparable to hours atthe University of Utah, Utah StateUniversity, and Brigham Young Universitylibraries.

Provide a comprehensive instruction pro-gram:

¥ Our instruction program was redesigned tomeet information literacy standards estab-lished by the Association of College andResearch Libraries (ACRL) and theAmerican Association of Higher Education.



The newly designed program was acknowl-edged nationally in 2002 when it wasselected by ACRL as one of the top ten pro-grams that model best practices in infor-mation literacy programming for under-graduates.

Augment the libraryÕs budget:

¥ The Friends of the Stewart Library organi-zation was established and has grown toapproximately 350 dues-paying members.

¥ Ongoing Utah Academic LibraryConsortium funding.

III. Strengths and Challenges

Strengths include:

¥ Continue to improve the quality and rele-vancy of the collection ¾ improvements inonline and on-site collections, systematicassessment process that informs efforts toimprove services and enhance resources,and user satisfaction.

¥ Enhance access to information resources ¾availability of an increasing number ofelectronic resources with easier off-campusaccess.

¥ Provide a comprehensive instruction pro-gram ¾ information literacy focus ofinstruction program.

¥ Augment the libraryÕs budget ¾ fundingsources.

Challenges include:

¥ Continue to improve the quality and rele-vancy of the collection ¾ address theincreasing needs of students and faculty forlibrary resources and services.

¥ Enhance access to information resources ¾increased demand for online resources.

¥ Provide a comprehensive instruction pro-gram ¾ maintain quality service to meetexpanding needs.

¥ Augment the libraryÕs budget ¾ increaseprivate funding.

IV. Next Steps/ Action Items

We hope to accomplish the following in thenear future:

¥ Continue to improve the quality andrelevancy of the collection.

- Continue to collaborate with faculty indeveloping and managing the collections

- Hire a Health & Life Sciences Librarian

- Hire an Arts & Humanities Librarian

- Integrate assessment procedures andoutcomes more fully into allBibliographic Services processes (acqui-sitions, cataloging, serials, and binding);develop departmental outcomes andassessment plan; implement plan

¥ Enhance access to informationresources.

- Continue to increase access to electronicresources

- Develop a comprehensive technology planand budget for technology upgrades andreplacements

- Hire a Library Technology SupportAssistant

- Re-configure Reference & InformationServices to combine the best features ofthe information commons concept withthose of traditional reference services;assess patron needs, explore differentstaffing patterns, develop plan; reconfig-ure space

¥ Provide a comprehensive instructionprogram.

- Explore viable options for shifting stafffrom static growth areas to growth areassuch as collection management/faculty

liaison and information literacyinstruction

- Incorporate information literacy conceptsinto more upper-division and onlinecourses. Work with faculty to developassessment procedures and learning out-comes

¥ Augment the libraryÕs budget.

- Seek E&G funding for five additionalpositions over the next three years

- Increase fund raising and grant writingefforts

- Seek to move up in priority on the USHEcapital improvements list


Standard Five — Library and Information Resources

Information Resources(departments.weber.edu/list)

I. Purpose/Description

Overview (5.A)

Our Division of Information Technology cameinto being in 1994 with the hiring of our firstvice president of information technology or"Chief Information Officer." This was one ofthe primary recommendations of the Edutechconsultants hired in 1993 to help us plan andprepare for the next wave of technologicalchange. Ten years later, it is clear that infor-mation technology will continue to be a signifi-cant force in 21st century higher education.

Organized in 1994 to provide centralized sup-port for critical information technology servic-es, the IT division was formed by bringing allbut one of our existing technology supportdepartments together under one administra-tive structure. These included:

¥ Academic Computing¥ Administrative Computing¥ Communications Arts & Technologies (pre-

viously A/V, now evolving into MultimediaServices)

¥ Telecommunications

The lone exception was Electronic Systems &Repair, which remains in FacilitiesManagement. Electronic Systems & Repairstaff maintains the physical properties of ourtelephone and data networks and performslimited desktop computer repairs, both as"charge-back" services.

