a look at statistics-keeping methods at ULM

presented byMegan Lowe, Reference Librarian, ULM

Karen Niemla, Reference Library, ULM

Session OverviewA Brief History of ULM LibraryULM Library TodayStatistics-Keeping, 1960s – 2008The Change, 2009The CommitteeThe MethodThe Technical StuffQ & A

STATS

A Brief History

Bry Hall, 1939

OriginsThe University of Louisiana at Monroe – formerly

Ouachita Parish Junior College, Northeast Center of Louisiana State University, Northeast Louisiana State College, and Northeast Louisiana University – has had four libraries since being established in 1931

The Library has gone through four buildings: Brown Hall, Bry Hall, Sandel Library, and the current 7-story building known as the University Library

Brown Hall

Ouachita Parish Junior College

Brown HallFirst building (and for a while, the only) on the campusHoused classrooms, administrative offices, and student

activities, in addition to the LibraryThe first librarian was Mary Elizabeth Eason; a second

librarian, Mary Clay, started in 1933The initial collection was composed of five hundred

books and fifteen periodical subscriptionsThe Library’s hours were 8:15 am to 4:15pm

Bry Hall

Northeast Center of Louisiana State University

Bry HallBry Hall was specifically built to house the Library; it

opened its doors in 1939By then, in 1934, the Library had acquired a new

librarian, Sue Hefley; she left in 1940 and was replaced by Mary Clay

In 1948 the Library became a member of the newly formed Louisiana State Documents Depository Program, at that time only one of two programs in existence (California was first)

There were classrooms on the second floor

Bry HallA side note on Ms. Hefley: she got rid of the practice of charging fines

for overdue materials in 1938, stating:

The library believes that students should return books because it is the thing to do, not because they will have to pay a fine if the book is not returned. This is a new idea in library training. It is good training for life to do a thing because it should be done, not because one will be punished if it is not done. (Pow Wow, February 11, 1938)

This “new idea in library training” did not endure, and fines were reinstated in 1956.

Sandel Hall

Sandel LibraryOpened its doors in the spring of 1963; Bry Hall was

renovated for the use of other departments – it’s now houses the art department and Bry Gallery

Named for Percy Sandel, Sr., a District Attorney who became Judge of the Fourth Judicial District and was significant in the establishment of a junior college in Monroe

In 1977 the addition of a third floor to the two-story building was completed

Now houses the campus bookstore, Admissions, and the Museum of Natural History

University Library Today

University LibraryOpened its doors on April 12, 19997 floors

The Library is housed on floors 1-5Campus Administration – the President, Provost, and Vice

Presidents – are housed on the 6th floor7th floor is a conference centerThe building is divided into two sides: the library side

(floors 1-5) and the other side (floors 6-7)Has a working belltower with five cast bronze bells and

three clock faces

University LibraryComputer lab with 100+ computers + 2 printers7 classrooms added in 2004The current reference staff is composed of four full-time

librarians; several other faculty also man the desk at least once a day; in some cases once a weekILL LibrarianCoordinator of Technical ServicesCollection Development LibrarianAssistant DeanLA Delta CC Librarian

1960s - 2008

Statistics, 1960s

Details & ChangesThis is about as far back as the stats go that we’ve been

able to find – there might be one set for 1962-1963During this time period reference was decentralized –

there were first two and then three desks covering Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences

Categories of questions include General and ResearchWe’ve been unable to find the day-to-day method of

keeping track – just the composite totals by monthThere are composite totals up through 1969The only change in stats was moving from 2 desks to 3

Statistics, 1970s

Statistics, 1970s

Statistics, 1970s

Details & ChangesDecentralized reference continued into the 1970s with

three desks, Humanities, Social Sciences, & Sciences - at least, according to the stats up and through June 1972

Statistics for 1973, 1974, and 1975 are sketchy and sporadic at best, and don’t exist for 1976-1978

The composite total stats sheets remain similar to the 1960s though gridlines are present

We were able to find at least one set of individual tracking sheets with hash marks

Otherwise, it’s difficult to discuss stats in the 1970s

Statistics, 1980s

Statistics, 1980s

Statistics, 1980s

Details & ChangesStats in the 1980s were pretty consistent – composite totals

exist for the entirety of the decadeBy this time for sure reference had become centralizedNew categories for questions emerged: Directional, Reference

General, and Reference ResearchStatistics related to searches began to appear in the 1980s,

including stats for Dialog, BRS, and SDCAdditionally, the cost of these searches was also calculated

and added to stats trackingWe even have some daily tracking sheets for parts of the 80s!

There were a lot of changes in the 80s!

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Statistics, 1990s

Details & ChangesDaily stat sheets are in abundance. Monthly composite

sheets appeared with more regularity; they included stats on questions, bibliographic instruction, reference items shelved, and searches in databases

Collection and usage statistics were also found, as well as a Notis problem log, a log for SOLAR searches, and a sign-in sheet for Netscape access (time limits)

The items shelved stats continue to appear throughout the mid-1990s but disappear around the time the current library opened

Details & ChangesQuestion categories were changed and expanded:

DirectionalBasic ReferenceExtended ReferenceHardware

Stats for the databases started out regularly kept but dwindled – perhaps because of the availability of that kind of tracking by individual sites

The 1990s saw a lot of changes!

Statistics, 2000 - 2008

Still using the same stats gathering sheet adapted in 1996, and the same cumulative stats sheet from 1993.

Details & ChangesBy the 2000s, “items shelved” disappearedThe tracking of hardware problems, which began in the

1990s, continued along with the addition of software problem tracking; later the two categories were collapsed together

For a brief period, a new category was added – Email Reference – but it didn’t last long

The daily sheets also continued, with monthly composite sheets

The tracking of database statistics completely disappeared from the monthly composites

•eliminate hardware-software questions and email categories•record department and # of pupils•Excel

ulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xlsulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xls

ulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xlsulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xls

Keepin’ Track: FYI & ResourcesPresentation URL http://bambam.info/luc09/refstats.html Stats Page

http://www.ulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xlsULM Reference Page http://www.ulm.edu/library/referencedesk.htmlOur Contact Info

Megan Lowe, lowe@ulm.eduKaren Niemla, niemla@ulm.edu

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact us!