The Ubiquitous Librarian

And the most “satisfying” library is…

I’m working on a mega-LibQUAL+ project, essentially dumping all the data from large universities into an Excel file. This allows for benchmarking: 1) it lets me see who the top libraries are with specific questions (comfortable space, website, etc), and 2.) it let’s me comparatively track my library’s progress over time.

So far I have the undergraduate data for 75 libraries (mostly ARL with a few notable exceptions) and about half the faculty data. I am pulling from 2003 – 2007, entering the most current numbers available. Excel’s “paste special --–> transpose” is great and so is LibQUAL+ Analytics Tool.

LibQUAL+ is not a perfect measurement, but it’s all we’ve got in terms of national benchmarking. And user satisfaction is far more valuable than collection size. (No disrespect to the HYP.) What I like about my satisfaction tool is that it equalizes everything. It goes beyond simply comparing my perceptions against your perceptions, and instead takes all the data points into account.  It asks the more global question: “how full is your glass?” (How satisfied are your patrons?)

If you look through your LibQUAL+ results PDF, you’ll find barometer charts, like this:

Your goal is for that orange line to fill as much of that gray box as possible; the more the better.

And so, looking at all the undergraduate data, which library ranks highest? The home team: Texas A&M. They invented the tool and run it every year, so I have to discredit them, sorry Colleen.

So who is number two? Georgia Tech. I was shocked and had to triple check all the data. But indeed, in terms of pure satisfaction, our participants responded most favorably across the 22 questions collectively. In all sincerity, we got lucky. We conducted our survey just as we finished a major renovation and benefited from good buzz. By comparison, our pre-renovation numbers would have placed us 25 out of 75 libraries.

I’ll be writing more on this once the faculty and graduate student numbers are collected, but here are a few findings:

Overall Customer Service: Cornell
Overall Library as Place: U of Kansas (really it was Texas A&M, but like I said, home team)
Comfortable & Inviting Location: U of Washington
Website: Clemson

Learning to think on your feet—advice?

Ok, so I answered a few questions for the Chronicle today and totally botched it. The reporter wanted it to be off the cuff to get a “fresh” response, but I feel that my answers were insufficient. I don’t think I mentioned experience or engagement-- two of my big themes—at all. When the piece comes out, I plan to post more thoughtful responses, but so what? Faculty and admin read the Chronicle and it would have been nice to come across as more articulate for the sake of academic libraries in general. The questions were terrific, but my answers were so watered-down and uninspiring. It’s embarrassing.

So how can I fix this, or can I? Is it a personality trait or something that can be developed? I like public speaking in general, when I have control of the content, but quick responses to questions like what is the future of academic libraries or what comes next after the learning commons—those leave me tongue tied. When I think about concepts like these, I go into a long stream-of-conscious, very abstract processing mode and then eventually spit out 3 or 4 concise tactical bullet points. Yet some people I know have the gift of the gab. I’ve watched some of our admin answer questions on-the-fly like skilled politicians. The corporate types I’ve seen are aces at this too.  So how does one gain this skill? Giving presentations is one thing, but answering interview questions is a whole different ballgame. I'm fine with job interviews, but dealing with the press is intimidating. I am much more image-conscious and conservative. Advice?  Thanks.

Rethinking Video Games in the Academic Library

Stacey Greenwell over at The Uncommon Commons recently wrote about their welcome event . She works at the U of Kentucky, so it shouldn't be a surprise that basketball hoops were involved.

She ends her post stating:

“I've gone so far as to submit a proposal to purchase a few consoles for the library.”

It's nice to see such enthusiasm, but I've recently started to turn against gaming in academic libraries. I think its fine for special events or if you want to disguise it as a “study break” session, but trying to brand your library as someplace cool because of Madden Tournaments or that you have a Wii or Playstation available for checkout is weak. You play to a niche, maybe a big niche, but ultimately I think it deteriorates the mission of the academic library.

I've spent some time this semester visiting GT dorms and frat houses and they all have commons spaces with screens and projectors available to them. The gimmick of using video games to lure students into the library is off base, at least for my population. Sure we could easily turn ourselves into an arcade, but we already have one of those on campus and it's only about 100 yards away from the library, so why should we duplicate that effort?

I think a stronger position for the academic library is to aspire to offer the premiere productivity and study space on campus. We should provide something that isn't offered elsewhere and that fills a stated need.

In the long run, a better generation of buzz is through programming and partnerships, gather than Xboxs. I was pleasantly surprised today when I clicked a random date on our events calendar and saw the wide variety of offerings:

Keep in mind, we're undersized, and personally I think under funded, yet Tech is an entrepreneurial and scrappy library. (That's a compliment!) I like that we push a varied agenda of experiences, and I feel that academic libraries should attempt to inspire students, not just entertain them.

And sure, someday we'll probably have video games available for checkout. We do have a leading game critic on our faculty, but conversations with my users reveal that they'd prefer nicer quiet study spaces and more computers and printers, rather than video game zones. It's a matter of priorities. For $1,000 we could buy a console and a load of games, but I think that would be “off code” with out intention. I also think that there are better opportunities for relaxation and leisure than this .

