Chad, K., & Anderson, H. (2017). The new role of the library in teaching and learning outcomes (p. ). Higher Education Library Technology. https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.2.14688.89606/1
p. 4 “Modern university libraries require remote access for large numbers of concurrent users, with fewer authentication steps and more flexible digital rights management (DRM) to satisfy student demand”. They found the most frequent problem was that core reading list titles were not available to libraries as e-books.
p. 5 Overcoming the “textbook taboo”
In the US, academic software firm bepress notes that, in response to increased student textbook costs: “Educators, institutions, and even state legislators are turning their attention toward Open Educational Resources (OER)” in order to save students money while increasing engagement and retention. As a result bepress has developed its infrastructure to host and share OER within and across institutions.21 The UMass Library Open Education Initiative estimates it has saved the institution over $1.3 million since its inception in 2011. 22 Other textbook initiatives include SUNY Open Textbooks, developed by the State University of New York Libraries, which has already published 18 textbooks, and OpenStax, developed by Rice University.
p.5. sceptics about OER rapid progress still see potential in working with publishers.
Knowledge Unlatched 23 is an example of this kind of collaboration: “We believe that by working together libraries and publishers can create a sustainable route to Open Access for scholarly books.” Groups of libraries contribute to fund publication though a crowdfunding platform. The consortium pays a fixed upfront fee for the publisher to publish the book online under a Creative Commons license.
p.6.Technology: from library systems to educational technology.The rise of the library centric reading list system
big increase in the number of universities in the UK, Australia and New Zealand deploying library reading lists solutions.The online reading list can be seen as a sort of course catalogue that gives the user a (sometimes week-by-week) course/module view on core resources and provides a link to print holdings information or the electronic full text. It differs significantly from the integrated library system (ILS) ‘course reserve’ module, notably by providing access to materials beyond the items in the library catalogue. Titles can be characterised, for example as ‘recommended’ or ‘essential’ reading and citations annotated.
Reading list software brings librarians and academics together into a system where they must cooperate to be effective. Indeed some librarians claim that the reading list system is a key library tool for transforming student learning.
Higher education institutions, particularly those in Australia, New Zealand and some other parts of Europe (including the UK) are more likely to operate a reading list model, supplying students with a (sometimes long) list of recommended titles.
p.8. E-book platforms (discusses only UK)
p.9. Data: library management information to learning analytics
p.10. Leadership “Strong digital leadership is a key feature of effective educational organisations and its absence can be a significant barrier to progress. The digital agenda is therefore a leadership issue”. 48 (Rebooting learning for the digital age: What next for technology-enhanced higher education? Sarah Davies, Joel Mullan, Paul Feldman. Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) Report 93. February 2017. )
A merging of LibTech and EdTech
The LITA discussion is under RE: [lita-l] Anyone Running Multiple Discovery Layers?
This case study of Indiana University’s e-text initiative reports on students’ actual use of and engagement with digital textbooks.
In a typical semester, students read more in the first four weeks and less in later weeks except during major assessment times; in a typical week, most reading occurs between 5:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, indicating that students use e-texts mainly as a self-study resource.
Highlighting was the markup feature most used by students, whereas use of the other interactive markup features (shared notes, questions, and answers) was minimal, perhaps because of students’ lack of awareness of these features.
Research found that higher engagement with e-texts (reading and highlighting) correlated with higher course grades.
Although cost savings is often cited as a key advantage of electronic textbooks (aka, e-textbooks or simply e-texts), e-texts also provide powerful markup and interaction tools. For these tools to improve student learning, however, their adoption is critically important.
The Indiana University e-texts program, which began in 2009, has four primary goals:
Drive down the cost of materials for students
Provide high-quality materials of choice
Enable new tools for teaching and learning
Shape the terms of sustainable models that work for students, faculty, and authors
To date, student savings on textbooks amount to $21,673,338. However, we recognize that many students do not pay the full list price for paper textbooks when they purchase online, buy used copies, or recoup some of their costs when they resell their texts after the semester is over.
herefore, we divide the calculated savings by two and report that total as a more accurate representation of student savings. Consequently, we claim that students have saved about $11 million since IU’s e-texts program started in spring 2012.
In addition to printing through the e-text platform, students can purchase a print-on-demand (PoD) copy of an e-text for an additional fee.
One downside of e-texts is that students lease their textbook for a limited time instead of owning it. This lease generally lasts a semester or six months, and students lose their access afterwards. However, with IU’s e-text model, students get access to the textbook before the first day of class and maintain their access until they graduate from Indiana University. That is, students can go back to the e-texts after their course to review or reference the content in the book. This could be especially important if the e-text course is a prerequisite for another course.
Applications for the 2018 Institute will be accepted between December 1, 2017 and January 27, 2018. Scholars accepted to the program will be notified in early March 2018.
Title:
Learning to Harness Big Data in an Academic Library
Abstract (200)
Research on Big Data per se, as well as on the importance and organization of the process of Big Data collection and analysis, is well underway. The complexity of the process comprising “Big Data,” however, deprives organizations of ubiquitous “blue print.” The planning, structuring, administration and execution of the process of adopting Big Data in an organization, being that a corporate one or an educational one, remains an elusive one. No less elusive is the adoption of the Big Data practices among libraries themselves. Seeking the commonalities and differences in the adoption of Big Data practices among libraries may be a suitable start to help libraries transition to the adoption of Big Data and restructuring organizational and daily activities based on Big Data decisions. Introduction to the problem. Limitations
The redefinition of humanities scholarship has received major attention in higher education. The advent of digital humanities challenges aspects of academic librarianship. Data literacy is a critical need for digital humanities in academia. The March 2016 Library Juice Academy Webinar led by John Russel exemplifies the efforts to help librarians become versed in obtaining programming skills, and respectively, handling data. Those are first steps on a rather long path of building a robust infrastructure to collect, analyze, and interpret data intelligently, so it can be utilized to restructure daily and strategic activities. Since the phenomenon of Big Data is young, there is a lack of blueprints on the organization of such infrastructure. A collection and sharing of best practices is an efficient approach to establishing a feasible plan for setting a library infrastructure for collection, analysis, and implementation of Big Data.
Limitations. This research can only organize the results from the responses of librarians and research into how libraries present themselves to the world in this arena. It may be able to make some rudimentary recommendations. However, based on each library’s specific goals and tasks, further research and work will be needed.
Big Data is becoming an omnipresent term. It is widespread among different disciplines in academia (De Mauro, Greco, & Grimaldi, 2016). This leads to “inconsistency in meanings and necessity for formal definitions” (De Mauro et al, 2016, p. 122). Similarly, to De Mauro et al (2016), Hashem, Yaqoob, Anuar, Mokhtar, Gani and Ullah Khan (2015) seek standardization of definitions. The main connected “themes” of this phenomenon must be identified and the connections to Library Science must be sought. A prerequisite for a comprehensive definition is the identification of Big Data methods. Bughin, Chui, Manyika (2011), Chen et al. (2012) and De Mauro et al (2015) single out the methods to complete the process of building a comprehensive definition.
In conjunction with identifying the methods, volume, velocity, and variety, as defined by Laney (2001), are the three properties of Big Data accepted across the literature. Daniel (2015) defines three stages in big data: collection, analysis, and visualization. According to Daniel, (2015), Big Data in higher education “connotes the interpretation of a wide range of administrative and operational data” (p. 910) and according to Hilbert (2013), as cited in Daniel (2015), Big Data “delivers a cost-effective prospect to improve decision making” (p. 911).
The importance of understanding the process of Big Data analytics is well understood in academic libraries. An example of such “administrative and operational” use for cost-effective improvement of decision making are the Finch & Flenner (2016) and Eaton (2017) case studies of the use of data visualization to assess an academic library collection and restructure the acquisition process. Sugimoto, Ding & Thelwall (2012) call for the discussion of Big Data for libraries. According to the 2017 NMC Horizon Report “Big Data has become a major focus of academic and research libraries due to the rapid evolution of data mining technologies and the proliferation of data sources like mobile devices and social media” (Adams, Becker, et al., 2017, p. 38).
Power (2014) elaborates on the complexity of Big Data in regard to decision-making and offers ideas for organizations on building a system to deal with Big Data. As explained by Boyd and Crawford (2012) and cited in De Mauro et al (2016), there is a danger of a new digital divide among organizations with different access and ability to process data. Moreover, Big Data impacts current organizational entities in their ability to reconsider their structure and organization. The complexity of institutions’ performance under the impact of Big Data is further complicated by the change of human behavior, because, arguably, Big Data affects human behavior itself (Schroeder, 2014).
