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Creating and Implementing A Library-Wide Online Customer Service Training Program A library's ability to deliver excellent customer service hinges upon well-trained employees who are aware of its customer service values and standards. This poster shows how one large academic library system developed and implemented an online customer service training program that addresses these issues. It covers designing the framework, writing the content, and devising assessment for the online course as well as rolling out the training to all employees. Presenters: Angela Brcka, Western Michigan University Jean Douglas, Western Michigan University Jason Glatz, Western Michigan University Brandon Meissner, Western Michigan University
Finding Fertile Ground: Enhancing Library Services in Response to a Global Pandemic Learn how a community college library quickly adapted to meet faculty and student virtual learning needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Librarians expanded and created new virtual reference and instruction offerings, helped faculty navigate copyright in a virtual world, collaborated with faculty to fast-track OER projects, hosted virtual events, and more. Strong roots helped this library adapt to change and to cultivate innovations on fertile ground for the future. Presenters: Sandra McCarthy, Washtenaw Community College Molly Ledermann, Washtenaw Community College Maureen Perault, Washtenaw Community College Meghan Rose, Washtenaw Community College Tashia Miller, Washtenaw Community College
Grounded in service, thriving with data: dashboards for reference services decision making Staffing challenges are well-documented in reference services, but use of dashboards to support data-driven scheduling for in-person and virtual reference shifts are not often discussed. This poster examines how one large academic library utilized data-influenced decision-making and dashboard design iterations to streamline reference staffing amidst evolving conditions. This required continuous communication between dashboard users and creators and iteration of visualizations and dashboard designs. Limitations of a purely quantitative data-driven strategy are also discussed. Presenters: Rachel Minkin, Michigan State University Hui Hua Chua, Michigan State University
Growing a Collection of Circulating Textbooks: Reducing College Expenses and Reaching Out to Students To promote affordability in higher education, one institution created collection of textbooks for high-enrollment classes. This collection has grown to include textbooks from the 100 classes with largest enrollment. This session will provide an overview of how this project began and evolved to respond to unexpected challenges. Topics addressed in this session will include: Creative strategies for obtaining funding, publicizing availability of textbooks, analyzing usage patterns, and developing strategies to deal with un-returned items. Presenter: Rob Withers, Miami University
Growing Beyond A Loss: Reassigning Tasks, Reassessing Workflows, and Carrying on after an Employee Death One library recently experienced the deaths of several staff members in a short period of time. This program will share our experiences in piecing together our response to these deaths. Issues we have addressed have included: communicating with family, disposition of personal property at work, processing timecards, and identifying / tracking / handing off work in process at the time of the staff member's passing. Presenter: Rob Withers, Miami University
Growing from Seed: Creating an Academic Seed Library Seeking a means of grounding library services into a rich agricultural history, a large academic research library planted a seed lending library in early 2020. The seed library is a new and unique lending collection of diverse heirloom vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Free and open to the public, this poster describes the seed library's growing reach beyond the university's campus through partnerships with community organizations and outreach events like a local Science Festival. Presenter: Tom Volkening, Michigan State University Stephanie Perentesis, Michigan State University Eric Tans, Michigan State University Suzi Teghtmeyer, Michigan State University
Instruction Junction (What's Your Function?): Combining Functional & Subject Specialties in Library Collaborations This poster will describe how two liaisons, history and sciences, use functional and subject specialties in collaborations across disciplines to support higher-impact learning experiences. It will show, in visual, the intersection of their subjects with functional areas of archival and data literacy in instruction and consultations to demonstrate the value and challenges of combining these areas. The poster will detail a collaboration in History of Science, implementation of programming and impact on learners. Presenters: Anna White, Grand Valley State University Leigh Rupinski, Grand Valley State University
Making the Most of An Adjunct Placement This poster discusses approaches to ensure that adjunct placements leverage the temporary placement to the benefit of both adjunct librarians and institutions. Librarians can leverage short-term employment to develop skills and gain experience in new library environments. Libraries maintain services while seeking long-term solutions and progress on key projects leveraging skill areas supporting adjunct librarians' professional development. Clear career goals, intentional supervision, and guidance on translating experience to future job applications can ground an adjunct appointment in mutually-beneficial principles. Presenters: Leah Morin, Michigan State University Jon Jeffryes, Grand Valley State University Austin Phillips, Aquinas College
Measuring the Impact of Research Guides Integration in Canvas This poster describes a workflow that consists of two systems created to report research guides usage from within our Canvas LMS. The workflow exceeds the native analytics provided by LibGuides in enabling more granular knowledge of how frequently research guides are accessed. An exported report is definable on a date range and sortable by course and section. The resulting analytics empower librarians by enhancing the data available to make informed information literacy outreach efforts. Presenter: Minhao Jiang, Wayne State University
Preserving Privacy: Protecting Our Patrons in the Digital World Patron privacy is a key value in libraries, which only becomes more important in contentious times. However, the new digital environment makes preserving this privacy even more difficult than ever. This poster will outline some of the new challenges to our patrons' privacy and advise librarians on ways to protect their patrons. Presenter: Amelia Mowry, Wayne State University
Rebuilding Your Print Collection From the Ground Up When a library collection of 250,000 print items occupying over 30,000 linear feet is charged with moving into space with half of the shelving, what are the challenges and opportunities? Learn some tricks to conduct meaningful collection analysis that creates a new print collection in new space that is vastly different from how things were in the past. Also, learn about what makes a good print collection in a digital world. Presenter: Duane Strojny, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School
Representation in Collections: An MLIS student research project to increase the diversity in an academic library's collections This presentation will follow efforts to assess collections at an academic library for diversity and improve representation. As part of a university-wide initiative, an MLIS practicum student under the collections manager was charged with determining the current level of diversity, recommending methods for improvement, and articulating strategies for maintaining diversity in collections going forward. Topics of discussion will include assessment strategies for e-journals, successes and pitfalls, and insights gained from faculty in relevant departments. Presenters: Erica Schiller, Grand Valley State University Cara Cadena, Grand Valley State University
Revamping the Reference Referral: Information Strategies for Student Workers At the Library Info Desk, student assistants are the first point of contact for users with reference questions. They need to determine when and how to refer reference questions to supervisors or librarians for more specialized assistance. To help improve the quality of reference service, student assistants completed a series of interactive training modules designed to increase their familiarity with basic information literacy strategies and understanding of various reference questions needing referrals. Presenters: Anna Granch, University of Michigan - Dearborn Heidi Keppen, University of Michigan - Dearborn
The Case of Open Access in Physics - Exploring Disciplinary Literature Physics is often viewed as a success story of the Open Access movement. However, support for Open Access (OA) initiatives like Plan S is not unanimous across the field. This poster will explore how open access is discussed within the disciplinary literature of the physics research community. It will also address the models of open access that have been successful in the field to date. Presenter: Erika Weir, Michigan State University
The Monomyth Returns: Research & the Hero's Journey Through the Library Summer Scholars Program, I was able to create a LibGuide on the Monomyth, a narrative framework, as well as gain insight into the academic library field. The Monomyth, or Hero's Journey, examines the stages of the hero who goes on an adventure, faces a crisis, and returns victorious. I connected this framework to my own research process on the topic and the experience of the program. Presenter: Kristie Winslow, Grand Valley State University