Data Wrangling and Visualization in Access Services
Data and Technology
From circulation and course reserves to interlibrary loan requests, service statistics, and gate counts, Access Services collects data from several different points, using various methods. But what do we do with all that data? And, in light of privacy restrictions, is it possible to get that data to connect? The Rockhurst University Library actively searched for solutions to its data problem as staff attempted to wrangle data into the visual stories that administration uses to quickly understand and make budget decisions. This presentation covers quick ways to clean messy data and prepare it for use as well as demonstrating how Access Services data can be displayed using low-cost or no cost visualization software.
Speakers
Ellie Kohler
Access and Learning Services Librarian, Rockhurst University Library
I have worked in Access Services for several years, and am passionate about what data science can bring to libraries. I am currently enrolled in a MS-Business Intelligence and Analytics program at Rockhurst University. My hobbies include my dogs, playing pool and (surprise!) reading.
Cultivating Leadership Through Continuous Improvement and Influence
Leadership-Management
In the Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame we recognized a gap in available opportunities for developing leadership potential. The university sponsors programs for those who are already in leadership positions, but there are no formal programs for either those who are interested in leadership roles or for developing those individuals with skills that allow them to be influencers at any level of the organization. In 2014 we created a Leadership Development Program for individual contributors who were selected by our senior leadership as having potential to develop skills that will allow us to meet our organizational goals. This program will share the details of the framework, process, expectations and outcomes from our first and second cohorts.
Speakers
Marcy Simons
Organizational Development Librarian, University of Notre Dame
Marcy Simons is the Organizational Development Librarian at the University of Notre Dame. Her path in the profession has allowed her to learn from the ground up in staff roles; a leadership role as Head of Access Services, and now a library faculty role where she has the privilege of working with the senior leadership team to build leaders, create learning opportunities for faculty and staff, ensure organizational effectiveness through continuous improvement efforts, and steward reward and recognition programs. A Change Champion, Player’s Coach, and certified Six Sigma Green Belt, Marcy is passionate about living her mantra of “being the change.”
Managing Students while ‘Doing Diversity’
Student Workers Management
At a recent conference on the history of African American student activism a student presenter remarked that “being a diverse institution is not the same as “doing diversity.” Indeed “doing diversity” represents an active engagement with recruitment, training, and retaining a diverse work force while having a professional mindfulness of cultural sensitivity. These components of “doing diversity” are particularly at the fore when managing student workers. As both mentors/role models and managers, student worker supervisors face several challenges: creating and supervising a student work force that is diverse in all shades of meanings of the word; being cognizant of varying cultural expectations; making accommodations as needed while adhering to library policies and procedures; and promoting both public service and workplace paradigms of tolerance and respect. The presenter, a department head of a large, academic, urban library, will explore these issues and offer examples, solutions, and techniques based on real-life scenarios.
Speakers
Vibiana Cvetkovic
Head of Access and Circulation Services, Paul Robeson Library Rutgers University
Vibiana Cvetkovic is a Reference Librarian and the head of Access and Collection Services at the Paul Robeson Library, Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. Her areas of research and writing include: intellectual honesty, virtual librarianship, and media portrayals childhood in American popular culture. Ms. Cvetkovic was named as one of the “Library Movers and Shakers for 2005,” an annual feature of Library Journal that profiles “emerging leaders in the library world… who are innovative, creative, and making a difference.”
You Can’t Teach Nice: Retail Management Strategies for Enhanced Library Customer Service
Customer Service
As competition increases for library budgets and people question the relevance of libraries for information gathering, customer service is the difference between satisfied patrons who look to the library for information and dissatisfied patrons who view professional information services as a roadblock and an irrelevance in the age of Google. Positive patron interactions forge library stakeholders who will remember “above and beyond” access services interactions. This presentation will discuss retail management customer satisfaction strategies from companies such as Starbucks, Disney, and Ritz Carlton, and how to import them to a library environment, with a focus on training and change management, to ensure patron satisfaction and return patronage to your library. The presenter has nearly 15 years of retail, restaurant, and library management experience.
Speakers
Amanda Perrine
Assistant Director, Marcellus Free Library
Amanda has over 10 years of retail management experience with Starbucks, Friendly’s and FYE. She received her MLIS from Syracuse University and is currently the Assistant Director at Marcellus Free Library in Central NY. Prior to this she managed access services for Syracuse University Libraries.
When it is time for a change. Navigating Human Resources in the academic world.
Leadership-Management
This presentation will focus on the challenges Access Services Librarians encounter when faced with the uncomfortable situation of letting an employee go. Hired into departments that require excellent management and leadership skills, Access Services Librarian may not have all the tools they need to be successful. Coming from a small business background I found the management experience in that arena did not prepare me for the academic human resource environment. Lessons learned and topics discussed will be; communicating with Human Resources, building a record of employee performance, navigating unfriendly waters, the endless memo and evaluation cycle and when customer service begins to suffer. This presentation will open up the discussion about a topic that is often swept under the rug, while still creating considerable challenges to Access Services professionals
Speakers
Lavinia Busch
Access Services Librarian, California Institute of the Arts
Lavinia’s first career was in dance where she studied with Loyce Houlton (Minnesota Dance Theatre), Bruce Steivel (Hong Kong Ballet), Amanda Olivier (Sanders Wells Ballet), Conrad and Joy Ludlow (New York City Ballet), Nathalie Krassovska (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo) and under full scholarship with Gretchen Warren (American Ballet Theatre II). She also had the privilege to perform as a guest artist with Repertory Dance Theatre while raising her two children. Her students have danced for Alvin Ailey, Juilliard, Hubbard Street, Boston Ballet, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and in film and television. She was Vice President of a nonprofit dance organization for underprivileged children that was featured in the Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics and the Reebok Human Rights Awards. After retiring from dance she went back to school and earned a Bachelors of Science in Geography from the University of Utah and a Masters of Library and Information Science from San Jose State University.
