scholarly journals A Survey of Provosts Indicates that Academic Libraries Should Connect Outcomes to University Goals

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
Laura Costello
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Chief Academic Officers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Undergraduate Retention ◽  
Retention Initiatives ◽  
Faculty Research Productivity

A Review of: Murray, A. & Ireland, A. (2018). Provosts’ perceptions of academic library value and preferences for communication: A national study. College & Research Libraries, 79(3), 336-365. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.79.3.336 Abstract Objective – To understand how public and private university provosts understand and interpret the value of academic libraries. Design – Electronic survey. Setting – Public and private colleges and universities in the United States with Carnegie classifications of master’s (small), master’s (medium), master’s (large), doctoral/research (DRU), research (RU/H), and research very high (RU/VH). Subjects – 209 provosts and chief academic officers. Methods – The authors distributed the survey to a pool of 935 provosts and chief academic officers in academic institutions. Questions were organized toward understanding participants’ perceptions of their libraries’ involvement with issues of institutional importance inspired by the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report, and high impact educational practices (HIPs) based on the work of George Kuh (2008). The survey also asked participants to select their data preferences when making library funding allocation decisions and their library communication preferences when making funding decisions. The authors received 209 responses and analyzed the content using Qualtrics to determine the highest and lowest ranked responses to each question. In addition, responses for specific survey questions were cross tabulated with demographic information about the institution to identify any potential trends that conformed to or deviated from the overall set of responses. Chi squares were then calculated to determine potential significance. Main Results – In terms of involvement with university initiatives, almost all of the 209 provosts and chief academic officers who responded to the survey had the perception that their respective libraries are either very involved or somewhat involved. The highest areas of involvement included: faculty research productivity (85.02%), accreditation (82.15%), student academic success (75%). and undergraduate retention (67.26%). Of note, only 9% of provosts indicated their libraries were very involved with enrollment. The authors found a trend that suggests that higher-enrollment institutions with a Carnegie ranking of doctoral/research, research, or research very high, increased provosts’ perceptions of their institutions’ libraries involvement in retention initiatives, student academic success, and faculty research productivity. A significant point of note: when asked why provosts did not view their institutions’ academic libraries as being involved in undergraduate retention initiatives, a significant number (76.12%) of respondents indicated that it was because the campuses overall did not recognize the role the libraries could play in retention initiatives. This position co-exists in an environment where the demographic, economic, and cultural transitions taking place in the United States are continuing to have a disruptive impact on higher education. Library directors need to make these connections much more tangible. Utilizing Kuh’s (2008) 10 high-impact educational practices, the authors gauged the participants’ perception of their libraries’ involvement in educationally purposeful activities. They found that 84.43% of provosts perceived their libraries as highly involved with undergraduate research, 78.39% with first-year seminars/experiences, 77.38% with collaborative assignments and projects, 75.76% with writing-intensive courses, 71.34% with common intellectual experiences, and 69.64% with capstone courses/projects. Fewer provosts indicated that their libraries were involved in diversity and global learning, learning communities, service learning/community-based learning, or internships. A significant point of note: when asked if their institution’s library had an impact on students’ decisions to continue enrollment, opinion was divided. Of the total respondents, a combined total of 91 indicated yes, based on demonstrated evidence or anecdotal or suspected evidence, while 81 respondents indicated unclear or no. This suggests further work is required for libraries in terms of investigating the potential role they might play in enrollment and how to demonstrate such. The authors also asked participants to indicate their opinion on the level of influence 11 different data types would have on a moderate (non-capital) funding request for the library. In terms of highest influence, 72.02% indicated they would like to see correlations linking the use of library services/resources with student success, 66.07% with undergraduate retention, and 56.55% with enrollment. Of moderate influence, 57.14% indicated they would like to see library usage data, 55.36% user satisfaction data, and 50% focus groups or other qualitative data. A total of 60% of the provosts also indicated that anecdotal evidence had a low influence on their funding allocations. Most provosts preferred the information to be communicated in a formal annual report, and indicated that the report should include information literacy student learning outcomes (SLOs) (50.9%), user satisfaction data (46.11%), correlations with faculty productivity (45.45%), correlations with student success (44.91%), correlations with undergraduate retention (43.11%), correlations with enrollment (42.51%), basic use data (40.12%), and faculty feedback (39.1%). Conclusion – Most provosts have an understanding that their libraries play an important role on campus, but demonstrating a strong connection to university goals and outcomes is essential. When seeking funding, academic library administrators should focus on projects or initiatives that support the priorities of the institution as a whole, and work to communicate evidence of the value of library services and resources within this context. This is achieved through communication channels that are both timely and relevant, and include a formal annual report or a dedicated budget meeting.

