Area Reports
I. OVERVIEW
Once again this was a year filled with opportunities - opportunities
to enhance the collection, improve and expand services, upgrade
technology, and increase private gifts. Over 16,000 volumes, 1,651
videos, 425 CD’s, and over 4600 new electronic resources were
added to the collection. Use of our electronic resources is reflected
in the number of visitor sessions on the library's website. Visitor
sessions increased more than 13% this past year, averaging over
27,000 sessions per month for an annual total of 326,378 sessions.
Nearly 8,100 individuals received instruction on using library and
information resources, an increase of 12% over last year. Computers
in the public areas were upgraded and remote access to electronic
resources was improved.
After nearly two years of discussion and planning, the redesign
of our new website was completed. Usability testing of the new site
was conducted during Fall and Spring semesters. Based on the comments
received, additional changes will be made and the site further refined
and enhanced prior to the beginning of school this coming August.
Planning for the library/information commons at the new Davis campus
continued throughout the year. Equipment, shelving, and a security
system have been ordered and books purchased. Library services at
the Davis campus will be provided by two new staff positions; library
faculty will provide information literacy instruction.
Other accomplishments included completing a self-study in preparation
for the University’s 2004 accreditation review by the Northwest
Association of Schools and Colleges. The self-study addresses the
library section of NASC’s Standard Five: Library and Information
Resources. The self-study report and the exhibits required for Standard
Five will be finalized later this summer. A marketing plan for the
library was developed and aspects of the plan will be implemented
during the coming year. The library also received approval for a
new one credit-hour information literacy course: LibSci TD2704:
Information Resources in the Business Disciplines, which will be
required for all Business Administration majors. The course was
developed by Shaun Speigel, in collaboration with faculty in the
Business Administration Department.
The library continues to benefit greatly from the generosity of
the university community and other donors. Of the 425 university
employees who gave in 2002/03, 95 directed their gifts to the library,
second only to the 111 who gave to athletics. During the past year,
748 gifts totaling $176,328 were received. Additionally, a Library
Services & Technology Assistance (LSTA) proposal written by
John Lamborn was funded, providing over $48,000 for workstations
in the library and at the Davis information commons.
Last October, the library and over 200 guests celebrated the second
annual Utah Construction/Utah International Symposium. The symposium
featured a photographic exhibit, Mining in the West, comprised of
nearly 100 photographs from the UC/UI Collection, a reception, and
a lecture by Dr. Thomas G. Alexander, the Lemuel Hardison Redd Jr.
Professor of Western American History, Brigham Young University.
The online version of the photographic exhibit is available on the
library’s website (library.weber.edu/ucc). As part of the
Symposium, the library published a book written by Gene Sessions
and Sterling Sessions, Utah International a Biography of a Business.
Copies of the book were gifted to members of the company’s
founding families and to a number of academic libraries.
In February, the library hosted an extensive Latinos in Utah photographic
exhibit compiled by University of Utah Professor Armando Solorzano.
The exhibit opened at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda last fall and
is currently touring universities in the West and in Mexico and
will be at the Smithsonian later in the year.
Service enhancements during the past year included:
* * * *
* * * * *
II. MISSION
& GOALS
The Stewart Library’s mission is to:
1. Advance the instructional, scholarship, and community service
mission of the University through the development of on-site collections,
access to off-site resources, personalized assistance in the use
of library and information resources, and instruction on research
strategies and tools, and
2. Assess the services we provide and the relevancy and use
of the collections and use assessment outcomes to continually
improve our resources and services.
Ongoing, primary goals:
- Continue to improve library resources and services and assess
their relevancy and use
- Leverage existing and emerging technology to foster the development
of library collections and services which support WSU teaching
and learning
- Augment the library’s budget by increasing private funding.
2003/04 Objectives in Support of the Ongoing Goals:
- Assess the effectiveness of library resources and services
using the qualitative and quantitative approach provided in ACRL’s
Standards for College Libraries, 2000 Edition.
- Promote the inclusion of online library resources and services
in the university’s web-based and web-enhanced learning
systems
- Provide high-quality library services at WSU-Davis and assess
the effectiveness of those services
- Implement the circulation of media materials to WSU student,
faculty and staff
- Conduct a user survey in Spring, 2004, to assess student satisfaction
with library resources and services
- Provide website access to information on each of the library’s
for-credit courses
- Re-engineer Reference & Information Services to serve patrons
better and to use staff more effectively in a changing, increasingly
technological environment
- Collaborate closely with the Development Office and the Office
of Sponsored Projects to increase by at least 10% the number of
grants and proposals written on behalf of the library.
Departmental goals congruent with the library's mission and the
objectives stated above are also established each year and are included
in the Library Services section of the Report.
* * * * * * * * *
III. LEARNING OUTCOMES
The library has identified the following student learning outcomes:
Students will be able to:
- Use information resources effectively
- Identify appropriate types of information for academic research
- Find and access information using catalogs, databases, and
search engines
- Critically evaluate information sources
- Correctly document information sources
- Understand how to access and use information ethically and
legally
- Understand and support the principles of intellectual freedom
These outcomes are assessed throughout the semester through a variety
of written assignments, short quizzes, oral presentations, exams,
and a final project in which students demonstrate their ability
to identify, access, evaluate, and use information resources effectively.
Our student end of course evaluation form has been revised to incorporate
more questions relating to our assessment outcomes.
In addition to its for credit courses, the library annually provides
instruction sessions for English 2010 and First Year Experience
classes in which students complete an assignment demonstrating their
ability to effectively use library databases and internet resources.
The library also provides course-integrated instruction sessions
for which academic faculty and subject librarians collaborate on
the information to be covered. Students demonstrate their ability
to use subject-specific resources in the research papers required
for the course.
The library’s student learning outcomes mesh effectively
with parts of several of the 2002-03 Academic Affairs Student Learning
Outcomes and mesh particularly closely with outcome number 3:
Effective intellectual skills and behaviors for the
acquisition, analysis, application and communication of information,
including:
- Effective oral, visual and written communication skills
- The use of quantitative and qualitative analysis to solve
problems
- Critical, analytical, creative, and evaluative thinking skills
- The ability to transform information into knowledge and knowledge
into judgment and action
* * * * * * * * *
IV. ASSESSMENT
The library is committed to systematically assessing its services
and resources. Student and faculty satisfaction with library resources
and services is assessed using the following methods:
- Student end of course evaluations
- Biennial student and faculty satisfaction surveys
- Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory. Administered every
three years by the University
- Biennial interviews with approximately 200 students who are
using the library
- Focus groups - both ongoing and as needed.
Student evaluations are collected for all for credit library courses,
English 2010 and FYE sessions, and for a representative number of
subject specific sessions. Based on student evaluations, library
faculty routinely revise and improve the courses they teach and,
in consultation with English and FYE faculty, English 2010 and FYE
sessions are revised each semester. Evaluation data collected during
the past year continue to indicate a high level of student satisfaction
with library instruction.
The library’s involvement in the Association of Research
Libraries SAILS (Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy
Skills) assessment with ten other academic libraries, will provide
national comparative data - something we’ve wanted for a very
long time. This past Spring semester over 370 WSU students took
the SAILS test. Test results comparing our students’ scores
to students across the country will be available later this year.