What’s There and What’s Missing: An Inventory of Library Collections
Stacks and Space Management
When was the last time your library did an inventory? Librarians love to build collections that connect and fulfill patrons’ information needs. But do you really know what’s on your library’s shelves? What percentage of your collection is lost, missing, or in poor condition? Prior to these projects, the University of Evansville Libraries (UEL) collections had never been inventoried. This session will describe UEL’s various inventory projects, including their scope, technical details, and the labor involved. Over time, UEL’s inventory projects evolved from matching a system generated shelf list for the most heavily used Library of Congress classifications to a whole library barcode scanning project. UEL can say with confidence that 96% of the collection was on the shelves. Come away inspired to replicate this success at your library.
Speakers
Meg Atwater-Singer
Access Services Librarian, University of Evansville
I received my MLS in 1995 from Rutgers University. Before joining the University of Evansville in 1997, I worked at Brookdale Community College’s Learning Center in NJ and at Condé Nast Publications Library in NYC. For 11 years, I served as the Reference/Instruction Librarian. In 2008, I became the Access Services Librarian, where I am the public face of the library. In 2003, I was granted tenure and promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor and in 2009 I was promoted again to Associate Professor.
Document Delivery, Resource Sharing, A New Staff Hope: They Can Do It All
Interlibrary Loan
Texas A&M University Libraries’ Document Delivery Services is responsible for interlibrary loan and in-house document delivery services for our campus of 56,000 customers. A team of 10 FTE staff members, including the director of the department, processed about 153,000 requests in 2015. In the summer of 2015, two of our employees (one in lending and one in in-house document delivery) left the department, citing family reasons and professional promotion opportunities. When we advertised the two newly vacated positions, we revised the position descriptions – instead of focusing on only one aspect of operation, we decided to train our two new hires on all three functions, namely, borrowing, lending, and in-house document delivery. This presentation will show the audience strategies we employed to train the two new hires, what we learned from this experiment, and how they felt about the training and their workload. Their daily responsibilities now involve in all three functions. Department’s overall improved workflow, each individual staff member’s, including students’ responsibilities, will also be discussed and training examples will be shared.
Speakers
Zheng (Lan) Yang
Director of Document Delivery Services, Texas A&M University Libraries
Zheng Ye (Lan) Yang is the director of document delivery services at Texas A&M University Libraries since 2001. She began her tenure at Texas A&M as an assistant professor in 1995, was promoted to associate professor in 2001 and attained the rank of professor in 2008. She served as an interim associate dean for Information Resources from 2011 to 2014. She is the author of numerous journal articles and has presented at various conferences at state, regional, national, and international levels.
It Starts at the Top: Developing a Motivational Leadership Style That Moves Mountains
Leadership-Management
Have you ever wanted to administer changes but had trouble getting staff on board? Attendees will learn how Access Services managers at the University of North Texas Libraries developed strategies to prepare and support staff for accepting changes in the workplace. This presentation will describe a variety of successful changes within the department such as re-organizing the structure of the department, establishing new services, and accomplishing projects. Stages of change from idea to implementation and the facilitation of communication throughout the process will be discussed. Creative ways to motivate staff as well as lessons learned will be also highlighted.
Speakers
Mary Ann Venner
Head of Access Services, University of North Texas
Mary Ann Venner is the Head of Access Services at the University of North Texas Libraries. She has over twenty years experience working in an academic library setting.
Seti Keshmiripour
Outreach and Engagement Librarian, University of North Texas Libraries
Seti Keshmiripour is the Outreach and Engagement Librarian and the Research Assistance Coordinator at the University of North Texas Libraries. She trains and supervises Graduate Library Assistants in the Access Services Department. She holds a MIS from UNT and has years of experience working in special and academic libraries.
PB & Students Workers: Project-based learning and student workers
Student Workers Management
By utilizing a project-based learning (PBL) technique with our student workers, our library has improved the organization, presentation, and management of our collection, while also exploring new ways to promote our collections and services. The first step required assessing what problems and/or issues we encountered in the library, followed by assessing student workers’ strengths and weaknesses. After this, the Access Services staff spoke with student workers about their interests (major, career goals, etc.) to find a parallel to the work that needed to be done in the library. Fortunately there were many overlaps and we were able to pilot the program with five student workers in the fall/spring semesters. What followed was an increase in attendance of PBL student workers, improved library functions, and a more meaningful work-study opportunity on our campus.
Speakers
Kayla Flegal
Access Services Librarian, DePauw University
Kayla began at DePauw in Roy O. West Library in August 2015. She previously held positions at Dickinson College after she graduated from Indiana University- Bloomington with her MLS. She is particularly interested in collection management and student development. Kayla and her husband Chris enjoy an active lifestyle in Greencastle, IN with their dog Ortiz and a heifer named Hildegard.
Masters of Disasters: Planning, Recovering and Rebuilding for Resilience
Disaster Planning, security
Many libraries hope to avoid emergencies or disasters. Few succeed. The literature shows that far too few libraries have a disaster plan in place or staff prepared to carry it out. The presenters, each of whose libraries has experienced a disaster, will discuss disaster planning and response strategies from the perspective of Access Services, including the areas of services, collections, facilities, and staff support. Emphasis will be placed on how the disruption of a disaster can serve as a catalyst for redefining priorities, reconsidering services, and rebuilding stronger libraries.
Speakers
Cindy Pierard
director of access services & undergraduate engagement, university of new mexico
Cindy Pierard is Director of Access Services & Undergraduate Engagement at The University of New Mexico. Prior to this, she served in a variety of public services positions in New Mexico and Kansas.
Jean Thoulag
access services librarian, university of hawaii
Jean Thoulag is the Access Services Librarian at the University of Hawaii Manoa. Her previous experience includes work with library development and reading education as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia.