De Mauro et al (2015) touch on the impact of Dig Data on libraries. The reorganization of academic libraries considering Big Data and the handling of Big Data by libraries is in a close conjunction with the reorganization of the entire campus and the handling of Big Data by the educational institution. In additional to the disruption posed by the Big Data phenomenon, higher education is facing global changes of economic, technological, social, and educational character. Daniel (2015) uses a chart to illustrate the complexity of these global trends. Parallel to the Big Data developments in America and Asia, the European Union is offering access to an EU open data portal (https://data.europa.eu/euodp/home ). Moreover, the Association of European Research Libraries expects under the H2020 program to increase “the digitization of cultural heritage, digital preservation, research data sharing, open access policies and the interoperability of research infrastructures” (Reilly, 2013).
The challenges posed by Big Data to human and social behavior (Schroeder, 2014) are no less significant to the impact of Big Data on learning. Cohen, Dolan, Dunlap, Hellerstein, & Welton (2009) propose a road map for “more conservative organizations” (p. 1492) to overcome their reservations and/or inability to handle Big Data and adopt a practical approach to the complexity of Big Data. Two Chinese researchers assert deep learning as the “set of machine learning techniques that learn multiple levels of representation in deep architectures (Chen & Lin, 2014, p. 515). Deep learning requires “new ways of thinking and transformative solutions (Chen & Lin, 2014, p. 523). Another pair of researchers from China present a broad overview of the various societal, business and administrative applications of Big Data, including a detailed account and definitions of the processes and tools accompanying Big Data analytics. The American counterparts of these Chinese researchers are of the same opinion when it comes to “think about the core principles and concepts that underline the techniques, and also the systematic thinking” (Provost and Fawcett, 2013, p. 58). De Mauro, Greco, and Grimaldi (2016), similarly to Provost and Fawcett (2013) draw attention to the urgent necessity to train new types of specialists to work with such data. As early as 2012, Davenport and Patil (2012), as cited in Mauro et al (2016), envisioned hybrid specialists able to manage both technological knowledge and academic research. Similarly, Provost and Fawcett (2013) mention the efforts of “academic institutions scrambling to put together programs to train data scientists” (p. 51). Further, Asomoah, Sharda, Zadeh & Kalgotra (2017) share a specific plan on the design and delivery of a big data analytics course. At the same time, librarians working with data acknowledge the shortcomings in the profession, since librarians “are practitioners first and generally do not view usability as a primary job responsibility, usually lack the depth of research skills needed to carry out a fully valid” data-based research (Emanuel, 2013, p. 207).
Borgman (2015) devotes an entire book to data and scholarly research and goes beyond the already well-established facts regarding the importance of Big Data, the implications of Big Data and the technical, societal, and educational impact and complications posed by Big Data. Borgman elucidates the importance of knowledge infrastructure and the necessity to understand the importance and complexity of building such infrastructure, in order to be able to take advantage of Big Data. In a similar fashion, a team of Chinese scholars draws attention to the complexity of data mining and Big Data and the necessity to approach the issue in an organized fashion (Wu, Xhu, Wu, Ding, 2014).
Bruns (2013) shifts the conversation from the “macro” architecture of Big Data, as focused by Borgman (2015) and Wu et al (2014) and ponders over the influx and unprecedented opportunities for humanities in academia with the advent of Big Data. Does the seemingly ubiquitous omnipresence of Big Data mean for humanities a “railroading” into “scientificity”? How will research and publishing change with the advent of Big Data across academic disciplines?
Reyes (2015) shares her “skinny” approach to Big Data in education. She presents a comprehensive structure for educational institutions to shift “traditional” analytics to “learner-centered” analytics (p. 75) and identifies the participants in the Big Data process in the organization. The model is applicable for library use.
Being a new and unchartered territory, Big Data and Big Data analytics can pose ethical issues. Willis (2013) focusses on Big Data application in education, namely the ethical questions for higher education administrators and the expectations of Big Data analytics to predict students’ success. Daries, Reich, Waldo, Young, and Whittinghill (2014) discuss rather similar issues regarding the balance between data and student privacy regulations. The privacy issues accompanying data are also discussed by Tene and Polonetsky, (2013).
Privacy issues are habitually connected to security and surveillance issues. Andrejevic and Gates (2014) point out in a decision making “generated by data mining, the focus is not on particular individuals but on aggregate outcomes” (p. 195). Van Dijck (2014) goes into further details regarding the perils posed by metadata and data to the society, in particular to the privacy of citizens. Bail (2014) addresses the same issue regarding the impact of Big Data on societal issues, but underlines the leading roles of cultural sociologists and their theories for the correct application of Big Data.
Library organizations have been traditional proponents of core democratic values such as protection of privacy and elucidation of related ethical questions (Miltenoff & Hauptman, 2005). In recent books about Big Data and libraries, ethical issues are important part of the discussion (Weiss, 2018). Library blogs also discuss these issues (Harper & Oltmann, 2017). An academic library’s role is to educate its patrons about those values. Sugimoto et al (2012) reflect on the need for discussion about Big Data in Library and Information Science. They clearly draw attention to the library “tradition of organizing, managing, retrieving, collecting, describing, and preserving information” (p.1) as well as library and information science being “a historically interdisciplinary and collaborative field, absorbing the knowledge of multiple domains and bringing the tools, techniques, and theories” (p. 1). Sugimoto et al (2012) sought a wide discussion among the library profession regarding the implications of Big Data on the profession, no differently from the activities in other fields (e.g., Wixom, Ariyachandra, Douglas, Goul, Gupta, Iyer, Kulkami, Mooney, Phillips-Wren, Turetken, 2014). A current Andrew Mellon Foundation grant for Visualizing Digital Scholarship in Libraries seeks an opportunity to view “both macro and micro perspectives, multi-user collaboration and real-time data interaction, and a limitless number of visualization possibilities – critical capabilities for rapidly understanding today’s large data sets (Hwangbo, 2014).
The importance of the library with its traditional roles, as described by Sugimoto et al (2012) may continue, considering the Big Data platform proposed by Wu, Wu, Khabsa, Williams, Chen, Huang, Tuarob, Choudhury, Ororbia, Mitra, & Giles (2014). Such platforms will continue to emerge and be improved, with librarians as the ultimate drivers of such platforms and as the mediators between the patrons and the data generated by such platforms.
Every library needs to find its place in the large organization and in society in regard to this very new and very powerful phenomenon called Big Data. Libraries might not have the trained staff to become a leader in the process of organizing and building the complex mechanism of this new knowledge architecture, but librarians must educate and train themselves to be worthy participants in this new establishment.
Method
The study will be cleared by the SCSU IRB.
The survey will collect responses from library population and it readiness to use and use of Big Data. Send survey URL to (academic?) libraries around the world.
Data will be processed through SPSS. Open ended results will be processed manually. The preliminary research design presupposes a mixed method approach.
The study will include the use of closed-ended survey response questions and open-ended questions. The first part of the study (close ended, quantitative questions) will be completed online through online survey. Participants will be asked to complete the survey using a link they receive through e-mail.
Mixed methods research was defined by Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004) as “the class of research where the researcher mixes or combines quantitative and qualitative research techniques, methods, approaches, concepts, or language into a single study” (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004 , p. 17). Quantitative and qualitative methods can be combined, if used to complement each other because the methods can measure different aspects of the research questions (Sale, Lohfeld, & Brazil, 2002).
Sampling design
Online survey of 10-15 question, with 3-5 demographic and the rest regarding the use of tools.
1-2 open-ended questions at the end of the survey to probe for follow-up mixed method approach (an opportunity for qualitative study)
data analysis techniques: survey results will be exported to SPSS and analyzed accordingly. The final survey design will determine the appropriate statistical approach.
Project Schedule
Complete literature review and identify areas of interest – two months
Prepare and test instrument (survey) – month
IRB and other details – month
Generate a list of potential libraries to distribute survey – month
Contact libraries. Follow up and contact again, if necessary (low turnaround) – month
Collect, analyze data – two months
Write out data findings – month
Complete manuscript – month
Proofreading and other details – month
Significance of the work
While it has been widely acknowledged that Big Data (and its handling) is changing higher education (https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=big+data) as well as academic libraries (https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2016/03/29/analytics-in-education/), it remains nebulous how Big Data is handled in the academic library and, respectively, how it is related to the handling of Big Data on campus. Moreover, the visualization of Big Data between units on campus remains in progress, along with any policymaking based on the analysis of such data (hence the need for comprehensive visualization).
This research will aim to gain an understanding on: a. how librarians are handling Big Data; b. how are they relating their Big Data output to the campus output of Big Data and c. how librarians in particular and campus administration in general are tuning their practices based on the analysis.
Based on the survey returns (if there is a statistically significant return), this research might consider juxtaposing the practices from academic libraries, to practices from special libraries (especially corporate libraries), public and school libraries.
References:
Adams Becker, S., Cummins M, Davis, A., Freeman, A., Giesinger Hall, C., Ananthanarayanan, V., … Wolfson, N. (2017). NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Library Edition.
