Scholars and learners: a case study of new library spaces at Indiana University

2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 35-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Dallis
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Bring Your Own Device ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Indiana University ◽  
Planning Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This case study aims to describe the renovations and intended functions for rooms; explain the different design approaches implemented for the different end-user populations; provide an overview of traditional, new and non-library services for which spaces were designed; briefly explain training and planning; and describe the spaces and services that function well and those that do not. Indiana University Libraries completed two significant renovations in late 2014. They renovated the Learning Commons, which is a 27,000 square feet (SQF) facility designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students, and they created the Scholars’ Commons, which is a 15,000 SQF facility supporting graduate student and faculty research. Design/methodology/approach – Both spaces were thoughtfully designed to support new and traditional library services, as well as services supported by non-library units. Staff training and service planning took place during the construction process, with the goal of having outstanding services operating on opening day. Findings – The goal of creating flexible space was achieved, but it presents organizational and staffing challenges. Libraries seeking to create multifunctional environments must consider the practical implications of daily operation and use of such spaces. Research limitations/implications – This case study describes two library environments that are in their first year of operation and the assessment of the use and impact is underway. The stage of the work limits the research to be reported upon. Practical implications – The spaces described provide very practical information for other academic libraries that seek to renovate spaces and provide innovative services. Originality/value – Academic libraries that are in the planning stage of a learning space should take note of the variety of spaces, strategies for working with cavernous spaces, use of natural light and “bring-your-own-device” interior designs. In addition, the service hub model implemented in the Scholars’ Commons is a unique approach for digital scholarship centers.

Strategies for sustainable services in academic libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 298-307
Author(s):  
Dianne Cmor
Keyword(s):  
Staff Development ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Services ◽  
Technological University ◽  
Structured Communication ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore distinctive yet simple strategies for sustainability in academic libraries focussing on structured communication templates for stakeholders, pre-planned daily programming, and regularized, self-sustaining staff development. Design/methodology/approach Case study of unique strategies implemented at Nanyang Technological University Libraries. Findings Each of the three strategies has been successfully launched though they are at various stages of maturity. The first two strategies (structured communication templates and daily programming) have been implemented quite recently, whereas the staff development programme has been running for some time. Findings indicate that sustainability in all of these cases is directly linked to good planning which either minimizes daily, weekly or monthly work, and/or helps to clarify goals and focus action. Practical implications These strategies are feasible, transferable, malleable, and impactful such that other academic libraries with varying staffing structures can adopt and adjust them to their local needs. Originality/value Implementing simple sustainable services and strategies can have real impact and can provide alternatives to large-scale projects that may be too resource intensive for many to undertake on a regular basis.

Integrating Web 2.0 into an academic library in Tanzania

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edda Tandi Lwoga
Keyword(s):  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Web 2.0 Technologies ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – This paper aims to demonstrate work undertaken by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) Library in an effort to integrate Web 2.0 technologies in its functions to enhance the quality of its services in Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach – The study conducted an exploratory questionnaire survey to assess user requirements among undergraduate medical students at MUHAS, developed Library 2.0 services, conducted training and created awareness. Findings – The paper shows that Web 2.0 technologies can be implemented effectively according to university goals, user's needs, deployment of user friendly tools, and capacity building among librarians and users. Students positively supported the adoption of Library 2.0 services at MUHAS. Library 2.0 services improved the quality of MUHAS library services, despite various challenges related to infrastructure, awareness, literacy, inadequate staff, security and ownership of Web 2.0 services. Research limitations/implications – The study findings may not be widely replicated because this article is based on a case study of the integration of Web 2.0 technologies into the library functions of MUHAS. This study did not examine the use of Library 2.0 applications among library users (such as faculty and students) which could illuminate further the case study. Practical implications – Most academic libraries in Africa have not yet adopted Web 2.0 technologies to improve their services. The user preferences, technology adoption, and challenges faced from the present study can help other libraries to plan and integrate their Library 2.0 technologies in their services. Originality/value – MUHAS Library offers a practical example of how Web 2.0 services can be adopted to enhance the quality of academic library services in an African context. This paper is of significance to academic libraries that are still considering their options with regard to the application of Web 2.0 technologies.