Seamless Order to Delivery: Integrating Processes for a Frustration-free User Experience
Stacks and Space Management
In Spring 2013, the new Hunt Library at NC State University opened with a single service point called “Ask Us.” In Fall 2014 we opened a similar single service point at our long-established main library, D.H. Hill. Our challenge was to revamp and streamline other Access Services operations, including the bookBot, bookstacks, course reserves, and “Tripsaver” (ILL), to suit this new model. With “Ask Us” as inspiration, we’ve transformed our traditional back-of-house access services, dubbed “order to delivery”, to provide exceptional customer service to our students and researchers. This presentation will describe the ways we have streamlined our scanning, stacks pulls, and movement of materials to support timely, seamless, frustration-free services. Our improvement process included collaboration with course reserves, interlibrary loan, bookstacks, building services, branch and consortia libraries. Through this, we were able to identify efficiencies and make improvements to meet users’ expectation of accuracy and reliability.
Speakers
Sydney Thompson
Associate Head, Access & Delivery Services, North Carolina State University
Sydney Thompson is the Associate Head of Access & Delivery Services at North Carolina State University, a department which spans two main libraries, D.H. Hill and Hunt, and includes bookstacks, the Hunt Library bookBot, course reserves, Tripsaver (interlibrary loan), and the “Ask Us” single service point at each library. Previously she was the Delivery Services Librarian at New York University, responsible for implementing user-focused services including delivery of materials to the NYU Abu Dhabi campus. Sydney earned her MLS from Queens College, New York, in 2008.
‘We are doing what?’ The changing roles of Access Services in the 21st Century Library
Technology and Access Services
We were called “Circulation” in the 80s; “Access Services” in the 90s; and now we are called User Services & Technology Support. Supporting the library’s vision to provide new and emerging technologies to support faculty and student research, teaching and learning; USTS provides services and technologies needed to deliver a superior user experience. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how our library became early adopters of digital technologies. Establishing the “V-Rooms”- equipped with 60 inch wall monitors, multimedia connection table, and touch screen capabilities; One Button Studio, a simplified recording setup that can be used without any previous video production experience; and the library’s showcase -CURVE (Collaborative University Research & Visualization Environment), a technology rich discovery space supporting the research and digital scholarship of our students, faculty, and staff; USTS became more than just ‘circulation’ to our students. We became invaluable.
Speakers
Jose Auger
Technology Support Desk Coordinator, Georgia State University
Jose is the Technology Support Desk Coordinator at University Library for Georgia State University. Along with his access services responsibilities, Jose manages the library’s technology desk, which provides equipment checkout and basic technology support.
Denita Hampton
Manager, Library Services, Georgia State University
Denita is the manager of User Services & Technology Support. This includes managing the User Services desk, the Technology Support desk, and various learning spaces. Of course, it also includes managing circulation, reserves, and group study rooms.
Alma in Wonderland or, How We Learned to Stop Pushing Paper and Love a Paperless World
Circulation
In December 2015, Emory University’s eight libraries migrated from Ex Libris’ Aleph ILS system to Alma to manage their library collections, patrons, and processes. The need for integration between eight libraries, including remote sites, necessitated new workflows for handling of materials across libraries, as well as the adaptation of previous day-to-day processes to align with Alma’s functionality. Two major changes affecting circulation and stacks staff were third party workarounds for printing, which we did not adopt, and the analytics module’s 24 hour delay. Due to these truncated features, we’ve reinvented our workflows to incorporate Alma’s built-in logical and itemized data sets and user account information, our own homegrown forms, and especially Excel manipulation (including macros and Pivot Tables for faceting results). Staff have achieved a more intuitive and streamlined working environment for bookings, reserves, holds, and patron accounts. We will share these new practices and answer any post-migration workflow questions.
Speakers
Christopher Bishop
Systems Librarian, Emory University
Christopher Bishop is the Systems Librarian at Oxford College of Emory University. His responsibilities include the maintenance and long term planning for various systems used in conjunction with other Emory libraries, chief among them Alma, ILLiad, and Ares. Christopher also oversees Access Services, Metadata/Cataloging, and shares teaching responsibilities, serving as personal librarian for the History, Economics, and Sociology departments.
Colin Bragg
Reserves Coordinator, Emory University
Colin Bragg manages the day-to-day operations of reserves at Woodruff Library, and serves as the liaison for reserves staff across all Emory libraries. He is the product manager for Ares at Emory, working closely with library IT and systems staff.
Jenny Vitti
Reserves & Circulation Specialist, Sr., Emory University
Jenny Vitti manages stacks and course reserves at Pitts Theology Library. She works with a team to manage student assistants at the circulation desk and solves circulation related problems.
Communication on the Front Lines: Building Relations between Access Services and Research and Instruction Services
Interdepartmental Communication
Lack of effective interdepartmental communication is a common problem for public service units today, despite shared missions and goals. Whether merged or independent, it is imperative that these entities keep the lines of communication open. Elizabeth Marcus and Malti Turnbull from Western Carolina University will discuss common inter-unit communication challenges and suggest ways to strengthen ties between access and reference services units. The speakers will outline their efforts to increase and streamline communication and improve overall collegiality between these units at Hunter Library. They will reveal how these changes have enhanced the library user experience, and attendees will take away strategies for assessing communication needs and applying successful communication practices in their own libraries.
Speakers
Elizabeth Marcus
Undergraduate Experience Librarian, Western Carolina University
Elizabeth Marcus is the Undergraduate Experience Librarian at Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library, serving as liaison to the university’s first-year, transfer, and international students. Previously, she served as WCU’s consortial borrowing coordinator for seven years in Access Services. Marcus earned her MLS from North Carolina Central University in 2011.
Malti Turnbull
University Library Technician, Western Carolina University
Malti Turnbull is the Print Reserves Manager at Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library. She received her MLS from North Carolina Central University in 2015, and previously earned her MA in teaching and Ph.D. in philosophy from Florida Atlantic University.
