It's Academic

The State of the State Networks 2009

Susan Pannebaker, Director, Office of Commonwealth Libraries
Joe Scorza, Executive Director, HSLC/Access PA
John Barnett, Assistant Director, PALCI
Catherine Wilt, President, and Ann Yurcaba, Director of Regional Services, Lyrasis

I always try to go to this session each year to get a sense of the overall library community statewide. It’s basically a ‘show and tell’ session for the different speakers to review last year’s developments and ‘coming attractions’ (or coming disasters?).

Susan spoke first; unfortunately, she has no good news to tell us. Budget essentially went to $3 million from $11 million. Will know more about the final outcome in the next few weeks. Things will be lost, no doubt. They are establishing priorities. However, some good news. They are starting a state partnership with WebJunction. Will subsidize some of the online courses, which will help with staff development. Can also develop some courses; let them know if there are courses you’re interested in.

Joe Scorza was next. Spoke about programs “which may possibly continue; may possibly continue in different forms.” They don’t know yet what programs are going to go away.
1) 77 libraries are currently using Millennium System, which can automatically update AccessPA database
2) Access PA Digital Repository – ContentDM – 67 collections (approx.) – work with Pittsburg site to harvest data; host the websites. Approval process; currently no cost (may change?) – U. S. Civil War Collection at State Library, for example
3) POWERLibrary – over 40 databases currently; ceased development with WebFeat, looking at an alternative front-end interface for federated searching
4) Ask Here PA Virtual Reference Service – used by Gov Rendell himself; averaging over 500 questions a day; 70+ libraries; users very happy about it; 50% of activity supports school-age children
4) Access PA Online Training – had been using eCollege, but will be switching all training to WebJunction system; will no longer be doing live training, much more cost effective

John Barnett spoke next, from PALCI. They currently have about 75 member libraries, 70 in PA, 3 in NJ, 2 in WV (includes branch campuses). Traditional focus has been on resource-sharing (ILL); EZborrow and RapidILL. Also work with collection development, disaster preparedness, electronic resources. 28 institutions currently participate in RapidILL. 60 institutions now participate in EZBorrow. Number of books borrowed continues to grow. Sept. 2009 was busiest month so far, despite losing 4 schools. Uses Sirsi Dynix but are developing new software (Relais, a Canadian ILL) – May/June 2010 roll-out. Will eliminate ‘groups’; but will target other collections, too, like e.g. open archives / open access collections.

RapidILL – developed by Colorado State U libraries; electronic delivery of journal articles predicated on 24-hour turnaround. Over 129 participants in US, Canada, East Asia, members are grouped into ‘pods’. Cosmo pod (60 members) allows for ‘cross-podination’. There is a PALCI pod, but you can ‘qualify’ to be members of different pods.

Other resource-sharing efforts – reciprocal ILL photocopying, and faculty borrowing privileges; members of IDS of PA.

Electronic resources:
ACS, Annual Reviews, ACM, eBrary, IEEE, MathSciNet, Opinion Archives, ProQuest, Reference USA, StatUSA; and adding more. Are looking at e-books right now.

CD & Management: CCD Task Force
-Shared print journal archive
-Focuses on print science journal collections by major scientific socieites: APS/ AIP, ACS
A-im is to have complete print runs to 2000; let libraries weed collections older than 10 years
-‘Dark’ archive for safe-keeping; ‘light’ archive for ILL
-Should be in place by Fall 2009

Disaster preparedness
-fostering collaborative approach to disaster preparedness
-received $25K LSTA grant to provide consortium-wide disaster preparedness raining and continuing ed; 6 regional training sessions planned; subcontracting with Tom Clareson, Lyrasis, to provide training
-MayDay activities – take 1 day out of year to do one thing for disaster preparedness
-Alliance for Response – goal is to do a state-wide program. In Pittsburgh, they have had discussions on mold-prevention, fire prevention, insurance and risk prevention, etc.

Digitization
-not so much the mechanics, but the ‘big picture’
-Digital collection guidelines for PA
-Pennsylvania Digital Library search interface (meta-data harvestor); PALCI supports Lyrasis mass digitization project

MINES for libraries ‘ Measuring the Impact of Networked Electronic Services’
-ARL protocol for determining electronic resource use, by whom and for what purpose
-provides info on electronic resource use; under development
-ARL has to work with systems people in your library

EBook collections
-also under development
-looking at

LOCKSS network – developing a PALCI network. There are 7 PALCI members currently participate in LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe)
-will be surveying members

Cathy Wilt and Ann Yuracaba of Lyrasis spoke next.
Lyrasis = Solinet, PALINET + NELINET; integrating services.
Ann is ‘Legacy Palinet’ representative.
What’s in it for PALINET members – more services
1900 PALINET members; more than 4000 members overall