Andrejevic, M., & Gates, K. (2014). Big Data Surveillance: Introduction. Surveillance & Society, 12(2), 185–196.
Asamoah, D. A., Sharda, R., Hassan Zadeh, A., & Kalgotra, P. (2017). Preparing a Data Scientist: A Pedagogic Experience in Designing a Big Data Analytics Course. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 15(2), 161–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/dsji.12125
Bughin, J., Chui, M., & Manyika, J. (2010). Clouds, big data, and smart assets: Ten tech-enabled business trends to watch. McKinsey Quarterly, 56(1), 75–86.
Cohen, J., Dolan, B., Dunlap, M., Hellerstein, J. M., & Welton, C. (2009). MAD Skills: New Analysis Practices for Big Data. Proc. VLDB Endow., 2(2), 1481–1492. https://doi.org/10.14778/1687553.1687576
Daniel, B. (2015). Big Data and analytics in higher education: Opportunities and challenges. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(5), 904–920. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12230
Daries, J. P., Reich, J., Waldo, J., Young, E. M., Whittinghill, J., Ho, A. D., … Chuang, I. (2014). Privacy, Anonymity, and Big Data in the Social Sciences. Commun. ACM, 57(9), 56–63. https://doi.org/10.1145/2643132
De Mauro, A. D., Greco, M., & Grimaldi, M. (2016). A formal definition of Big Data based on its essential features. Library Review, 65(3), 122–135. https://doi.org/10.1108/LR-06-2015-0061
De Mauro, A., Greco, M., & Grimaldi, M. (2015). What is big data? A consensual definition and a review of key research topics. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1644(1), 97–104. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4907823
Eaton, M. (2017). Seeing Library Data: A Prototype Data Visualization Application for Librarians. Publications and Research. Retrieved from http://academicworks.cuny.edu/kb_pubs/115
Emanuel, J. (2013). Usability testing in libraries: methods, limitations, and implications. OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives, 29(4), 204–217. https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2013-0009
Graham, M., & Shelton, T. (2013). Geography and the future of big data, big data and the future of geography. Dialogues in Human Geography, 3(3), 255–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/2043820613513121
Hashem, I. A. T., Yaqoob, I., Anuar, N. B., Mokhtar, S., Gani, A., & Ullah Khan, S. (2015). The rise of “big data” on cloud computing: Review and open research issues. Information Systems, 47(Supplement C), 98–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.is.2014.07.006
Laney, D. (2001, February 6). 3D Data Management: Controlling Data Volume, Velocity, and Variety.
Miltenoff, P., & Hauptman, R. (2005). Ethical dilemmas in libraries: an international perspective. The Electronic Library, 23(6), 664–670. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470510635746
Philip Chen, C. L., & Zhang, C.-Y. (2014). Data-intensive applications, challenges, techniques and technologies: A survey on Big Data. Information Sciences, 275(Supplement C), 314–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2014.01.015
Provost, F., & Fawcett, T. (2013). Data Science and its Relationship to Big Data and Data-Driven Decision Making. Big Data, 1(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1089/big.2013.1508
Reyes, J. (2015). The skinny on big data in education: Learning analytics simplified. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 59(2), 75–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0842-1
Schroeder, R. (2014). Big Data and the brave new world of social media research. Big Data & Society, 1(2), 2053951714563194. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951714563194
Sugimoto, C. R., Ding, Y., & Thelwall, M. (2012). Library and information science in the big data era: Funding, projects, and future [a panel proposal]. Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 49(1), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1002/meet.14504901187
Tene, O., & Polonetsky, J. (2012). Big Data for All: Privacy and User Control in the Age of Analytics. Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property, 11, [xxvii]-274.
van Dijck, J. (2014). Datafication, dataism and dataveillance: Big Data between scientific paradigm and ideology. Surveillance & Society; Newcastle upon Tyne, 12(2), 197–208.
Waller, M. A., & Fawcett, S. E. (2013). Data Science, Predictive Analytics, and Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform Supply Chain Design and Management. Journal of Business Logistics, 34(2), 77–84. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbl.12010
West, D. M. (2012). Big data for education: Data mining, data analytics, and web dashboards. Governance Studies at Brookings, 4, 1–0.
Willis, J. (2013). Ethics, Big Data, and Analytics: A Model for Application. Educause Review Online. Retrieved from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/idcpubs/1
Wixom, B., Ariyachandra, T., Douglas, D. E., Goul, M., Gupta, B., Iyer, L. S., … Turetken, O. (2014). The current state of business intelligence in academia: The arrival of big data. CAIS, 34, 1.
Wu, X., Zhu, X., Wu, G. Q., & Ding, W. (2014). Data mining with big data. IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, 26(1), 97–107. https://doi.org/10.1109/TKDE.2013.109
Wu, Z., Wu, J., Khabsa, M., Williams, K., Chen, H. H., Huang, W., … Giles, C. L. (2014). Towards building a scholarly big data platform: Challenges, lessons and opportunities. In IEEE/ACM Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (pp. 117–126). https://doi.org/10.1109/JCDL.2014.6970157
Ms. Joanne Lipman
October 20, 2017
Editor-in-Chief of USA Today
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22108
Dear Ms. Lipman,
In our roles as the Board of Directors of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), we are writing to express our profound disappointment with the USA Today career advice feature on October 13, 2017 entitled “Careers: 8 jobs that won’t exist in 2030,” which declared that “librarian” is the number one career among the eight jobs that inaccurate statement on two fronts: first, that the profession is declining, and second, that this alleged will disappear in 2030. This is a false and decline is a result of libraries as warehouses of printed books.
The author of this article may not realize that a professional librarian position in the U.S. and many other countries requires a Master’s degree. According to a recent article in Library Journal, 86% of recent graduates from American Library Association (ALA) accredited schools have found jobs. Another recent report (released on September 28, 2017) by Pearson, Nesta, and Oxford University predicts growth in the information professions, including librarians, curators, and archivists. They are among the top ten jobs likely to experience increased demand in 2030. The report is summarized by Library Journal in its article entitled “The Job Outlook: In 2030, Librarians Will Be in Demand.” Furthermore, your own job posting section for librarian positions does not show the decline of our profession. A close reading of the job titles should have indicated to the author that librarians do more than simply check out books.
This article demonstrates a lack of understanding of librarians’ work as information professionals. My note: but so do lack understanding a lot of librarians, paraprofessionals and administrators in libraries. They are the one, who leave the impressions reflected in the article of US Today. Information professionals IS the keyword and, as during the hype around year 2000 with Barnes & Nobles, a great number of people working in libraries continue to behave as it is the Middle Ages and care of paper-based materials the one and only responsibility a “librarian” may have. The lack of understanding regarding the wide scope of “information professionals” is profound.
Libraries provide access to print and special collections of media, and subscription-based or free electronic resources. All of these must be curated, cataloged, or organized by professional librarians to make them accessible to their users. My note: beating your own drum is good, but when failing to recognize the existence of folksonomy and its impact, do not get upset when US Today reflects the impact
College and university librarians carry out research consultations and instruct student and faculty in finding, evaluating, and using information. My note: when faculty let them do it. And administration recognizes it. It is a shaky position, which does not exclude the 2030 scenario.
Public librarians connect patrons to community resources, lead programming for children and adults, and engage in community outreach and advocacy. Special librarians work for corporations, federal and state institutions, focusing on gathering competitive intelligence and making sure their organizations have access to the information they need to make sound business or strategic decisions.
The article also inaccurately presents libraries as dedicated solely to books:
More and more people are clearing out those paperbacks and downloading e-books on their Tablets and Kindles instead. The same goes for borrowing — as books fall out of favor, libraries are not as popular as they once were. That means you’ll have a tough time finding a job if you decide to become a librarian. Many schools and universities are already moving their libraries off the shelves and onto the Internet.
In addition to providing access to books, journals, newspapers, and other media, both electronically and in print, libraries provide access to technology, from computers, laptops, and iPads to 3D printers, My note: are we? are we doing this at our library? Are the reference librarians allowing such blasphemous thoughts penetrate this library? And if they do, do they allow other professionals to collaborate with them, or “keep it for themselves?”
multimedia software, and recording studios. My note: whaaat?
Many libraries have expanded their non-print collections and are circulating a wide variety of objects including tools, musical instruments, toys, wifi hotspots, and artwork. Libraries are highly valued as community centers and safe spaces that allow people to connect with information and with each other. Research shows that libraries are one of the most trusted and valued public institutions in the country.
The article further argues that librarians and libraries are not needed because printed books are falling out of favor. However, there is considerable counter-evidence that printed books are still in demand, including the articles cited below.
