Showing papers by "Megan Oakleaf published in 2010"

The value of academic Libraries: A comprehensive research review and report

Abstract: Through assessment, librarians can gain the hard data they need to make decisions about what purposes they can meet and how well they can meet them. In addition, assessment offers librarians the opportunity to gain the “internal and external credibility that stem[s] from a fundamental organizational transparency that links mission to practice; it sends the powerful message, ‘This is who we are; these are the skills and competencies that we strive to instill in students; these programs and efforts are how we do that; and these data illustrate the sum of our efforts’” (Keeling, et al. 2008, 74). Not only does assessment give librarians a venue for communicating with stakeholders, it determines “the fit” between institutional mission and achieved outcomes (Maki, Developing an Assessment Plan 2002, 8), articulates effectiveness, fosters improvement, increases efficiency (Dougherty 2009, 418), and demonstrates accountability. Additionally assessment provides “an opportunity...for organizational reflection, critique, and learning” (Keeling, et al. 2008, 91) and a chance to engage in “institutional curiosity” (Maki, Developing an Assessment Plan 2002, 8). Although assessment is a “process that may or may not give rise to evidence of success” (Streatfield and Markless, What is Impact Assessment 2009, 140), assessment also gives librarians the “hard numbers and accurate intel” necessary to advocate for greater resource allocations (Rogers 2009, 550) or to facilitate improvement (Dow 1998, 279; Saunders, Regional Accreditation 2007, 325). And, as Kassel states, assessment is the next step “in the evolution of information professionalism” (Kassel 2002).

Writing Information Literacy Assessment Plans: A Guide to Best Practice

Abstract: Academic librarians throughout higher education add value to the teaching and learning missions of their institutions though information literacy instruction. To demonstrate the full impact of librarians on students in higher education, librarians need comprehensive information literacy assessment plans, composed of instructional program-level and outcome-level components, that summarize the purpose of information literacy assessment, emphasize the theoretical basis of their assessment efforts, articulate specific information literacy goals and outcomes, describe the major assessment methods and tools used to capture evidence of student learning, report assessment results, and highlight improvements made as a consequence of learning assessment.

Instructional Strategies for Digital Reference: Methods to Facilitate Student Learning

Abstract: In today’s climate of accountability in higher education, most colleges and universities—and therefore academic libraries—consider student learning the cornerstone of their missions. Reference service is one area in which libraries can demonstrate their commitment to support student learning. Are librarians using reference service to teach students? Or are they letting teachable moments pass by? This study identifies eight instructional strategies librarians can apply in digital reference transactions and analyzes the presence of these strategies in digital reference transcripts. The results suggest that librarians use a few instructional strategies, but could learn and employ several more in their efforts to create information-literate students. The authors hope that increased training in the use of these eight instructional strategies will allow librarians to maximize their impact on student learning. Portions of this article were presented at the RUSA Reference Research Forum at the 2009 ALA Annual Conference.

Sustainable Progress through Impact: The Value of Academic Libraries Project

Abstract: Given the increasing emphasis on impact and outcomes, higher education administrators are making difficult decisions regarding the funding of programs and units and investments in libraries are questioned more than ever. Librarians must demonstrate their value in clear and measurable ways to leaders in higher education and information technology, funding agencies and campus decision makers in order to secure funding for their operations. The Value of Academic Libraries project by the Association of College and Research Libraries seeks to identify what research exists documenting library impact and where gaps occur in research about the performance of academic libraries.