Collaborative research services: a peer-led cohort approach

PurposePrior to 2020, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Library's research services spanned multiple service points. Multiple locations were staffed by Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs) and each location was supervised independently. While efforts to increase collaboration had been underway, much of the work and services remained siloed and often duplicated training and service hours.Design/methodology/approachWith the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), UCLA Library rapidly transitioned from entirely in-person to entirely online services. With multiple service points pivoting, UCLA was redundant to have multiple online desks providing Zoom appointments and that quickly became apparent. Moreover, transitioning in-person student work to remote work was paramount to providing both normal services to users and allowing LSRAs to keep jobs during a time of uncertainty and insecurity.FindingsWhile the authors' original consolidation of services and implementation of shared supervision was a result of the pandemic and primarily involved online services, the authors have maintained this shared approach and collaborative vision in returning to in-person services. For the past year, the authors have offered shared in-person (at two library locations) and online services. As subject-specific library locations begin to reopen their desks, the authors continue to identify ways to leverage shared supervision and a robust referral model for those on-site services while negotiating student staffing and the need for both general and subject-specific services.Originality/valueThe authors present a novel approach to peer-to-peer teaching and learning and research services and shared student worker supervision with services coordinated across multiple locations and disciplines within a large academic library serving a large student population.

Shifting to a high impact practice-centered student worker staffed research desk: a Hispanic serving institution perspective

Purpose: The authors seek to demonstrate, from a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) perspective, the importance of utilizing High Impact Practices (HIPs) for not only more meaningful student employment initiatives, but to benefit the campus community and prepare Hispanic students for success post-graduation. Design/methodology/approach: Evaluation of current practices in academic libraries aided the design of the new staffing model, location and name. A survey of research desk student assistants was designed and implemented approximately one academic year after changes were executed. Survey data combined with follow-up interviews summarized the qualitative-focused assessment of the research desk's evolution and verified the validity of maintaining HIPs in libraries for Hispanic student success. Findings: The transition of the reference desk to a student-staffed research desk was successful in that librarians were able to dedicate more time to other endeavors, such as campus outreach and collection development. The High Impact Practice (HIP)-focused desk model, along with new, customized onboarding and training materials, fulfilled their goals of giving student assistants meaningful employment on campus while also bridging the gap between the library and the mostly Hispanic, first-generation student population. An assessment from the student assistants' point of view helped them further analyze the new research desk model. They found that student assistants noticed the ease with which their peers approached the desk and how their skills learned on the research desk transferred to their classes and future careers. Research limitations/implications: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restructuring of library personnel the authors were unable to implement library patron surveys to evaluate the new desk model. Originality/value: Many academic libraries and partners have made the transition to student-staffed help desks or offer peer-to-peer tutoring or mentoring services. HIPs positively impact marginalized student populations scholastically, but no current studies discuss the effect on the Hispanic student population from an HSI perspective. This study illuminates the wholistic influence HIPs have on Hispanic student assistants, not only their work and peers, but the affect on their academic and personal lives. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Virtual Services in the Health Sciences Library: A Handbook

Pope reviews Virtual Services in the Health Sciences Library: A Handbook edited by Amanda R. Scull.

Services to Mobile Users: The Best Practice from the Top-Visited Public Libraries in the US Yan Quan Liu and Sarah Lewis

Libraries are adapting to the changing times by providing mobile services. One hundred fifty-one libraries were chosen based on circulation, with at least one library or library system from each state, to explore the diverse services provided to mobile users across the United States. According to the data, mobile apps, mobile reference services, mobile library catalogs, and mobile printing are among public libraries' most-frequently offered services, as determined by mobile visits, content analysis, and librarian survey responses. Every library examined had at least one mobile website, mobile catalog, mobile app, or webpage adapted for a mobile device. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, services such as mobile renewal, subscriber database access, mobile reservations, and the ability to interact with a librarian were expanded to allow better communication with customers-all from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Libraries are continually looking for innovative methods to assist their mobile customers as the world changes.