Cain, S. (2017, March 14). Ebook sales continue to fall as younger generations drive appetite for print. The Guardian. Retrieved from:
Milliot, J. (2017, January 20). The Bad News About E-books: Nielsen reports units fell 16% in 2016 compared to 2015. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from:
We respectfully request an open response from you or from the author of the article. Sincerely,
SCSU Library search, Google, Professional organization, (e.g. NASET), Stacks of magazines, SCSU library info, but need to know what all of the options mean on that page
University libraries have held collections of books and printed material throughout their existence and continue to be perceived as repositories for physical collections. Other non-print specialized collections of interest have been held in various departments on campus such as Anthropology, Art, and Biology due to the unique needs of the collections and their usage. With the advent of electronic media, it becomes possible to store these non-print collections in a central place, such as the Libray.
The skills needed to curate artifacts from an archeological excavation, biological specimens from various life forms, and sculpture work are very different, making it difficult for smaller university libraries to properly hold, curate, and make available such collections. In addition, faculty in the various departments tend to want those collections near their coursework and research, so it can be readily available to students and researchers. With the expansion of online learning, the need for such availability becomes increasingly pronounced.
With the advent of 3 dimensional (3D) scanners, it has become possible for a smaller library to hold digital representations of these collections in an archive that can be curated from the various departments by experts in the discipline. The Library can then make the digital representations available to other researchers, students, and the public through kiosks in the Library or via the Internet. Current methods to scan and store an artifact in 3Dstill require expertise not often found in a Library.
We propose to use existing technology to build an easy-to-use system to scan smaller artifacts in 3D. The project will include purchase and installation of a workstation in the Library where the artifact collection can be accessed using a large touch-screen monitor, and a portable, easy-to-use 3D scanning station. Curators of collections from various departments on the St. Cloud State University campus can check out the scanning station, connect to power and Internet where the collection is located, and scan their collection into the libraries digital archives, making the collection easily available to students, other researchers and the public.
The project would include assembly of two workstations previously mentioned and potentially develop the robotic scanner. Software would be produced to automate the workflow from the scanner to archiving the digital representation and then make the collection available on the Internet.
This project would be a collaboration between the St. Cloud State University Library (https://www.stcloudstate.edu/library/ and Visualization Laboratory (https://www.facebook.com/SCSUVizLab/). The project would use the expertise and services of the St. Cloud State Visualization Laboratory. Dr. Plamen Miltenoff, a faculty with the Library will coordinate the Library initiatives related to the use of the 3D scanner. Mark Gill, Visualization Engineer, and Dr. Mark Petzold, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering will lead a group of students in developing the software to automate the scanning, storage, and retrieval of the 3D models. The Visualization Lab has already had success in 3D scanning objects for other departments and in creating interactive displays allowing retrieval of various digital content, including 3D scanned objects such animal skulls and video. A collaboration between the Library, VizLab and the Center for Teaching and Learning (, https://www.stcloudstate.edu/teaching/) will enable campus faculty to overcome technical and financial obstacles. It will promote the VizLab across campus, while sharing its technical resources with the Library and making those resources widely available across campus. Such work across silos will expose the necessity (if any) of standardization and will help faculty embrace stronger collaborative practices as well as spur the process of reproduction of best practices across disciplines.
Budget:
Hardware
Cost
42” Touch Screen Monitor
$2200
Monitor Mount
$400
2 Computer Workstations
$5000
Installation
$500
Cart for Mobile 3D Scanner
$1000
3D Scanner (either purchase or develop in-house)
$2000
Total
$11100
The budget covers two computer workstations. One will be installed in the library as a way to access the digital catalog, and will include a 42 inch touch screen monitor mounted to a wall or stand. This installation will provide students a way to interact with the models in a more natural way. The second workstation would be mounted on a mobile cart and connected to the 3D scanner. This would allow collection curators from different parts of campus to check out the scanner and scan their collections. The ability to bring the scanner to the collection would increase the likelihood the collections to be scanned into the library collection.
The 3D scanner would either be purchased off-the shelf or designed by a student team from the Engineering Department. A solution will be sought to use and minimize the amount of training the operator would need. If the scanner is developed in-house, a simple optical scanner such as an XBox Kinect device and a turntable or robotic arm will be used. Support for the XBox Kinect is built into Microsoft Visual Studio, thus creating the interface efficient and costeffective.
Dr. Miltenoff is part of a workgroup within the academic library, which works with faculty, students and staff on the application of new technologies in education. Dr. Miltenoff’s most recent research with Mark Gill is on the impact of Video 360 on students during library orientation:http://web.stcloudstate.edu/pmiltenoff/bi/
Mark Petzold, Ph.D. mcpetzold@stcloudstate.edu
320-308-4182
Dr. Petzold is an Associate Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. His current projects involve visualization of meteorological data in a virtual reality environment and research into student retention issues. He is co-PI on a $5 million NSF S-STEM grant which gives scholarships to low income students and investigates issues around student transitions to college.
Mr. Gill is a Visualization Engineer for the College of Science and Engineering and runs the Visualization Laboratory. He has worked for several major universities as well as Stennis Space Center and Mechdyne, Inc. He holds a Masters of Science in Software Engineering.
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University of Nevada, Reno and Pennsylvania State University 41 campus libraries to include collaborative spaces where faculty and students gather to transform virtual ideas into reality.
Maker Commons in the Modern Library 6 REASONS 3D PRINTERS SHOULD BE IN YOUR LIBRARY
1. Librarians Know How to Share 2. Librarians Work Well with IT People 3. Librarians Serve Everybody 4. Librarians Can Fill Learning Gaps 5. Librarians like Student Workers 6. Librarians are Cross-Discipline
qualifications of the embedded librarian: is there any known case for an academic library to employ as embedded librarian a specialist who has both MLIS and terminal degree in a discipline, where he works as embedded librarian.
“I also think that we need to be more welcoming to people who may not have come through a traditional education program (i.e., the M.L.S.) but who bring critical skills and new perspectives into the library.”
The Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries – Higher Ed Careers – HigherEdJobs. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.higheredjobs.com/HigherEdCareers/interviews.cfm?ID=632
“Their engagement can be over two or more class sessions, even co-teaching the class in some cases. This model provides in-depth knowledge of student research projects during the research and revision process.” This is for first-year experience students.
Embedding with project teams in Business and STEM programs involves: “in – depth participation in short – term projects, aiding the team in their searches, literature review, grant preparation, data curation, or other specialized information aspects of the project. This level of embedment requires a heavy time commitment during the length of the project, as well as subject expertise and established trust with the research team.”
embedding in departments as a liaison.
“They are usually closely affiliated with the departme nt (maybe even more so than with the libraries) and might be paid out of departmental funds. These librarians learn the ways and needs of their patrons in their natural environment. They often work as finders of information, organizers of information, and taxonomy creators. Embedding within departments provides in – depth knowledge of the users of library services, along with potential isolation from other librarians. It involves a high degree of specialization, co – location and shared responsibility”
best practices, new opptunities (video, screencasts, social media. Adobe Connect) , Assessment
here is Kvenild 2016 article also
Kvenild, C., Tumbleson, B. E., Burke, J. J., & Calkins, K. (2016). Embedded librarianship: questions and answers from librarians in the trenches. Library Hi Tech, 34(2), 8-11.
utilizing technology tools; and providing information literacy and assessment. Technology tools continue to evolve and change, and most librarians can anticipate using multiple learning management systems over time. There is an ongoing need for professional development in online library instruction and assessment
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Tumbleson, B. E., & Burke, J. (. J. (2013). Embedding librarianship in learning management systems: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians. Neal-Schuman, an imprint of the American Library Association.
emphasis is on undergraduate. “a tremendous amount of literature published addressing library/faculty partnerships.”
“There will never be one golden rule when it comes to way in which a librarian networks with faculty on campus.”
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Bobish, G. (2011). Participation and Pedagogy: Connecting the Social Web to ACRL Learning Outcomes. Journal Of Academic Librarianship, 37(1), 54-63.
Cahoy, E. S., & Schroeder, R. (2012). EMBEDDING AFFECTIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES IN LIBRARY INSTRUCTION. Communications In Information Literacy, 6(1), 73-90.
attention must be paid to students’ affective, emotional needs throughout the research
process. My note: And this is exactly what comprise half of my service of. The relatively small amount of research into affective learning, as opposed to cognition, remains true to this day.
p. 78 As the 50-minute one-shot session is still the norm for library research sessions on the
majority of campuses, behavioral assessment can be problematic.
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Cha, T., & Hsieh, P. (2009). A Case Study of Faculty Attitudes toward Collaboration with Librarians to Integrate Information Literacy into the Curriculum. (Chinese). Journal Of Educational Media & Library Sciences, 46(4), 441-467.