A decade later, after a series of consolidationsand reorganizations, the IT division in 2003contains the following information technologysupport departments:

¥ CIO Office¥ Administrative Computing (Application

Support & Data Administration)¥ Systems & Network Management

295

¥ Technology Services (ComputingOperations, Computing Support &Multimedia Services)

¥ Telecommunications¥ Web Development

One of the major trends driving these changeswas the gradual evolution of higher educationcomputing from the centralized academic com-puting models of the 1970s and 1980s to thedecentralized desktop computing model of the1990s. A more recent driving force was theemergence of the internet as a major mediumfor instruction and the transmission of knowl-edge.

Just as many of todayÕs pocket computingdevices and telephones have substantiallymore computing power and data storage thanthe multimillion dollar glass-house computingbehemoths of the late 1960s, tomorrowÕs com-puters promise to be even more amazing. Withthe growing availability of high bandwidthnetworks in the U.S., the ability to share andtransmit images and information of all kindswill also continue to expand significantly. TheIT division is prepared to help our students,faculty, staff, and administrators use thesenew capabilities to the fullest extent.

Mission and Goals

Since 1994, the IT divisionÕs mission and goalshave evolved within a participatory planningprocess involving students, faculty, staff, andadministrators (seedepartments.weber.edu/it/itplan/). The currentmission and goal statements are from the2002-04 IT Planning Cycle. The IT divisionÕsmission is:

". . . to ensure that WSU students, faculty,staff, and alumni are able to securely and reli-ably access and update WSU information fromany web-enabled device, anywhere in theworld."

The IT divisionÕs goals for 2002-04 are to:

¥ Provide effective guidance and support forcontinued technology evolution.

http://weber.edu/collegesdepartments.xml

http://departments.weber.edu/it/itplan

296 Standard Five — Library and Information Resources

¥ Ensure a solid technology base for teach-ing, research, and public service.

¥ Achieve maximum benefit for our commu-nity from emerging technologies.

¥ Implement effective strategies to improveIT division service and performance.

Resources & Services (5.B)

Our primary information technology supportresource is the highly qualified professionalstaff of the IT division. In a decade of general-ly declining resources, the number of profes-sional IT staff has grown from 25 in 1993 to 45in 2003. This has been accomplished throughcareful planning and reallocation of resources,including reassignment of some positions fromother administrative units. Administrativeoverhead has been kept to minimum, withonly the CIO and two classified support staffin the CIO office and the six managers/direc-tors of the IT departments. In 2003, after theretirement of a long-term employee, an addi-tional consolidation reduced the number ofmanagers to five. Competitive searches follow-ing resignations and retirements have raisedboth the overall skill-set quality and salariesof the IT professional staff.

The second most important IT supportresource is the quality of our data/telephonenetwork. Three phases of the data networkdevelopment plan begun in 1995 have beencompleted. Students, faculty, staff, and admin-istrators currently enjoy the benefits of a high-ly reliable fiber optic-based Switched FastEthernet (Gigabit) data network among allmajor buildings. Wireless access to our net-work is becoming increasingly available. In2003, approximately 24% of the Ogden campusoffered wireless connectivity. WSU Davis hascomplete wireless access in addition to numer-ous high-speed hard-wired connections.

Phase IV of the network plan is underway andwill result in general availability of 100 Mbnetwork connections to the desktop, throughgradual replacement of wiring in older build-ings. It will also increase network reliabilitythrough addition of diesel generator emer-gency backup power to the network operationscenter, addition of redundant internet access

connections, and completion of the last seg-ment of the campus network ring. The emer-gency power backup and redundant internetconnections were completed by summer 2003,while the other tasks will continue into 2004.

Our digital telephone network includes manyadvanced features including a message man-agement system that combines voice and datamessages. Telephone rates charged to thedepartments are the lowest in the UtahSystem of Higher Education for both equip-ment and services.