New service development:
-Digital services; want to support the other regional orgs. Received a grant to digitize PA libraries, based on open-access
-Enterprise-wide library computing – RFP for open source options. Examples: Drupal, Evergreen
-Collaborative collections – what will model be for delivering materials in future?
-Leadership
-Strategic Plan 2010-2012
-Consortial ‘deals’ with vendors
-Education: hundreds of classes, on-demand, etc. Expanded offerings: Ebooks (free seminar); Information Literacy, Management 101, Open Source, etc.
-Consulting: Strategic planning, Leadership and management, grant-writing assistance
-Technology – ‘Tech Squad’; open source support
-Preservation & Digitization
-‘My Lyrasis’ account coming soon; also has job bank

Adventures in Site-seeing: Implementing Web Usability Tests for Your Library Web Site
Rob Behary, Duquesne University

Rob gave an excellent presentation; unfortunately, Sydney Walden, his co-presenter was unable to attend due to personal reasons, but he gave her full credit for her help in preparing the session.

I was very interested to hear what he had to say, as we are in the process of redesigning our web page using LibGuides.

Assumptions they started with:
-No budget for testing
-No software, no staff budget
-Library web sites still matter
-Any improvements are worth the time

Duquesne is a conservative culture, want to manage university’s ‘image’ closely. The library’s goal was to make their web page more user focused. Their LibQUAL study showed that users found their webpage deficient.

Good article: Jeng, J. Usability Assessment of Academic Digital Libraries Libri 2005

Elements of their study
-learnability
-satisfaction
-efficiency
-effectiveness
-error correction
-ease of use
-visual appearance

In their next LibQUAL study they added some library specific questions, to get more information about their web site. They had some support in place, multimedia graduate program and strong faculty partners, had some software and hardware available for testing. Students approached them about testing their web site

Used Morae – TechSmith software (expensive $2,000 for license, but their IT dept. had already)- used for experimental testing. It has a high learning curve. Tracks mouse clicks and mouse movements, time between mouse clicks, and time on a task, also works with a video camera to track user responses.

Needed additional data – did brief survey to library staff; did a card sort/free association; ‘what would you put at the top level?’, etc.

Advice:
– Before starting come up with elements, what you’re going to be testing
– Do an environmental scan, what resources are available to you – student or faculty partners?
– Don’t get frustrated by user expectations

Minimal expertise needed:
– Ability to conduct and analyze primary research
– Ability to conduct interviews
– Ability to do a basic modal analysis

Ideal
– Understand how to design a study
– Some experience with inferential statistics

Consider your resources — ideally need at least 2 people; both taking notes, helpful to get 2 perspectives (one to handle interruptions)

Minimal requirements for technology:
-Workstations
-Isolated room, preferably soundproofed (can also use video camera)
-Survey software

If you need to build your skills, ACRL offers an e-learning course: Intro to Website Usability Course (developed in 2007). Can also audit university courses on research design (Ed or social sciences).

If you need to obtain software, can use Morae for a 30 day trial. There are less expensive/free options. Possibly forego the software?

How We Did Our Testing
– Referred to article “Why you only need to test with 5 users” Jakob Nielsen
– Needed mix of faculty/staff/students, undergrad and grad
– It didn’t really matter what tasks they gave their users, they all seemed to make the same comments about font, color, etc.

Morae analyzed total time, time to complete, number of times back button used, umber of mouse clicks, success rate, number of errors, negative feedback (facial expressions and negative comments)

Some students and faculty analyzed the library’s site, and the librarians made a point of attending their sessions where they presented their research/

Extremely useful web site for creating detailed statistics on text comments: TextSTAT – they used it to analyze their LibQUAL comments; it even shows key word in context

Also surveyed users, including library staff: “Please answer the following from very important to not important, and then from very easy to not easy”
-Accessing the library webpage
-Asking the library a question online
-Finding a book
etc.

They used 30 users for their card sort: they had them choose categories, and organize other items under the categories they suggested.

Constraints
-University template was developed to recruit students; library web site is more an application than a public relations tool or fundraising tool (although it does have that function, too)
-Limitations on coding/scripting
-Duquesne uses Luminis Content Management System – allows them to share pages with each other, sustainability advantage

Has Usability Helped?
-University redesign, everyone is switching to the CMS, library was ‘early adopter’
-New appreciation for library as such, are performing leadership role on campus

Where are we now?
-Some subject pages redesigned; Rome wasn’t built in a day, however
-New design in progress

Copyright Challenges in a Web 2.0 World and Virtual World
Stephen Marvin, West Chester University

Importance of copyright –
-educator issues: photocopies, websites, distance learning
-research interests: publishing, repositories, storage
-library and research issues: ILL, reserves, access and learning
-are you the author? faculty are!
-unpublished / published
-orphan works

Benefits of copyright
Rights to the author
Is your work considered ‘work for hire’?