Meanwhile, different attitudes were revealed between teaching higher order thinking skills and lower order thinking skills. Librarian Domain Knowledge, Librarian Professionalism, Curriculum Strategies, and Student Learning were identified as factorial dimensions influencing faculty-librarian collaboration.
two major concerns of “Students Learning” and “Librarian Professionalism” from faculty provide insights that understanding pedagogy, enhancing instructional skills and continuing progress in librarian professionalism will contribute to consolidating partnerships when developing course-specific IL programs.
COVONE, N., & LAMM, M. (2010). Just Be There: Campus, Department, Classroom…and Kitchen?. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2/3), 198-207. doi:10.1080/15228959.2010.498768
p. 199 There is also the concept of the ‘‘blended librarian’’ as described by Bell and Shank (2004) to merge the assets and abilities of a librarian with those of one versed in technology. Academic librarians are obligated and privileged to merge several strengths to meet the needs of their user population. No longer is the traditional passive role acceptable. Bell and Shank (2004) implore academic librarians ‘‘to proactively advance their integration into the teaching and learning process’’ (p. 373).
p. 200 first year experience
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Dewey, B. I. (2004). The Embedded Librarian: Strategic Campus Collaborations. Resource Sharing & Information Networks, 17(1-2), 5-17.
p. 6 the imperative for academic librarians to become embedded in the priorities of teaching, learning, and research in truly relevant ways. Embedding as an effective mode of collaboration will be explored through examples relating to the physical and virtual environment. An analysis of current approaches and next steps for the future will be addressed, with the goal of providing food for thought as librarians assess programs and activities in terms of positive collaboration and effectiveness
p. 9 new academic salon,
p. 10 the pervasive campus librarian
The fact that we are generalists and devoted to all disciplines and all sectors of the academic user community gives us a special insight on ways to advance the university and achieve its mission
this contradicts Shumaker and Talley, who assert that the embedded librarian is NOT a generalist, but specialist
p. 11 Central administrators, along with the chief academic officer, make critical funding and policy decisions affecting the library
p. 11 librarians and teaching. In 2011, interim dean Ruth Zietlow “gave up” classes after the messy divorce with CIM. the library faculty poled itself to reveal that a significant number of the faculty does NOT want to teach.
p. 14 influencing campus virtual space this library’s social media is imploded in its image.
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DREWES, K., & HOFFMAN, N. (2010). Academic Embedded Librarianship: An Introduction. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2/3), 75-82. doi:10.1080/15228959.2010.498773
p. 75 Literature about embedded librarianship is so diverse that the definition of this term, as well as related goals and methods when embedding services and programs, can be difficult to define. What are some characteristics of an embedded program? Is embedding only achieved through an online classroom? How did embedded librarianship first begin in academic libraries?
p. 76 adopted as a term because it is a similar concept to embedded journalism.
Embedded librarian programs often locate librarians involved in the spaces of their users and colleagues, either physically or through technology, in order to become a part of their users’ culture. A librarian’s physical and metaphorical location is often what defines them as embedded.
David Shumaker and Mary Talley (see bottom of this blog entry)
Highly technical tasks, such as creating information architecture, using analytical software, and computer and network systems management were performed by less than 20% of the survey respondents. Shumaker and Talley also report embedded services are often found in tandem with specialized funding. This study also confirms embedded services are not new.
p. 77 history and evolution of the role
p. 79 methods of embedding
In North America, one would be hard-pressed to find a library that does not already electronically embed services into online reference chat, make use of Web 2.0 communication applications such as Twitter and blogs, and embed librarians and collaborators within online classrooms. These are all examples of the embedding process (Ramsay & Kinnie, 2006). The name embedded librarian in this context is a double entendre, as the insertion of widgets and multimedia files into HTML code when designing Web sites is usually called the embedding of the file. My note: is this library actually is one that does not use Twitter and blogs in the hard-core meaning of library service
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Essinger, C. c., & Ke, I. i. (2013). Outreach: What Works?. Collaborative Librarianship, 5(1), 52-58.
Recommendations:
The authors distributed their findings at a half day workshop attended by nearly all liaisons. They made the following recommendations:
• Personalize outreach.
• Spend more time marketing and reaching out to departments, even though it might mean having less time for other activities.
• Find an alternative advocate who can build your reputation through word-ofmouth if your relationship with your assigned department liaison is not fruitful.
• Seek opportunities to meet department staff in person.
• As much as possible, administrators should commit to keeping liaisons assignments static.
p. 57 that faculty outreach is similar to other types of relationship building: it requires time to establish trust, respect and appreciation on both sides. Even a liaison’s challenging first two years can, therefore, be viewed as productive because the relationship is developing in the background. This phenomenon also signals to library administrators the benefits of maintaining a stable workforce. Frequent changes in academic assignments and staff changes can lead to a less engaged user population, and also make the outreach assignment much more frustrating.
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Heider, K. L. (2010). Ten Tips for Implementing a Successful Embedded Librarian Program. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2-3), 110-121.
embedded librarian program in the university’s College of Education and Educational Technology
p. 112 Make Sure You Have Buy-in from All Stakeholders
Include College=Department Faculty in the Interview Process
Look for the Following Qualities=Qualifications in an Embedded Librarian
Have a Physical Presence in the College=Department a Few Days Each Week
Serve as Bibliographer to College=Department
Offer Bibliographic Instruction Sessions and Guest Lectures at Main Campus, Branch Campuses, and Centers
Develop Collaborative Programs that Utilize the Library’s Resources for College=Department Improvement
#9 Offer to Teach Credit Courses for the College=Department When Department Faculty Are Not Available
#10: Publish Scholarly Works and Present at Professional Conferences with College=Department Faculty. again, Martin Lo, John Hoover,
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Hollister, C. V. (2008). Meeting Them where They Are: Library Instruction for Today’s Students in the World Civilizations Course. Public Services Quarterly, 4(1), 15-27.
Faculty come to the world civilizations enterprise from a broad range of academic disciplines and world experiences, which has a significant impact on their interpretations of world history, their selections of course materials, their teaching styles, and their expectations for students. Moreover, faculty teach the course on a rotating basis. So, there is no single model of faculty-librarian collaboration that can be applied from section to section, or even from semester to semester. Faculty have widely differing views on the role of library instruction in their sections of the course, and the extent to which library research is required for coursework. They also differ in terms of their ability or willingness to collaborate with the libraries. As a result, student access to library instruction varies from section to section.
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Kesselman, M. A., & Watstein, S. B. (2009). Creating Opportunities: Embedded Librarians. Journal Of Library Administration, 49(3), 383-400.
p. 384 embedded librarians in the blogosphere.
not even close to the local idea how blog must be used for library use.
p. 387 definitions
p. 389 clinical librarianship – term from the 1970s.
p. 390 Special librarians and particularly those in corporate settings tend to be more integrated within the company they serve and are often instrumental in cost-related services such as competitive intelligence, scientific, and patent research.
p. 391 Librarians Collaborating With Faculty in Scholarly Communication Activities
My note: this is what I am doing with Martin Lo and used to do with John Hoover. Attempts with the sociology department, IS department
p. 392 Role of Librarians With Multidisciplinary Collaborations
my note : my work with Mark Gill and Mark Petzhold
p. 393 social media
again, this library cannot be farther from the true meaning of Web 2.0 collaboration.
p. 396 organizational structures
Three different types of organizational structures are generally recognized—hierarchical, matrix, and flat. We suggest that each of these conventional structures promotes, to some extent, its own brand of silos—silos that inherently pose obstacles to the assumption of new roles and responsibilities. For example, we question whether the hierarchical organization structures that define many of our libraries, with their emphasis on line, lateral staff and functional relationships and the relative ranks of parts and positions or jobs, are flexible enough to support new roles and responsibilities. In contrast, matrix management offers a different type of organizational management model in which people with similar skills are pooled for work assignments. We suggest that, in contrast to hierarchical structures, matrix management allows team members to share information more readily across task boundaries and allows for specialization that can increase depth of knowledge and allow professional development and career progression to be managed. The third organizational structure mentioned—flat or horizontal organizations, refers to an organizational structure with few or no levels of intervening management between staff and managers
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Kobzina, N. G. (2010). A Faculty—Librarian Partnership: A Unique Opportunity for Course Integration. Journal Of Library Administration, 50(4), 293-314.
my LIB 290 is such class. and I am the only one who is teaching it online by QM standards.
Can the administration encourage Global Studies to combine efforts with my LIB 290 and offer a campus-wide class?
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Lange, J. j., Canuel, R. r., & Fitzgibbons, M. m. (2011). Tailoring information literacy instruction and library services for continuing education. Journal Of Information Literacy, 5(2), 66-80.
McGill. p. 77 The McGill University Library’s system-wide liaison model emphasises a disciplinary approach, placing the impetus for outreach and service on individual librarians responsible for particular departments and user groups.
