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Student Poster Sessions
(Alphabetically by title)All Contributions Welcome: Using Wikis in Libraries
Amy Chatfield, Wayne State University
Wikis are a relatively new type of software that allows a group to collaboratively create, edit, and manage knowledge. This project focuses on web-based wikis, which are accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. Also included in this presentation will be some currently active wiki projects, focusing on library instruction and libraries; how to become involved in wiki projects; both the positives and negatives of the software and the collaboration process; some ideas for future wiki projects for libraries; and information to create your own wiki with free software.
Assessment of the Effectiveness of Library Instruction on Graduate Teacher Education Students Research Skills
Rukmal Harvey, Salem State College
The impact of library instruction on the research skills of graduate students in the Teacher Education program at "X College" is represented in this poster session. Three teams of students from Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, under the supervision of Dr. Susan Shoemaker, analyzed the impact of library instruction using mixed methods research. The students included Mott Linn, Elizabeth Fleming, Derryl Johnson, Jonathan Rosenthal, Harriet Wallen, and Rukmal Harvey. Team responsibilities included: a) Conduct a survey (Team 1): The results of a survey, conducted at the start of the semester, were compared with the findings of the research design. b) Implement a quasi-experimental research method design (Team 2): Using a design based upon pre-research paper / post-research paper, participants in the experimental group (vs. the controlled group) were given basic and advanced library instruction. Pre- and post-research paper bibliographies from both groups were evaluated and analyzed. c) Develop qualitative research (Team 3): Student participants were interviewed and findings were reported.
In this poster presentation, the presenter will emphasize the work surrounding the quasi-experimental method that was employed. The planning and design of the study will be described, with particular attention to the software selected, the ways in which advanced technology was used, and ethical and confidentiality issues that surfaced.
Benefits of a Reading Club in an Academic Setting
Elizabeth Schneider, University of Michigan
Professional development has always been very important in the library profession but in this era with the constant barrage of technology and new ways to disseminate information, librarians need to try even harder to stay up to date. One way the library staff at the University of Michigan has combated the ever-changing landscape is to participate in a reading club organized by the Instructor College, a staff development initiative. The purpose of the reading club is to provide a structured and fun environment for examining the library instruction literature and stimulating discussion over literacy issues and instruction trends. Assumed outcomes for this program are education of staff in new instruction techniques and building of relationships between the librarians and the library students that will be swiftly entering into the profession. But what are the true benefits to the participants of the reading club? An outcome-based evaluation will provide an understanding of the effects of this professional development program on the participants and their library system.
Digital Preservation Standards for Academic Libraries
Anne Hakes, University of Maryland
PREMIS. METS. ISO. OAIS. LOCKSS. All should be considered when planning preservation activities for a library’s digital assets. Digital preservation standards can help inform the priorities for the digital library program. There is a growing body of digital preservation standards developed by experts at the local, regional, national, and international level. Taking preservation issues into account when planning a digital library or digitization program can help avoid expensive problems in the long run.
Compared with the amount of available research findings on the preservation of books or even microfilm, there is not nearly as much longitudinal information on the longevity of digital media. In recent years, however, considerable work has been done on a variety of fronts to devise and implement digital preservation standards. Digital preservation standards now address factors such as media storage, interoperability, persistent access, and metadata for administrative, content, descriptive, and preservation information. Given the complexity of the issues associated with digital preservation, a comprehensive digital preservation plan should take all of these issues into consideration when prioritizing and planning your work.
Taking the perspective of a university library with a diverse collection of users and user needs, current preservation standards and research are summarized in this project. With regard to the needs of an academic library that serves a wide-ranging faculty and student body with all their attendant information needs, additional areas for inquiry and improvement for digital preservation standards will be highlighted, as will some considerations for implementation.
Exploring Digital Collections and the use of Information Retrieval Technologies
Kathleen Brown, University of Maryland
This poster will explore the dichotomy between how users generally formulate search queries and how cultural institutions organize and document objects for placement in digital collections. Institutions concerned with providing the best possible access to their digital collections spend a great deal of their resources creating object metadata, controlled vocabularies, and advanced search capabilities. Yet evidence strongly suggests that even experienced users do not utilize these resources. The vast majority prefer to input only one or two terms in a simple search box, most likely from a powerful public search engine such as Google. Very few opt to use the advanced search option or take advantage of other tools that may help them garner more relevant retrievals.
There are new developments being refined in the field of information retrieval (IR), such as personalized information retrieval technologies and the integration of knowledge organization systems (thesauri, ontologies, etc.) within information retrieval systems, but the question remains: "Will users take advantage of these systems if provided?" What is the best way to translate the mediation of information, previously supplied by librarians, archivists, and curators in bricks and mortar cultural institutions, to the world of digital repositories? This poster will explore some of the new technologies being developed and utilized by cultural institutions, as well as recent research concerning information seeking behavior to see if there is a point of connection.
Systematic Usage of Google: Reasons and Solutions
Mirna Tabet, Catholic University of America
This poster session presents reasons for users' systematic usage of Internet search engines, rather than libraries' resources. It offers librarians some suggestions to address this situation.
It is well known that many of today's library users accept the Internet as their primary source of information. Although the reasons for this behavior vary, ease of access and friendly interfaces are at the top of the list. For information professionals to succeed in introducing users to library resources, they need to make themselves visible and market library resources. A few examples of good marketing include: a) design of attractive web pages, b) monthly newsletters sent by e-mail to library users, and c) 24/7 reference assistance. A strong information literacy program is essential, as well. In an academic setting, the collaboration between librarians and faculty members is crucial to the success of such a program.
A Virtual Path Taken: The Challenge in Creating a Virtual Tour of the Main Library at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Merinda Hensley, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Library users increasingly expect to be able to find information online, relying on Web resources to explain and represent the organization of forty-two departmental libraries distributed throughout campus, with more than half of them in the Main Library building. The creation of a web-based virtual tour directs the user to each library, and explains the disciplines represented in the collections. By constructing a user-friendly interface paired with floor maps, the patron will be able to visualize a trip to the library before stepping in the door. It is geared toward undergraduates, new students, and incoming faculty.
The presentation makes the following points:
- From the introductory page, the user has the choice to follow along the tour in a traditional way, or to quickly choose the single library of interest.
- Each page is consistent and concise in its description and includes the following: an image of the room, narrative text describing the disciplines covered as well as any unique collections, a floor map and a webpage address that opens in a new window for further information.
- The use of uniform headers and footers include links to the library catalog, a link to direct comments and a last updated notation.
- A navigation bar indicates location in the tour at all times, with the option of jumping to specified libraries.
- Finally, the tour includes directions, parking information and hours.