scholarly journals The Internationalization of the Academic Library: A Systematic Review of 25 Years of Literature on International Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda B. Click ◽  
Claire Walker Wiley ◽  
Meggan Houlihan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
International Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Conference Papers

This study is a systematic review of the library and information science (LIS) literature related to international students and academic libraries. A systematic review involves the methodical collection and analysis of a body of literature and is growing in popularity in the LIS field. Three well-known LIS databases were systematically searched for articles related to the topic, and manual bibliography searches were conducted to find additional publications. Journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers were included or excluded based on established criteria. Findings show that articles published about international students and academic libraries have increased steadily between 1990 and 2014. The majority of authors are affiliated with universities and institutions in the United States, although an increase in represented countries is apparent. Fewer than half of the articles can be considered original research, and surveys are the most popular method for data collection. The LIS field—and international students—would benefit from further exploration of this topic, particularly from original research with practical implications.

scholarly journals MetaSearching and Beyond: Implementation Experiences and Advice from an Academic Library

2007 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail Herrera
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
The United States ◽  
Google Scholar ◽  
University Of Mississippi ◽  
United States Mexico ◽  
The University

In March 2003 the University of Mississippi Libraries made our MetaSearch tool publicly available. After a year of working with this product and integrating it into the library Web site, a wide variety of libraries interested in our implementation process and experiences began to call. Libraries interested in this product have included consortia, public, and academic libraries in the United States, Mexico, and Europe. This article was written in an effort to share the recommendations and concerns given. Much of the advice is general and could be applied to many of the MetaSearch tools available. Google Scholar and other open Web initiatives that could impact the future of MetaSearching are also discussed.

scholarly journals There is a Relationship between Resource Expenditures and Reference Transactions in Academic Libraries

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Annie M. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Computer Hardware ◽  
Lower Amount ◽  
Linear Modeling ◽  
Electronic Resources ◽  
Electronic Resource ◽  
The Impact

A Review of: Dubnjakovic, A. (2012). Electronic resource expenditure and the decline in reference transaction statistics in academic libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 38(2), 94-100. doi: 10.1016/j.acalib.2012.01.001 Objective – To provide an analysis of the impact of expenditures on electronic resources and gate counts on the increase or decrease in reference transactions. Design – Analysis of results of existing survey data from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) 2006 Academic Library Survey (ALS). Setting – Academic libraries in the United States. Subjects – 3925 academic library respondents. Methods – The author chose to use survey data collected from the 2006 ALS conducted by the NCES. The survey included data on various topics related to academic libraries, but in the case of this study, the author chose to analyze three of the 193 variables included. The three variables: electronic books expenditure, computer hardware and software, and expenditures on bibliographic utilities, were combined into one variable called electronic resource expenditure. Gate counts were also considered as a variable. Electronic resource expenditure was also split as a variable into three groups: low, medium, and high. Multiple regression analysis and general linear modeling, along with tests of reliability, were employed. Main Results – The author determined that low, medium, and high spenders with regard to electronic resources exhibited differences in gate counts, and gate counts have an effect on reference transactions in any given week. Gate counts tend to not have much of an effect on reference transactions for the higher spenders, and higher spenders tend to have a higher number of reference transactions overall. Low spenders have lower gate counts and also a lower amount of reference transactions. Conclusion – The findings from this study show that academic libraries spending more on electronic resources also tend to have an increase with regard to reference transactions. The author also concludes that library spaces are no longer the determining factor with regard to number of reference transactions. Spending more on electronic resources is also important to increase both in-person and electronic reference transactions.