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MCMILLEN, P., & FABBI, J. (2010). How to Be an E3 Librarian. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2/3), 174-186. doi:10.1080/15228959.2010.497454
Meyer, N. J., & Miller, I. R. (2008). The Library as Service-Learning Partner: A Win-Win Collaboration with Students and Faculty. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 15(4), 399-413.
millennials. p. 48 my note: the losing battle of telling the millennials the value of books
librarians need to emphasize that not all information
is found on the Web and that the information found there might not be
reliable, depending on its source
p. 49 The latest technology can be used for communication. Two examples of this modernization process are making podcasts of library lectures and using instant messaging to answer reference queries. Students need Reference Librarians to assist them in focusing their research, showing them appropriate sources and how to use those sources. The change is not how the librarians serve the students but how the service is delivered. Instead of coming to the reference desk Millennial students may choose to use e-mail, cell phones to send a text message or use a chat reference service to communicate with the librarian. Students want to have 24/7 access to library resources and librarians.
my note: and yet this library still uses 90ish communication – the facebook page is just an easy to edit web page and the concept of Web 2.0 has not arrived or shaped the current communication.
p. 50 Librarians should examine how they present library instruction and ensure that students know why it is important. Further, Lancaster and Stillman state that librarians need to “incorporate some computer-based instruction for Millennials as it allows them to go at their own speed and acknowledges their ability to manage information” (2003, 231).
and, once again, talking about inducing library instruction with technology: http://web.stcloudstate.edu/pmiltenoff/bi/
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Oakleaf, M., & VanScoy, A. (2010). Instructional Strategies for Digital Reference: Methods to Facilitate Student Learning. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 49(4), 380-390.
In the current climate of educational accountability, reference librarians should embrace the opportunity to align reference service with the teaching and learning missions of their libraries and overarching institutions
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Rao, S., Cameron, A., & Gaskin-Noel, S. (2009). Embedding General Education Competencies into an Online Information Literacy Course. Journal Of Library Administration, 49(1/2), 59-73.
online programs a 3-credit junior seminar course (JRSM 301) to assess general education competencies
p. 60 The 3-credit course titled LISC 260—Using Electronic Resources for Research has existed as a required course for this overseas cohort of students since the fall of 1999. The course was initially developed as a required course to introduce the Mercy College Libraries’ resources to this cohort of overseas students. Full-time librarians teach this course as an overload.
The course lasts for 8 weeks during fall and spring semesters and is divided into eight modules with five quizzes. Summer sessions are shorter; the summer version of the course runs for 6 weeks. There is no midterm exam, final exam, project, or term paper for this course. Sixty percent of the grade is based on the quizzes and assignments and 40% on discussion and class participation.
Each quiz addresses a specific competency. We identified the modules where the five competencies would fit best. A document containing the five general education competencies (critical thinking, information literacy, quantitative reasoning, critical reading, and writing) statements
Critical Thinking Competency This competency was placed in the second module covering the topic “Developing Search Strategies” in the second week of the course. In this module, students are required to select a topic and develop logical terminologies and search strings. This task requires a great deal of critical and analytical thinking and therefore lays the groundwork for the other competencies. The quizzes and assignments for this competency involve breaking or narrowing down the topic into subtopics, comparing two topics or ideas, and similar skills. It is hoped that students will be able to adopt Boolean and other search logic in clear and precise ways in their analyses and interpretations of their topic and use the search strategies they develop for continued assignments throughout the rest of the course.
p. 61. Information Literacy Competency The information literacy competency is introduced in the fourth module in the fourth week of the course. As part of the course, students are required to learn about the Mercy College Libraries’ indexes and databases, which this module addresses (“Information Literacy,” n.d.).
Quantitative Reasoning Competency
This seminar course is a library research course with no statistics or mathematics component. Many students enrolled in the course are not mathematics or statistics majors, hence some creativity was needed to evaluate their mathematical and computational skills. Students are given this competency in the fifth module during the fifth week of the course, which deals with subject-specific sources. It was decided that, to assess this competency, a quiz analyzing data obtained in a tabular format from one of the databases subscribed to by the library would fulfill the requirement. Students are given a choice of various countries and related data, and are asked to create some comparative demographic profiles. This approach has worked well because it gives students the opportunity to focus on countries and data that interest them.
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Abrizah, A., Inuwa, S., & Afiqah-Izzati, N. (2016). Systematic Literature Review Informing LIS Professionals on Embedding Librarianship Roles. Journal Of Academic Librarianship, 42(6), 636-643. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2016.08.010
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Summey, T. P., & Kane, C. A. (2017). Going Where They Are: Intentionally Embedding Librarians in Courses and Measuring the Impact on Student Learning. Journal Of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning, 11(1/2), 158-174. doi:10.1080/1533290X.2016.1229429
p. 158 The concept of embedded librarians is not new, as it has antecedents in branch librarians of the seventies and academic departmental liaisons of the 1980s and 1990s. However, it is a way to proactively reach out to the campus community (Drewes & Hoffman, 2010).
There is not a one-size-fits-all definition for embedded librarianship. As a result, librarians in academic libraries may be embedded in their communities in a variety of ways and at varying levels from course integrated instruction to being fully embedded as a member of an academic department
p. 160 my note: the authors describe the standard use of LMS for embedded librarianship.
p. 163 they managed to fight out and ensure their efforts are “credited.” Assigning credits to embedded librarian activities can be a very tough process.
p. 165 assessment
the authors utilized a pre-module and post-module survey to assess the students’ performance using library resources. The survey also helped to determine the students’ perceived self-efficacy and confidence in using the library, its resources, and services. In addition, the researchers analyzed student responses to discussion questions, studied feedback at the end of the course in the course discussion forum, and conducted interviews with the faculty members teaching the courses (
In another study, researchers analyzed bibliographies of students in the course to identify what resources they cited in their research projects. More specifically, they analyzed the type and appropriateness of sources used by the students, their currency, and noting how deeply the students delved into their topics. They also looked at the number of references cited. The authors believed that examining the bibliographies provided an incomplete picture because it provided data on the sources selected by the students but not information on how they retrieved those sources.
p. 171 survey sample
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Wu, L., & Thornton, J. (2017). Experience, Challenges, and Opportunities of Being Fully Embedded in a User Group. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 36(2), 138-149. doi:10.1080/02763869.2017.1293978
Texas A&M University academic health sciences library integrating a librarian into the College of Pharmacy, approximately 250 miles away from the main library. preembedded and postembedded activities demonstrated the effectiveness and impact of
For this study, the fully embedded librarian is defined as one who is out of the traditional library and into an onsite setting to provide a full range of library services that enable collaboration with researchers or teaching faculty and support student learning. In this model, the embedded librarian is a team member of the RCOP rather than a service provider standing apart. The lines are not blurred as to the kind of services that should be embedded because the embedded librarian is 100% onsite. Very few reports in the literature describe fully embedded librarian models such as this. However, one similar model exists at the Arizona Health Sciences Library (AHSL), which is affiliated with the University of Arizona, where librarians relocated their permanent offices to the colleges of Nursing, Public Health, and Pharmacy. AHSL librarians spent close to 100% of their time in the colleges.
p. 144 The embedded librarian has gained recognition in the college and was appointed by the dean to serve on the Instructional Venues Ad Hoc Committee (IVC).
My note: This is what Tom Hergert and I have been advocating for years: the role of the librarian is not to find info and teach how to find info ONLY. The role of the librarian is to bring 21st century to School of Education: information literacy is only a fragment of metaliteracies. Information literacy is a 1990s priority. While it is still an important part of librarians goals, digital literacy, visual and media literacy, as well as technology literacy and pedagogical application of technology is imposed as integral part of the work of the embedded librarian.
p. 145 Challenges and Opportunities
Another challenge involved the librarian’s decision-making and effective communications skills, especially when deciding to implement library services or programs. Other challenges included speaking the client group’s language and knowing the information needs of each group—faculty, students, staff, postdocs, research assistants, and research scientists—to deliver the right information at the point of need. The following strategies were practiced to overcome these challenges: .
A positive attitude can increase connectivity, networking, and collaboration beyond a limited space. Proactively seeking opportunities to participate and get involved in library events, instructional programs, training workshops, or committee work shortened the distance between the remote librarian and those in main campus. .
As video conferencing tools or programs (e.g., Adobe Connnect, Webex, Skype, Google Hangout, Zoom) were the primary means for the remote at 18:19 24 August 2017 librarian to attend library meetings and teach in library instructional programs, spending some time learning to use these tools and embracing them greatly increased the librarian’s capacity to overcome the feelings of disconnection.
The willingness to travel several times a year to the main campus to meet librarians face-to-face helped in understanding the system and in getting help that seemed complicated and difficult via remote resources (e.g., computer issues). .