Hosting Student Practicums
Student Assistants
The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Library and Information Technology Programme and the SAIT Library have over two decades of experience in placing and hosting student practicums. Practicums are an essential experiential learning component for students in the L.I.T. programme. Hosting practicums gives libraries an excellent opportunity to contribute to the development of future library professionals. Technician and degree programme placement staff and potential practicum hosts from all types of libraries will benefit from the insights delivered at our presentation. Continuous evaluation and improvement are key to making practicums as effective as possible for students, instructors, and library staff, as well as to maximize experiential learning . The question period will allow attendees to share their practicum experience and learn from ours. This dialogue will certainly contribute to the improvement of the SAIT L.I.T. programme/SAIT Library placement partnership and for other library programmes and hosts in the audience.
Speakers
Dave Weber
Access Services Librarian, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Library
Dave has been with the SAIT Library since 1988. As Access Services Librarian, he manages the Information Desk service. He also delivers library skills instruction classes, provides in-depth research assistance and liaises with the SAIT School of Construction. In fair weather, Dave likes to bike to work. He truly believes that most hills have two sides.
When You’ve Got It, Flaunt It: Visualizing Resource Sharing Data
Assessment
This presentation will be separated into four segments and will reference an analysis of library resource sharing services. The procedures and takeaways will be useful and transferable for most assessment projects. It will cover the: 1) Identification and exportation of relevant statistics 2) Querying and organization of large data sets 3) Determination of meaningful trends 4) Creation of visual aids that explain complicated analysis Audience members will learn about methods of organizing and assessing data. They will learn methods to quantify the stories that they wish to share and will be introduced to a variety of tools that can help explain complicated analysis through the use of visual aids. This topic will be useful for attendees who wish to utilize library data to help identify areas of success and areas for future improvement.
Speakers
Kerry Keegan
Training & Library Solutions Consultant, Atlas Systems
Kerry Keegan is a Training & Library Solutions Consultant for Atlas Systems and provides training and support for new and existing users. From 2009 to 2012, she served as Head of Access Services for Stony Brook University’s Health Sciences Library. Her interests include andragogy, instructional design, and linked data.
Making Change, Increasing Value: Reorganizing your Access Services Department
Leadership-Management
In 2015 the department of Resource Sharing & Access Services at the University of Maryland Libraries undertook a major reorganization with the goals of increasing efficiency, staff engagement, and user satisfaction. Seeking to realign tasks and staff according to function, the year-long project resulted in a new organizational chart and new job descriptions for the majority of the department’s thirty-two staff. This presentation will provide an overview of the theory and methods used to plan the reorganization, and will discuss implementation by focusing on integrations of four once-separate operations: scanning for interlibrary loan and reserves; book retrieval for holds, reserves and interlibrary loan; shipping and receiving for circulation and interlibrary loan; and scheduling for a merged service desk. One year after the reorganization was completed, we will assess the effectiveness of the new model in meeting our goals and share lessons learned for undertaking reorganization at your library.
Speakers
Timothy Hackman
Director of User Services & Resource Sharing, University of Maryland Libraries
Timothy Hackman has been the department head for User Services & Resource Sharing (formerly Access Services) at the University of Maryland since 2012. Previously he was a subject liaison and branch librarian at the same university for ten years. He holds masters degrees in English and library science from the University of Maryland.
Hilary Thompson
Head of Resource Sharing & Reserves, University of Maryland Libraries
Hilary Thompson holds masters degrees in art history and library science from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. As Head of Resource Sharing & Reserves at the University of Maryland College Park, she works diligently to refine operations and implement new services related to interlibrary loan, document delivery, and course reserves.
James Spring
Coordinator for Library Services, University of Maryland Libraries
James Spring holds a masters in library and information science from the University of South Florida. He worked in Resource Sharing at both USF and the University of Maryland, College Park before accepting his current position coordinating Library Services (formerly separate circulation and information desks).
Teach and Tell: Access Services’ Frontline Role in Patron-centered Activities
Outreach
Within the library, the Access Services staff stand at the convergence of users and services and are armed with core functional skills. Yet despite this advantage, they have traditionally played a passive role in patron-centered outreach. Our objective was to see if Access Services could play an active role in promoting library services to enhance academic learning and research. The “Teach and Tell” project began with identifying each Access Services Department’s (Circulation, ILL, and Media/Computer) unique services and expertise. Potential outreach activities were then identified for different target library patron populations. Through these outreach activities, the Access Services staff contributed significantly to raising awareness of library services and promoting a positive library image. This project demonstrated that Access Services can go far beyond its traditional, passive desk function and succeed in building confidence and motivation among staff to take on active roles in patron-centered activities.
Speakers
Yini Zhu
Managing Librarian, Head of Access Services, George F. Smith Library of the Health Sciences, Rutgers University
Yini Zhu is a Managing Librarian and Head of Access Services at George F. Smith Library of the Health Sciences at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Her responsibilities include the development of public services policies, library technology, and faculty research support. She manages and coordinates the planning of all operational activities and outreach programs of Media/Computer Center, Circulation Department, and Interlibrary Loan Department. In addition, she oversees the internal planning and operation of all technology functions within the library, as well as the design, development and maintenance of the George F. Smith Library’s website and the Health Sciences Distance Learning website. After earning a Bachelor of Art in English Language and Literature from Yangzhou University in China, Yini Zhu pursued her graduate degree in the Information and Libraries Sciences from Rutgers University where she earned her MLS in 1994. Her passion in the medical information technology and informatics research led her to her second Masters degree in Medical Informatics from Rutgers University and New Jersey Institute of Technology. She was named a NLM Medical Informatics Fellow for which she attended a week-long medical informatics study at Augusta University, Georgia, in April 2016. Yini Zhu is actively involved in scholarly activities including research data management, graduate level teaching, presentations, grant writing, and applied information research. Yini Zhu and her husband reside in suburban New Jersey, where they raised two bright daughters, and a little Pekingese dog. Yini enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with family and friends. Her favorite outdoor activities are walking and skiing.
