Making Sense of Teen Life: Strategies for Capturing Ethnographic Data in a Networked Era

Mercado, Crystal 

boyd, d. (forthcoming).  Making sense of  teen life: Strategies for capturing ethnographic
            data in a networked era. In Hargittai, E., and Sandvig, C. Digital Research
            Confidential: The Secrets of Studying Behavior Online. Cambridge: MA: MIT Press.

In this article, boyd explains her approach to gathering data for her ongoing research on how the digital

world affects teens. She explains why staying "behind" the screen is not the best approach when

gathering data. She also explains how interviewing teens through an ethnographic approach gives her a 

well-rounded understanding of the persona that the teen has created online. She goes on to explain her

methods for ethnographic interviews. 

Although this article focuses on boyd's approach to gathering ethnographic data, I found
that this article connected to collection development when it comes to knowing what collections or 

connections our users need. Sending out a survey does not always garner the information that is necessary

for developing a dynamic collection that will have maximum benefits to its users. Similarly, asking closed-ended questions gives users limited responses. Using an ethnographic approach allows both the interviewer and the interviewee to get a deeper perspective of who the users are, what needs they have, and what they consider important. This, in turn, will allow the librarian to develop a collection and make connections that benefit the user and maximize the efforts on the librarian's part as well as maximize the resources that are being devoted to the collection that is being rendered. 

Fundamentals of collection development and management, 3rd ed. Chapter 6 - Marketing, Liaison Activities, and Outreach

Riggs, Michelle


Johnson, P. (2014). Fundamentals of collection development and management (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: ALA Editions.p. 251-284.


In Chapter 6, Marketing, Liaison Activities, and Outreach, Peggy Johnson addresses developing and implementing methods of keeping current with patron needs/wants and advertising what is available in the library. Johnson points out that all communication is promotion, whether formal or informal, and that its purpose is to inform and educate. She reviews the marketing cycle of market research, plan development, plan implementation, and exercising control. Johnson also discusses the importance of building relationships, breaking it down by type of library. For school media centers, Johnson points out that the target audience for liaisons and outreach include administrators, teachers, students, parents, and the general community.


This chapter was thought-provoking, as I tend to get wrapped up in teaching my classes and assisting students, so promotion takes a back seat. Several ideas appealed to me, including using bookmarks to promote services, which is very simple, yet I rarely take the time to design my own. Hand-delivering requested items also seems like an effective way to attach a face to the library and build relationships. I also need to be better about distributing a monthly newsletter or infographic within the school to publicize what we’ve been up to. Finally, we are all encouraged to have Twitter accounts in my district, so this could be a way for me to better promote the library within the community. As a fun aside, it was exciting to notice that Dr. Loertscher was cited in this chapter :)

Win-win: When school libraries partner with local organizations, everybody benefits

Riggs, Michelle


Jacobson, L. (2015, December). Win-win: when school libraries partner with local organizations, everybody benefits. School Library Journal, 61(12), 60+. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A436437268/PROF?u=pott50179&sid=PROF&xid=f19f1cae


Jacobson provides several specific examples of successful community partnerships with school libraries. He points out that relationships should be collaborative, with all parties involved participating in discussions, planning, and brainstorming. In addition, relationships should ideally be reciprocal, with the community organization receiving something in return, whether a simple thank you note, a social media post, or the opportunity for involvement with school activities. Jacobson also states that volunteers and partnerships in no way replace school librarians; instead, they offer librarians the valuable asset of more time to spend be with their patrons.

I found several of the ideas for community collaboration to be thought-provoking and worth exploring for my own school library. We are located in an area with very active animal advocacy, so the idea of bringing in therapy dogs made me think about ways that could benefit my population. We also have a wide variety of nonprofit organizations run by families in our district, which are an untapped resource for volunteers and collaboration. Prior to this class, I did not do much in the way of connection development, so this article was valuable in getting the gears turning.

Evaluating School Libraries Collections at the Site and District Level as a Tool for Advocacy

Christina Young

Takeda, J. (2019). Evaluating School Library Collections at the Site and District Level as a     Tool  for Advocacy. Knowledge Quest, 47(3), 14–21. Retrieved from     http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?   direct=true&db=lls&AN=133682940&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Summary - In this article three school librarians in the Beaverton, Oregon School District use data to affect “transformational change” in the way libraries are perceived and budgeted for in their district. They begin by creating a matrix to show how their work is aligned to district goals and national standards. Because in their district library budgets are determined at a building level by principals, they then presented collection and circulation data along with mission statements and their standards matrices with elementary principals. In framing their work with principals, they focused on three main themes: choice reading, diverse books, and access for all. They were encouraged by a menor to provide a twenty-seven word, nine second, three part message and presented:

Our libraries support student growth as learners. We encourage students to explore their own interests and provide access for all to carefully selected resources that are current and diverse. 