User feedback as a management tool in academic libraries: a review

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Porat
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
User Feedback ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Managerial Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Place Navigation ◽  
Library As Place ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a selective review of current research and practice on user feedback in academic libraries. By dividing user feedback studies into four categories: Library as Place, Navigation, Satisfaction, and User Experience, it aims to provide a framework for academic libraries embarking on a process of systematic user feedback. Design/methodology/approach By reviewing the literature on user feedback activities undertaken by several academic libraries, this paper offers insights into how users experience library services, collections, and space. Findings User feedback activities, particularly concerning noise and seating, are widespread in academic libraries. Practical implications The studies reviewed in this paper may be replicated by other libraries and used as a tool for managerial decision making. Originality/value The review is valuable for its analysis of the recent contributions to user feedback practice, as well as its description of the different methodologies employed and changes implemented.

scholarly journals Implementing social projects with undergraduate students: an analysis of essential characteristics

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-214
Author(s):  
Izabela Simon Rampasso ◽  
Renê Grottoli Siqueira ◽  
Vitor W.B. Martins ◽  
Rosley Anholon ◽  
Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Method Analysis ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to analyse the essential characteristics for the success of social projects developed with undergraduate students of higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted to verify the main characteristics of projects in a social entrepreneurship initiative. These features were used to perform a survey with experts to understand which of these items are essential for social projects success, through Lawshe’s method. Findings Of the ten items evaluated, two were considered essential by the experts: “Proper alignment between project scope and actual local community needs” and “Good level of interaction between students participating in the project and the local community”. Practical implications These findings can be useful for professors and coordinators to prepare future projects in HEIs. They may also be advantageous for researchers who may use them as a starting point for future studies. Originality/value The novelty of this study is the methodological approach used: a case study of projects in a social entrepreneurship initiative in a relevant Brazilian university; and a Lawshe’s method analysis of responses of experts in social projects developed in HEIs. The findings can greatly contribute to the debates in this field. No similar research was found in the literature.

scholarly journals Safety in numbers: developing a shared analytics service for academic libraries

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Showers ◽  
Graham Stone
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Early Adopters ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – It is clear that libraries consider the use of data to inform decision making a top priority in the next five years. JISC's considerable work on activity data has highlighted the lack of tools and services for libraries to exploit this data. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of a shared analytics service for UK academic libraries and introduce the JISC Library Analytics and Metrics Project. The project aims to help libraries effectively management collections and services as well as delivering pre-emptive indicators and “actionable insights” to help identify new trends, personalise services and improve efficiencies, economies and effectiveness (student attainment and satisfaction and institutional reputation, for example). The project builds on the Library Impact Data Project at the University of Huddersfield and the work of the Copac Activity Data and Collections Management tools. The paper will deliver a case study of the project, its progress to date, the challenges of such an approach and the implications the service has for academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach – The paper will be a case study of the project and its institutional partners and early adopters work to date and explore both the technical and cultural challenges of the work as well as its implications for the role of the library within the institution and the services it provides. Specifically the case study will comprise of the following aspects: a brief history of the work and the context of library analytics services in the UK (and internationally). A description of the approach adopted by the project, and the vision and goals of the project. Exploration of the challenges associated with the project. Outline of the implications of the project and the resultant service. Findings – This paper will report on the initial findings of the project, which will run from January to December 2013. In particular it will consider the issues surfaced through the close engagement with the academic library community (through the projects community advisory and planning group) and the institutional early adopters around data gathering and analysis. Practical implications – Data accumulated in one context has the potential to inform decisions and interventions elsewhere. While there are a number of recognised and well-understood use cases for library analytics these tend to revolve around usage and collection management. Yet, the potential of a shared analytics service is in uncovering those links and indicators across diverse data sets. The paper will consider a number of practical impacts: performance – benchmarking, student attainment and research productivity; design – fine tuning services, personalised support; trends – research landscape, student marketplace, utilisation of resources. The case study will explore these practical implications for libraries and what they mean for the future of the library within the academy. Originality/value – The paper will present a case study of a unique service that currently fills an important gap within the library analytics space. The paper will focus on the services potential to transform both the way the library works and how it is perceived by its users, as well as its role and relationship within the broader institution.