We have it all backwards: Using positive psychology and a strengths based approach to staff development
Leadership-Management
We all have things we do well, and have areas that could use improvement. From a staff development perspective, we tend to focus on areas of weakness as opposed to developing strengths. Conventional wisdom says this is the best way to improve staff performance, but is it really? This presentation will explore using a strengths based approach to management and staff development, and how it can potentially improve employee engagement, morale, customer service and create an overall better library environment. We will discuss the theoretical foundations of positive psychology as well as ways in which we have applied a strengths based approach with our staff.
Speakers
Jason Durham
Operations Manager – Pew Campus Libraries, Grand Valley State University
Jason Durham is the Operations Manager for the Pew Campus Libraries at Grand Valley State University. Jason is responsible for overseeing all the day to day activities as well as supervision of our professional staff and student employees, for the University Libraries at GVSU’s two downtown Grand Rapids locations. Jason’s main areas of interest are personnel management/development and organizational culture. In his free time Jason is an avid outdoorsman and sports enthusiast.
Samantha Minnis
Evening Operations and User Services Manager, Grand Valley State University
Samantha Minnis is as a manager in the Operations and User Services Department of Grand Valley State University Libraries. She is part of a team that works to ensure the library is an inviting, welcoming, user-centered environment. In the past, she has presented on customer service and student employees in academic libraries. When she has free time, she enjoys knitting, British mystery shows, and trivia games.
What’s Happening with the GSU Copyright Lawsuit?
Reserves
Cambridge Univ. Pr., et al v. Patton/Becker, a.k.a. the Georgia State Copyright Lawsuit commenced in 2011. Since then, it has been decided at the District Court (the trial court), reversed and remanded by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and re-decided by the District Court. What have these courts said about the unlicensed use of copyrighted material in e-reserves? Who does it effect? What is the current status, and what does it mean for e-reserves and the use of copyrighted material in instruction? This presentation will address these questions, and give an up-to-the-minute report on the current status of the lawsuit.
Speakers
Laura Burtle
Associate Dean, Georgia State University
Laura Burtle works with copyright and scholarly communications, and is nearly finished earning her J.D. at Georgia State University.
Spaced Out: The Cheap and Unscientific Science Behind Library Use Mapping
Stacks and Space Management
Budgets are tight. Furniture is expensive. But the Space Planning Committee at UW-Eau Claire’s McIntyre Library figured out how to best use the furniture available in a way that would best address what students need and want in THEIR LIBRARY. By mapping our space use in the library on an annual basis we learned how and where students prefer to work, what we were lacking, and it allowed us to have a plan in place when some funding did find its way into the library’s budget. What began as a way to determine how to move already-owned furniture around in the building based on student use, has now resulted in the revamping of the library’s first floor, including a renovation of the Circulation Desk, and the creation of a popular “living room.” This presentation will focus on the nuts and bolts of how we completed our use counts so that all libraries can do the same.
Speakers
Kati Golden
Head of Access Services & Education Librarian, University of WI-Eau Claire, McIntyre Library
I am the head of access services and the education librarian at UW-Eau Claire, and wear many hats. I teach information literacy classes, manage all of the Access Services departments, serve on the management team, and in addition to serving on several other committees, I have been on the library’s Space Planning Committee since its inception. We have made great strides in space management through research and mapping of how our customers use our physical spaces.
John Pollitz
Library Director, UW-Eau Claire, McIntyre Library
Let’s Talk About REAL Customer Service: How We Increased Circulation by 300 Percent
Customer Service
We hear it all the time – good customer service here, exceptional service there – but are we really practicing it? What is good customer service and why should we even bother with it in library land? How do we get our team of student workers on board? What library trends actually make a difference? At Chippewa Valley Technical College in Wisconsin we took customer service to a completely different level. In 2014 I “stumbled” into a leadership position at the College’s library and it was a blast from the past. Imagine airport customer service and department of motor vehicle customer service mixed – yikes! With very little library staff and lot of love, learn how we transformed the image of the library through customer service and increased our circulation over 300 percent at a time when many of the nation’s academic libraries are seeing a downward trend.
Speakers
Vince Mussehl
Library Services Specialist, Chippewa Valley Technical College
Vince began as the Library Services Specialist/Manager of Library Services in the summer of 2014 after having been a supervisor in access services with the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. In his current role he oversees all aspects of the College’s library but still has a passion for all things access services including circulation and working with student employees. He has held leadership role in the Wisconsin Library Association’s Support Staff & Circulation Section and graduated with his MLIS from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
It’s the ‘finals’ countdown – Finals Week Stress Relief Programming at the UCR Library.
Library Events & Programming
The Access Services Department at the University of California, Riverside has taken a creative approach to nurturing our users, UCR Highlander students, by creating a relaxing and stress-free environment during each quarter’s Finals Week. In the Fall of 2013, we launched our “Finals Week Stress Relief” program, with the simple idea of a study break corner, which has, with time, grown to be a quarterly affair that is greatly anticipated by our UCR community. By the Winter 2014 quarter, word of our events had reached the ears of other campus departments who were hoping to cultivate a stronger relationship with the UCR Library such as the Academic Resource Center. We are cultivating relationships both on and off campus with our students, local businesses, other departments and organizations on campus. By providing these services and events, we are able to support our student population in their time of need.
Speakers
Elisha Hankins
Desk Coordinator, Access Services, University of California, Riverside
Elisha is currently the Desk Coordinator for Orbach Science Library Access Services at the University of California, Riverside. She has been working in Access Services for over 13 years (where she began her career as a student employee). She holds a B.A. in music and culture from the University of California, Riverside. When she is not at work, she is spending time with her family and friends, animals, and church youth group.
Sahra Missaghieh Klawitter
Unit Head, Access Services Circulation/Reserves, UC Riverside
Sahra’s key responsibilities managing the circulation/course reserves desk activities at both Rivera Library and Orbach Science Library. She supervises the employees at both locations. She holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of California, Riverside. Sahra joined the library in 1995.
Paula Greenwell
Coordinator for Logistics & Periodicals, University of Maryland Libraries
Paula Greenwell holds a bachelor’s in English, Language & Literature from the University of Maryland. She has worked in the main library at the University of Maryland since 1998. Paula works with periodicals and now, as Coordinator for Logistics & Periodicals, works with items that are to be packed or unpacked, sorted, and transferred to other units or other libraries.
