Serving Utah

1
Serving Utahs Online and Distance Learners

• Carol Hansen Weber State University
• Sally Patrick Emporia/SLIM, WSU Eccles
• Eve Tallman Grand County Public
• ULA May 9, 2003

2
Welcome and Introductions

• Carol Hansen
• Weber State
• Sally Patrick
• Emporia/SLIM, Weber State and Eccles
• Eve Tallman
• Grand County Public Library
• Participants

3
Purpose of Session

• To provide public and academic librarians with an
  opportunity to brainstorm and share ideas on how
  we can best work together
• To plan and implement effective library services
  that best meet the needs of online and distance
  learners
• Short presentations followed by group discussion
  and brainstorming session
• Outcomes will include action items for each of us!

4
ACRL Guidelines

• Newly revised
• Handout provided
• What these mean for
• Academic libraries
• Students and faculty
• Public libraries

5
Issues and Perspectives for Academic Libraries

• Issues and impacts
• Growing student body
• Online may be on campus, or not
• Needs
• More staff, this is an add on most places
• Perspectives
• equitable vs. equivalent
• Planning and documentation
• Better communication among libraries equals
  better services for faculty and students.
• ACRL Guidelines help!

6
Services for Online and Distance Faculty and
Students
7
Perspectives of a Successful Virtual Learning
Environment

• Opportunities Responsibilities
• For students
• For faculty
• User centered mindset
• Information literacy a goal for all
• Equivalent services to achieve equivalent results
• Distance education is a valid professional
  specialization-not an add on

8
Issues

• Equitable access and resources
• Diversity of users in distributed environment
• Tailored content development in virtual
  environment
• Overcoming technological challenges
• Strategic planning for how to service budget
  for distance learners
• Including faculty, staff, students,
  administration stakeholders

9
Needs

• Educating the faculty AND the students
• Access support from technology and electronic
  resources services
• More personalized services
• Proactive planning and promotion
• LOTS of communication collaboration among
• Supporting administrations libraries
• Computing personnel
• Faculty
• Stakeholders including crucial public libraries

10
Distance Learners and Public Libraries
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Distance Learners and Public Libraries - Issues

• Are students well educated about libraries and
  research?
• Is the public librarian the students only point
  of contact for information?
• Are public library staff and resources used to
  unfair advantage?
• How can public librarians reach teach remote
  learners more effectively?

12
Public Library - Impacts

• Students in remote communities may be more
  comfortable using publics
• Scheduling burden for proctors
• Students taking online examinations tie up
  computers for hours
• Off-campus programs contract with local libraries
• Heavy burden on ILL and acquisitions for texts

13
Public Library - Needs

• Policies regarding proctors and impact on staff
• PR campaign to attract distance learners to
  library resources
• Accountability for information literacy in
  post-secondary education
• Outreach by academic library community

14
Public Library - Perspectives

• Students are under the radar of public library
  staff
• Students are unfamiliar with PIONEER or other
  resources
• Students are not required or encouraged to use
  the library by professors
• Students try to access on-campus database but
  give up if unsuccessful
• Standards in off campus services vary widely
  between schools

15
Small Group Discussion

• Get into groups of 3-4
• Mix it up! Make sure there are more than one type
  of library represented in your group (public and
  academic)
• Select a recorder and a presenter

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Small Group Discussion

• How can public and academic librarians best work
  together to meet the needs of distance learners?
• What are the biggest problems?
• How do you plan for meeting the needs of this
  group at your institution?
• What are the opportunities, what are the
  barriers?
• What has worked well for your library? For your
  patrons (students or faculty)?
• If you could set two goals/action items to better
  meet the needs distance learners, what would they
  be?

17
Group Presentations
Each group will present one or two ideas or
actions
18
Action Items and Next Steps

• Possible future steps for
• ULA
• UALC
• Utah System of Higher Education
• Board of Regents
• Other local areas

19
In Conclusion

• Thanks for your participation
• We hope this opportunity to brainstorm with other
  librarians has helped you to
• Broaden your perspective and
• Set new goals for improving,
• library services for online and distance
  learners!

20
Handouts

• Go to http//faculty.weber.edu/chansen/ula03/
• http//www.ala.org/acrl/
• Click on Standards and Guidelines