Biennial surveys and interviews to assess user satisfaction with
library resources and services have been ongoing since 1997/98.
Student satisfaction with the services provided in Access Services
and Reference & Information Services was most recently assessed
in October, 2002. Results from the 2002 survey indicate that between
87-98% of those completing the survey were highly satisfied with
reference services and resources (percentage varies with specific
question.) The high-level of student satisfaction with the assistance
they receive, the friendliness and approachability of personnel,
of services in general, and of weekday service hours remains stable.
Of the service areas surveyed, the Student Computer Lab(has
moved to Lampros Hall) showed the greatest overall gains
in level of user satisfaction. Of particular note were increases
in satisfaction with personnel, quality of assistance provided,
the number and quality of PC’s in the lab, access to a scanner
and zip drives, and the overall suitability of the work stations.
Assessing the relevancy, strengths and weaknesses of the collection
and consulting with faculty in developing and managing the collection
are expected responsibilities for bibliographers and the basis on
which their collection management decisions are made. Faculty routinely
indicate they are extremely pleased with the assistance they receive
from their bibliographer and with the ongoing progress being made
to improve the collections. The improvements made to the collection
during the past year are reflected in the Table on page 8.
In addition to its biennial user surveys, student satisfaction
levels with library staff, resources, and services are assessed
in the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), which the
University has administered since 1996. The SSI administered in
Spring 2003 continued to indicate a higher level of student satisfaction
with the library than in 1997.
Suggestions from library users provide another ongoing source of
assessment data. A suggestion box is located in the main lobby and
a "suggestion link" is on the library's website. Suggestions
are collected regularly and, when practicable, implemented. Suggestions
made during the past year covered a broad spectrum, ranging from
additions to the collection, expanding the Auxiliary Computer Lab(has
moved to Lampros Hall) on the second floor, installing
[baby] changing stations and sensor lights in restrooms, changing
computer set-ups so that pornographic sites could not be set up
as the default homepage on library computers, and relaxing the restrictions
on eating and drinking in the public areas of the building. These
suggestions, and many others, have been implemented.
In addition to conducting another User Satisfaction Survey, our
assessment efforts in the coming year will again focus on comprehensive
usability and accessibility testing of the library's redesigned
website. Website usage statistics indicate an ever increasing number
of students use the web to access library resources, making it essential
that the new website be as intuitive and user-friendly as possible.
Improving the re-designed site will be an ongoing process and will
be based on information obtained from the usability studies.
* * * * * * * * *
V. STAFF
A number of personnel changes occurred during the past year. We
welcome those who have joined us and are sorry when people leave.
New arrivals:
Holly Bowden - Cataloging Assistant
Retirements and Resignations:
Ruby Licona, Reference and Instruction Librarian
Peggy Smith, Cataloging Assistant
Kathy Thiriot, Office Specialist
Tenured:
No one was reviewed for tenure in 2002/03.
At the end of the 2002/03 year the library had 43.45 FTE positions.
VI. UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES
and SERVICES -
The table below illustrates the use of on site and online library
resources and services.
Utilization of Resources
and Services
|
2002/2003
|
2001/2002
|
2000/2001
|
1999/2000
|
1998/99
|
1997/98
|
1996/97
|
1995/96
|
1994/95
|
Circulation
Statistics |
147,329
|
145,879
|
148,583
|
146,818
|
145,920*
|
161,684
|
157,757
|
153,820
|
145,799
|
Web
Site Visitor Sess. |
326,378
|
288,339
|
250,729
|
188,047
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Reference/Research
Assist. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. of Questions |
12,276
|
12,670
|
15,931
|
20,417
|
24,412*
|
30,303
|
36,642
|
37,060
|
32,625
|
User
Assistance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. of Questions |
38,723
|
34,108
|
34,668
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Instructional
Sessions |
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Subject Specific |
117
|
2,419
|
159
|
2,902
|
163
|
3,045
|
134
|
2,529
|
116
|
2,251
|
102
|
1,778
|
92
|
1,444
|
95
|
1,501
|
71
|
1,433
|
English 2010 |
101
|
2,152
|
100
|
2,199
|
96
|
2,248
|
96
|
2,091
|
97
|
2,062
|
78
|
1,783
|
75
|
1,657
|
91
|
1,900
|
78
|
1,560
|
FYE (First Year Exp.) |
29
|
609
|
19
|
383
|
28
|
595
|
35
|
727
|
31
|
709
|
21
|
420
|
24
|
330
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
33
|
442
|
24
|
260
|
46
|
970
|
36
|
498
|
35
|
610
|
59
|
745
|
85
|
1,216
|
21
|
394
|
29
|
580
|
Totals: |
280
|
5,622
|
302
|
5,744
|
333
|
7,191
|
301
|
5,845
|
279
|
5,632
|
260
|
4,726
|
276
|
4,647
|
207
|
3,795
|
178
|
3,573
|
For Credit Classes |
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
13
|
351
|
9
|
251
|
11
|
300
|
15
|
460
|
14
|
245
|
20
|
408
|
16
|
418
|
25
|
488
|
21
|
449
|
Internet Navigator |
18
|
2046
|
11
|
1173
|
7
|
523
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EReserve
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Faculty |
161
|
158
|
157
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Items Available |
3,452
|
2,557
|
1,876
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page Visitors |
44,525
|
37,774
|
10,274**
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interlibrary
Loan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lending Requests |
8,847
|
8,805
|
7,682
|
6,089
|
5,909
|
5,551
|
5,099
|
5,654
|
5,353
|
Borrowing Requests |
4,351
|
4,338
|
4,560
|
3,861
|
3,735
|
4,099
|
3,054
|
3,651
|
3,634
|
*Decreases reflect the University’s
change from quarters to semesters in 1998/99.
**Figure is for Spring semester 2001 only, earlier figures not available.
As indicated in the table, there was a 13% increase in the number
of visitors to the library’s website and nearly an 18% increase
in the number of page visits to EReserve. The 1% increase in circulation
results from a decrease in the use of the current issues of printed
journals, which follows a national trend and confirms that students
and faculty prefer to use ejournals when given a choice, offset
by and an increase in the use of books and videos. Contrary to the
decreases in the use of their book collections that other academic
libraries in Utah are experiencing, the use of our book collection
continues to increase. While “user assistance” types
of questions answered at the various service desks increased by
nearly 13%, the number of reference/research questions answered
continued to decline, but more slowly than in previous years. The
ongoing decline is attributable, in part, to an easier, more stable
method of remote access and a more information literate student
body. More for credit classes were taught and three adjuncts were
hired to help meet student demand for the Internet Navigator. Enrollment
in the Navigator increased from 1173 to 2046, nearly 75%. Fewer
subject specific sessions were offered due to the resignation of
one faculty member and the sabbaticals of two others.