From $3000 to 0: Integrating Library Electronic Reserves into a College’s CMS.
Reserves
In the fall of 2015, the O’Malley Library at Manhattan College piloted a new form of electronic library reserves. Since 2002, the library has been using Docutek as a platform to organize electronic reserve material for the courses offered at the college. As the years progressed and both technology and teaching styles changed, this system decreased in efficiency. The $3000.00 yearly cost of the platform and the staff hours needed to process the e-reserves proved to be highly ineffective by 2014. By the summer of 2015 all electronic reserve material was migrated to Moodle the content management system used college wide. This process included a complete change in reserve processing workflow and collaboration with other departments. The results of the revised electronic library reserves were highly successful. It was more transparent, accessible to both students and faculty, significantly more cost effective.
Speakers
Amy Handfield
Assistant Director of Access Services, Assistant Librarian II, O’Malley Library, Manhattan College
Amy Handfield, Access Services Librarian at Manhattan College, Bronx NY, is a visual artist and academic librarian. She has an MFA from Goddard College and an MLS from Drexel University. Her research interests include technology applications in library administration, the ‘bring your own device’ pedagogical movement, and Open Access publishing. She has presented her research at two City University of New York’s EdTech Showcase and once at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Access Services Conference. She is an active member of the ALA, ACRL, and the New York chapter of the ACRL. Handfield writes reviews for CHOICE magazine that specialize in Visual Art and Art History and has currently been published as a chapter author by Scarecrow Press.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
BACC Squad to the rescue! How the BACC Squad Service Desk improved customer service at Dahlgren Memorial Library
Customer Service
Dahlgren Memorial Library (DML) serves 7,000 users and provides 70 computers, 7 printers and 3 copiers. Printing, copying and computing have become increasingly utilized services at DML. Frequently, patrons would seek assistance from the Information Service Desk staff to troubleshoot issues occurring with these services, which can be time consuming and can take them away from doing circulation duties. The Biomedical Academic Computing Center (BACC) Squad Service Desk was implemented to help relieve these duties from the IS desk. The BACC Squad Service Desk at Dahlgren Memorial Library is staffed between 7-10 student library assistants per semester. To lessen downtime of the machines and reduce patron frustration, BACC Squad students perform daily tasks during shifts such as cleaning keyboards, removing documents from computers, and troubleshooting paper jams. This poster will discuss the implementation, evaluation of the BACC Squad and how it improved customer at DML.
Speakers
Meghan Hupe
Head of Access Services, Georgetown University
Meghan Hupe is the Head of Access Services at Dahlgren Memorial Library where she manages the Information Services desk as well as participate in reference and research. She has worked at Dahlgren for 11 years. Meghan earned her MSLS degree at The Catholic University of America in 2008.
Linda Van Keuren
Associate Director for Resources and Access Management, Georgetown University
Linda Van Keuren, MLS, AHIP is the Associate Director for Resources and Access Management at Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center. In this position Linda a supervises the Library’s access and delivery services and acquires and manages the resources that comprise the Dahlgren Memorial Library collections. She has a Masters in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University.
Juan Kassar
IT Support Specialist / Facilities Coordinator, Georgetown University
Juan Kassar is the IT Support Specialist / Facilities Coordinator at Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center. In this position Juan is responsible to do routine maintenance and troubleshooting as well as software installation for more than 110 Computers and all Printers at the library. Also he makes sure library facilities are in good working condition. He has over 12 years of experience Managing Library Information Technologies in an International Organization Library as well as Medical School Library.
Latoya Singleton
Evening Access Services Associate, Georgetown University
Latoya Singleton is the Evening Access Services Supervisor at Dahlgren Memorial Library. She has been in this position for over 8 years. In this position she manages the day to day operations of the Information Services Desk and supervises the team of student workers. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Phoenix.
Connecting to Collections: Marketing and Outreach Initiatives at the UO Portland Library & Learning Commons
Customer Service
The librarians at the UO Portland Library & Learning Commons (Portland, OR) work toward fulfilling the University of Oregon’s mission for fostering a student-focused learning laboratory that supports student development in intellectual inquiry and professional preparedness. Due to the nature of the graduate programs offered in the building (non-traditional course hours, studio-based programs), librarians have explored numerous creative solutions to effectively market library resources and services to patrons. This session will present some of the outreach initiatives we have developed to effectively market library services and collections to students enrolled in our Journalism and Architecture programs, and will provide ideas and inspiration for maintaining an engaged student population. Among the solutions discussed: pro-active student worker training, subject-specific newsletters and videos, embedded librarianship and more!
Speakers
Bronwyn Dorhofer
Access Services and Outreach Librarian, University of Oregon Portland Library & Learning Commons
Bronwyn is the Access Services and Outreach Librarian at the University of Oregon Portland Library and Learning Commons. She earned her MLS from Emporia State University in 2011.
Giving them what they want, when they want it: Using “in house” resources to build a request service for multimedia devices.
Customer Service
Since 2006, our public services department has circulated an increasing number of electronic devices to students working with digital/multimedia based projects. As a technology driven institution, our students thrive on using cutting edge tools to create and share ideas. “Gadgets” now make up roughly 15% of overall circulation statistics, but budgets are still finite and making informed purchasing decisions is paramount. To better understand user needs and acquire data for purchasing decisions, stakeholders from circulation and library IT collaborated in summer of 2014 to create a Web based request form for our gadget Lib-Guide. The form provided a means of collecting user requests, along with basic demographic information from the requester (item, user group, and college). The request service debuted in fall 2014 and has proven invaluable as a means of efficiently meeting “on demand” user requests for popular items, and also for collecting data to justify future purchase requests.
Speakers
Michael Justin Ellis
Library Associate II, Georgia Institute of Technology
I’ve been a library associate II at Georgia Tech since 2007, and I completed my MLIS in 2012. I am currently working towards my M. Ed. in Instructional Technology and I manage the gadget collection for the GT Library’s public services department.
