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 |
|
< | |