Know Thy User: Duke Libraries User Studies Initiative
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Transcript of Know Thy User: Duke Libraries User Studies Initiative
YVONNE BELANGEREMILY DALY
LINDA DANIELDIANE HARVEYSHAWN MILLER
LAUNC-CH CONFERENCEMARCH 8, 2010
Know Thy User: Duke Libraries User Studies
Initiative
How can we know our users?
Librarians doing research?
“Practicing librarians face numerous obstacles to conducting research including funding, time, experience, support and access to
research.” Koufogiannakis
“Since assessment work may be new, unfamiliar, and viewed as risky, time to learn
and practice is essential. Risk taking and learning should be the norm in libraries.”
Phipps and Lakos
User Studies Initiative
GOALS
Build skillsProvide forum for
discussionEncourage
collaborationCreate support
structure & networkLaunch at least one
user study 2010-11
ACTIVITIES
Social science research overview
Monthly workshopsSpecial training eventsOnline toolkitData inventory
USER STUDY
Cultural Anthropology
Goals of the study
Better understand key challenges
Improve library services and support
Study design
First stepsInterviews with
faculty and graduate students
Online survey
Conducting the interviews
2 interviewersRecording, note
taking, transcribingIntranet site
Benefits & outcomes
Success of responseFollow-upNext steps
USER STUDY
Honors Researchers
Goals of the study
Better understand how students conduct research
Publicize existing services
Improve library services and support
Study design
Pilot interviewsDiscussion with
Associate DeanDiscussions with
facultyRecruitment
Conducting the interviews
Interviews with 9 students at 3 points during research process
Recording, note taking, reflecting
Reporting
Benefits & outcomes
Publicity of existing services to faculty and students
Better understanding of students’ needs
Next steps
What is success?
Cohort of library staff who feel confident to do user studies
Studies underwayStudies planned
“Without a well-structured learning and training environment, the library will not keep up with new information opportunities and will be less effective.”
Phipps and Lakos
Thank you!
Thanks to Catherine Shreve for co-facilitating the User Studies Initiative and for creating the toolkit
[email protected]@[email protected]@duke.edu
Works Cited
Koufogiannakis, Denise, and Ellen Crumley. "Research in Librarianship: Issues to Consider." Library Hi Tech 24.3 (2006): 324. Web.
Lakos, A., and S. Phipps. "Creating a Culture of Assessment." portal: Libraries and the Academy 4.3 (2004): 345–61. Web.