❧ reposition library technology support services to take leadership role on campus in developing...
TRANSCRIPT
❧
Reposition Library Technology Support Services to Take
Leadership Role on Campus in Developing Students' Technology
Skills
By Amy JiangLibrary Technology Coordinator
University of La VerneCALA/SCA Chapter 2015 Annual Conference
February 26, Thursday, 2015
❧❧ Background information❧ Why we need to reposition ourselves❧ How did we do it❧ Challenges and opportunities❧ Moving forward on technology services❧ Some final thoughts
Outline
❧❧ La Verne, CA❧ Private institution❧ 5000 students on campus and 3000 students
on regional campus❧ Offer doctoral degrees, master degrees
About the University
❧❧ Budget size:
❧ 2 million❧ Staff size:
❧ 10 full time librarians, 5.5 full time staff
About the Library
❧❧ Library Technology Coordinator (me)❧ Electronic Services Technician (1 full time
staff)❧ Tech helpdesk students workers (90 hours)
About the Technology Unit
in the Library
❧❧ LEC: learning and enhancement center
❧ Focusing on tutoring, content creation❧ Graduate Success Center
❧ Focusing on graduate students❧ Center for the Advancement Faculty Excellence
❧ Focusing on faculty❧ Central IT
❧ Focusing on administrative IT
No unit focusing on student technology development
Other related units on Campus
❧❧From nice to have a library to
must to have a library
Why we need to reposition ourselves
❧So how library technology unit can contribute changing library from Nice to have to Must to
have?
❧❧ “Becoming literate in how the technical world
works is equivalent to reading, writing and math. We need to look at this fourth literacy as mainstream,” --Mark Surman, Executive Director of the Mozilla Foundation (telepraph.co.uk )
❧Coding is literacy– MIT media lab (news office of MIT when launching ScratchJr)
People are saying…
❧❧ Should library technology unit transition from
a supporting role into a proactive leadership role?
❧ Can library technology unit becomes the leader in developing students’ technology skills on campus?
Some questions
❧❧ Prior March 2013:
❧ supporting role, computer labs, ILS and databases.
❧ Present: ❧ in addition to above...❧ Blackboard support❧ ePortfolio support❧ MS office product support❧ media support ❧ 3D printer support❧ student run workshops❧ Qualtrics support and future Digication support
Our technology unit
❧❧ Opportunity and starting point
❧ University strategic change❧ Center for Teaching and Learning changed to
Center for Advancement of Faculty Excellence (CAFÉ )
❧ CAFÉ will be more faulty focus
❧ Blackboard helpdesk need a new home
How we get started
❧❧ Past experience with Blackboard support❧ Existing library services model❧ Will transfer existing student workers to the
library ❧ Staff mentality
Strength /Advantages
❧❧ Can we handle the technical questions❧ Can we provide better services❧ Is Blackboard part of library’s scope of
services❧ How faculty and students receive it❧ How library staff receive and support it
Challenge and Concerns
❧❧ Fit into library’s mission❧ Technology is literacy❧ In line with the national trend❧ an opportunity❧ A core system ❧ visibility❧ A good foundation
Reasons behind our decisions
❧❧ March of 2013, Blackboard student support
transit into the library❧ What is being transferred
❧ Two student workers from CAFÉ ❧ What library subsidized
❧ Backup from Circulation student workers and circulation staff
Blackboard helpdesk transited into the library
❧❧ Keep the same phone number, email❧ Provost office sent out announcement❧ Internal training for students and staff who
might be impacted❧ Keep the support desk with the circulation
desk for future cross training
Transition period
❧❧ Added more hours❧ Added more students workers (received more
budget)❧ Always have someone answer the phone
Service improvements
❧❧ In person❧ Phone❧ Chat❧ email
Formats of support
❧❧ Monday to Thursday 8-8PM❧ Friday 8-6PM❧ Saturday and Sunday 12-5PM
Hours of support
❧❧ Circulation staff managing student workers
including making schedules❧ Tech unit managing students’ technical skills❧ Spent most time orienting student workers at
the beginning❧ Train students on customer service (helping
attitude)
Managing helpdesk
❧❧ Bring library tech services into mainstream❧ Got involved in more projects and initiatives❧ More visibility❧ More related service request❧ More budget❧ more opportunity
Benefits
❧❧ Staff training and pushback
❧ Reallocate resources and training focus (staff > students)
❧ Panic moments❧ Train to stay calm and adding more phone lines
❧ Handling faculty challenging questions and concerns❧ Train on customer service skills❧ my involvements
Issues we run into and how we deal with
it
❧❧ Services is not personalize enough
❧ Provide training on personalizing support services
❧ Has to hire a part time staff during transition period❧ Staff deal with faculty issues❧ But after the transition period, eliminate the
position and add a student worker position
Issues we run into and how we deal with
it
❧❧ Start to receive questions on MS office, media❧ CAFÉ started a new initiative- eportfolio❧ Students want a place where they can ask
tech questions without making an appointment
❧ LEC wants to have someone else handle technical questions such as Excel so they can focus on content assistance to students
More opportunities
❧❧ ePortfolio – fall of 2013❧ MS office products – Fall 2014❧ Graphic design - Fall 2014❧ Media support – fall 2014❧ 3D printing - Spring 2015
Expansion
❧❧ Unique service model of the library❧ Longest opening hours on campus❧ Great student workers and staff❧ Training on attitude❧ Administrative support❧ Matching student interest with skill set❧ Agile cycle❧ Empower students and staff❧ the only unit on campus that service all
audiences on campus❧ Hire the right students❧ Drift down workflow
Why we can expand
❧❧ More in class presentations❧ Outreach to orientations❧ Open a STAR lab (student technology and
research lab)❧ Makers Space (3D printer, poster printer, and
tools)❧ Student research initiatives❧ Student innovation lab❧ revenue generation unit?
Moving forward
❧❧Disruptive technology and technology as
driver❧Library’s unique advantages in expanding
services❧Changing the preparation - delivery model of
higher education❧From flipped classroom to flipped campus❧Student entrepreneurship initiative
Some final thoughts on library tech unit & higher
ed.