Another important resource is the UtahEducation Network (UEN). UEN provides andmaintains our access to the internet and otherelectronic resources. Working with UEN engi-neers, we have been able to identify and imple-ment creative solutions to network accessproblems. For example, integration of theWSU Davis and WSU Ogden networks wasaccomplished through cooperative effortsamong WSU, UEN, and the telecommunica-tions provider.

When completed, the WSU "Lynx" suite ofadministrative systems will constitute both asignificant accomplishment and important newresource. The new core SCT Banner finance,human resource, student, and alumni/develop-ment systems provide a level of data integra-tion well beyond that of the previous software.This includes combined functionality with ourportal (Luminis) and learning managementsystem (WebCT Vista). By fall of 2005, stu-dents, faculty, and staff will have access toinformation and services that offer higher lev-els of self-service and richness of scope anddetail.

Utilization of IT Resources &Services

Central computing facilities for students, fac-ulty, and staff boast excess capacity, resultingin few, if any, user complaints. Network band-width is carefully monitored and controlled sothat overall usage is generally less than 25%of capacity. Other centralized resources,including mainframe computing resources andexpensive software (e.g., Oracle database), are


more than adequate with usage rarely exceed-ing 15% of capacity. In addition, WSU recentlyjoined the Internet2 Consortium as an affiliatemember, providing virtually unlimited highperformance computing and networking capa-bilities to science faculty and students.

Decentralized computing facilities have grownsignificantly over the past ten years. The firstmultimedia-equipped classroom was created atWSU Ogden in 1993. In keeping with the

Academic Computing Plan at the time, ninemore classrooms were multimedia-equippedbeginning in 1995. There are now approxi-mately 50 heavily scheduled multimedia class-rooms at WSU Ogden and five at the GordonAvenue facility in Layton. At WSU Davis,there are 31 additional state-of-the-art multi-media classrooms, 10 of which have computerstudent stations.

The total number of desktop computers hasincreased significantly. In 1993 there wereapproximately 1,700 desktop computers uni-versity-wide, including 168 in open studentcomputer labs and 330 in departmental com-puter labs. In 2003, Property Control reportsapproximately 2,500 desktop computers,including 400 in open student computer labsand 450 in almost 20 departmental computerlabs. In that period, the number of open com-puter labs grew from five to nine. Student useof both the open and departmental labs is con-sistent and steady. The long lines of studentswaiting for a computer in the early 1990s havedisappeared, except in the testing centers dur-ing mid-term and final exam periods.

Computing support is provided through a com-bination of mechanisms. The Technology

Services professional staff is limited to fourindividuals and a manager. However, theywork cooperatively with the academic colleges,four out of seven of which have a dedicatedtechnical support person (the College ofApplied Science & Technology has two).Technical workshops are offered regularly byMultimedia Services in a wide variety of soft-ware packages and applications. In addition,the Help Desk is staffed by trained undergrad-uate students who are certified at different

levels of training andexperience. In additionto staffing the HelpDesk, these "studenttechs" also go to indi-vidual faculty and staffoffices to help resolvecomputer problems. Theresponse time on anyparticular problemrarely exceeds 24 hours.

There is also a StudentTechnology Assistant (STA) program sponsoredby the faculty Teaching & Learning TechnologyRoundtable (TLTR) and funded by AcademicAffairs. The STAs participate with faculty onpre-defined cooperative technical projects.Cooperative projects are also carried outbetween faculty and the professional staff inMultimedia Services. The number of thesepartnered projects has increased from approxi-mately 267 in 1995-96 to approximately 450 in2001-02, representing a continuing annualgrowth rate of approximately 10%.

Facilities and Access (5.C)

In addition to the multimedia classroomsdescribed in the preceding section, currentfacilities include attractive and functionalopen and departmental student computer labs,an open faculty experimental computer lab,and two attractive dedicated training facilitiesequipped with the latest multimedia equip-ment. Almost all are ADA accessible. WSUDavis includes a state-of-the-art technologycommons that is physically isolated from therest of the building for 24-hour access whenneed and resources require and allow.

"Between now and the year 2010, bestpractices in knowledge sharing will be sub-stantially reinvented in all settings ...”

