Karen Sobel

Participatory action research in learning commons design planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to document the process the Auraria Library went through to plan research methods to produce information for their learning commons project.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an overview and the results of one librarys planning methods using user‐centered and participatory action research (PAR) principles. It includes a literature review and data gathered from several information gathering sessions. It also discusses useful resources and ideologies found outside the field of library science, such as “placemaking” and the concept of “third place.”Findings – Adopting values that honor user‐centered, evidence‐based decision making is a change that must include the whole library, as well as its users. When enough time is spent to include a broad spectrum of feedback you can get a lot of valuable evidence, even during a planning period.Originality/value – The paper could be useful to libraries who are examining their services, environment, and technology. I...

A study of Master of Library Science candidates and librarians at a practicum site library

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to augment knowledge about perceived benefits and drawbacks of practicum programs in academic libraries.Design/methodology/approach – Many library science programs require or encourage practicum experiences. The paper surveyed past practicum students and site librarians about experiences with their practicum program.Findings – Practica in librarianship that balance structure and independence were reported to be beneficial, both for practicum students and for the libraries that host them. Students enjoyed the theory‐to‐practice aspects and the diverse populations of the academic library. The Auraria Campuss student body displays great diversity in terms of race and ethnicity, socioeconomics, age, and prior educational experiences. Practicum participants also made constructive suggestions for changes in terms of structure and content. Students and site librarians valued their interactions with one another, even though the librarians were aware that mentoring and super...

Using the TPACK Framework to Facilitate Decision Making on Instructional Technologies.

Technological pedagogical content knowledge (“TPACK”) is a theoretical framework used primarily in the field of education to facilitate the integration of technology into educational endeavors. This framework can be particularly valuable to librarians, who are heavy users of technology, and can provide a structure that can help librarians to critically examine technologies being considered for integration. In this article, the authors provide an overview of TPACK, discuss its history and uses in libraries and in education, and provide concrete examples illustrating how this framework can be applied to decision-making within libraries.

WorldCat Local and Information Literacy Instruction: An Exploration of Emerging Teaching Practice

Since the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) unveiled its WorldCat Local library catalog discovery layer in 2008, library instructors have debated how to incorporate this tool into their teaching. WorldCat Locals faceted searching brings both educational benefits and unexpected challenges to the classroom. Instructors frequently hold formal and informal discussions on such topics as which search features are most effective during teaching and which patron groups benefit most from this tool. The authors of this article surveyed instruction librarians at U.S. academic libraries that are using WorldCat Local in order to gather and organize this feedback. This article presents the findings of this survey.

Succession Planning for Library Instruction

Detailed succession planning helps libraries pass information from one employee to the next. This is crucial in preparing for hiring, turnover, retirements, training of graduate teaching assistants in academic libraries, and other common situations. The authors of this article discuss succession planning for instruction programs in academic libraries. They provide strategies and tools for use and adaptation.

The Professor-Librarian: Academic Librarians Teaching Credit-Bearing Courses.

Many academic librarians have ideas or opportunities for teaching information literacy courses for the library, outside the scope of their regular positions. Some additional librarians are asked to consider teaching credit-bearing courses for other departments at their institutions, based on graduate degrees they hold in fields besides library science. Academic librarians who face either option are often asked to provide detailed information on how colleagues at other institutions handle arrangements: payment, coverage of library services while they are teaching, and proving their suitability for teaching in a given subject area. Unfortunately, the data available on their work is both scant and scattered. The authors surveyed librarians at 350 academic libraries across the United States to gather and analyze data on these and numerous related aspects of librarians’ teaching for departments outside the library. They also collected and analyzed comprehensive background information on these “professor-librarians.”

Teaching Them to Teach: Programmatic Evaluation of Graduate Assistants’ Teaching Performance

Academic libraries are one of the most important sources of “on the job” training for future library instructors. Librarians who supervise and assess these future library instructors (often in graduate assistant positions) often choose to provide observations and feedback each semester to these instructors in training. Scholarly literature, however, provides little information on whether this system helps graduate assistants to develop as teachers. The authors of this article assessed graduate assistants’ performance as teachers over three semesters using a system of observation and self-assessment. They analyzed both patterns and areas of growth and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this system.

Rethinking Library Service: Improving the User Experience with Service Blueprinting

Service blueprinting is a process that businesses use for analyzing and improving service. Originally presented in the Harvard Business Review in 1984, it has retained a strong following ever since. At present, it is experiencing a revival at numerous academic institutions. The authors of this article present the process of service blueprinting. They illustrate it with an example that will be familiar to a range of librarians at academic libraries.