Analysis of user's information demand during the COVID-19 emergency: case study

The difficult public health situation by COVID-19 represented a challenge from the end of March 2020 to 2021 in different areas. Academic libraries had the opportunity to strengthen their mission of supporting society. They took advantage and diversified their services, among which stands out the virtual reference service aimed at supporting users to locate and get information and data. This case study has the purpose of evaluate the reference service provided by the Daniel Cosio Villegas Library (BDCV) of El Colegio de Mexico from January 2019 to December 2021. The queries that were asked to the reference librarians were analyzed based on the READ scale (Reference Effort Assessment Data). The data analysis was performed based on the variables of duration and type of question. The results show a slight increase in queries during the pandemic, related to the search for documents.

Dissonance between Perceptions and Use of Virtual Reference Methods

This multimethod study investigates differences in question complexity and type between live chat, email, and texting by comparing findings from user interviews and virtual reference transcripts, with the goal of better understanding how different delivery methods can meet user needs in the context of an academic library. Findings reveal dissonance between perceptions and use of chat and email. Interviews suggest users consider chat to be for basic queries whereas transcripts coded using the READ Scale, a well-known reference assessment tool, show question complexity to be highest in chat. Our analysis also found statistically significant differences in the presence of reference interviews and instruction for chat, email, and texting. Rebranding chat more explicitly for intermediate and advanced queries may succeed in attracting users who consider chat only for basic queries, thus narrowing the gap between user perceptions and actual use.

Preparedness of the Libraries to Address the Recent Pandemic A Case Study on 100 Top Academic Institutes of India

In an academic set up the ‘library' plays a pivotal role. It stores, analyses, interpret and disseminate information among the users to fulfil their information needs. It has been observed that recent technological advancement has revolutionised library services to a great extent. Now libraries are providing both physical as well as web-enabled library services to their users. In this context, library websites act as a major gateway in providing web-enabled library services. The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the physical mode of library services. However, to support the ongoing teaching and learning process, libraries need to continue their services despite the lockdown. Therefore, the present study seeks to find out whether academic libraries are ready and adequately equipped to perform basic services during this critical juncture. The present study was directed towards exploring the readiness among the academic libraries by assessing their websites based on selected evaluation criteria. Hence, in this study top, 100 NIRF ranked institutes websites were examined by adopting 30-point evaluation criteria. These criteria were selected from the extant literature. These criteria were grouped into 04 categories i.e., basic website information, resource discovery, availability of resources and reference services. The readiness index of each library was calculated based on the availability and non-availability of the said criteria. The findings of the study reveal that 64 per cent of the libraries have failed to secure their score of 50 per cent on predefined criteria. It was also found that the preparedness index is independent of NIRF ranking. Overall findings of the study make it clear that academic libraries need to improve and up to date their web-based services to play a proactive role in the present and post-pandemic situation.

Collaborative research services: a peer-led cohort approach

PurposePrior to 2020, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Library's research services spanned multiple service points. Multiple locations were staffed by Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs) and each location was supervised independently. While efforts to increase collaboration had been underway, much of the work and services remained siloed and often duplicated training and service hours.Design/methodology/approachWith the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), UCLA Library rapidly transitioned from entirely in-person to entirely online services. With multiple service points pivoting, UCLA was redundant to have multiple online desks providing Zoom appointments and that quickly became apparent. Moreover, transitioning in-person student work to remote work was paramount to providing both normal services to users and allowing LSRAs to keep jobs during a time of uncertainty and insecurity.FindingsWhile the authors' original consolidation of services and implementation of shared supervision was a result of the pandemic and primarily involved online services, the authors have maintained this shared approach and collaborative vision in returning to in-person services. For the past year, the authors have offered shared in-person (at two library locations) and online services. As subject-specific library locations begin to reopen their desks, the authors continue to identify ways to leverage shared supervision and a robust referral model for those on-site services while negotiating student staffing and the need for both general and subject-specific services.Originality/valueThe authors present a novel approach to peer-to-peer teaching and learning and research services and shared student worker supervision with services coordinated across multiple locations and disciplines within a large academic library serving a large student population.