Because the district had recently invested in classroom libraries for language arts classrooms the librarians pointed out the differences between classroom libraries and school libraries and the importance of funding and maintaining the school library. The article goes into detail about the types of reports they used and provides templates for users of Follett’s Destiny.  In their final reports to the principals  the librarians advocated for budget recommendations across the district: $2,000 per elementary school library, $3,000 per middle school library, and $5,000 per high school. As of the writing of the article, the budgets had not been determined. 

Evaluation - As I am creating my vision of my future library in project four it is interesting to read about how librarians in another district  are using data similar to the data I collected for projects three and four and presenting it to their districts to advocate for funds. One important take-away was how they framed library books as “consumables” in their presentation to principals. Library books are not meant to last forever and need money to be replaced. Other interesting take away was about how to introduce teachers and parents to diverse books as “mirrors and windows”.  A final take-away was report templates they provided in the additional resources section of the article. Finally, one sad reality check: their district serves 41,000 students in 53 schools. All of the elementary and middle schools are served by paraprofessionals. High Schools are served by paraprofessionals and a library and instructional technology teacher (LITT), although it was unclear if the LITTs were one per school or three for the entire district. 

Exploring a Framework for Comprehensive and Successful Preservation Management in Libraries

Caroline Pallone

EL

Krtalic, M., & Hasenay, D. (2012). Exploring a framework for comprehensive and successful preservation management in libraries. Journal of Documentation, 68(3), 353-377. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1108/00220411211225584 

Summary

This article looks at one of the major issues plaguing library managers today, and that is the preservation of materials in a collection. The way materials are preserved is so much different today than it was just 20 years ago, and the authors, looking at not only the ways it is being done now, but also comparing it to how it used to be done. They also talk about all the complex aspects of managing the preservation of collection items. The authors state, "It is evident that preservation is a complex and comprehensive process that involves many different and seemingly contradictory issues. Several preservation issues arising from diverse forms of tangible and intangible heritage, different specificities of material properties of heritage, environmental changes, funding possibilities, legal documents, selection criteria, user needs, presentation possibilities, cultural and historical value and national and international contexts, etc., pose significant challenges to information institutions if they choose to safeguard the welfare of their collections" (2012). The authors then finish up their article by saying, "Different issues necessary for successful preservation management are brought together within these components, such as policies and strategies, financial issues, legal regulations, knowledge and competences, preservation methods and techniques, user needs, and lastly, the cultural and social impact of preservation" (2012). This means that there is not one singular way to preserve items in a library, but that it is instead a complex process.

Evaluation

I believe that this article is valuable because it discusses the complex process of preserving articles in great detail, which is something that all library managers need to study up on. It also breaks down the preservation process into easy to follow steps, but the steps are still very informative and will greatly benefit anyone in the field. It looks at several issues that other library articles of this type do not look at, and therefore I believe many will benefit from reading it. 

Issues in URL Management for Digital Collections

Caroline Pallone

IC

Cohen, L. (2004). Issues in URL management for digital collections. Information Technology and Libraries, 23(2), 42-49. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/docview/215831747?accountid=10361 

Summary

This article is about a smaller but no less important issue within the digital collection management process for library management, and that is URL management. This is a detailed and difficult but no less vital process, according to Cohen. "The modern library typically maintains a hybrid collection of print -based materials along with digital resources. While standards and practices for maintaining print -based collections have a long history, libraries are faced with a myriad of new issues in the management of networked digital collection" (2004). The author also points out, "URLs come in many formats, and each should be utilized in the appropriate context. A full -or absolute -URL must always be used to link to a file located on a site that is external to the one in which the link is embedded. This type of outbound URL consists of the following structure: protocol://host. second -level -domain.t op -lev el domain:port/localpath/filename" (2004). The reason this is so important, Cohen explains, is because the number of URLS that need maintaining and cataloging is going to be on the rise in the near future as more items are digitized. This will soon become an important part of the job description for librarians, and it needs to be studied and made more apparent for future librarians.

Evaluation

The reason I believe this article is beneficial is because it talks about a more niche but still important market within the library world. It is all encompassing and informative about a subject that many have not heard of, but should be made aware of. The author makes sure that everyone knows by the end that this is not a field where are URLs can be lumped together, but instead each one must be maintained meticulously. The more people that know about this issue within digitizing articles, the better. 