VII. BUDGET
The library receives operating funds from three sources:
(i) Education & General (E&G)
monies allocated to WSU, both ongoing and one-time
(ii) State monies allocated to the Utah Academic Library Consortium
(UALC)
(iii) Gifts
Stewart
Library Budget |
|
2002/2003
|
2001/2002
|
2000/2001
|
1999/2000
|
1998/1999
|
1997/1998
|
1996/1997
|
1995/1996
|
1994/1995
|
E
& G Base: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salaries |
1,471,594
|
1,483,766
|
1,379,951
|
1,304,235
|
1,238,049
|
1,214,231
|
1,083,262
|
1,048,014
|
976,151
|
Information Resources |
987,217
|
1,066,347
|
1,066,314
|
1,084,314
|
966,476
|
794,973
|
784,015
|
810,736
|
700,000
|
Operations |
0
|
0
|
18,000
|
25,560
|
60,000
|
100,292
|
92,013
|
75,000
|
50,368
|
Hourly Wages |
25,000
|
12,945
|
29,203
|
34,169
|
54,169
|
87,288
|
84,746
|
76,164
|
73,731
|
Travel |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
8,500
|
8,500
|
8,500
|
8,500
|
8,500
|
Benefits |
561,330
|
564,931
|
526,864
|
498,514
|
450,302
|
444,543
|
418,843
|
404,899
|
377,205
|
Total: |
3,045,141
|
3,127,989
|
3,020,332
|
2,946,792
|
2,777,496
|
2,649,827
|
2,471,379
|
2,423,313
|
2,185,955
|
Legislative
One-Time:* |
|
|
|
|
55,800
|
|
|
|
|
UALC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One-time/Ongoing* |
219,204
|
220,606
|
183,000
|
183,000
|
183,000
|
183,000
|
|
155,900
|
|
UALC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One-time (non-ongoing) |
|
27,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horizon Software |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,431.72
|
5,731.55
|
|
Horizon Hardware |
|
|
|
|
|
|
86,540.23
|
22,634.50
|
|
Server |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(64,263.00)
|
|
|
PC's |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,132.90
|
21,300.00
|
|
Total: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
140,338
|
Total
includes 1995-1997 |
Gifts:
|
176,329
|
571,840
|
423,061
|
366,166
|
595,410
|
281,336
|
421,820
|
215,276
|
110,269
|
Totals: |
3,440,674
|
3,947,935
|
3,626,393
|
3,495,958
|
3,611,706
|
3,114,163
|
2,893,199
|
2,934,827
|
2,296,224
|
*For
information resources
E&G
Ongoing E&G monies to support library resources, services,
and staffing increased from $2,185,955 in 1994/95 to $3,045,141
in 2002/03, a 39.3% increase. The $82,848 decrease in E&G
funds this year reflects a university-wide decrease in legislative
funding.
UALC
Ongoing funds of $219,204 were received from UALC.
GIFTS
Private gifts are an increasingly significant source of funding
for the library without which many of the improvements made to
the collection, library technology, and the building would not
have been possible. Since 1994/95, the library has received $3,161,507
in private gifts.
Significant gifts received in 2002/03 included: the Waterstradt
Endowment ($12,000) and the Celebrate Shakespeare! Endowment ($10,000).
Additionally, more than $27,000 in cash gifts and $44,354 in gifts-in-kind
were received from members of the Friends of the Stewart Library.
The library's fund raising efforts are supported by its faculty
and staff. During the past year, 85% of the faculty and 72% of
the staff donated to the library. We hope to increase that by
10% before the end of next year.
As illustrated in the table, the total library budget
from all three sources has increased substantially, rising from
$2,296,224 in 1994/95 to $3,440,647 in 2002/03, an overall increase
of 50%.
* * * * * * * * *
VIII. LIBRARY COLLECTIONS: IMPROVEMENTS
& RELEVANCY (Collection Management)
An ongoing, primary goal for the library is to provide the information
resources needed to support the instructional and scholarship mission
of the university. How well this goal is met is determined by a
number of factors including collection size and growth rate, relevancy
of the collection to the institution's instructional programs, currency
of resources, and user perceptions of the resources available.
Library Holdings
|
2002/03
|
2001/02
|
2000/01
|
1999/2000
|
1998/99
|
1997/98
|
1996/97
|
1995/96
|
1994/95
|
1993/94
|
Bound
Volumes* |
509,597
|
493,744
|
479,225
|
458,115
|
436,431
|
418,497
|
403,206
|
388,947**
|
370,987
|
359,892
|
Electronic
Resources*** |
197,761
|
192,937
|
192,782
|
190,628
|
189,128
|
17,613
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
400
|
Journals
(Current Print Subscriptions) |
2,353
|
2,331
|
2,309
|
2,278
|
2,248
|
2,224
|
2,196
|
2,100
|
2,062
|
2,056
|
Government
Publications (Unbound) |
225,411
|
219,690
|
218,006
|
215,277
|
212,468
|
210,222
|
208,338
|
206,001
|
198,001
|
197,301
|
Audio
Recordings |
9,794
|
9,406
|
9,084
|
9,015
|
8,923
|
8,399
|
8,319
|
8,083
|
2,908
|
2,593
|
Video
Recordings |
8,363
|
6,712
|
5,708
|
5,088
|
4,380
|
3,458
|
3,137
|
2,755
|
2,516
|
N/A
|
Maps
|
64,894
|
64,529
|
63,352
|
61,988
|
61,300
|
60,063
|
59,373
|
58,849
|
59,603
|
57,181
|
Microforms
(Fiche and Film) |
584,461
|
563,362
|
540,194
|
515,370
|
492,899
|
471,729
|
453,390
|
441,780
|
425,007
|
N/A
|
Kits
|
786
|
749
|
678
|
668
|
646
|
624
|
590
|
573
|
589
|
553
|
CD-ROMs
|
1,552
|
1,381
|
1,149
|
948
|
503
|
500
|
493
|
38
|
32
|
30
|
*Includes books, bound periodicals and bound Government Documents.
**Based on a physical count of the collection completed 11/95.
***Based on data provided by the Utah Academic Library Consortium.
Figures listed are system wide totals representing the sum total
of electronic books, indices, and journals to which each UALC library
has access.
Using a combination of E&G, UALC, and gift funds, the size
of the print and video collection increased substantially again
this past year. The number of electronic resources available to
students and faculty at all Utah institutions of higher education
continues to expand, as does the number of e-resources added by
individual libraries. The library increased its electronic subscriptions
by approximately 200 titles and continues to consult with faculty
in canceling subscriptions to additional print journals and reference
sources as titles become available online. The 25% growth in the
video/DVD collection corresponds with the increasing use of that
collection - up more than 34% over the previous year.
To ensure that the resources added to the collection are relevant
to curricular needs, subject bibliographers continue to expand their
liaison efforts, meeting with faculty in each of the colleges during
the past year. As a result of this collaboration, the collection
is increasingly more focused and relevant to the curriculum.
Based on the results of various user satisfaction surveys and ongoing
assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the electronic, print,
and video collections, we believe good progress is being made in
improving the quality and relevancy of the collection. We also believe
providing subject specific instruction to inform students and faculty
of library resources available in their areas of interest is essential
if those resources are to be used. During the past year, 117 subject
specific instruction sessions were taught at the request of faculty
in 29 different academic departments. The decrease in the number
of sessions offered this past year is due to the resignation of
Ruby Licona and the sabbaticals of Wade Kotter and John Sillito.
