technologies for patrons in an academic library.

libguides.

lib guides are the answer. However,

how could librarians have the time to

make such focused lib guides for each

course of study?

Making sure patrons' skill level is compatible with all library technology offerings and making sure they can use each technology to its full potential (making sure they know all catalogs/databases can do/how to use parts useful to their goals)

all kinds of libraries. I think we should

focus on academic, but address the

relevance to public!

Megan mentioned that a librarian she talked to suggested library guides, but again, that can be a pretty big task for an academic library.

"Simplifying". Definitely, if it's in the ability of a library to overhaul their system, syncing their equipment and resources in a simple way works.

Campaigns seem like the most likely help. Lots of universities require short library classes to orient students to research. It would be interesting to see if there were ways to get students involved voluntarily.

Also I am a big Google fan. They've got all kinds of specific apps for what you want to do. So Megan, that seems like a great direction to look.

Where is the middle ground here? It's like we need sales people running the floor to connect the two.

Are either of you guys particularly fond of another?

Additionally, Michelle Kratts, a librarian at the Lewiston Public Library as well, suggested making eBook systems simpler- often the users who make most use of these are older adults or ironically, the users least familiar with technology, but these are the most difficult systems to navigate.

I think both of your pointing out simplifying systems, and perhaps creating more easily navigable tutorial videos or help screens on each system users access in the library, relate to the solutions that Jill and Michelle presented as practicing librarians.

I am having some formatting trouble on the research page (I cited it there) with font color and italics. I managed to make everything my text color (green) though some words that shouldn't be in the citations themselves are italicized. I will fix that later this week.

I do have a few questions about the technical realities of our policy that we should resolve as a group, however. One: the second step, in month two, regarding brainstorming and making changes. I think we need to allot more time to it (maybe two to three months)- coding data and analyzing it, which will be what is done with any focus group or survey research, takes a long time. That stage will require coding and understanding the main themes identified as problems in the library, developing a way of fixing it, and conducting other methods (like usability tests, which I mention in the comment) to determine the exact way to fix a website's interface and the exact directions people need in tutorials/GIFs/etc. I think usability tests, as mentioned in Oldham (2008), are important- in these tests a researcher tapes or views a user's actual interaction with a library technology/site to determine their exact problem with it and what mistakes they are making. By doing so they can determine the exact point that needs to be resolved on the site or the exact direction that needs to be given. This is important to determine the best tutorial and technical corrections in our library. I think we should include it in the policy, though not the infographic, as that seems focused specifically on tutorials and workshops. Plus it makes more sense in a policy anyway since that's where the hard details of a research plan are usually contained.

Another issue I leave as a question- cost. We do mention the points that will have monetary cost but not an estimate of how much. Obviously we can't give specifics in a theoretical plan but I think we should ballpark (for instance, we will need to hire X staff at an income level commensurate with their experience. Then we can estimate what that might be based on library statistics.)

Finally- I added something at the top about who this policy/idea is focused on- academic librarians/staff. I think this is important- the rubric is clear about being specific about the people we direct the campaign at.