Librarians are naturals to be ‘go to’ expert on copyright on their campuses.

Fair Use Exemptions – must have all 4 – PANE acronym:
P – Purpose – education vs. corporate
A – Amount – ‘reasonable’
N – Nature – fictional, unpublished, nonfiction
E – Effect – impact on profitability

Courts look at other factors:
-creativity
-originality
-fixation (a fixed, tangible medium)
-AND effect on market

Ken Crews wants librarians to ‘push’ the envelope on copyright
Expand fair use! Think in terms of blogs, Flickr, YouTube, etc.

Classical fair use – ‘appropriation’ art
Personal fair use – home recording of t.v. shows
Personal productive use – combines the categories of classical and personal uses into a new category of home users

Criticism, parody, sarcasm – Moral Rights are not recognized in this country but are in other countries, particularly European ones

Examples of some cases where ‘transformative’ use is being questioned
Shepard Fairey – Los Angeles street artist, who used someone else’s original photo to create a poster of President Obama labelled ‘hope’ – AP is prosecuting him

Joy Garnett and Susan Meiselas (look for Harper article)

Steven Vander Ark vs. J. K. Rowling (fined the minimum however; Johnathan Band wrote article, “How Fair Use Prevailed in the Harry Potter Case”)

DMCA lets you submit a DMCA counter-notification (if you get a ‘takedown’ notice)

Do you need institutional guidelines? Yes, but don’t make them too ‘prescriptive’.

Librarians should be teaching students about copyright. Why? Plagiarism involves infringing others’ copyright.

Problems
-Problems with social networking: giving double messages ‘Copyright’ vs. sharing links..
-Books and Google – Books Rights Registry
-Email management systems – many have a problem with people posting emails asking for full-text articles via this medium; ILL
-Instructional media – can you convert VHS > DVD – only if use within the library
-Images – should not be permanent

There are some librarians who blog about copyright, such as Bobby Newman – “how to attribute a creative commons license…” blog post (look up)

He encouraged us to consider using more social network tools to have users interact with our resources, like Flickr for digital archive images. Encourage our users to ‘mash’ our data: how to do mashups; check out http://www.programmableweb.com/mashups

Whole Lotta Online Tools in a Short Amounta Time (or ’40 Online Tools in 60 Minutes’)
Tina Hertel, Help Desk/Web Support Librarian at Lehigh University

OK, this isn’t what Tina’s session was officially called, but it’s what she had on her presentation and I thought it was a great ‘alt’ title! All the links that Tina reviewed are available on a website available at: http://bit.ly/HT3S1. This session has become a ‘PaLA Annual Classic’, over 100 (at least) attended, and there was literally standing room only.

A few of my notes (I missed the first part due to a phone call)

• Hakia uses semantic ranking rather than popularity ranking, as does Google. They also label all results and ‘relevant’ results (picked by librarians).
• ChaCha – mobile searching (can also text questions)
• Virtual Reference Shelf – reference sources by formats like almanacs from Library of Congress
• GovTrack.us – create your own ‘track’
• Wolfram Alpha – provides info about a topic rather than websites
• Forvo – tells you how to pronounce words in over 200 languages
• Diigo – ‘Delicious on steroids’ — allows you to put sticky notes on and highlight; can set it up in Diigo so that your Delicious account will be automatically updated
• Netvibes – personal reading page which you can also make public (similar to iGoogle and PageFlakes, which do not let you make your page public)
• Awesome Highlighter – easiest to use of three similar tools – highlights a section of a web page
• Zamzar – free online file conversion; works with MS Works
• bit.ly – makes smaller URLs than TinyURL (good for Twitter users) AND tracks usage, including others linking into the URL
• YouSendIt – lets you send large files for free
• Communication tools – Skype
• Meebo – Web-based manages Twitter, AIM, or other chats and other accounts
• TinyChat – can create a chat room without an account; permanent
• Collaboration – Basecamp – has word processing, calendars, etc.
• Wiggio – for working as a group; also have video chat
• eLearning – through Eluminate – online video conferencing; can meet with 3 people for ‘free’; free ‘public’ version that is open to anyone; or can purchase a paid sub
• Slideshare – lets you upload and share presentations (PPT); can also handle audio
• Prezi – zooming presentation editor; can create a path
• Jing – free and paid version; from Camtasia; can use for one-on-one help
• Online Mapping Tools – alternative to outlining (or whiteboarding, brainstorming), graphically based
• Polling Everywhere – Text Message Polling
• Poll Daddy – similar to Survey Gizmo
• Doodle – easy scheduling online
• Picnik – can do photo editing
• Back Up URL – make a cache
• How do I keep track of new tools?Techcrunch, Lifehacker, KillerStartups (evaluates new web sites, 15 each day)