With their return and the hiring of a new Health & Life Sciences
Librarian that number will undoubtedly increase to at least 160
sessions in the coming year.
Collection Management Goals for 2002/03:
- In consultation with faculty, continue to assess and improve
the electronic, print and media collections.
- In consultation with faculty, continue to analyze the print
and electronic full-text journal collection and cancel print subscriptions
for titles available online whenever possible.
- Promote and facilitate the use of the collections by emphasizing
faculty liaison activities and providing subject-specific instruction.
* * * * * * * * *
IX. SCHOLARLY AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
The library is committed to supporting professional growth opportunities
for faculty and staff. During the past year all library faculty
and 93% of the staff attended conferences or workshops that were
directly relevant to their various roles within the university and
the library. This level of activity speaks highly of their professionalism
and commitment to improving.
In addition to attending conferences and workshops, library faculty
engaged in the following scholarly activities:
Publications:
Carol Hansen
" Internet Resources on Dance,” College and Research
Libraries News, December 2002
Wade Kotter
Review of “The World in a Box,” College and Research
Libraries, January 2003
Review of “Sacrificing Truth,” Choice, March
2003
Presentations:
Carol Hansen and Roxanne Hinds, “The Matthew
Shepard Scholarship: Origin, Conflict and Resolution,” 7th
Annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice, University of Wyoming,
Laramie, Wyoming, March 2003.
...and David Eisler, “Using the Best Practices Characteristics
to Evaluate an Information Literacy Program.” Invited presentation
for Best Practices in Information Literacy: Assessing Your Program
preconference held at the Association of College and Research
Libraries conference, Charlotte, North Carolina, April 2003.
...and Eve Tallman and Sally Patrick, “Planning Priorities
for Serving Online and Distance Learners: A Dialogue for Academic
and Public Librarians,” Utah Library Association Annual
Conference, Sandy, Utah, May 2003.
John Sillito
“The Trappists Come to Utah: Founding Holy Trinity Abbey,
1947-50,” Pacific Coast Branch, American Historical Association
annual meeting, Tucson, August 2002.
“Mainstays of the Liturgical Life: Episcopal Women in
Utah,” Utah State Historical Society, annual meeting, Salt
Lake City, August 2002.
“Something Mysterious and in a Certain Way Unacceptable:
Thomas Merton’s Unfolding Views on Death,” Utah Academy,
annual meeting, Ogden, April 2003.
Grants:
John
Lamborn
- LSTA Assistive Technology Grant. Utah State Library, March
2003. $48,440.
- ARCC - Mobile Disability Station. WSU, May 2003. $4,980.
- “Training in Strategic Planning for Life-Cycle Fund
and Technology Replacement,” Dee Family Technology Award.
WSU, June 2003. $2,021.
JaNae Kinikin and
Shaun Adamson
- “Using GIS in Marketing Research,” WSU HETI, November
2002. $1,279.
- "A Survey of Carnegie Classification Master’s Colleges
and Universities I & II to Evaluate Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) Utilization within the Libraries at these Institutions,”
Mountain Plains Library Association, October 2002. $600.
Sabbaticals:
John Sillito - Spring, 2002.
Wade Kotter - Spring, 2002
X. STRENGTHS and CHALLENGES
Strengths of the library include:
- It's faculty and staff - their strong public service ethic
and commitment to helping patrons
- The ongoing improvements that are being made to the print and
electronic collections
- UALC funding and consortia e-resources
- Significantly improving off-campus access to our e-resources
- Systematic assessment process that informs efforts to improve
services and enhance resources
- Information literacy focus of our instruction program
- User satisfaction
Some of the challenges we face and intend to work on during the
coming year include:
- Increasing outside funding to help offset the decreases in
E&G funds
- Too few positions. It is a significant challenge to provide
the "services of the future" and, at the same time and
with fewer people, continue the traditional services students
and faculty still want and expect
- Maintaining the quality of our services in meeting expanding
needs. The information literacy requirement has significantly
increased the demand for library classes and the opening of WSU-Davis
will increase demands for services
- Providing the programming and technical support needed for library
web-enhanced and online courses and to maintain and enhance the
hundreds of pages included in the library's website. As we become
increasingly reliant on technology, additional technical and programming
assistance is essential
- Finding funding to address the renovation of the library building
and its deteriorating infra-structure once the remodeling of Lampros
Hall is completed and Multimedia Services relocated
* * * * * * * * *
XI. LIBRARY
SERVICES
The following section of the Report briefly describes the accomplishments
of library departments during the past year and lists departmental
goals for the coming year.
* * * * * * * * *
ARCHIVES and SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The past year proved to be a busy and successful one for both departments.
On-site and off-site research use of the collection increased both
in terms of numbers of researcher, and research and reference requests.
As we continue to add new collections, and process those which we
have had for sometime, this usage will increase.
Records documenting Weber, Davis and Morgan counties continue to
be the core of our non-print holdings in Special Collections. Several
new additions are documented later in this report. At the same time,
the Utah Construction/Utah International Collection continues to
be important, attracting researchers and requiring on- going staff
support. In that regard, Archives and Special Collections personnel
continue to work closely with staff in other areas of the library
on a variety of events related to UC/UI. Most importantly was last
year’s mining exhibit and symposium featuring Dr. Thomas G.
Alexander. While much of our activity continues to revolve around
the Utah Construction/Utah International Collection, we have not
lost sight of our responsibility as a center for the study of local
history and have added numerous printed and manuscript materials
that enhance this central role.
During the past year Special Collections added 101 linear feet,
and another 160 linear feet were added to Archives. Significant
additions in Special Collections include the Ann Wattis Bowman Michaels
Collection, Records of the Utah State Peace Society, Ogden Paint,
Oil and Glass company stock book, Ogden Bench Canal and Water company
records, Charles A. McCarthy collection, Bruce T. Mitchell papers
on Utah International, and the Lynn Parker Skiing scrapbook. In
addition we continue to pursue important published items in our
collecting areas. With the recent resignation of Provost David Eisler,
Archives personnel will be working closely with the interim provost
to ensure that important records are transferred to Archives.
Gifts in kind continue to enhance both the general collections
and Special Collections, while duplicates sold at the annual booksale
serve as a source of modest income for the library. During the past
year a total of 4475 books, 37 videos and 288 audio recordings valued
at $44,710 were received from 128 different donors. Of these donations
968 books, 51 videos and 83 audio recordings were added to the collection,
representing approximately 25% of the total donations received.
During the past year, Special Collections hosted a total of 41
events and outreach activities which brought 2566 people into the
library. These included events sponsored by the Stewart Library,
Friends of the Stewart Library and programs co-sponsored with the
Colleges of Arts and Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences,
the History and English departments, Honors, Women’s Studies,
and the National Undergraduate Literature Conference. As part of
our out-reach efforts Special Collections served as the venue for
an extensive photographic exhibit on Latinos in Utah.
