Library Technology for a User-Centered Future in Academic Libraries

Lee, Amy

Citation:

Evans, G., & Schonfeld, R. C. (2020, January 23). It’s not what libraries hold; it’s who libraries serve: Seeking a user-centered future for academic libraries. Ithaka S + R. https://doi.org/10.18665/sr.312608
 

Summary:

The OhioLINK consortium’s Transforming the Integrated Library Systems (ILS) working group engaged the nonprofit consulting agency Ithaka S + R to help with research and development of their vision for the ILS of the future- a library management system that is truly user-centered (instead of print-collections centered) and empowers academic libraries to align services with their academic institution’s strategic direction to “support student success, research excellence, and broad community engagement”. This report first covers the shortcomings of the ILS products prevalent in the market today, which were created for the management of largely print collections and have not been adequately updated to meet the shifts to management of larger, digital, shared, and distributed collections and system connections. The highlight of this report presents the OhioLINK working group’s detailed vision of an ILS system of the future that allows academic libraries to continue fulfilling their core business function (the management of print and library collections) while also being strategically updated in four key areas to serve their users and their academic communities optimally based on recent trends in academic research, learning, and teaching: user-focused systems, facilitated collections, institutional integration, and integrated business intelligence. 

Evaluation:

This report is helpful for systems librarians evaluating ILS products used for their academic library as well as for strategic planning for library systems, services, and management as we embrace the increasingly digital and user-focused library collection. It offers insights into the shortcomings of present ILS systems, trends in academic library collection management and e-resource usage, and potential solutions for creating an ILS product that offers enhancement of library services. This class has studied how libraries are updating collection and connection development strategies to remain relevant and useful in the Digital Age, and it was interesting to see that library systems/technological products used to manage these collections have not only failed to keep up with recent shifts to the increased usage of digital resources, but may actively inhibit libraries from realizing their full service potential. 

This study contained many interesting findings about current academic library user behaviors and needs, technological capabilities required by academic library staff to manage their print and digital collections, and the technological features that are missing and necessary in ILS products that could address these user and staff needs. One finding I found particularly interesting was that academic library users (primarily students and faculty of an academic institution) do not start their resource discovery and access journey at the library as a physical or virtual starting point, but are often funneled into an academic library’s ILS system from elsewhere like Google or Google Scholar searches. Given these findings, the study's recommendation for providing seamless access to library resources based on a user’s entitlements across a variety of groups, including public library, alma mater, current institution, and other institutional affiliations, is an ILS feature that would be especially beneficial for users that does not currently have a straightforward implementation. 

Performing these research and visioning exercises is a great way to assess the current performance of library technologies, evaluate library collection and service goals in both idealized (without having to worry about technical limitations) and realistic forms,  and actively identify next steps to ensure a library is making progress in both technology development and strategic planning that aligns with their overarching vision for collection and connection development.

90 Hottest EdTech Tools According to Education Experts

Review by Jessica Brooks

Tutorful. (March 20, 2018). The 90 hottest edtech tools according to education experts (updated for 2018) [Blog post].  Retrieved from https://tutorful.co.uk/blog/the-82-hottest-edtech-tools-of-2017-according-to-education-experts

This blog post ranks and summarizes the new and not-so-new Web 2.0 resources and OER's that  could benefit students, teachers, parents, and other school and library stakeholders.  The recommendations come from education experts around the world, and the rankings are based on how many recommended the same resources. The products run the gamut from Nearpod in the number one spot, which is a curation and lesson planning resource for teachers, Buncee (#3), a creation and presentation tool for making digital posters that highlights the four C's (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity), Remind (#5), a tool that gives alerts for homework assignments, due dates, appointments, etc, to people on an email list, and Touchcast (#18) a smartvideo app that allows video creation and collaboration through video.

This is a resource that I look forward to going back to throughout the summer.  There is so much here that it seems like it would be a good idea to jigsaw with willing partners.  I wish there were more to the reviews but I also know that nothing beats hands-on experience with the platforms.  This is an incredibly valuable resource as I work toward  becoming more tech tool savvy.

Hosting an Appy Hour in the Library

Chapman, Sherry

Hosting an Appy Hour in the library. (2016). Library Hi Tech News, 33(4), 7-9. Retrieved from https://www-emeraldinsight-com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/LHTN-12-2015-0086

Summary: This article discusses introducing technology apps in the library on an ongoing basis for teachers to learn new technology and then use it in their classrooms. The administration began presenting, and teacher librarian presented and was already the go to tech person for help. Then it moved to teachers and they began presenting too.

Response: The possibilities for sharing expand exponentially. Teachers can see actual implementations and become confident with the technology.

Strategies for Managing Electronic Records

Christina Perris
INFO 266
Fall 2015

Bantin, Philip C. (1998). Strategies for managing electronic records: A new archival paradigm? An affirmation of our archival traditions? Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 23(1), 17-34.

Strategies for Managing Electronic Records

This academic journal article explores the existing strategies for managing electronic records and whether existing archival management paradigms for “analog records” – in other words, hard-copy records – will be compatible.  The author presents the two record management paradigms – the life-cycle model, as advanced by Theodore R. Schellenberg, which advances that records exist along a pattern of creation like a living organism, and the records continuum model, in which the record’s usefulness is viewed as constant and unchanging.  After he summarizes the basics of electronic records and how they are appraised for their potential research value, Bentin explores the prevailing arguments within the information professions as to whether these record management paradigms can be applied to electronic records.  Bentin arrives at the conclusion that it is still too early in our collective experience of managing electronic records to outright dismiss any records management paradigm.

As an information professional who works with and is currently preparing to certify as a digital archives specialist, the management of electronic records is a relatively speaking “new” concept for information professionals to begin to seriously consider.  With the inevitable march of technology, which has brought us new advances in data storage technologies from high-capacity flash and hard drives to seemingly-limitless cloud storage, the massive growth of electronic records is creating a crisis in electronic data management in par with the one that faced some of the United States archivists in the early 1920’s as they assessed the nation’s repositories, part of which were held on overloaded, swaybacked shelving in the garage of the White House.  The caution afforded in the article is simple: we should not discount any possible record management paradigm for dealing with electronic records.