The Hybrid Librarian in the Student Learning Center

Caroline CasonUniversity of Georgia Libraries

UGA Libraries Comprised of the Main

library, Science library, Student Learning Center and Research Facilities

3.7 million items in the collection

Access to over 300 electronic databases and indexes through GALILEO

Access to over 30 thousand full text journals and newspapers

Student Learning Center “One Stop Shop” with

classrooms, library research sources and technology

Partnership effort between OISD, EITS and University Libraries

Extremely successful and welcomed on campus by students and faculty, alike

High traffic: 15,395 entries into the building on April 28, 2004

Reference Desk at the SLC

Electronic Library consists of all electronic research sources with a small, non-circulating print collection

Four reference/info desks 3 Desks staffed by student

consultants and 1 desk staffed by both a librarian and student consultants

Student Consultants managed by EITS. Administratively separate from the Libraries.

The Electronic Library

Combined computer lab and library space -- a trend in “Information Commons” but at the SLC we are in an almost exclusively electronic library environment

Staffing ensures professional library research assistance is available but do the students know we are there?

Survey Says … Spring 2004 online and paper survey of

nearly 1000 users of the SLC 2 focus groups conducted with undergrad

and graduate students Asked what they use in the SLC

Visits by Status973 Visits

20%

20%

28%

24%

7%0%

0%1%

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

Grad Students

Faculty Members

Staff Members

Visitors

Survey Resultsselected statistics

Note: Will not total 100% as respondents could choose multiple sources

Technology Use by Students Studying in a Group or Individually

31% 7.50% 10%0%

20%

40% Software

Graphics/Scanner

Wireless

Students Researching & Writing Papers in the SLC

18% 22.50% 72% 67%0%

20%

40%

60%

80% GIL

GALILEO

Web

WebCT

Focus Group Results

Focus groups – consisted of 2 groups of 7-8 grads and undergrads Know there are librarians in the SLC but not where Understood that electronic resources were available

but still visited the Main and Science libraries for print Use the SLC as a study space and to work on group

projects One student referred to librarians as “research

technicians” Thought of librarians as being helpful and “would

prefer to ask a librarian” for assistance to save time Said the SLC become an essential part of their

academic lives: “I realized after it opened that it was absolutely necessary.”

Library Resource UseGALILEO

Slight increase in SLC from Fall 2003 to Spring 2004

Still very low compared to Main and Science Libraries

Statistics count number of times someone accessed GALILEO from the SLC versus Main/Science Libraries

GALILEO Use

13873 15106

4729940233

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

Fall 2003 Spring 2004

SLC

Main/Sci

Library Resource Use GIL -- The stats count GIL

“requests” from users in the UGA Libraries. Requests include: each search, each click to

look at a record, each request to view a patron record, etc.

TOTAL REQUESTS Fall 2003

SLC 85,044 Main & Science

1,194,447 Spring 2004

SLC 91,207 Main & Science

1,020,682

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

GIL Use Fall 2003

SLC

Main / Science

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

Jan Feb March April May

GIL Use Spring 2004

SLC

Main / Science

At the Desk – Fall 2003 SLC: 12,720 total questions

5% In-depth or Ready Reference 35% Directional 60% Software, Graphics Machines, Printer or

Machine Maintenance, Wireless Note that we had some significant technical

problems this semester leading to lots of questions about the printers

Science: 10,073 total questions 62% In-depth or Ready Reference 17% Directional 21% Software help, Printer or Machine

Maintenance

At the Desk – Spring 2004 SLC: 9,561 total questions

6% In-depth or Ready Reference 53% Directional 41% Software, Graphics Machines, Printer,

Machine Maintenance, Wireless Science: 8,331 total questions

68% In-depth or Ready Reference 13% Directional 19% Software help, Printer or Machine

Maintenance

The Librarians’ Experience

Positive outcomes “I feel more connected to what is going

on around campus” Emphasis on library as process rather

than library as place Librarians are fulfilling the “one stop

shop” by answering both reference and tech questions

Love the interaction with student staff

The Librarians’ Experience Challenges

Defining roles when responsibilities overlap

Creating new policies on the fly Maintaining skill level (tech and

reference) Frustration with lack of reference

questions Communicating the concept of a library

without books

How Has Reference Changed? New skills

Broadening our technology skills Working collaboratively Closer to faculty Opportunities to teach in a

technologically advanced environment Loss of “traditional” skills?

Very little print Lack of demand for reference work

New Techniques “Retail Style” Reference Chat Reference In-depth Reference Collaboration with teaching faculty in the SLC

Encourage addition of research assignments Participate with OISD in Faculty Orientations and

Forums Tours/Orientations/Indoctrinations!

Becoming more involved in the first year experience to relay the message that the SLC is a library from the start

New Tactics Combat loss of skills by maintaining

reference shifts at the Main and Science Libraries Build identity of SLC Reference desk by being

both places Continue public relations efforts Explore ways to emphasize the traditional

library within this new environment More prominent signage New Reading Room collection

Increased teaching load/reference conferences

The Teaching Mission

Librarians from the SLC have increased their teaching load over the past year

Number of BIs / ToursJuly 2003 - May 2004

137

211229 SLC

Main

Science

Number of ParticipantsJuly 2003 - May 2004

4565

2447

2029SLC

Main

Science

Teaching in the SLC Classes are usually

taught in our Advanced Learning Labs

One academic credit class taught twice weekly in the SLC

Can make “house calls” to any class taught in the SLC

The Future? Popularity of the SLC indicates that

students like the one-stop-shop concept

Communication is key with cross-departmental collaborations

Hybrid librarians must keep up with demand for technical expertise while promoting research skills

Don’t let “seamless” mean “invisible”

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following for their assistance with gathering the statistics used in this presentation: Brad Baxter, Phil Fitzpatrick, Marty Tanner Hughes, Thomas Knowlton and Anna Van Scoyoc

Presented by Caroline Cason, Reference & Instruction Librarian, University of Georgia Libraries, ccason@uga.edu