April 13, 2009 Meeting of User Education Committee

Agenda not yet available.

Members Present: Melody Allison (10), Susan Avery (ex officio), Paula Carns (09), Bernice Harrington (09), Merinda Hensley (ex officio), Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe (ex officio) – Chair, Emily Love (ex officio), Lori Mestre (ex officio), Yoo-Seong Song (10), Ellen Swain (09)

Members Absent: Karen Hogenboom (09), Nathan Yarasavage (10)

Additional Attendees: Rudy Leon, Robin Miller (Central Reference/Academic Outreach GA)

1.  2008-2009 Meetings Remaining

May 11, 10-11

June 8, 10-11

July 13, 2009 (Canceled: Conflicts with ALA Conference)

August 10, 10-11

 

2.  User Education Lunches – “Teaching Toss”

The next Teaching Toss was scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, 2009; however, a Research and Publications Committee (RPC) brown bag lunch is scheduled at the same time.  The RPC lunch will feature Jim Hahn’s talk about Wikipedia, a topic of interest to members of the User Education Committee.  Lisa and Susan agreed to select another time to avoid conflicting with the RPC brown bag.  At the rescheduled Teaching Toss, Susan Avery will talk about assessment.

 

3.  Career Services Working Group Report

Rudy Leon attended the meeting and reported on the activities of the Career Services Working Group, which was charged January 12, 2009.  The working group has surveyed librarians about the career information provided by each unit.  The majority of survey recipients have responded.

The next step in the working group’s progress is to create a LibGuide about career services information.  Rudy distributed a sample LibGuide created by Al Kagan about careers related to Africana Studies.  Merinda volunteered one of her graduate assistants to assist with the LibGuide.  Lisa suggested that the LibGuide should identify the career resources available from the library and resources available from Career Services.

Yoo-Seong Song asked if the working group is focused on career resources for current students or if this is part of a larger public engagement initiative. The working group is considering all audiences.  Lisa also explained that a campus-wide initiative for displaced workers is in the planning phase and the Career Services Working Group will position the library to participate in that initiative.

 

4.  Review of Distance Teaching and Learning Working Group Report

The Distance Teaching and Learning Working Group was charged to investigate teaching and learning services and support for distance programs, faculty, and students.

At the meeting, Merinda reviewed the working group’s recommendations for library services for distance learners in several areas:

• Reference
• Instruction
• Document Delivery
• Course Reserves

Reference and instruction were major areas of discussion.  Susan suggested that the report refer to the Ask a Librarian service because librarians and graduate assistants from several units, including the Undergraduate Library, monitor IM Collaborator.  Susan also suggested that IM Collaborator’s greeting scripts ask if a patron is a “distance student” and Merinda agreed to ask Kathleen Kern and David Ward if this is possible.

Merinda explained that some subject specialists have been particularly active in providing instruction for distance learners.  Training and support will be offered to subject specialists who have not been actively working with distance students and instructors.  Lisa suggested that the report clarify the pedagogical roles of librarians supporting subject specialists who are new to working with distance learners.

Merinda explained the document delivery and course reserve processes for Academic Outreach instructors and students.  The goal of the new document delivery services for off-campus students is to facilitate independent use of the library.

Lisa suggested that there be a point person to whom librarians and staff will refer questions about services for distance learners.

The Distance Teaching and Learning Working Group is on track to complete its work by its intended disband date of June 2009.

 

5.  High School Outreach Working Group

A new group was created to address college transition services for first-year students. Lisa will contact the proposed members and invite them to serve on the group.

Charge:

Investigate transition to college services and support for first-year students in the University Library.  Identify current library services and resources, review practices at other research libraries, and recommend additional services and resources.  Develop projects to build and support partnerships with high school librarians to assist students in their transition to the academic library environment.

Timeframe:

April 2009-August 2010

Proposed membership:

Susan Avery (co-facilitator), Jim Hahn (co-facilitator), Rudy Leon, Frances Harris, Ellen Swain, Melody Allison, Karen Hogenboom, Nancy O’Brien, Courey Gruszauskas (UGL Instruction GA)

 

6.  “Proficiencies” Document

At the May 11 meeting, the User Education Committee will discuss the ACRL Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators.  Susan distributed copies of the Standards.  The May meeting is an opportunity for the committee to discuss the activities identified in the Standards, what librarians are currently doing, and future possibilities.

The standards are also available on the ACRL website.

 

7.  Announcements

Lisa announced that she and Rudy are going to the One Book One Campus project meeting.  Rudy Leon is planning to do programming related to the selected title.

Merinda announced the Ethnography of the University student poster session is scheduled for April.  Betsy Kruger has agreed to print posters for five students if they attend a workshop about participating in a poster session.  Lisa asked if video recording of Merinda’s workshop or a guide to creating a poster could be created for other undergraduate researchers. Merinda will pursue this.

Melody announced that the Graduate Student Information Literacy Working Group is selecting themes on which to focus.

Lisa updated the committee on the research of the Undergraduate Research Methods Project.  Preliminary results were presented at ACRL and there are some interesting implications for how the library communicates with undergraduates.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Robin Miller