scholarly journals Academic Library Websites Show Heavy Use of Web 2.0 Applications

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana K. Wakimoto
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Networking Services ◽  
Main Page ◽  
Library Websites

A Review of: Boateng, F., & Liu, Y. Q. (2014). Web 2.0 applications’ usage and trends in top US academic libraries. Library Hi Tech, 32(1), 120-138. doi:10.1108/LHT-07-2013-0093 Abstract Objective – To explore Web 2.0 application use in academic libraries through determining: Web 2.0 applications used, the purpose of using these applications, and how the use of Web 2.0 is changing. Design – Exploratory survey of academic library websites using content analysis of websites, blogs, and social networking service platforms. Setting – Websites of academic libraries in the United States, blog platforms, and social networking services. Subjects – 100 academic libraries. Methods – The researchers based their selection of academic library websites on the US News & World Report’s 2013 list of the top 100 best colleges in the United States. The authors created a checklist to determine which Web 2.0 technologies were used by the academic libraries on their websites and for what purposes. The researchers searched for Web 2.0 applications on the main page and one subpage down from the main page. The researchers also used keyword searches on the library’s website to find Web 2.0 applications and searched blog platforms and social networking sites. Main Results – The authors found that Facebook and Twitter were the most popular Web 2.0 applications and that all of the libraries analyzed used social networking services. Blogs were the second most popular Web 2.0 tool at 99% participation rate, followed closely by RSS (97%) and instant messaging (91%). Libraries used these Web 2.0 tools for information sharing including: outreach, promotion, providing online reference services, subject guides, tutorials, highlighting resources, and posting announcements. Conclusion – The academic libraries analyzed in this study use Web 2.0 applications to a much greater extent than previous research had shown. The researchers expect to see increased use of Web 2.0 applications by academic libraries in the coming years. They suggest that future research focus on Web 2.0 use by historically black colleges in the United States and on collaboration between academic libraries and other academic units when offering Web 2.0 services.

scholarly journals Use of Language-Learning Apps as a Tool for Foreign Language Acquisition by Academic Libraries Employees

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 22-33
Author(s):  
Kathia Ibacache
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
The University

Language-learning apps are becoming prominent tools for self-learners. This article investigates whether librarians and employees of academic libraries have used them and whether the content of these language-learning apps supports foreign language knowledge needed to fulfill library-related tasks. The research is based on a survey sent to librarians and employees of the University Libraries of the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB), two professional library organizations, and randomly selected employees of 74 university libraries around the United States. The results reveal that librarians and employees of academic libraries have used language-learning apps. However, there is an unmet need for language-learning apps that cover broader content including reading comprehension and other foreign language skills suitable for academic library work.

scholarly journals Dewey Decimal Classification Trending Downward in U.S. Academic Libraries, but Unlikely to Disappear Completely

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-158
Author(s):  
Jordan Patterson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Decimal Classification ◽  
The U.S

A Review of: Lund, B., & Agbaji, D. (2018). Use of Dewey Decimal Classification by academic libraries in the United States. Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, 56(7), 653-661. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639374.2018.1517851 Abstract Objective – To determine the current use of Dewey Decimal Classification in academic libraries in the United States of America (U.S.). Design – Cross-sectional survey using a systematic sampling method. Setting – Online academic library catalogues in the U.S. Subjects – 3,973 academic library catalogues. Methods – The researchers identified 3,973 academic libraries affiliated with degree-granting post-secondary institutions in the U.S. The researchers searched each library’s online catalogue for 10 terms from a predetermined list. From the results of each search, the researchers selected at least five titles, noted the classification scheme used to classify each title, and coded the library as using Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), Library of Congress Classification (LCC), both DDC and LCC, or other classification schemes. Based on the results of their data collection, the researchers calculated totals. The totals of this current study’s data collection were compared to statistics on DDC usage from two previous reports, one published in 1975 and one in 1996. The researchers performed statistical analyses to determine if there were any discernible trends from the earliest reported statistics through to the current study. Main Results – Collections classified using DDC were present in 717 libraries (18.9%). Adjusting for the increase in the number of academic libraries in the U.S. between 1975 and 2017, DDC usage in academic libraries has declined by 56% in that time frame. The number of libraries with only DDC in evidence is unreported. Conclusion – The previous four decades have seen a significant decrease in the use of DDC in U.S. academic libraries in favour of LCC; however, the rate at which DDC has disappeared from academic libraries has slowed dramatically since the 1960s. There is no clear indication that DDC will disappear from academic libraries completely.