So Stacey, good luck with your effort. I'll be curious to follow your progress, but be mindful of the cause and effect of gaming in the library. I'd much rather have my students complain about a noisy Calculus 2 review group rather than a bunch of kids pretending to be guitar heroes. When gaming becomes a daily occurrence, it quickly loses it's charm.

Is it ok to kiss in the Library? A Reflective Poster

Ok, so we have a Constitution Day display going up. Below is one of the panels that did not get selected, but I think it’s cool. I think the text is going forward, but not the photo. I really like the central image though—I would have actually taken the time read a few sentences of the poster just to see what the photo was all about.

I also think its ok for patrons to show a little affection in the library—whatever it takes to get alumni donations! It sure beats those boring READ posters.

Courtesy of Charlie Bennett, Katie Gentilello, Kirk Henderson, and Mary Axford.

Here is another poster that we featured Fall 2006 created by students and faculty from LCC -- just to show that we’re not afraid to take creative risks:


If you've done any cool or unusual posters, send me a link or email... but please, nothing involving celebrities or condescension. Cringe!

Augmented Reality – a Second Life Experiment

I've teamed up with a computer science professor who owns an island in Second Life. We're inviting (recruiting) students to hangout, explore, and learn the basics of the software. Our rational is that if there is an interest, let's say 20 students or more, then we'll work toward purchasing an island for them. The idea is still in the very early stages, but ideally we're following this basic principal: just as a student can checkout a book, they can also checkout a plot of virtual land. In this framework it becomes a discovery experience.

The premise is that since so many of our students use digital design tools for class work, they can also benefit from exposure to Second Life. Maybe SL isn't sustainable long-term, that's fine, we can just move to another virtual environment. My personal feeling about technology is that everything you learn can be applied elsewhere, therefore the more you know the better.

Some benefits:

•  Students will have the opportunity to explore and experiment within a large virtual world.

•  Students will have the freedom of self-expression and an outlet for creativity.

•  Students will collaborate with others, fostering leadership, project management, critical thinking and planning, team-building, and communication skills.

•  Students will apply design principles, engineering mechanics, problem solving, physics, geometry, and aesthetics within a 3D modeling universe.

•  Faculty will have virtual space and resources for instructional purposes.

That's it in a nutshell. We've set a few dates aside to see if anyone shows up. User interest and participation will guide this project. It could be a total bust, and that's fine. I have found SL very interesting, but so many educational (and corporate) efforts end up ghost towns. I want something more interactive and popular. A lot of the library stuff I've seen out there seems to be by-librarians for-librarians, and that's not the direction I want to go. I am more interested in something that targets my patrons, something that inspires the imagination.

Another unfortunate trend sprouting up are “no access” islands. (UT-Austin, Stanford, SJSU) I think it's fine if people want to buy private land, but don't place it in the middle of other open access educational environments. It's a country club mentality that doesn't belong there.

Here is our main flyer (front & back), courtesy of Dottie Hunt.

Incentive-based Answers

Google tried to get into the Reference game and pretty much failed. Their approach was to let users submit a question along with a price, $1, $20, $100—whatever amount they were willing to pay. And an expert would then respond and collect the money.

Yahoo is using a different approach—opening it up the users. Instead of money or goodwill, people are awarded points for their actions. Users can gain levels which I guess are a badge of pride—you also gain more access to the service.

From Yahoo:
“As you attain higher levels, you'll also be able to contribute more to Yahoo! Answers - you can ask, answer, vote and rate more frequently.”

I am a level 1 which means I can ask up to 5 questions per day. I can also only answer 20 other people’s questions per day. As you ascend levels you have greater power, for example, the top level (7)  can ask/answer unlimited questions. There are also stars, rating, and voting. They’ve essentially turned reference into a social game.

What’s really interesting is that every question you ask costs you 5 points. That's right, asking questions is a negative action. How’s that for customer service?
Yahoo Answers point scale.

IMDB (Internet Movie Database) has a very active message board system—basically people talk about actors and movies—it’s very conversational. They have installed a time quota for postings to ensure that people aren’t just spamming or write quick/short answers. So every time you post you have to wait 60 seconds before you can post again.

They also state that by participating “over time, you will also gain access to additional features on the site.”

It’s interesting, in a very Web 2.0 kind of way, how users are rewarded for their participation with greater access to the product/website. You give everyone equal rights to the core and then those who use the service most frequently (and properly) gain VIP status or bonus material.

(Oh and I’m definitely not top 20—I should be around number 40 or thereabouts. There are so many more influential librarian blogs than this one, but thanks for noticing OEDb. And thanks to you for reading and linking.)

Shifting My Focus – the user experience

As of yesterday I have a new title: User Experience Librarian. This seems to be a natural evolution for me with an emphasis on assessment and communications in the widest terms imaginable.

Essentially, my job now is to study users and to make recommendations to library admin and department heads. I'll also work with others to develop targeted communication strategies and to do a little brand-work. The biggest challenge will be getting all departments/units to trust me—you say the word assessment and people freak out.

That being said, we'll be looking for a new librarian soon to fill my former position. Atlanta is nice, seriously it is. GT is a top five engineering school, and a top 10 public university. The Library has a third building “in the works,” is a member of ARL, and recently received ACRL's Excellence Award. We're well suited for ambitious entrepreneurial types because we're given a lot of freedom to experiment. We also have competitive Athletics programs. Something to think about.