Library Digitization Projects, Issues and Guidelines

Caroline Pallone

LG

Lopatin, L. (2006). Library digitization projects, issues and guidelines. Library Hi Tech, 24(2), 273. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1108/07378830610669637 

Summary

This article talks about the process of digitizing collection items in a library and how pronounced this has become. However, it is also a long process, but an important one as well. As more people move to digital media to access their books, libraries need to keep up and make these materials available online. Lopatin says, "Since, the early 1990s libraries have been embarking on digitization projects to provide access to and to preserve unique materials in their collections" (2006). The author also says, "Access and preservation of materials are the major reasons that libraries are undertaking digitization projects. Through digitization, the library is able to provide access to all sorts of materials - text, photographs, manuscripts, audio, and moving image materials. Digitization also allows for the preservation of rare, fragile, and unique materials" (2006). What the article ultimately is trying to convey is that digitization is vital for a library's survival, and thankfully there is plenty of literature exploring this subject, as well as the process that library managers go through in order to digitize items.

Evaluation

I chose this article because I liked how not only did it explain some of the major issues facing those that digitize items in collections, but also evaluated the literature available on digitizing items in collections. It gives people an insightful look at the genre, and those that want a comprehensive look at the field would benefit greatly from this article. It is also comprehensive and informative, and the issues it touches on really hits home.  

Content in Institutional Repositories

Caroline Pallone

CR

Genoni, P. (2004). Content in institutional repositories: A collection management issue. Library Management, 25(6), 300-306. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1108/01435120410547968 

Summary 

This article looks at one of the major challenges faced by collection managers, which is "to develop and manage an institutional repository." The paper looks at the "issue of content in repositories, and suggests that librarians need to approach the task of content development by applying some of the procedures and skills associated with collection management within more traditional environments" (2004). This is especially relevant because, "Content-related issues will be crucial to the success of these repositories, be they in universities or some other institutional setting" (2004). Genoni also states:

Many libraries have already begun to recognise the value of informal scholarly communication. This is apparent in the numerous subject "portals" that now form part of libraries' information services, and which frequently include guides or links to non-formal as well as formal sources of information. Similarly, institutional repositories should not necessarily be configured as a surrogate form of distribution for formal or peer reviewed scholarship. Rather their full potential may only be realised if they are allowed to develop into a hybrid form, to be used for the dissemination of both formal and informal scholarly communication (2004).

Finally, the article finishes up by saying that when it comes to institutional repositories, content should be what is first and foremost, the most important issue. If the content is not kept to par, the rest of the collection falls apart. Genoni finishes by saying, "So familiar are these tasks that they should be able to be smoothly incorporated into the current collection management programs of libraries, and the associated policy decisions can be recorded within the framework of existing collection development policy documents" (2004).  

Evaluation

I feel that the article does a good job in explaining one of the major issues facing collection management today, and that is making sure there is good content in high ranking institutional repositories. It presents a good study in which data was gathered via surveys, and the author chose from a wide pool of participants. The meticulousness of the study and the details that were gathered really add credibility to the study, and it appears that he is one of the only researchers to tackle this issue. Therefore, this is an article that cannot be overlooked. 

Librarians and OER: Cultivating a Community of Practice to be More Effective Advocates

Shana Hay

Smith, Brenda and Lee, Leva. (2015). Librarians and OER: Cultivating a Community of Practice to Be More Effective Advocates, Paper presented at the Distance Library Services Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, April 20, 2016. Vancouver: University of British Columbia. Retrieved from: https://bccampus.ca/files/2016/04/DLS-Conference.pdf 

   This paper discusses how a group of academic librarians working in the province of British Columbia, Canada joined forces to share best practices, ideas and tools with the aim of creating resources to support fellow academic librarians in OER-related interactions. By entering into a community of practice, the BCOER librarians were able to support each other, ensuring no librarian was left feeling overwhelmed in the face of this additional responsibility. The paper also brings up some of the reasons OER development has not been tackled more aggressively in many academic libraries- mainly faculty uncertainty as to the reliability of information obtained through OERs versus traditionally published materials. This paper highlights the role librarians in academic institutions can play in changing this attitude of resistance through promotional campaigns, the development and maintenance of relevant OERs, the provision of long-term, stable access, and by linking OER resources to the OPAC for ease of access and a sense of curation. Some of the interesting events BCOER have sponsored include hackathons and OER awareness events throughout the community. Some of the tools the BCOER librarians have collaborated to develop include an OER Repository Assessment Rubric, and OER advocacy poster for conference use, and BCOER Guides which are LibGuides for OER material sorted by type. 
   This paper did a great job of addressing the various reasons the use and development of OERs has met with resistance, both from the point of view of librarians (who have a tonne to do already) and faculty (who trust traditional texts and require reliability).  By highlighting ways this resistance can be overcome namely through cooperation between librarians and education between librarians and instructors, the authors of this paper make an excellent argument for the increased adoption of OERs in the academic world. By stressing the importance of things such as communication and building relationships across library systems, the BCOER offers a template for other libraries, encouraging them to overcome perceived obstacles and harness the power a of well-maintained network of OERs for their patrons.