Discovery tools as electronic billboards to market your library

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 10-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven David Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Library Services ◽  
State University ◽  
Interlibrary Loan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Discovery Service ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The aim of this article is to describes Sprague Library’s experience in using EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) to market library services and resources in order to draw conclusions for other institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Uses the case study of Montclair State University in developing a strategy for using Discovery Tools as a library promotional tool. Also includes examples from other institutions. Findings – EDS (and other Discovery Services) can be helpful in highlighting library resources and services that may go unnoticed. Studies show a correlation between discovery tools and increased Interlibrary Loan (ILL) activity so it’s important to promote services like ILL within your discovery service. Practical implications – With a reasonable effort, libraries can use discovery tools to provide additional modes of communication with users. Originality/value – Highlights some of Sprague Library’s unique efforts in utilizing EDS to promote library resources and services.

Developing an open source mobile app in library services: the case of a national university in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab Ajab Mohideen ◽  
Arslan Sheikh ◽  
Kiran Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
User Acceptance ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Acceptance Test ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National University ◽  
System Acceptance ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose A surge of library activities and technological advances have increased the demand for data accuracy and agility among library clientele. Therefore, novel approaches are needed to extend library services. This paper aims to introduce the implementation of a prototype mobile library application (app) designed using an in-house open source system, Koha. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a case study using a metamorphosis process to create mobile apps. This case study is tested based on the library services with a set of activities during the system acceptance test (SAT) and also user acceptance test (UAT). An application programming interface (API) used to support two-way communication, including system-to-component and system-to-system connectivity. The design, features and advantages of this mobile app are discussed, illustrated and analyzed. The case study reports the mobile app version development from the Koha Open Source Library Information System. Findings The app was tested using user acceptance test (UAT) and system acceptance test (SAT) by library staffs who found it functional, accessible, appealing and useful. Features such as Online Public Access Catalog search, library collection scanning, patron accounts, patron personal book collection, circulation, librarian chat, QR codes for borrowing books, social media integration and notifications of library activities and events were successfully tested. This process was useful for the creation of a mobile app based on the existing library System-Koha Open Source System. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to a case study of a national university in Malaysia. Practical implications This study has some practical implications for implementing library mobile applications, e.g. it will encourage librarians to implement library applications in libraries. Originality/value This study is useful for mobile developers and libraries that plan to offer mobile library services to their patrons. This paper presents a case study of metamorphosis existing process of library open source System-Koha Open Source System.

Leveraging student expertise for niche services

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-306
Author(s):  
Tara Radniecki ◽  
Mitch Winterman
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Employee Satisfaction ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Employees

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate using student employees with expertise in niche areas to provide library services outside the traditional scope of full-time library employees. It examines a case study where an academic library employed undergraduate students to assist users in makerspace-related work and, more recently, graduate students to assist users in data analysis. This paper will determine whether such students can provide satisfactory service to users. Design/methodology/approach This paper includes a background of the services, including hiring, training and assessment. The methodology for assessment includes analyzing user-created booking data, student employee consultation data and user feedback surveys to determine user and student employee satisfaction with the services. Findings The findings report high usage numbers and overall high user and student employee satisfaction with the two services, suggesting that student employees can be used effectively in such a way. Originality/value Although libraries often use student employees for lower-level library tasks, these results suggest libraries with limited resources and full-time staff should consider using student employees to provide specialized consultations, especially pertaining to software and other technologies.

scholarly journals Identification and development of patron personas for an academic library