Actively listening to the faculty and students during the conversations helped understand their information needs. This served as the basis to initiate any targeted library services and programs.
Despite the challenges, the embedded librarian was presented with numerous opportunities that a traditional librarian might think impossible or difficult to experience, for example, attending RCOP department meetings or RCOP executive committee meetings to present library resources and services, serving on RCOP committees, co-teaching with faculty in RCOP credit courses, creating and grading assignments counting toward total course credits, and being given access to all RCOP course syllabi in eCampus. (the last is in essence what I am doing right now)
p. 147 Marketing Embedded Library Services
The “What’s in It for Me” (WIIFM) principle1 was a powerful technique to promote embedded library services. The essentials of WIIFM are understanding patron needs and ensuring the marketing effort or communications addressing those needs15—in other words, always telling patrons what is in it for them when promoting library services and resources. Different venues were used to practice WIIFM: .
RCOP faculty email list was an effective way to reach out to all the faculty. An email message at the beginning of a semester to the faculty highlighted the embedded librarian’s services. During the semester, the librarian communicated with the faculty on specific resources and services addressing their needs, such as measuring their research impact at the time of their annual evaluation, sharing grant funding resources, and promoting MSL’s resources related to reuse of images. .
Library orientations to new students and new faculty allowed the librarian to focus on who to contact for questions and help, available resources, and ways to access them. . Being a guest speaker for the monthly RCOP departmental faculty meetings provided another opportunity for the librarian to promote services and resources.
Casual conversations with faculty, students, researchers, and postdocs in the hallway, at staff luncheons, and at RCOP events helped understand their information needs, which helped the librarian initiate MSL service projects and programs.
The Facebook private group, created by Instructional Technology & MSL Resources @ Rangel COP, was used to announce MSL resources and services. The group currently has 256 members. The librarian is one of the group administrators who answers student questions related to library and MSL resources. (social media is my forte)
p. 148 This model would not have been successful without the strong support from MSL leadership team and the RCOP administration.
the next step would be to conduct a systematic assessment to get feedback from RCOP administrators, faculty, students, staff, postdocs, and research assistants. The integration of the library instructional program into the RCOP curriculum should be included in RCOP final course evaluations. Another future direction might be to conduct a curriculum map to get a better idea about the learning objectives of each course and to identity information literacy instruction needs across the curriculum. The curriculum mapping might also help better structure library instruction delivery to RCOP. Teaching content might be structured more purposefully and logically sequenced across the curriculum to ensure that what students have learned in one course prepares them for the next ones.
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Blake, L., Ballance, D., Davies, K., Gaines, J. K., Mears, K., Shipman, P., & … Burchfield, V. (2016). Patron perception and utilization of an embedded librarian program. Journal Of The Medical Library Association, 104(3), 226-230. doi:10.3163/1536-5050.104.3.008
The overall satisfaction with services was encouraging, but awareness of the embedded program was low, suggesting an overall need for marketing of services.
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Tumbleson, B. E. (2016). Collaborating in Research: Embedded Librarianship in the Learning Management System. Reference Librarian, 57(3), 224-234. doi:10.1080/02763877.2015.1134376
O’Toole, E., Barham, R., & Monahan, J. (2016). The Impact of Physically Embedded Librarianship on Academic Departments. Portal: Libraries & The Academy, 16(3), 529-556.
Agrawal, P. p., & Kumar, A. (2016). Embedded Librarianship and Academic Setup: Going beyond the library stockades. International Journal Of Information Dissemination & Technology, 6(3), 170-173.
India. p. 173 as of today, most of the users are not able to differentiate the library professional who have a bachelor degree, Masters degree and who are doctorate of the subject. My note: not in my case and this is my great advantage.
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Madden, H., & Rasmussen, A. M. (2016). Embedded Librarianship: Einbindung von Wissenschafts- und Informationskompetenz in Schreibkurse / Ein US-amerikanisches Konzept. Bub: Forum Bibliothek Und Information, 68(4), 202-205.
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Delaney, G., & Bates, J. (2015). Envisioning the Academic Library: A Reflection on Roles, Relevancy and Relationships. New Review Of Academic Librarianship, 21(1), 30-51. doi:10.1080/13614533.2014.911194
overview of the literature on embedded librarianship
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Freiburger, G., Martin, J. R., & Nuñez, A. V. (2016). An Embedded Librarian Program: Eight Years On. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 35(4), 388-396. doi:10.1080/02763869.2016.1220756
Wilson, G. (2015). The Process of Becoming an Embedded Curriculum Librarian in Multiple Health Sciences Programs. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 34(4), 490-497. doi:10.1080/02763869.2015.1082386
Milbourn, A. a. (2013). A Big Picture Approach: Using Embedded Librarianship to Proactively Address the Need for Visual Literacy Instruction in Higher Education. Art Documentation: Bulletin Of The Art Libraries Society Of North America, 32(2), 274-283.
slide 8: vision of embedded librarianship:
customer centric not library centric; located in their workplace not our workplace; focused on small groups not entire populations; composed of specialists, not generalists; dependent on domain knowledge not only library skills; aming an analysis and synthesis not simply delivery; in context, not out of context; built on trusted advice not service delivery
all of the above is embodied in my work with the doctoral cohorts
slide 9: why study? because traditional library service model is in decline
slide 11: broad analytical research on successful implementation is lacking slide 20: large institutions more likely to offer specialized services
slide 21: domain knowledge through continuous learning, not always through formal degrees.
slide 39: what matters most
slide 40: strong leadership by library managers is critical (I will add here “by deans of other colleges)
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bibliography:
Abrizah, A., Inuwa, S., & Afiqah-Izzati, N. (2016). Systematic Literature Review Informing LIS Professionals on Embedding Librarianship Roles. Journal Of Academic Librarianship, 42(6), 636-643. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2016.08.010
Agrawal, P. p., & Kumar, A. (2016). Embedded Librarianship and Academic Setup: Going beyond the library stockades. International Journal Of Information Dissemination & Technology, 6(3), 170-173.
Andrews, C. R. (2014). CUNY Academic Works An Examination of Embedded Librarian Ideas and Practices: A Critical Bibliography. An Examination of Embedded Librarian Ideas and Practices: A Critical Bibliography. Codex, 3(1), 2150–86. Retrieved from http://academicworks.cuny.edu/bx_pubs
Blake, L., Ballance, D., Davies, K., Gaines, J. K., Mears, K., Shipman, P., & … Burchfield, V. (2016). Patron perception and utilization of an embedded librarian program. Journal Of The Medical Library Association, 104(3), 226-230. doi:10.3163/1536-5050.104.3.008
Bobish, G. (2011). Participation and Pedagogy: Connecting the Social Web to ACRL Learning Outcomes. Journal Of Academic Librarianship, 37(1), 54-63.
Cahoy, E. S., & Schroeder, R. (2012). EMBEDDING AFFECTIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES IN LIBRARY INSTRUCTION. Communications In Information Literacy, 6(1), 73-90.
Cha, T., & Hsieh, P. (2009). A Case Study of Faculty Attitudes toward Collaboration with Librarians to Integrate Information Literacy into the Curriculum. (Chinese). Journal Of Educational Media & Library Sciences, 46(4), 441-467.
COVONE, N., & LAMM, M. (2010). Just Be There: Campus, Department, Classroom…and Kitchen?. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2/3), 198-207. doi:10.1080/15228959.2010.498768
Delaney, G., & Bates, J. (2015). Envisioning the Academic Library: A Reflection on Roles, Relevancy and Relationships. New Review Of Academic Librarianship, 21(1), 30-51. doi:10.1080/13614533.2014.911194
Dewey, B. I. (2004). The Embedded Librarian: Strategic Campus Collaborations. Resource Sharing & Information Networks, 17(1-2), 5-17.
DREWES, K., & HOFFMAN, N. (2010). Academic Embedded Librarianship: An Introduction. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2/3), 75-82. doi:10.1080/15228959.2010.498773
Essinger, C. c., & Ke, I. i. (2013). Outreach: What Works?. Collaborative Librarianship, 5(1), 52-58.
Freiburger, G., Martin, J. R., & Nuñez, A. V. (2016). An Embedded Librarian Program: Eight Years On. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 35(4), 388-396. doi:10.1080/02763869.2016.1220756
Heider, K. L. (2010). Ten Tips for Implementing a Successful Embedded Librarian Program. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2-3), 110-121.
Hollister, C. V. (2008). Meeting Them where They Are: Library Instruction for Today’s Students in the World Civilizations Course. Public Services Quarterly, 4(1), 15-27.
Kesselman, M. A., & Watstein, S. B. (2009). Creating Opportunities: Embedded Librarians. Journal Of Library Administration, 49(3), 383-400.