Andrew Blakely
Information Associate / GIL supervisor, Georgia Institute of Technology
Andrew Blakely works as an information associate for the Georgia Institute of Technology Library. He has worked as our GIL operations supervisor, and currently provides third shift support to the library gadget program.
Jerrold Mobley
Information Associate, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jerrold Mobley works as an information associate for the Georgia Tech Library. Jerrold is a photographer and designer who provides graphic design support for a number of library initiatives. He is also a member of the gadget services team.
Please Pass Go: Usability Testing for Fine Forgiveness
Customer Service
In the Fall of 2014, Lavery Library’s Access Services and Systems departments began offering students with overdue fines an opportunity to perform library website usability testing in exchange for a $10 fine voucher. This collaboration enabled students to manage fines in a positive, proactive way, while allowing the Library Systems department and Web Team to make incremental changes to the library websites based on feedback from everyday patrons, not student workers or library power users. After a successful semester, the library decided to continue this program.This poster will discuss the implementation and workflows of our “Get out of Fines Free” program, changes we’ve made since the first semester, and its impact on customer service, staff morale, and the library website’s usability. Audience members will walk away with the knowledge needed to implement an alternative to fines that is a win-win for the students and the library alike.
Speakers
Kourtney Blackburn
Access Services Librarian, St. John Fisher College Lavery Library
Kourtney Blackburn is currently the Access Services Librarian at St. John Fisher College’s Lavery Library in Rochester, NY. In addition to Access Services, Kourtney interacts with the Fisher community through library instruction and by providing research assistance. She is passionate about connecting with library users and exploring new ways to enhance their library experience.
Ben Hockenberry
Systems Librarian, St. John Fisher College Lavery Library
Ben Hockenberry is the Systems Librarian at St. John Fisher College’s Lavery Library. He manages web presence, electronic resource linking, and library systems, and seeks to engage library users in making those systems work better for them.
Recharging the Georgia Tech Library Lockers: Bringing Digital Amenities to the 21st Century Research Library
Customer Service
In 2015, the Georgia Tech Library began a reorganization project (NextGen) which was designed to change that institution’s traditional library services and physical spaces. The NextGen project’s philosophy is based upon designing a model focused on user engagement and the increasing needs of students who have grown up as digital thinkers. This new vision has extended itself to one of the more underestimated parts of library public services: lockers. Although the Georgia Tech Library has offered locker services for many years, the advent of the NextGen model has given the library a chance to expand its services for its students. This presentation will trace the changes made to the library’s locker program, while highlighting the students’ need for storage of their personal items and the library’s approach to keeping up with the increasing demand for digital amenities.
Speakers
Eric Brower
Public Services Associate, Georgia Institute of Technology
Eric Brower is a Public Services Associate in the Georgia Tech Library and is the project manager for that library’s NextGen lockers pilot. He has worked in reference and circulation services for over thirty years. He holds an MLIS from Valdosta State University and a BA in political science from Georgia Southern University.
“There’s a weird guy upstairs”: Reporting incidents in the library
Customer Service, Management
Proper planning and tools empower library public service staff to make sound decisions in situations that have the potential to compromise the safety of both staff and patrons. Specific strategies for communication and collaboration inform this poster addressing informational needs common to different emergency situations. Preplanning and careful documentation about what actions should be taken before, during, and after incidents occur will assist staff in responding and reacting with confidence and competency. Ensuring that staff members know when and how to effectively communicate pertinent information will help emergency responders help you, your library, and your users. A former emergency telecommunications officer turned library staff member will share recommendations for essential knowledge and best practices in the development of policies and procedures related to the reporting of incidents in the library. Other topics include situational assessment, report requirements, interdepartmental communication, chains of command and incident documentation.
Speakers
Kelly Hayden
Technical Library Assistant, Rowan University
Kelly Hayden is an active MLIS student at Rutgers University [anticipated graduation: December 2016]. She has been working in access services at Rowan University’s Campbell Library since 2011. Her areas of interest include ethics in librarianship and UX.
Library Instruction Strategies to Improve ILL Workflow
Interlibrary Loan
Many ILL article and book requests are cancelled because the requested item is available in a database, free online, or in the collection. This poster will present the interaction between ILL and research help, and instruction strategies used to lower the number of cancellations and save time for ILL staff. Success or failure is determined using statistical information gathered each semester from ILLiad reports. This ongoing project will compare Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, and Spring 2016 semesters.
Speakers
Stephen Leist
Research & Instruction Librarian/ILL Coordinator, Virginia Wesleyan College
Since arriving at Virginia Wesleyan College in 2012, Stephen Leist has been actively engaged in library instruction and managing interlibrary loan. While serving on the library staff at Transylvania University in Lexington KY, he completed his MLS at the Univ. of Kentucky in 2007. He currently serves the professional community as vice-chair of the Virginia Tidewater Consortium Collection Committee and recently began a 2-year term on the ILL Subcommittee of the Virtual Library of Virginia, which plans an annual summer ILL Forum.
Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks – An ILL Cross-Training Program for Access Services Staff
Interlibrary Loan
The Waidner-Spahr is always looking to streamline and improve customer satisfaction. We have established processes to maintain speedy, high quality services that our patrons have come to know and expect by cross-training staff. As a result, Circulation and ILL Specialists are freed to work on more difficult, complex, and obscure problems. The need for appropriate training and support is essential to help staff feel empowered rather than overwhelmed. We identified core functions and processes for each service area, and developed an ongoing cross-training program. We implemented individual training sessions that allowed us to observe individual progress and troubleshoot problem areas. Group sessions were held to receive feedback and address issues common to everyone. This poster presentation will demonstrate the results of the collaborative efforts of the specialists to implement a training program to achieve and provide consistent services.