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holt Zaugg ◽  
Scott Rackham
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Library Science ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Principle Components Analysis ◽  
Components Analysis ◽  
Faculty And Staff ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Ranganathan’s Laws of Library Science and continued refinements place identification of patron’s needs and connection of those needs to library services of primary importance in libraries. Identifying and developing personas or user group descriptions helps to identify the unique nature of library patrons. Personas help librarians identify or create specific services for each patron persona. Understanding each library persona allows the library faculty and staff to prepare and to plan service delivery. The purpose of this paper is to develop personas for undergraduate students followed by the identification and development of personas for graduate students and faculty. Design/methodology/approach – The identification and development of undergraduate patron personas engaged communications students, as part of their course work, to use a review of previous studies to develop theories of library patron personas. Each of the three groups within the communications class verified their initial persona theories using surveys, focus groups, interviews, observations and ethnographic methods. All personas from each group was further developed and refined into a final list and description of ten library personas. A principal components analysis helped to provide interconnections between the personas and estimate the percent of patrons each persona comprised. Findings – The study identified ten personas (user groups) who use a wide variety of library services. Descriptions of personas enabled library faculty and staff to identify personas accessing their services, to further develop and refine current services and to create new services to meet the needs of patrons. A principle components analysis further facilitated the understanding of interrelations between the personas based on persona use of library services. Personas that had common needs or use patterns were grouped together to further understanding of patrons use patterns and needs. While an attempt was made to determine the percent of total patrons each persona was, evidence was found that indicated the fluid nature of personas in regards to library services. That is, as the patron needs shifted, so did their persona. Patrons moved from one persona to another to meet their shifting needs as the academic semester proceeded. Practical implications – Personas have several practical implications for librarians. First, they enable librarians to reflect on provided services in terms of personas. This reflection enables library services to be refined to meet patron needs. Second, the interconnection between personas enables librarians to market other services. As a patron uses one service, librarians can point out related services that may be of interest or help. This is particularly important for new student orientation tours. Finally, matching the personas with other library trends and patterns assists librarians with the development of the library as a space suited to meet the needs of its patrons. Originality/value – While the use of personas is common in communications, marketing and business, their development and use in academic libraries is quite unique. They become quite useful in associating library services to the patrons that use them. Strategic planning also uses personas as services are upgraded and improved or new services are created to meet more persona needs.

Corporate acceleration process: a systems psychodynamics perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1163-1180
Author(s):  
Piotr Wójcik ◽  
Krzysztof Obłój ◽  
Aleksandra Wąsowska ◽  
Szymon Wierciński
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Acceleration Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Social Defenses ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the emotional dynamics of the corporate acceleration process, using the systems psychodynamics perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies inductive multiple case study of embedded 10 cases of corporate acceleration, covering both incumbent and startup perspectives, occurring in the context of a corporate accelerator.FindingsWe find that (1) the process of corporate acceleration involves three phases, each of them is dominated by a different emotional state (hope, anxiety and acceptance), triggering different behavioral responses; (2) as a means to deal with negative emotions, entrepreneurs and corporate acceleration program's team members develop different mechanisms of dealing with contradictories in subsequent acceleration phases (defense and copying mechanisms), which are reflected in their behaviors. Coping mechanisms with goal reformulation (i.e. refocus from the officially declared “open innovation” goals toward mainly symbolic ones) is an effective strategy to manage negative emotions in third phase of the acceleration.Research limitations/implicationsOur sample is limited to two relatively similar accelerators established by telecom companies, and therefore, our theoretical and practical conclusions cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsWe supplement the studies of corporate accelerators that imply how to design them better and improve decision-making rules with recommendation that in order to improve their effectiveness in terms of learning and innovations, their managers need not only to learn how to manage structural and procedural differences but also how to overcome social defenses triggered by corporate–startups cooperation.Originality/valueBy documenting a multidimensional impact of acceleration process, and especially shedding light on psychodynamic aspects behind such liaisons, this paper contributes to richer understanding of corporate–startup relationships, typically examined through a rationalistic lens of strategy literature. The study contributes to interorganizational research and open innovation literature, by showing that corporate acceleration process is marked by phases based on the type of emotions intertwined with the nature and dynamism of its life cycle. It indicates how these emotions are managed depending on their type.

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