In addition to the activities of the Archivist and Curator of Special
Collections documented elsewhere, staff in both departments continue
to be involved in a variety of professional activities: Sarah Langsdon
attended and participated in a panel discussion at the CIMA annual
meeting in Logan; Patti Umscheid attended the same conference while
also completing several photographic training sessions; Briana Beckstrand
attended the Utah Library Association annual conference; and Joy
Hunt registered for a variety of job-related campus workshops. We
look forward to a continuing commitment to professional activity
in the coming year.
Archives and Special Collections Goals for 2003/04:
All goals listed in last year’s report were either met or
are currently in the process of being met. Of particular importance
among those goals are the steps we have taken to create a departmental
webpage, enter manuscript collections in the online catalog, continue
photographic documentation of campus events, and developing a better
system for keeping statistics on gift materials.
Departmental goals for the coming year
include:
1. Begin the planning process for the relocation of Archives and
Special Collections.
2. Refine our physical
and intellectual control of the materials in both departments.
3. Expand the number
of opportunities for digitizing resources.
4. Continue efforts
to increase public awareness of both departments, and to increase
our research usage.
5. Increase efforts in soliciting significant
materials documenting our areas of collecting interest.
* * * * * * * * *
BIBLIOGRAPHIC
SERVICES - (Cataloging, Acquisitions, Processing)
Once again this year, Bibliographic Services had an extremely productive
year, cataloging and processing over 16,000 new volumes, 1,651 new
videos, and 425 new CDs. Because of the efficiency and productivity
of the cataloging staff, the vacant cataloger’s position has
not been filled. Subject bibliographers are happy with the improvements
in the ordering process whereby all requests are thoroughly checked
against the online catalog and ordered within one week. On average,
new resources are cataloged, processed and available to patrons
within two weeks of receipt.
Due to our group of dedicated and hard-working students, journal,
newspaper, and government publications check-in, preparation for
binding, and plastic covering of paperbacks have shown significant
improvement.
The department finished during the year a number of time-consuming
projects on which it had been working, including bar-coding and
linking of microforms, transfer of the Master’s Project collection
from the Education Department to the library, cleaned from the database
all records indicating “checked out by Cataloging Department,’’
and canceled or reordered all items which were not received from
the vendor within a reasonable time period.
Additional projects worked on included cataloging of electronic
resources purchased either by UALC or the library, cataloging of
materials from Hill Field Air Force Base, and copy or original cataloging
of Chinese films purchased recently. The department is also in the
process of cataloging Government Document maps, almost 3000 of which
have been cataloged and processed and evaluating kits in the Curriculum
Collection and either withdrawing or cataloging the kits. The Mona
Smith Collection has been merged with Special Collections; and part
of the Young People’s collection of reference books has been
merged with the General Reference Collection. The project to bar-code
and link all microfilms and microfiche and rearranged them in call
number order was completed.
Database clean-up work continued throughout the year. All 590 holding
fields were deleted and replaced with copy records, and more than
400 negative bar-codes were deleted and replaced with regular bar-codes.
In addition to the on-going inventory of the general collection
the Young People’s, Curriculum and General Reference Collection
were inventories and the database records corrected.
Departmental goals for the previous year were met.
Bibliographic Services Goals for 2002/03:
- Ensure that all materials are ordered, received and cataloged
in a timely manner
- Continue to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the library’s
database
- Continue to catalog maps and manuscripts and complete the cataloging
of Hill Field materials and the collection of Chinese language
films
- Select a qualified company to do the authority work for the
library’s database
- Learn more about Horizon to take advantage of new releases and
upgrades.
- Continue to utilize Internet discussion groups and professional
literature to keep up-to-date with technical changes.
* * * * * * * * *
INFORMATION LITERACY
The Information Literacy Team continued
to work diligently over the past year to develop our information
literacy program to support the mission of the university and the
library. The program has been developed to comply with ACRL and
AAHE's national standards and ACRL's best practices guidelines.
Our program was selected to be highlighted at the Best Practices
preconference at the ACRL national conference in Charlotte, NC.
Provost David Eisler and Carol Hansen delivered a presentation to
over fifty librarians from around the USA and Canada on how WSU
has used the ACRL Best Practices guidelines to inform and improve
our program.
The team has continued its use of the assessment plans for each
type of information literacy instruction we provide. Faculty members
have included information in their Faculty Activity Reports on how
they have used assessment data to inform their teaching. The team
revised the student end of course evaluation form for the LibSci
2201 course to incorporate more questions relating to our assessment
outcomes.
Team members have also been actively involved in the Web usability
studies, and in the Web redesign project. Link checking, moving
and updating every page on the library Web has been enormously time
consuming for team members this year.
The information literacy team has also been involved in the Association
of Research Libraries SAILS (Standardized Assessment of Information
Literacy Skills) assessment with ten other academic libraries. Over
370 WSU students took the SAILS test and we will get results, comparing
our students scores to students across the country, later this year.
Demand for information literacy courses continues to grow and three
new adjuncts were hired and trained to teach the Internet Navigator
during Spring 2003.
Additional efforts were made by team members this year to support
accreditation. Team members gathered data and wrote draft documents
to support reports on the information literacy program and core
general education requirements.
Information Literacy Data
| |
2002/2003 |
2001/2002 |
2000/2001 |
1999/2000 |
Instructional
Sessions |
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Sessions
|
Students
|
Subject Specific |
117
|
2,419
|
159
|
2,902
|
163
|
3,045
|
134
|
2,529
|
English
2010 |
101
|
2,152
|
100
|
2,199
|
96
|
2,248
|
96
|
2,091
|
FYE
(First Year Exp.) |
29
|
609
|
19
|
383
|
28
|
595
|
35
|
727
|
Other |
33
|
442
|
24
|
260
|
46
|
970
|
36
|
498
|
Totals: |
280
|
5,622
|
302
|
5,744
|
333
|
7,191
|
301
|
5,845
|
For Credit Classes |
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
Classes |
Students
|
13
|
351
|
9
|
251
|
11
|
300
|
15
|
460
|
Internet Navigator |
18
|
2046
|
11
|
1173
|
7
|
523
|
|
|
Information Literacy Competency Exam
Data
The information literacy competency exam has been continually improved
with assistance from the TBE (Telecommunications and Business Education)
department. Student comments have been much more favorable this
Spring. The following table illustrates the data on the growth of
the information literacy exams since Spring 2001. Carole Lapine,
TBE Department, collects this data.
| |
Registered |
Total
Retakes |
Credit |
Withdrew |
No
Credit |
| Spring
2001 |
177 |
50 |
133 |
3 |
44 |
| Summer
2001 |
89 |
37 |
67 |
6 |
22 |
| Fall
2001 |
253 |
58 |
149 |
4 |
100 |
| Spring
2002 |
356 |
126 |
240 |
10 |
106 |
| Summer
2002 |
85 |
1 |
61 |
1 |
24 |
| Fall
2002 |
321 |
19 |
242 |
8 |
71 |
| Spring
2003 |
382 |
79 |
276 |
5 |
101 |
Team members have been actively engaged in professional development
and scholarship. The team organized a joint training session with
Weber County librarians around a Patriot Act teleconference in December.
Team members’ scholarship activities are included in the Scholarship
section of the Annual Report; additionally Carol Hansen was selected
as an Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Institute
for Information Literacy Faculty Member, and received a distinguished
service award from ULA..
