Where Is the Library?: Info Lit Outreach to Students with an Online-Only Collection.
Type of Presentation
Individual paper/presentation (20 minute presentation)
Target Audience
Higher Education
Location
Room 210
Proposal
In recent years, digital libraries with virtual-only holdings have begun to appear in universities across the higher learning landscape. These new libraries provide physical space and technology for studying and gathering, with access to professional librarians who are available for reference or research consultations. How this new library model affects user perceptions has yet to be explored in the scholarly literature, yet digital libraries are bringing about changes to the way library services are promoted, viewed, and used. This presentation will describe a small campus library with sizable and generous digital holdings, a handful of print resources, one FT and one PT librarian, and over 800 students. The FT librarian notices that without books traditional opportunities for interacting with students are markedly absent, and that other approaches are necessary to fill the void. Also, unique challenges arise with students and faculty thinking of the space as something other than a library, and more of a glorified computer lab because of the lack of traditional stacks. This phenomenon will be discussed along with recommended strategies found effective to promote the library to students and faculty to bring about the realization that this space is where they can come for the full range of traditional services. Active outreach that involves both faculty and students can dispel misperceptions and increase use of library services. Data for the presentation comes from faculty and student focus groups, LibQual surveys, and Library Sweeps, as well as from librarian observations.
Short Description
Digital libraries have begun to appear in universities across the higher learning landscape with virtual-only holdings. Ramifications of how this new library model affects user perceptions have yet to be explored in the scholarly literature all the while digital libraries are bringing about changes to the way library services are promoted, viewed, and used. as something other than a library, and more of a glorified computer lab because the lack of traditional stacks. This phenomenon will be discussed along with recommended strategies found effective to promote the library and library services to students and faculty to bring about the realization that this space is where they can come for the full range of traditional library services.
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Rose, Rebecca, "Where Is the Library?: Info Lit Outreach to Students with an Online-Only Collection." (2015). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 65.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2015/2015/65
Where Is the Library?: Info Lit Outreach to Students with an Online-Only Collection.
Room 210
In recent years, digital libraries with virtual-only holdings have begun to appear in universities across the higher learning landscape. These new libraries provide physical space and technology for studying and gathering, with access to professional librarians who are available for reference or research consultations. How this new library model affects user perceptions has yet to be explored in the scholarly literature, yet digital libraries are bringing about changes to the way library services are promoted, viewed, and used. This presentation will describe a small campus library with sizable and generous digital holdings, a handful of print resources, one FT and one PT librarian, and over 800 students. The FT librarian notices that without books traditional opportunities for interacting with students are markedly absent, and that other approaches are necessary to fill the void. Also, unique challenges arise with students and faculty thinking of the space as something other than a library, and more of a glorified computer lab because of the lack of traditional stacks. This phenomenon will be discussed along with recommended strategies found effective to promote the library to students and faculty to bring about the realization that this space is where they can come for the full range of traditional services. Active outreach that involves both faculty and students can dispel misperceptions and increase use of library services. Data for the presentation comes from faculty and student focus groups, LibQual surveys, and Library Sweeps, as well as from librarian observations.