Kobzina, N. G. (2010). A Faculty—Librarian Partnership: A Unique Opportunity for Course Integration. Journal Of Library Administration, 50(4), 293-314.
Lange, J. j., Canuel, R. r., & Fitzgibbons, M. m. (2011). Tailoring information literacy instruction and library services for continuing education. Journal Of Information Literacy, 5(2), 66-80.
Madden, H., & Rasmussen, A. M. (2016). Embedded Librarianship: Einbindung von Wissenschafts- und Informationskompetenz in Schreibkurse / Ein US-amerikanisches Konzept. Bub: Forum Bibliothek Und Information, 68(4), 202-205.
MCMILLEN, P., & FABBI, J. (2010). How to Be an E3 Librarian. Public Services Quarterly, 6(2/3), 174-186. doi:10.1080/15228959.2010.497454
Meyer, N. J., & Miller, I. R. (2008). The Library as Service-Learning Partner: A Win-Win Collaboration with Students and Faculty. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 15(4), 399-413.
Milbourn, A. (2013). A Big Picture Approach: Using Embedded Librarianship to Proactively Address the Need for Visual Literacy Instruction in Higher Education. Art Documentation: Bulletin Of The Art Libraries Society Of North America, 32(2), 274-283.
Niles, P. (2011). Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century Student. Community & Junior College Libraries, 17(2), 47-51.
Oakleaf, M., & VanScoy, A. (2010). Instructional Strategies for Digital Reference: Methods to Facilitate Student Learning. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 49(4), 380-390.
O’Toole, E., Barham, R., & Monahan, J. (2016). The Impact of Physically Embedded Librarianship on Academic Departments. Portal: Libraries & The Academy, 16(3), 529-556.
Rao, S., Cameron, A., & Gaskin-Noel, S. (2009). Embedding General Education Competencies into an Online Information Literacy Course. Journal Of Library Administration, 49(1/2), 59-73.
Summey, T. P., & Kane, C. A. (2017). Going Where They Are: Intentionally Embedding Librarians in Courses and Measuring the Impact on Student Learning. Journal Of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning, 11(1/2), 158-174. doi:10.1080/1533290X.2016.1229429
Tumbleson, B. E. (2016). Collaborating in Research: Embedded Librarianship in the Learning Management System. Reference Librarian, 57(3), 224-234. doi:10.1080/02763877.2015.1134376
Wilson, G. (2015). The Process of Becoming an Embedded Curriculum Librarian in Multiple Health Sciences Programs. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 34(4), 490-497. doi:10.1080/02763869.2015.1082386
Wu, L., & Thornton, J. (2017). Experience, Challenges, and Opportunities of Being Fully Embedded in a User Group. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 36(2), 138-149. doi:10.1080/02763869.2017.1293978
Indiana University’s Brad Wheeler explains how his institution is ditching the college textbook and replacing it with digital alternatives that are accessible to students from day one.
it’s taken a long time for textbook publishers to own up to the “fundamental flaw” of their industry: “They are obsessed with counting their gross margins on the things they actually do sell.” And, he added, they ignore the enormous amounts they lose through the other 75 percent of the market made up of used and rented books and other kinds of substitutes. Because of those blinders, the publishers have “long pursued a model that has been failing, year over year.”
Starting in the mid-1990s, the price of educational books rose faster than just about any other measure, including healthcare. Something had to give. Wheeler has seen a “constellation of things” forming to bring about change. First, the e-reader software has matured, he said. “It works on your phone, your tablet, your laptop.”
Second, students are “increasingly digital.” They’re “comfortable with interacting with digital information [and] electronically marking it up.” After all, he noted, “some of them went through high school with digital books and materials.”
Third, familiarity is growing among faculty too. “They see e-texts not just as a substitute for paper, but as a teaching and pedagogical tool. They can go in and annotate that paragraph in the textbook and point to classroom materials or go online and correct something,
Fourth, the printed textbook-first philosophy has stopped paying off for publishers.
The three biggies — Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Cengage — weren’t first in line to sign on, even as additional universities piled onto Indiana U’s project. As a result, their reticence to promote textbook alternatives hit their bottom lines. Eventually, Pearson’s shares took a hit, hovering currently around $8; McGraw-Hill’s education division was peeled off and sold to Apollo Global Management in 2013; and just months later Cengage filed for bankruptcy, emerging a year later with $4 billion less debt.
Unizin. This is the organization created by Indiana U and other large institutional partners to develop services that could replace major paid third-party applications, such as learning management, digital textbook and data warehouse platforms. The goal: to enable higher ed to own its data.
+++++++++++++++++++++ Defining my interests. Narrowing a topic. How do I collect information? How do I search for information?
How do we search for “serious” information?
Google and Google Scholar
Microsoft Semantic Scholar (Semantic Scholar); Microsoft Academic Search; Academicindex.net; Proquest Dialog; Quetzal; arXiv;
basic electronic (library) search information and strategies. Library research services (5 min)
using the library database, do a search on a topic of your interest.
compare the returns on your search. make an attempt to refine the search.
retrieve the following information about the book of interest: is it relevant to your topic (check the subjects); is it timely (check the published date); is it available
Strategies for conducting advanced searches (setting up filters and search criteria)
Document analysis is a systematic procedure for reviewing or evaluating documents—both printed and electronic (computer-based and Internet-transmitted) material. Like other analytical methods in qualitative research, document analysis requires that data be examined and interpreted in order to elicit meaning, gain understanding, and develop empirical knowledge(Corbin&Strauss,2008;seealsoRapley,2007).
Document analysis is often used in combination with other qualitative research methods as a means of triangulation—‘the combination of methodologies in the study of the same phenomenon’ (Denzin, 1970, p. 291)
The qualitative researcher is expected to draw upon multiple (at least two) sources of evidence; that is, to seek convergence and corroboration through the use of different data sources and methods. Apart from documents, such sources include interviews, participant or non-participant observation, and physical artifacts (Yin,1994).By triangulating data, the researcher attempts to provide ‘a confluence of evidence that breeds credibility’ (Eisner, 1991, p. 110). By examining information collected through different methods, the researcher can corroborate findings across data sets and thus reduce the impact of potential biases that can exist in a single study. According to Patton (1990), triangulation helps the researcher guard against the accusation that a study’s findings are simply an artifact of a single method, a single source, or a single investigator’s bias. Mixed-method studies (which combine quantitative and qualitative research techniques)sometimes include document analysis. Here is an example: In their large-scale, three-year evaluation of regional educational service agencies (RESAs), Rossman and Wilson (1985) combined quantitative and qualitative methods—surveys (to collect quantitative data) and open ended, semi structured interviews with reviews of documents (as the primary sources of qualitative data). The document reviews were designed to identify the agencies that played a role in supporting school improvement programs.
Document Analysis
Document analysis is a form of qualitative research in which documents are interpreted by the researcher to give voice and meaning around an assessment topic. Analyzing documents incorporates coding content into themes similar to how focus group or interview transcripts are analyzed. A rubric can also be used to grade or score a document. There are three primary types of documents:
• Public Records: The official, ongoing records of an organization’s activities. Examples include student transcripts, mission statements, annual reports, policy manuals, student handbooks, strategic plans, and syllabi.
• Personal Documents: First-person accounts of an individual’s actions, experiences, and beliefs. Examples include calendars, e-mails, scrapbooks, blogs, Facebook posts, duty logs, incident reports, reflections/journals, and newspapers.
• Physical Evidence: Physical objects found within the study setting (often called artifacts). Examples include flyers, posters, agendas, handbooks, and training materials.
As with all research, how you collect and analyse the data should depend on what you want to find out. Since you haven’t told us that, it is difficult to give you any precise advice. However, one really important matter in using documents as sources, whatever the overall aim of your research, is that data from documents are very different from data from speech events such as interviews, or overheard conversations.So the first analytic question you need to ask with regard to documents is ‘how are these data shaped by documentary production ?’ Something which differentiates nearly all data from documents from speech data is that those who compose documents know what comes at the end while still able to alter the beginning; which gives far more opportunity for consideration of how the recepient of the utterances will view the provider; ie for more artful self-presentation. Apart from this however, analysing the way documentary practice shapes your data will depend on what these documents are: for example your question might turn out to be ‘How are news stories produced ?’ – if you are using news reports, or ‘What does this bureaucracy consider relevant information (and what not relevant and what unmentionable) ? if you are using completed proformas or internal reports from some organisation.
An analysis technique is just like a hardware tool. It depends where and with what you are working to choose the right one. For a nail you should use a hammer, and there are lots of types of hammers to choose, depending on the type of nail.
So, in order to tell you the bettet technique, it is important to know the objectives you intend to reach and the theoretical framework you are using. Perhaps, after that, We could tell you if you should use content analysis, discourse or grounded theory (which type of it as, like the hammer, there are several types of GTs).