Information Literacy Team Goals for 2003/04:
The team drafted long range goals based
on the ACRL Best Practices for Information Literacy draft document:
Sustaining Outcome: Provide a comprehensive information
literacy program for WSU students including, for credit, online
and on demand instruction in order to graduate students with information
literacy competencies.
Some of the goals accomplished by the Information literacy team
this year include:
- The information literacy program mission was reviewed during
Fall 2002
- Documents describing and charting its evolution were further
developed for the Web and reviewed
- Assessment plans were reviewed and revised as needed for each
type of instruction
- Assessment plans were reviewed and revised as needed updated
and reviewed by the Team
- Web Event, an automated, web based system for quickly and easily
scheduling classrooms and instruction sessions was implemented
- The information literacy team will develop a plan for integrating
information on the new 24/7 live reference chat software throughout
our curriculum
- A new information literacy business course, LibSci 2704, was
developed by the Business Librarian
- A new tutorial on plagiarism and ethics was developed
- Three new adjunct faculty were hired and trained to meet the
growing demand for our courses
- Information Literacy team has participated in Part I beta test
of ARL/SAILS/Kent State information literacy competency multiple
choice test. A first attempt at national benchmarking of information
literacy skills
- SNAP assessment software was implemented for end of course evaluations
- A new, more outcomes assessment oriented, end of course evaluation
was developed for Lib Sci 2201
Challenges
A major challenge this year was lack of staff with an unfilled
faculty position. We look forward to hiring a new faculty member.
Time is wasted by not having an automated method for scheduling
our classrooms that also gathers instruction data. Scheduling
and gathering of instruction statistics need to become more automated.
Members of the information literacy team have difficulty finding
the time to find, evaluate or set up new software or systems.
This is an ongoing challenge.
Team Goals for 2003/2004:
Selected goals approved by the team for next year include:
- Assist in planning for a new classroom
- Find a better, easier and more secure, method to deliver
and gather data from online student end of course evaluations
- Assist with hiring new faculty and professional staff in
order to increase numbers of faculty involved in information
literacy team activities. By reducing faculty involvement
in Eng2010 and FYE's faculty would have more time for subject
specific sessions.
- A marketing plan (or priorities) will be developed/identified
for the Information Literacy program within the guidelines
of the library’s marketing plan.
* * * * * * * * *
REFERENCE &
INFORMATION SERVICES
Reference:
The Reference Team has begun the process of re-envisioning Reference
Services & Information Services (RIS) to meet the needs of a
changing environment.
Reference Services
Reference Desk
use - Between 1998/99 when the University moved to semesters,
and 2001/02, the number of reference/research questions answered
at the desk dropped from 24,412 to 12,670 - a decrease of 48%
overall. The trend slowed this year, with a total of 11,632 reference/research
questions answered for an 8% decrease. This is a slower rate of
decline than previous years and it is possible that we are moving
towards a state of equilibrium.
Three trends continue to develop:
- There is an increasing polarity between simple directional
questions and complex research questions. While the number of
research questions has remained relatively constant, team members
report an increase in complexity and time necessary to answer
the questions. In the coming year, the team will explore methods
of gathering statistics to confirm anecdotal reports.
- Along with an increasing polarity in types of questions comes
an increasing polarity in the timing of questions. The current
pattern is longer periods with few questions, followed by rushes.
While some “rushes” correlate to class breaks, others
do not and it creates staffing issues (see below).
- Use of library resources via remote access continues to increase.
EZProxy has proven to be a stable, easy-to-use method of accessing
resources. At this time all web-based library databases are
available off-campus.
Finally, RIS continues to expand services to off-campus users.
During the past semester, team members have made a commitment
to respond more quickly to Ask A Librarian email queries. Turn
around time at the end of the Spring 2003 semester averaged 2
hours and queries had increased by about 1/3. Stewart Library
is also a member of the UALC chat reference service. The pilot
service for the past year showed low use statistics (an average
of 1 question per hour of service), probably due to the extremely
limited hours. As of June 1, 2003, we have joined a national consortium
and now offer Reference/Chat 24/7. We expect to see a significant
increase in numbers over the next year. We also continue to provide
telephone service with local, toll-free, and TTY numbers. We are
exploring options for gathering meaningful statistics about telephone
service.
Reference Desk Staffing
- a number of intertwining factors impact reference desk staffing.
These include:
1. There are many hours, particularly very early in the morning
and very late in the evening, during which no questions are
asked. We are addressing this in several ways. First, we single
staff all hours except for class break periods. Secondly, this
summer and fall we will try staffing the desk fewer hours, then
assess the impact on both Reference and other service areas.
While these changes may help, they do not address the issue
of making staff time during low use periods both interesting
and useful. We will begin to explore this issue in the coming
semester.
2. The increasing complexity of research questions often calls
for the expertise of a subject bibliographer. One reason we
want to decrease desk hours is to allow more time for subject
bibliographers to provide one-on-one research assistance. The
Science Bibliographer will begin a pilot project of providing
subject specific reference hours on location in her colleges
in the fall. The Business & Economics Librarian has also
been steadily increasing the amount of one-on-one research assistance
she provides.
3. The increasing emphasis on electronic reference services
also requires additional staffing. Present technology makes
it impossible for the person at the desk to do Reference/chat.
Decrease of reference desk hours should help to ease the burden.
4. Increasing instruction loads require more time from the same
people who staff the reference desk. Decreasing desk hours,
if it can be done without decreasing service levels, would help
the situation.
Reference Area - Reference surveys have consistently
rated reference services highly; however, anecdotal evidence and
some survey comments suggest that patrons do not find the physical
environment as welcoming as they find the staff. Changes in technology,
particularly wireless networks, have also rendered the current
arrangement unnecessary. Finally, long periods when the computers
are idle argues for an arrangement that would maximize use of
computer and other reference resources.
The team began discussions of possible rearrangements (and possible
sources of outside funding). The general goal is to create a welcoming,
community atmosphere for patrons. Suggestions include:
1. Take advantage
of wireless networks to scatter the computers throughout the
reference area, creating different areas for word processing,
email, group, and solo research.
2. Check-out laptops for group presentation preparation and
practice, also provide easels, projectors, etc.
3. Provide an area for faculty to meet and work with students.
4. Remove at least part of the index tables and downsize the
reference shelving area to provide more study room.
5. Provide lockers.
Reference Patrons - Our patrons increasingly
face time constraints due to work, family, classes, etc. Off-campus
access figures continue to rise with the increasing ease of access
to electronic resources, growing numbers of “wired”
patrons, and increasing student familiarity with electronic resources.
However the need to provide traditional service remains.
Our past two satisfaction surveys have shown that between 87-98%
of those completing the survey indicated they were highly satisfied
with reference services and resources (percentage varies with
specific question). Our goal now is to investigate methods to
improve services that might not have occurred to our patrons and
to provide such services when and where they need it. Such service
improvements might include:
1. Improving the
environment of the physical reference area, as discussed above.
2. Providing “roving” or “spot” reference
throughout the library, instead of focusing on the reference
area.
3. Using video phones and other emergent technology to provide
one-on-one reference assistance.