Toward Evidence-Based Collection Management

Crawford, S. & Syme, F. (2018). Enhancing Collection Development with Big Data Analytics. Public Library Quarterly, 37(4), 387-393. DOI: 10.1080/01616846.2018.1514922

Summary
The article looks at ways for libraries to develop their collections more efficiently by using evidence-based decision making (or EBSM, Evidence-Based Stock Management) and appropriate software to mine the structured, semi-structured and unstructured data they store on patron information behavior. If Ranganathan’s fifth law of library science holds true, it stands to reason that we speak about libraries as if they are indeed alive; we grow collections, we analyze their performance, we develop them, we lovingly weed them. To take the metaphor further, Crawford and Syme reference an interesting new metric: DOA. This term refers to the number of new items a library adds to its collection that never check out, never circulate, and are, in fact, Dead On Arrival. The authors point out the waste that this phenomenon portends in a paradigm of decreasing budgets. They argue that evidence-based selection planning using Big Data can help tackle the problem of DOA by using “predictive analytics to help staff select material that meets patron demand by consulting a number of data sources including evidence from collectionHQ (their collection management software), an author’s past performance, BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications) Subject performance, how an author has performed in a particular BISAC Subject Group, reviews on a title, demand, and many more” (p. 388-389). They then go into four interesting case studies to further illustrate their overall point: use of evidence-based management and selection tools keep libraries on the “right path to increased circulation, improved turnover, and enhanced customer satisfaction” (p. 392).

Commentary
I agree that evidence-based decision making is just good policy. Most libraries are not blessed with large endowments or perpetually increasing budgets, facts which therefore necessitate choices and trade-offs. Sound understandings of the patron base and ever-changing demand patterns are foundational to any decisions library staff might be called upon to make. Choosing appropriate books that will not end up DOA, and then using the data available to track, market, and measure the performance of the collection will hopefully lead libraries further down the “right path.”

Note: Crawford is Vice President and General Manager at collectionHQ and Syme is a Marketing Manager there. Not surprisingly, the article comes across with heavy bias toward the collection HQ software.

Managing Collections (Book Chapter)

Tammy Ross

Disher, W. (2015). Managing collections. In S. Hirsch (Ed.) Information services today: An introduction (pp. 242-249). New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield.

Summary

Wayne Disher’s chapter describes collection management as a “complex process that involves strategic planning, innovation, change management and community analysis” (p. 242). He provides a brief history to show how library collections have evolved over time to include more than just books. Since today’s librarians are in a position to advance information literacy in their communities, they must take into account new trends, technology and changes in user behavior. Disher calls the strategic planning process a “critical aspect of collection management” that helps information professionals “recognize when user demands are shifting” and adapt their collection management plans accordingly. “Managers must continuously reposition their collections and keep them viable in a technologically and information-literate society” (p. 244). Although he doubts we will become a completely paperless society anytime soon, Disher notes that today’s users are placing more value on access to digital content, citing the increase in e-book use as evidence. In addition, collection content has become user driven, and collection managers must capitalize on innovative collection models (such as patron-driven acquisition) to help them “meet demand, provide wider access, and increase the relevancy” of their collections (p. 246). Disher also promotes partnerships (e.g. consortia) in which organizations share information resources cooperatively to circumvent budget constraints. Ultimately, he states, information organizations must build collections that “accelerate learning, increase global access, improve convenience and add value to the user experience” (p. 247). The chapter’s appendix provides an overview of basic collection management activities, from community analysis to weeding.

Evaluation

Disher’s chapter provides a solid overview of collection management, but does not take a deep dive into the key aspects of the process, such as conducting a community analysis or developing a strategic plan. It provides an introduction to collection management concepts, with basic recommendations for building, maintaining and evaluating a collection. The chapter emphasizes how important it is for a library collection to reflect the ever-changing needs of the community it serves but does not offer insights into how that might look for different types of libraries. Do you think collection management is more challenging for urban libraries, suburban libraries or rural libraries?