¾ Norris, Mason & LeFrere, Transforminge-Knowledge (Ann Arbor: Society for College

and University Planning, 2003)


Funding, programming, and architect/contrac-tor selection were completed in 2003 and con-struction initiated for a new technology centerin Lampros Hall at WSU Ogden. This willbring together a combination of student andfaculty technology support elements, includinga 24-hour open student lab, additional testingcenter, faculty experimental facilities, andTechnology Services and WSU Online supportstaff.

"Virtual" information technology facilities areprovided through a combination of sophisticat-ed databases, networks, and software tools.For example, our highly successful online uni-versity, WSU Online, is a complete virtual uni-versity environment including tools forinstructional development/presentation, track-ing, testing, and grading student progress.Because it has proven so successful (withapproximately 8,000 class enrollments inspring 2003), it outgrew its humble home-grown beginnings. In spring 2003, the univer-sity began migration to the commerciallydeveloped and supported WebCT Vista learn-ing management system.

Other virtual facilities are provided throughthe combination of integrated electronic mes-saging systems (including lifetime e-mailaccounts for students, faculty, staff, and alum-ni), student and faculty/staff "portals," numer-ous web-based self-service applications, andnew web-based administrative software. Just afew examples of the impacts of these heavilyused systems include:

¥ Availability of a "Direct to the Web" person-alized web page for prospective students

¥ Most students are now admitted and regis-ter online

¥ Grades (both submission by faculty anddistribution to students) are now totallyonline

In cooperation with the Utah System of HigherEducation (USHE), we began a highly partici-patory process in 1999 to select new onlineadministrative data systems. Two outside con-sulting firms were employed (one by USHE,the other by WSU), and interviews and focusgroups were conducted with hundreds of stu-dents, faculty, and staff. Students agreed to amodest dedicated tuition increase to help fund

the project, and a system-wide contract forSCT Banner software was signed. The imple-mentation process is now underway, beginningwith the implementation of the CampusPipeline Luminis student portal in March2003 and Banner financial system software inJuly 2003, and ending with implementation ofthe student information system (fully integrat-ed with the new WebCT learning managementsoftware described earlier) in 2005.

Personnel, Management Planning(5.D.1, 5.D.2, 5.D.3, 5.D.4, 5.D.5,5.E.1, 5.E.2)

As indicated earlier, the IT division is respon-sible for university-wide information technolo-gy support, including:

¥ Administrative systems¥ Telephone network¥ Data network¥ Internet access¥ Online services¥ Multimedia support¥ Help desk¥ General computing support

In general, schools, colleges, divisions, andprograms are responsible for acquiring infor-mation technology resources for their individ-ual units, with assistance from the IT divisiononly as needed. Therefore, our IT plan focusesprimarily on university-wide IT services andissues.

IT division employee evaluations are conduct-ed annually and performance is measuredagainst division goals and individual depart-ment objectives. This is done within the con-text of a two-year "rolling" planning cycle.Major IT division objectives tend to be multi-year, requiring a broader view of progress thanis typically afforded by an annual planningcycle. The lead article in the May 2002Edutech Report provided the foundation forthe IT division's 2002-04 planning and assess-ment cycle. One of its observations was partic-ularly pertinent: "No constituency on campusexcept the IT staff is likely to ask explicitlywhat [the IT] vision is . . . To most others, it issufficient that things work."

Effective use of information technologyrequires qualified and dedicated professionalstaff capable of combining the various ele-ments required to provide services and func-tionality. Our IT professional staff are con-stantly engaged in professional developmentactivities of various kinds. These include pro-fessional certifications, training and seminars,online instruction, and professional conferenceattendance. IT staff strive to assure high lev-els and quality of service while constantlyworking to improve the technical base andkeep it solid. They have exhibited success inpositioning to anticipate and accommodatechange while discontinuing obsolete technolo-gies and services that are no longer needed.For example, elimination of microfiche,Scantron grade reporting sheets, printed gradereports, and telephone registration haveimproved service and reduced costs.