4. Exploring the use of web technologies, such as blogs and
Weber specific chat programs to provide more specialized local
service.
Marketing Reference Services - Marketing has
become somewhat of a buzzword, but it is also increasingly important
for libraries to ensure that patrons know what resources and services
they offer. Library surveys and anecdotal evidence suggest that
few patrons understand the wide range of services and resources
currently available. During the coming year, the RIF team will
devote more time and effort to informing patrons of our resources
and services.
Reference Services Goals for
2003-2004
1. To re-engineer Reference Services to serve patrons better and
to use staff more effectively in a changing and increasingly wired
environment by:
a. Reallocating staff time so that faculty have more time to
provide specialized reference assistance, liaison and instruction
b. Rearranging the physical Reference area to provide a more
welcoming environment
c. Reconfiguring electronic systems in the reference area to
better meet patron and staff needs
d. Reorganizing services to better serve patrons
e. Working to develop methods of assessing not just patron satisfaction,
but also patron needs they might not recognize, as well as our
success at meeting such needs
f. Increasing marketing of Reference services and resources
g. Developing a program of professional development for Reference
Team members
Electronic Resources:
The reallocation of a professional staff member to the position
of Electronic Resources Coordinator (ERC) and the development of
an Electronic Resources Policy and Procedure have allowed us to
begin to bring order out of chaos.
1. Our ERC, Lonna Rivera, has done a magnificent job in setting
up a database for ejournals, to allow us to see and control what
we have. She has also acted as a liaison with Bibliographic Services
resulting in several thousand ejournals being added to the library’s
catalog.
2. Serials Solutions continues to provide us with access to the
great number of electronic journals we have available through
various databases and vendors. They will shortly add links to
our library catalog for print holdings, limiting the number of
places patrons must look for information.
3. A database has been developed to track such things as vendor,
cost, user limits, renewal policies and the like for our electronic
databases. Data is currently being added.
4. The great majority of our electronic resources, over 150 databases,
are now available via the web and from off-campus. The few resources
remaining on CD-ROM have not yet been made available via the web.
5. The library continues to add remotely accessible databases
to support on-campus and on-line programs. Recent and new acquisitions
include Morningstar, ValueLine, Mergent, and Reuters to support
courses in the School of Business and Economics, as well as ERIC
Documents Online to support Education and the Kodansha Encyclopedia
of Japan to support Asian Studies.
Note: Given the increasing technological sophistication of our
current website, responsibility for it was transferred to Systems,
Fall 2002.
Electronic Resources Goals for 2003-2004:
1. Continue to work with Bibliographic Services to add ejournals
to the library catalog.
2. Finish the database of electronic databases.
3. Work to market our resources to increase patron awareness of
their availability.
Reference Collection Management: The Reference
Team continues to maintain a strong print reference collection.
For electronic resources, see above.
Reference Collection Management
Goals for 2003-2004:
1. Begin weeding the collection.
2. Identify any remaining weak areas and buy materials necessary
to enhance them.
WSU Davis Library: The past year has been spent
planning for the opening of the new Davis Campus branch library.
At this point, the physical arrangement of the library has been
set. A basic circulating collection has been purchased and a reference
collection is being developed. Subscriptions to commonly used periodicals
have been ordered. Two new positions have been created: Coordinator,
Stewart Library - Davis Campus and an Evening-Weekend Supervisor.
The position descriptions have been written and the Coordinator
position has been advertised. Anticipated start date is July 1.
The classified Evening/Weekend Supervisor position will be filled
during July. Supplies are being ordered and the process of writing
policies and procedures has begun.
WSU Davis Library Goals for 2003-2004:
1. Finish necessary policies and procedures.
2. Work with other stakeholders in the Information Commons to
coordinate services.
3. Open Library with expanded hours.
4. Market library to Davis campus community.
5. Assess success of current offerings and identify needs.
Government Publications: the Federal Depository
Library Program continues to move from paper to electronic documents.
We continue to work to improve access to web-based materials. We
had planned to provide networked access to the most popular CD-ROMS,
however, improved web access has made this unnecessary. As a result,
we decided to catalog CD-ROMS so that patrons could check them out.
This has been done. We have also added campus networked and print
access to Hill Air Force Base environmental impact data.
Government Publications Goals for 2003-2004:
1. Continue to improve access to government publications electronically.
2. Continue to work to publicize and market the great number and
wide variety of resources available from the government.
3. Begin weeding the paper collection.
Assessment: Assessment continues to be important
for Reference and Information Services. The Team completed a second
Satisfaction Survey last fall. As with the previous survey, between
87-98% of users indicated they were highly satisfied with reference
services and resources (percentage varies with specific question).
We also did a brief survey to allow individual librarians to judge
their effectiveness. Team members felt that the mini-survey provided
useful insight about their service.
In the coming year we would like to focus more on determining patron
needs, perhaps by means of focus groups.
Assessment Goals for 2003-2004:
1. Work to develop assessment methods that will allow us to determine
currently unidentified patron needs.
2. Survey patron needs and satisfaction levels at the new Davis
Campus facility.
3. Assess patron views of pilot reference hours.
4. Try to determine a method for developing useful feed back about
telephone service.
5. Try to determine a method to measure question complexity.
6. Begin work on developing an overall assessment plan for all
areas of Reference & Information Services.
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SYSTEMS and ACCESS
SERVICES
User Satisfaction Overview
Assessment of user satisfaction with library resources and services
is undertaken on a regular basis. In addition to information gathered
from the annual Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory administered
by the university, the library collects data with biennial User
Satisfaction Surveys of faculty and students. The most recent survey
of student users was conducted in October of 2002. A summary of
responses to the surveys distributed in each of the Systems &
Access Services components (except Interlibrary Loan) is attached.
A comparison between the “highlights” of the 2000 and
2002 surveys is given below:
Individual Service
Areas
Circulation Services
-
3M Self-check System
42% of respondents in the 2002 survey were satisfied with the
system whereas only 40% had expressed satisfaction in 2000. 59%
in 2002 and 62% in 2000 had no opinion, which may indicate nothing
more than lack of use.
- Internet Service
55% and 44% respectively were satisfied with or had no opinion
about the option to extend a library loan via the Net. In 2000
36% were satisfied and 51% had no opinion.
- Weekday Service Hours
0% expressed dissatisfaction and 93% expressed satisfaction in
the 2002 survey, whereas 3% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction
with the hours in 2000.
- Late Return/Lost Item fees
As in 2000, the greatest dissatisfaction was expressed for the
library’s late return and lost item fees. However, improvement
is evident even in this case. In 2000 12% were dissatisfied with
the lost item fee and 21% felt similarly about the late return
fee. In 2002 those percentages were reduced to 4% and 9% respectively.
Interlibrary Loan Services
Since this area was not included in the
2000 survey no comparisons are possible. Though the 2002 surveys
give uniformly favorable ratings, the small number of responses
makes the data less useful. In the future the survey will be conducted
via the Net and in-house over a longer period of time.
Media/Reserve Services
- Personnel
Satisfaction with the friendliness and approachability of personnel,
the quality of assistance, and the appropriateness of referrals
was virtually unchanged between the 2000 and 2002 surveys. Less
than 1% of expressed any level of dissatisfaction.