scholarly journals Mapping Academic Library Contributions to Campus Internationalization

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven W. Witt ◽  
Laurie Kutner ◽  
Liz Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
American Council On Education ◽  
Campus Internationalization

This study surveyed academic libraries across the United States to establish baseline data on their contributions to campus internationalization. Supplementing data from the American Council on Education (ACE) on internationalization of higher education, this research measured the level of international activities taking place in academic libraries and their role in campus internationalization efforts. The results of this study indicated that responding libraries contribute broadly to campus internationalizing efforts yet trail campuses in strategic planning and organizational support. Based on analysis of the results in comparison with ACE data, the authors provide suggestions for further library initiatives and research that focuses on international and global learning activities.

Information Literacy Instruction for International Students

2015 ◽  
pp. 117-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessia Zanin-Yost
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
International Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
International Student ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Student Population ◽  
Diversity Awareness ◽  
Academic Mission

International students bring cultural and diversity awareness to an institution, but they also bring a variety of assumptions about how research is conducted in the United States. In developing an outreach plan to international students, the academic library should create services that cater specifically to this student population. By developing collaborations with other campus units, the library can foster academic success and at the same time build a sense of community for the undergraduate international student population. The chapter illustrates how through collaboration the library can become an active participant in supporting the academic mission of the institution, foster a sense of belonging among the students, and strengthen campus relationships among various entities, in particular, international students.

scholarly journals Academic Uses of Google Earth and Google Maps in a Library Setting

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Dodworth ◽  
Andrew Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Google Maps ◽  
Survey Results

Over the last several years, Google Earth and Google Maps have become increasingly utilized in academic libraries for promoting and delivering a variety of library services. These have included instructional collaborations with faculty to promoting student engagement across programs and campuses. Seeking to find out exactly how academic libraries were using Google Maps and Google Earth (if at all), the authors launched a online survey in December 2010 to see just what kind of impact the Google mapping products were having in the academic library setting. Receiving over 80 responses from academic librarians and staff from across Canada and the United States, the results showed that over 90% of the respondents use Google Earth and Google Maps for some area of their professional duties in a academic library. These included answering research questions, developing instructional materials for courses, and building tools to promotion and marketing. This presentation will discuss the survey results and summarize the way academic libraries are utilizing Google Earth and Google Maps for instruction, research, and student engagement.Depuis les dernières années, Google Earth et Google Maps sont de plus en plus utilisés en bibliothèque universitaire pour promouvoir et offrir une variété de services en bibliothèque, y compris l’enseignement collaboratif avec les professeurs afin d’accroître l’engagement étudiant, de tous les programmes et campus. Afin de déterminer exactement la mesure dans laquelle les bibliothèques universitaires utilisent Google Maps et Google Earth (le cas échéant), les auteurs ont lancé un sondage en ligne en décembre 2010 pour évaluer l’impact des produits de cartographie de Google dans les bibliothèques universitaires. Plus de 80 sondages ont rempli par des bibliothécaires et du personnel en bibliothèque d’universités au Canada et aux États-Unis. Les résultats démontrent que plus de 90 % des répondants utilisent Google Earth et Google Maps pour certaines de leurs activités professionnelles, y compris répondre à des questions de recherche, développer du matériel pédagogique et élaborer des outils de promotion et de marketing. Cette communication abordera les résultats de la recherche et résumera les modes d’utilisation de Google Earth et de Google Maps dans l’enseignement, la recherche et l’engagement étudiant.

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