From a formal organization and planning per-spective, the IT division works closely with thefaculty Academic Resources and ComputingCommittee (ARCC) on academic computingissues and the Administrative TechnologyAdvisory Committee (ATAC) on administrativecomputing issues. The CIO chairs the IT coun-cil, which meets twice a month. It includesrepresentatives from ARCC, ATAC, WSUOnline, and the IT division directors and man-agers. The CIO is a member of PresidentÕsCouncil and serves as liaison between the vari-ous groups.

The first formal IT plan was coordinated anddeveloped by the CIO and published in June1995. Since then, the plan has evolved andbeen updated approximately every two years.The 1998-00, 2000-02, and 2002-04 plan docu-ments are all available on the web. Policies,regulations, and procedures for developmentand management of IT resources are madeavailable to the university community via:

¥ Online policies and procedures manual(PPM)

¥ Periodic bulletins (both electronic and hardcopy)

¥ Various web sites¥ Faculty/staff portal unveiled on November

4, 2002

Information Technology Budget(5.D.6)

The IT division receives operating funds fromfive sources:

¥ State-appropriated E&G funds (81.5 %)¥ Telecommunications self-support revenues

(7.5 %)¥ A portion of the WSU Online course deliv-

ery fee (7.5 %)¥ The Utah System of Higher Education

Telecommunications & Distance EducationInitiative (2.7 %)

¥ Gifts and overhead cost recovery fees (.8 %)

Since 1993, the IT division budget has dou-bled, from approximately $2.3 million toapproximately $4.6 million.

As indicated, since we are not a research uni-versity and only one donor contributes to IT ona regular basis, revenue from overhead costrecovery and gifts represents less than onepercent of the budget. The largest increaseshave come from the online course delivery fee(which did not exist prior to 1997 and is beingused to fund our online learning managementsystem) and a dedicated tier two studenttuition increase (initiated in 2000 and used tofund most of our new web-based "self-service"administrative systems).

Our IT budget is less than the Gartner-recom-mended 5% of the overall institutional budgetfor an institution of this size. However, it isbetter than all but the research universities inthe Utah System of Higher Education.Currently we enjoy the benefit of a relativelystable revenue stream that is adequate for cur-rent levels of service.

Assessment of Resources andServices (5.E.3.)

Our most important assessment efforts arethose that occur as part of the ongoing ITplanning process. Draft update documents areposted on the web related to achieving currentgoals, and new goals, objectives, or initiativesare published for review and comment. Mostfrequently, specific student, faculty, or admin-



istrative groups are assembled to provideinput into current plans. For example, weworked closely with student government lead-ers and other representatives in the selectionand implementation of a student portal. Thisincluded discussion before the Student Senate,vendor demonstrations, and solicited feedback.These settings provide opportunities for com-ments on both current services and futureplans.

Technical resource evaluations take place on aregular basis. For example, technical tests areapplied periodically to ensure that firewallprotection of our data network is functioningproperly and the safeguards protecting sensi-tive data are doing their job. Other technicalevaluations are used to determine networkload patterns and usage levels by constituents.During peak processing times (e.g., the firsttwo days of open registration for any givensemester), usage levels and response times aremonitored more or less continuously.Adjustments in system parameters are madeas needed to ensure user needs are being met.Several times in the past eight years, newhardware was acquired when it was clear thatincreased usage hadexceeded, or was about toexceed, system capacity.

Continuous feedback issolicited from IT divisionweb sites and eBulletinannouncements. A respon-sible party and contact e-mail address is requiredfor all bulletins and webpages. User comments areusually responded to with-in a few hours, but in nocase more than 24 hours. Electronic feedbackworks extremely well for us because it is spon-taneous and immediate. Issues that surfaceare addressed without delay while they arefresh and most pertinent to those concerned.