Speakers
Nidia Werner
Library Specialist, Circulation/ Reserves, Dickinson College
Nidia Werner‘s current position as Library Specialist for Circulation and Reserves Services at Dickinson College affords her the opportunity to manage a large pool of student employees. Her focus is on improving user experience through the implementation of student employment best practices and staff cross-training. Nidia has worked in public and academic libraries since 2004. She is a native of Brazil and has a keen interest in languages and diversity.
Lydia Hecker
ILL Specialist, Dickinson College
Lydia Hecker is the Library Specialist for Interlibrary Loan at Dickinson College. Her emphasis is on the need for improved customer experiences accomplished through student and staff cross-training. Lydia has worked in specialized and academic libraries since 1994.
Use the Force: Setting a Course that Moves Resources at Lightspeed
Interlibrary Loan
In Fall 2014, Binghamton University Libraries began searching the far, far reaches of the galaxy for a way to allow branch libraries to print their own stacks search requests for both Lending and Document Delivery. A viable solution was found in the form of an add-on for the ILLiad client. This poster will plot the setup and implementation of the approach taken as well as a detailed map of how this alliance has impacted Lending and Document Delivery workflows and turnaround times.
Speakers
Melissa Perez
Resource Sharing Coordinator, Binghamton University
Melissa Perez became the Resource Sharing Coordinator at Binghamton University in August of 2014. She has oversight over Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery. Previously, she worked in the Interlibrary Loan unit at Georgia State University for 9 years
Waiting Just Got Easier: Course Reserve Pickup Notifications via SMS
Reserves
The UC San Diego Library has been managing its Course Reserves waiting list for high demand titles with restaurant pagers for over a decade. In response to battery failure issues due to long wait times during peak usage periods, the service expanded in Fall 2014 to add an SMS messaging option. In addition to improving consistency and quality of service, offering text messaging increases convenience for students, allowing them to freely roam the campus without worrying about staying “in range.” This poster will visually represent operational procedures for managing a course reserves waiting list and the user benefits of a combined pager/SMS service.
Speakers
Rachel Pritchard
Course Reserves Operations Manager, University of California San Diego
Rachel has been the Course Reserves Operations Manager at UC San Diego since 2013. She completed her MLIS at San Jose State University in December 2014.
But Do We Have Room For That?
Reserves, Space Management, User Experience
Several years ago, our library repurposed an unusefully-sized storage space (an 8 x 30-foot room) into a space for office hours and small-group tutorials for lower division courses in a large academic department whose print needs are minimal. We didn’t expect that the room would get the kind of use it does, with dozens of hours a week of instructor presence and many crowded help sessions throughout each term. Two years later, we started a renovation project, and other departments asked: can we have a space like that? Can we keep course reserves in it? Can we keep other things there too? This presentation will discuss the costs, opportunities, and challenges to creating spaces whose use falls outside of traditional library activities despite that library space is at a premium, and why it was worthwhile for us to proceed as well as how we’re bringing library-ness back into the rooms.
Speakers
Lara Nesselroad
Manager, Science and Math Libraries, University of Oregon
I’ve worked for the UO Libraries since I was a teenager, first in a student position and then in a variety of circulation and access services positions. My current role includes overseeing two highly user-focused spaces, managing student staff and permanent staff, and working as part of a team to manage the overall experience users encounter in their access services needs in the Libraries.
Beyond Books: Supporting Research & Coursework with Tech Tools
Technology
The UC San Diego Library launched its Tech Lending Program (TLP) in 2015, initially lending high-demand, low-cost items, plus tools like cameras and projectors. Coupled with a new Digital Media Lab, the program sought to empower students’ academic work by supporting multimedia projects and bring your own device applications. Consistent and growing use of TLP offerings and positive user feedback led to growth in the number and variety of items offered. This poster will visually present statistics of use and satisfaction, user comments and qualitative insight, and next steps for continuing and expanding the service. It will also show how such a program can begin with existing infrastructure and limited financial investment, and grow as support builds and funding allows. Despite being adept and heavy technology users, university students still use and appreciate library support for their devices and technology projects through this successful new service.
Speakers
Kymberly Goodson
Interim Director for Access Operations & Director of Learning Spaces, University of California, San Diego Library
With a background in user services at the University of California, San Diego Library and elsewhere, librarian Kymberly Goodson (kgoodson@ucsd.edu) has served as Program Director of the Library’s Learning Spaces Program since its establishment in 2013. She also currently serves as the Interim Program Director for Access Operations, and previously served as the Associate Director for Access Services and as the UCSD Library’s Decision Support Analyst.
The Disappearing Games: How Clue Launched a Coup
Customer Service
Every year Oregon State University students vote the Valley Library as the best place to study on campus. Seeking to do more for its multitude of stressed-out students, the Valley Library launched a non-traditional recreational collection to help combat some of this stress. Full of passion – but lacking peer-reviewed research to justify a budget – the Valley Library Circulation department used its lunch money and shameless solicitation to create a core collection of circulating board and card games. From policy decisions to promotion, from cataloging to counting pieces, the Valley Library tried it all on the road to developing a popular board game collection. This session will look at what worked, what didn’t, requesting a budget, and planning for the future of your successful game collection. What can a non-traditional recreational collection achieve at a large academic library? Play to find out!
Speakers
Amila Hadziomerspahic
Amila Hadziomerspahic has been with the Circulation department of OSU’s Valley Library since September 2013. Previously she worked for the North Olympic Library system in Sequim, WA and the Wellesley College libraries in Wellesley, MA. She coordinates Circulation’s laptop, equipment, Kindle, and board game programs. Amila spends her free time working on a post-bacc, bicycling, reading fantastical fiction, and following local cats around much to the dismay of their owners.
David Moynihan
David Moynihan joined OSU’s Valley Library staff in March 2013 and splits his time between the Collection Management and Circulation departments. He previously worked at OSU Libraries and Press as a student employee for over four years. While donning his Circulation hat, he manages Circulation’s wiki and board game program. David enjoys spending time fishing and working on his truck. He has a dog and two cats; though they don’t enjoy fishing as much as he does.