November 10, 2003 Meeting of User Education Committee

Agenda not yet available.

Members Present: Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe (ex officio) – Chair, Phill Johnson (05), Jing Liao, Allison Sutton (04), Joe Straw (ex officio), Lynn Wiley (05), Greg Youngen (05)

Members Absent: Cindy Shirkey (ex officio), Helen Sullivan (05)

Additional Attendees: Ely Anderson (User Education GA)

1. Meeting Schedule for Remaining 2003-2004 Meetings

• December 8, 10-11
• February 9, 10-11
• March 8, 10-11
• April 12, 10-11
• May 10, 10-11
• June 14, 10-11
• July 12, 10-11
• August 9, 10-11

2. Old Business

Instruction Statistics Form

The online form is now online and available at https://www-s.library.illinois.edu/learn/statistics/sessionform.php. Lisa asked the committee members to test the online form by participating in a beta-test. Lisa will report on the beta-test outcomes during the next committee meeting.

Principles for Database Interfaces

The committee finalized the interface principles statement based on the committee’s discussion. Lisa will draft a statement which will include the following concepts:

• Overall, fewer interfaces are best, but disciplinary groupings also have to be kept in mind
• Levels of optimum timing (i.e. when should one consider changing interfaces)
• Avoid interfaces that use Java Script
• User-friendly interface
• Interfaces should be browser independent
• Maximize the number of simultaneous users that may use a particular database
• Negotiate for additional access for instruction sessions

3. New Business

Statement on What Undergraduates Should Know When They Graduate

The committee discussed the development of an Undergraduate information literacy competency statement after reviewing brainstormed ideas from committee members. Several issues were discussed, including:

• How do we put the competency statement into action?
• What type of skill development should we encourage (basic skills vs. conceptual knowledge)?
• How do we gain an awareness of prior library knowledge and skills?
• How do we connect undergraduate programming to a competency statement?
• How can we create a common framework among libraries?
• What do librarians and University professors consider as “basic” skills (skills used during the first semester of college)?
• How can we demonstrate that the library is of value to students and their education?

The committee decided that a library orientation fair would be a good way to promote library usage and library skill development among new students. The committee will continue to discuss library fair ideas at future meetings and via email discussions.

Lisa also asked the committee to become more familiar with the submitted ideas and asked that they try to categorize the ideas for discussion at the next meeting.

Next Meeting: Dec. 8, 2003 from 10:00-11:00 in room 428.

Respectfully submitted,
Ely M. Anderson
User Education GA