Crash Course: Data and Infographics

Young, Christina

CrashCourse. (2019.February 26) . Data & Infographics: Crash Course

Navigating Digital Information #8 [Video file]. Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiND50qfCek

Summary: This is the eighth episode of the current Crash Course series,

“Navigating Digital Information”. It looks at data and infographics to

show how data can be represented and misrepresented. It is geared to

a high school audience.

Major takeaways:

-data needs to be accurate & relevant

-sources need to be reliable

-data needs to be represented honestly and contextually

Evaluation: I have really been enjoying the new Crash Course “Navigating

Digital Information“ series and this week’s episode seemed especially pertinent

to our class because we will soon be working on visual representations of our

collections. This youtube video discusses how visual representations can be used

to enhance or obscure an information consumer’s understanding of data.

One example is the National Review and the Washington Post using the same

NASA data to represent climate change.

(CrashCourse, 2019)

   The chart on the left, billed by the National Review as “the only climate change

chart you’ll ever need”,makes it look like the climate hasn’t been warming by

using a y axis of values between -10º-110º.  On the Washington Post’s chart’s y

axis goes from 55º-60º. Crash Course also emphasizes that context is important.

For example, if you know that small shifts of even a degree of global temperature

are unusual and can impact climate, the Washington Post’s chart seems more

relevant than the National Review’s although both are technically correct.

As I develop infographics for my collection I will have to make sure to

provide context and guard against misrepresenting my data.

Ethical Issues In Collection Development

Hay, Shana

Morrisey, L. J. (2008). Ethical issues in collection development. Journal of Library Administration, 47(3/4), 163-171. doi: 10.1080/01930820802186506

Evaluation: This article looks at some of the ethical issues that may arise in the undertaking of a collection development policy. The author specifically outlines how information obtained from interactions between the managers, vendors, and patrons of a given library system can have a direct effect on the resources available in a library. It is critical that collections staff make equitable and ethical decisions when considering what materials to acquire, and this paper recommends utilising a combination of the ALA Code of Ethics, internal collections guidelines, and collaboration with fellow collections staff as a way of ensuring ethical guidelines are being followed when building and providing access to library resources.  

Summary: This article poses several questions designed to help librarians assess the ethical issues that may affect the development of an equitable collection reflective of the community being served by a given library system. I appreciated how Morrisey took specific lines from the ALA’s Code of Ethics and showed how those principles can guide collections development, and he brought up several points I had never considered. First, he outlines the importance of establishing a mechanism for accepting and responding to collection requests- allowing patrons to directly influence purchases and thus creating a collection reflective of the community (and not the preferences of the collections librarian!). Interestingly, the author recommends not acknowledging what he defines as “self interested communication”, in other words, direct contact from publishers or authors. I don’t know if I agree with this rule, as I can see benefits from building relationships with content creators, however I understand the need to look at these connections with some caution to avoid the appearance of favouritism.

   One of the more interesting sections of the article deals with the need for collections librarians to separate personal feelings when evaluating controversial materials. The example of a librarian working in a religious institution tasked with deciding what resources related to birth control or LGBTQI topics to include. Librarians must resist all efforts to censor library resources, but how can this principle be practically applied, and how is this ensured? This ties into the author’s later conversation regarding the importance of distinguishing between personal convictions and professional duties and stresses the need for collections decisions to be made collaboratively when possible, to avoid personal bias. Collaboration also helps ensure that the interests of library users come before the personal interests of a particular librarian.

   The notion of gifts and perks was one I had never connected with librarianship before, and this article does a great job of outlining some of the concerns surrounding receiving gifts such as dinners or appointments to vendor advisory boards. These gifts should only be accepted with conditions that the acceptance does not indicate a preference for one vendor over another. When considering a digital subscription, it is also important to understand the scope of the vendor’s access to patron information. Will they be able to track individual users? Will they use collected stats to market other services to the library? The answers to these questions may impact the adoption of a service and should be considered before entering into any agreements with vendors.

   This article highlights some of the important ethical issues that should be considered by collections staff as they develop the resources of their institution. By outlining the specific sections in the ALA’s statement on the ethical responsibilities of librarians and providing examples of when those responsibilities may be tested, this article serves as a practical resource for libraries as they continue to develop their collections. Morrisey has developed a useful best practice guide that offers easy to follow advice related to tackling issues of ethics in library collections.