Pursuing student success in the library: a case study in peer mentor program transition, training and engagement

PurposeThis article shares an academic library's transition from traditional reference services to a peer support model during a campus reopening post-COVID-19 closure. It examines the conception, implementation and implications of the Peer Mentor program amidst shifts in campus priorities, Library research and reference paradigms and the Library workforce, from the perspectives of library faculty and staff, alongside feedback from student workers.Design/methodology/approachThe article uses a case study approach to detail the Library's Peer Mentor Program by authors involved in various stages of the program's lifespan and discusses the beginnings, implementations and challenges of the program and introduces the unique curriculum used to train student Peer Mentors.FindingsThe authors chronicle their own experience after two semesters of the Peer Mentor program alongside qualitative feedback from the first cohort of Peer Mentors. The Peer Mentor feedback points to positive impacts in other academic pursuits and in gaining a greater understanding of the information landscape and the library field.Originality/valueThe case study presented is a valuable example for academic librarians considering beginning peer-to-peer learning models within their own research and reference services units, especially those who may be creating these peer learning networks in the wake of library service disruption or restructure (such as due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Contactless Services: A Survey of the Practices of Large Public Libraries in China

Contactless services have become a common way for public libraries to provide services. As a result, the strategy used by public libraries in China will effectively stop the spread of epidemics caused by human touch and will serve as a model for other libraries throughout the world. The primary goal of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the contactless service measures provided by large Chinese public libraries for users in the pandemic era, as well as the challenges and countermeasures for providing such services. The data for this study was obtained using a combination of website investigation, content analysis, and telephone interviews for an analytical survey study of 128 large public libraries in China. The study finds that touch-free information dissemination, remote resources use, no-touch interaction self-services, network services, online reference, and smart services without personal interactions are among the contactless services available in Chinese public libraries. Exploring the current state of contactless services in large public libraries in China will help to fill a need for empirical attention to contactless services in libraries and the public sector. Up-to-date information to assist libraries all over the world in improving their contactless services implementation and practices is provided.

Awareness And Readiness of Stakeholders on ICT Implementation in Rural Schools

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is designed to solve challenges that affect humanity. However, the rapid advancement in ICT calls for cutting edge ICT knowledge and upskilling of users. As a result, it is mandatory that jobseekers become computer literate. University students are expected to be computer literate. Therefore, integrating ICT into teaching and learning (T&L) has positive benefits. This study analyses the state of ICT integration at rural schools in the Rekopantswe Area office (5 selected schools) in Ngaka Modiri Molema district in North West province which were selected using a random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to gather data. The results show that the attitudes, awareness, and readiness of educators could be improved through ICT integration as prior knowledge is harnessed. A quantitative research approach was adopted. Research shows that ICT can improve T&L and help them become innovative when appropriate ICT tools are made available. ICT integration requires not only the modernisation of the ICT tools, but significant shifts in the mind-sets of stakeholders' attitudes, roles, and belief systems to construct new knowledge. This awareness and readiness of the stakeholders is also fundamental for the successful integration of ICT projects. The results show that learners and educators are aware of initiative of the South African government to integrate ICT in T&L. The stakeholders exhibited positive attitudes and belief systems though some were not aware of the government's ICT integration initiative. It is unfortunate that schools have not embraced fully ICT integration. With more emphasis on online education in the face of the pandemic, there is need to fund and speed up such ICT integration projects at all the secondary schools, in rural, urban and peri-urban areas.

Face-to-face with the new normal: libraries' readiness and perspectives toward the changing service environment

Purpose>This paper seeks to explore how library management in academic and school institutions has been adapting to the changes brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses how their priorities have shifted in reinventing their strategic plans and innovative library responses;and their readiness to meet new expectations to support their communities, as necessitated by the changes.Design/methodology/approach>Employing the change readiness concept as a framework, it encompasses inquiry into the library management's response to the changes in the service and work environments at the onset of change, while in the process of adapting to the current changes, and readiness to the perceived changes in the next normal future service environment. Quantitative design was employed for this study, and self-selection strategy as a non-probability sampling technique was used in collecting data from respondents. Target respondents were head librarians. An online questionnaire was used as instrument for data gathering, which was tested valid and reliable.Findings>Findings reveal that respondents have achieved quite a lot in preparing to adapt to change and generally agree that they are ready to deal with the perceived, future-wise changes in all aspects.Research limitations/implications>The study was open to all types of libraries as subjects;however, one-person libraries were excluded. Being self-selected, the respondent group for this study is not a true representative of the target population. Data analysis was strictly based on the gathered results.Practical implications>The study offers insights on the value of integrating measures pertinent to the emergence of new roles and needs in the changing service environment.Originality/value>The results of the study are seen to have a potential contribution to the library organization's growth as they oversee their operations, prospectively.