On a less regular basis, common service evalu-ation mechanisms have been used with somepositive results. For example, customer satis-faction reply cards have been left by studenttechnicians upon completing a Help Desk serv-ice call. Also, open meetings and focus groupshave been attempted to solicit comments and

suggestions. These have proven less effectiveand are not generally well attended in theabsence of a crisis or specific problem. As wasindicated earlier, the nature of informationtechnology is that if it is working, people gen-erally take it for granted. When it is not, thelevel of interest spikes momentarily but quick-ly recedes as soon as the presenting problem isresolved.

II. Significant Changes Since1994

Many of the significant changes in informationtechnology support since 1994 have alreadybeen mentioned in the preceding discussion.These are summarized in the following list:

¥ Creation of a presidentÕs council-level posi-tion (CIO) to lead and guide IT develop-ment; initiation of a formal institutional-ized IT planning process; consolidation andreorganization of IT support departmentsto provide coordinated and efficient servic-es

¥ Elimination of five disparate e-mail sys-tems in favor of standardized and integrat-ed e-mail systems for students, alumni, fac-ulty, and staff, including lifetime e-mailaccounts

¥ Consolidation of several disparate net-works into unified, university-wide tele-phone and data networks

¥ Initiation of a five-phase network develop-ment plan and completion of the first three

"Now to what higher object, to whatgreater character, can any mortalaspire than to be possessed of allthis knowledge, well digested andready at command?"

¾ John Adams


phases, resulting in increased reliabilityand a thousand-fold increase in availablebandwidth

¥ Creation, maintenance, and enhancementof the WSU web site; numerous new self-service applications, such as online admis-sions, registration, testing, grading, schol-arship tracking, and payment of fees; WSUOnline

¥ Selection and implementation of newadministrative data processing systems

¥ Movement away from one-time fund "cri-sis" purchases of computing hardware to anestablished ongoing revenue stream forplanned information technology purchases

¥ Significant increase in expenditures relatedto network security (e.g., firewalls and fire-wall administration), spam filtering, andnetwork access and control

III. Strengths and Challenges

Strengths include:

¥ Qualified, dedicated and motivated staff,including a strong IT management team.

¥ A cooperative work environment, with atradition of collaboration between facultyand staff.

¥ Strong central leadership, with recognitionof IT as a strategic university asset andclearly communicated vision for the future.

¥ A well-established IT planning tradition.

¥ A reliable, high bandwidth data network.

¥ Stable funding for open student computerlab hardware/software replacement andsupport.

¥ A successful online university.

¥ A solid up-to-date technology infrastruc-ture.

Challenges include:

¥ Keeping current with continually evolvingtechnologies and technology trends.

¥ Maintaining and strengthening communi-cation channels between technology expertsand faculty and staff.

¥ Sustaining necessary funding and supportlevels in times of economic stress/budgetreductions.

¥ Effectively managing the physical, emo-tional, and social impacts of changesbrought about by implementation of newtechnologies.

¥ Managing and accomplishing the transitionfrom locally developed WSU Online toWebCT Vista; identifying and implement-ing an effective identity management strat-egy.

IV. Next Steps/ Action Items

¥ Complete the major IT projects in process,including:

- Implementation of the new CampusPipeline Luminis student, faculty/staff,and alumni portals

- Opening the technology-rich WSU Daviscampus

- Completion of Phase IV of our networkplan

- Completion and occupation of the newstudent/faculty technology center inLampros Hall

- Transition to the new WebCT learningmanagement system (replacing WSUOnline and providing significant newcapabilities for both online and hybridcourses)

- Implementation of the new SCT Bannerstate-of-the-art Web-based administra-tive data systems


¥ Reorganize and consolidate to accommo-date the current budget cut; take fulladvantage of the opportunities presentedby Lampros Hall

¥ Refine and enhance communication chan-nels/mechanisms between faculty/staff andthe IT technical staff

¥ Work together to develop reasonable equip-ment replacement cycles for faculty andstaff desktop computers

Standard Five — Library and Information Resources LibraryThe Stewart Library provides a broad...

Documents

Transcript of Standard Five — Library and Information Resources LibraryThe Stewart Library provides a broad...