- ERreserve System
75% of respondents were satisfied with the EReserve system, compared
to 59% in 2000. 22% of respondents in 2002 and 41% in 2000 had
no opinion about the system.
- Collections
Satisfaction with the content of the CD, Video and Curriculum
collections showed little change between 2000 and 2002. There
was an 8% gain in the satisfaction level for the content of the
Young People’s collection. 40% gave no opinion about the
content of these collections.
The Student Computer Lab(has
moved to Lampros Hall)
- Overall Improvement
Of the service areas surveyed, the Lab showed the greatest overall
gains in level of user satisfaction. Of particular note were increases
in satisfaction with the friendliness of staff, quality of assistance,
number and quality of PCs, access to a scanner and zip drives,
and the overall suitability of the work stations
All Access Service Areas
As noted in the following table the satisfaction level has remained
fairly stable since 2000. Differences are explained, in part, by
the total number of surveys completed for each survey period and
the number of “dissatisfied”or “no opinion”
responses. The 13% difference in the satisfaction rating for weekend
hours is more a reflection of “no opinion” responses
than “dissatisfaction” with the hours. In fact, there
has been a 1% decrease in the level of dissatisfaction in this category
between 2000 and 2002.
Service
or attribute |
Satisfaction
Rating 2000 |
Satisfaction
Rating 2002 |
Services
in general |
98%
|
95%
|
Friendliness
and approachability of personnel |
96%
|
92%
|
Thoroughness
of the assistance provided |
92%
|
92%
|
Weekday
service hours |
95%
|
93%
|
Weekend
service hours |
97%
|
84%
|
Photocopying/printing
facilities |
85%
|
80%
|
Use Statistics Overview
Circulation
- The Library sustained a 2% increase in the loan of print and
media materials. Loans of books and periodicals increased by 9%
and 32% respectively.
- Internal use of materials declined by 7.5%.
- 3M Self-Check system use remained below 10% of total borrowing
transactions.
Document Delivery (Print, Media and Electronic)
- Media document delivery requests increased by 6%.
- Print document delivery requests decreased by 46%.
- Electronic document delivery requests increased by 85%.
Interlibrary Loan
- Interlibrary lending increased by less than 1%.
- Borrowing requests received and filled decreased by approximately
7.5%.
Media
- Video use increased by 34%
- CD use increased by 24%.
Reserve: Electronic
- The number of instructors using Electronic Reserve remained
constant but the number of items processed increased by 35% and
a 124% increase in the number of items returned (delivered) to
faculty.
- Ereserve material use (as measured by page hits) increased by
105%
Reserve: Print/Media
- The number of instructors using Print/Media Reserve increased
by 10% over the same period last year. The number of items processed
increased by 3%.
- Use of Print Reserve material declined by 24%.
- Media Reserve material use increased by 7%
Websire Use
- Visits to the Library homepage increased by 31% during the
report period.. WebTrends software tabulated 232,435 sessions
this year and 159,479 for the same time period in 2002.
Material Storage Overview
- Collection growth remained constant during the current reporting
period. In terms of stacks management this means that less linear
feet of ever diminishing primary shelving and remote storage space
was consumed at a slower rate. Areas of concern continue to be
storage of Microforms, the pace of growth in the Media collections,
and limited remote storage space.
Stacks Management - Collection Storage:
Student Assistant Budget Conservation
For the past several years Access Services Coordinators have done
a commendable job of spending less than allocated to their combined
student assistant budget. This has been accomplished by hiring a
minimal number of student assistants and a concerted effort to hire
work-study students whenever possible. As in past years, however,
savings in the Access Services budget have been used to cover a
shortfall in the student assistant budget allocated to the Library’s
Student Computing Lab. Since all student assistant s in the Lab
are paid at a higher rate, and since too many of the assistants
have been hourly rather than work-study, it is expected that all
student assistant funds for both Access Services and the Computer
Lab(has moved to Lampros Hall) will be expended
by June 30. During the new fiscal year, a greater effort will be
made to hire work-study rather than hourly student assistants in
the Lab. In addition, Access Services will again be encouraged to
“make do” with a minimal number of student assistants
overall, and to hire work-study student assistants whenever possible.
Service Additions and Enhancements Overview
Access Services
- Completed the annual inventory of the Curriculum, General/Periodicals,
Media, Microforms, Reference, Remote Storage and Young People’s
- Organized the Microforms collections into LC Call No. order
and shifted the contents to accommodate growth
- Coordinated the relocation of the “M” section of
the General/Periodicals Collection to the lower level
- Added shelving and shifted the General/Periodicals Collection
on the 2nd level to accommodate growth
- Conducted space analysis for the Government Publications and
General/Periodicals collections
- Compiled use statistics for evenings and weekends
- Converted the Periodical Statistics file from Quattro to Excel
- Actively participated in Library Marketing Strategy Development,
Website Usability Studies, and planning for the Library at WSU-Davis
Assisted Reference personnel and Subject Bibliographers
Systems
- Configured and customized new Horizon Information Portal (iPAC
2x)
- Configured new web server for library.weber.edu (to be implemented
07/03)
- Configured and customized ILLiad interlibrary loan system
- Updated Horizon server and modules
- Updated critical software and hardware on production systems
- Revised and enhanced library website
- Coordinated and fostered continuing improvements to the library
homepage
- Maintained and enhanced classroom and Reference facilities
- Coordinated development of a Systems Suite on the 2nd level
- Updated staff workstation hardware/software as needed
- Implemented GIS workstation for Science Librarian
- Compiled statistics on use of electronic resources
- Implemented security systems as appropriate
- Implemented SAILS authentication project
- Served as Technical Support for Utah Library Association Conference
- Participated in preparations for the implementation of WebCT
on campus.
Personnel Changes
- The position of Web Administrator was added to Systems
- The half-time Access Services Evening/Weekend Assistant was
increased to full-time status and assigned half-time responsibility
in Reference Services
Systems & Access Services Goals: 2003-2004
1. In support of the Library’s ongoing goal to: Leverage
existing and emerging technology to foster the development of
Library programs, services, and collections which support scholarship,
research, academic success and community enhancement.
Systems’ objective:
Develop a technology plan to guide life-cycle management
of computing resources, the systematic implementation of new
technology-based resources, and the strategic replacement of
existing technology-based resources in the Library.
Access Services’
objective: Fully implement the ILLiad system and
enhancement of the EReserve system.
2. In support of the Library’s
ongoing goal to: Support the instructional, scholarship, and community
service mission of the university by continuing to improve library
collections and services and systematically assessing their use
and relevancy.
Access Services’ objective: Implement the
circulation of media material to WSU students, faculty and staff
and revise Access Services policies and procedures to reflect
service enhancements.
Systems’
objective: Promote the inclusion of online library
resources and services in the University’s web-based and
web-enhanced learning systems.
3. In support of the Library’s
ongoing goal to: Augment library funding by increasing private
donations.
The System & Access Services Librarian's objective:
Foster the development of grants to support the maintenance
of existing, and encourage the implementation of new, technology-based
library resources and services.
* * * * * * * * *