Addressing Contingency in REEES Fields

Research on how faculty have attempted to subvert the casualization of academic labor, that is, the conversion of stable and well-paying jobs into temporary ones, has been going on for decades. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis have cast academic contingency in new light. Given the prevalence of contingency in Slavic and REEES, and the threat of budget cuts in the humanities, REEES faculty have a particular stake in undertaking anti-contingency efforts to protect their colleagues, institutions, and scholarship. This article will assess the conclusions of some recent studies, opinion pieces, debates, and policy recommendations with a view to their potential to address contingency in REEES and Slavic Studies.

Reinventing Virtual Reference Services during a Period of Crisis: Decisions that Help Us Move Forward.

This article focuses on providing virtual reference services at the MCPHS University Libraries as a response to the physical space closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study emphasizes the importance of interdepartmental collaboration between all library staff members, and highlights important enhancements implemented to successfully meet the growing demand for live chat services and research consultations. Enhancements include expanding online chat hours, offering individualized virtual reference sessions, and integrating Zoom functionality into LibAnswers platform. Extensive data findings allowed for critical decision-making about eliminating the reference desk on one of the campuses, training student workers, and scheduling library staff for virtual services.

Outreach for Music Librarians

Outreach for Music Librarians, edited by Scott Stone is reviewed.

A bibliometric analysis of Serials Review from 1991 to 2020

The study's objectives were to identify the document type, publishing trends, authorship patterns of research, most prolific authors, countries and keywords, top citied articles, and country collaboration of published articles in Serials Review (SR) through bibliometric measures from 1991-2020. The data was retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed through VOSviewer, Microsoft excel, and Biblioshiny. The result found that most of the studies were published in the form of empirical (1785) with total citation (4998) during 1991-2020. Publications were increased from 2002 to 2004, but after 2014 the publications ratio decreased. A single authorship pattern was shown by most of the publications. Blythe, K published 70 publications from 19912020, while Collins had 194 citations against only 30 publications. The article titled "The access/impact problem and the green and gold roads to open access" having 223 citations. The countries' collaboration was shown that the USA and Canada were having 20 research collaborations during 1991-20. Academic libraries, open access, and electronic resources were the most used keywords by the authors. It can be beneficial for readers to understand highly cited journals, the most prolific authors and the bibliographic coupling of institutions. It is also helpful for and editorial team of SR for further developments.

Editorial

Library value during COVID-19 and beyond: shifting, pivoting, and moving forward In June 2020, Christopher Cox, Dean of Libraries at Clemson University, predicted the significant ways academic libraries will shift in terms of collections, services, spaces, and operations as a result of the pandemic. Instead of returning to normal, librarians will be returning to a “new normal” -- one where in-person classes and service interactions may be impossible or no longer preferred, where collections in physical format may be a barrier to access, and where collaborative study is shunned in favor of social distancing in buildings that can only safely house half the people they used to. The pivot to online learning and remote services provided academic, research, and public libraries with myriad opportunities to demonstrate our value to the academy and our communities.

Practical Changes in Reference Services: A Case Study.

Between 2018 and 2019, the librarians at the Strauss Health Sciences Library improved the efficiency and reach of their reference service by implementing four small-scale changes. These changes included revising the method of collecting statistics, creating FAQs, utilizing an appointment scheduler, and launching proactive chat. This case study will provide the background and research to support these changes, details on how the changes were implemented using Springshare tools, as well as the results and implications. Finally, the librarians will share their lessons learned along with recommendations for institutions interested in adopting similar changes.

Adapting to Remote Library Services during COVID-19.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Stay At Home order, the Southern Illinois University Medical Library utilized new technologies and implemented new virtual service models in order to improve internal communication, and to continue providing services and resources to patrons remotely. The changes happened quickly, and the librarians faced several challenges during this time, but things went smoothly overall and there were some considerable silver linings. Several of the newly adopted technologies, service models, and virtual resource offerings proved to be extremely effective and their use will continue beyond the duration of the pandemic.