Telling the technical services story: communicating value, 2021
It can be challenging to step away from our daily work in technical services. There are always in... more It can be challenging to step away from our daily work in technical services. There are always invoices to be paid, licenses to be reviewed, and books to be cataloged. However, when we take a deep breath and "escape" together as a group, we can build new bonds and come up with fresh ideas. Leaving the day-today behind, spending time together in a different environment, and participating in thought-provoking activities can lead to many positive results.
Incorporating shelving and stacks maintenance into technical services puts responsibility for the... more Incorporating shelving and stacks maintenance into technical services puts responsibility for the full life cycle of physical materials in one place. Purchasing, cataloging, processing, shelving, repair, and deaccessioning are done by a single department. With changes in use patterns and retention, it makes sense to closely ally stacks maintenance with other technical services functions. This strategy also creates a pool of trained staff and students who can work on related projects as needed, from shifting to transfers to withdrawals. Public services staff can refocus on customer service rather than managing the flow of books
The authors both started new jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss their experiences ha... more The authors both started new jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss their experiences had implications for the future.
After 40 years under one manager, the Circulation Department at the Richard J. Daley Library was ... more After 40 years under one manager, the Circulation Department at the Richard J. Daley Library was long past due for a change. The challenge of reorganizing included interesting and interrelated aspects: changes to workflows and assignments, moving staff and functions inside the department and across departments, and a deep dive into the culture to which staff had become habituated. Managers eliminated redundancies and increased services, effectiveness, productivity, and joy. This case study is a testament to how successful change happens with patience, respect, and a willingness to be flexible.
The University of Illinois-Chicago is an ARL member library with a collection of 2.3 million volu... more The University of Illinois-Chicago is an ARL member library with a collection of 2.3 million volumes. While we have access to many electronic resources, we still have a substantial collection of physical items to manage in several buildings. Many of those volumes are held at the Richard J. Daley Library on our east campus, where nonhealth-related academic programs are located. Late in 2015, the head of the Daley Circulation Department announced his retirement after more than 30 years in that position. The department was a typical academic library circulation unit, including circulation desk, shelving, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Most of the two dozen staff members had been with the department for many years.
How do students learn and what role do library collections and services play in that learning? Th... more How do students learn and what role do library collections and services play in that learning? This question informs many current efforts at library assessment. Spurred by the Ethnographic Research in Illinois Academic Libraries (ERIAL) project (http://www.erialproject.org/), in which five Illinois academic libraries used ethnographic research techniques to study student research processes, academic health sciences libraries in Illinois decided to test the application of similar approaches to medical education.
In: Rethinking Technical Services, v. 9 of Creating the 21st Century Library, 2015
Librarians have long been information stewards, and in technical services we serve this role by a... more Librarians have long been information stewards, and in technical services we serve this role by acquiring, describing, and providing access to information resources. In the past this meant our skills were highly specialized and clearly defined – we were book vendor negotiators, catalogers, access specialists. In recent years, however, we have witnessed drastic changes in both the resources we manage and the users who access them which have forced us to reevaluate our roles in technical services. New formats have proliferated, challenging our methods of resource description and management. Resources are available through numerous channels that frequently bypass the library altogether. Our users expect instant access to information for minimal investments of time and energy. People now find information readily at home and on the go via mobile devices, and as a result libraries have fallen in prominence as gatekeepers of information resources.
In the spring of 2013, the University Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago was in the... more In the spring of 2013, the University Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago was in the unique position of having access to two discovery systems, Summon and WorldCat Local, at the same time. When tasked with choosing between the two systems, librarians undertook a usability study of Summon and WorldCat Local. The goal of this study was two-fold: to test the ease-of-use of each discovery system with an eye toward identifying one tool to retain for the longer term, and to learn about the search behaviors of different types of user groups. Eighteen subjects, consisting of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty, participated in the study. Participants performed usability tasks using each tool and answered pre-task and post-task questions. While there was no clear preference among study participants for either discovery layer, individual groups did express preferences. Faculty, for example, preferred Summon to WorldCat Local at a rate of five to one. The study findings are explored in detail through an examination of the three major data sets produced by the usability test instrument: results derived from tasks performed by participants as part of the study; themes and trends identified by the investigators within the recorded participant tests; and discovery tool preferences as determined from pre-task and post-task questionnaires administered to study participants. This study has implications for librarians engaged in information literacy instruction, those considering implementing discovery tools, as well as for librarians currently using Summon or WorldCat Local at their libraries.
College & Undergraduate Libraries v.14 no.1 , 2007
The author describes her experiences in compiling and editing a book of contributed chapters, tit... more The author describes her experiences in compiling and editing a book of contributed chapters, titled The Successful Academic Librarian. The process includes writing the book proposal, finding contributors, editing their work, and working with the publisher. A timeline of the process is presented, and the challenges and rewards of the project are discussed.
The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) changed the emphasis of federal grants for librari... more The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) changed the emphasis of federal grants for libraries. LSTA implementation began in 1997. Case studies of LSTA program implementation through state library agencies were conducted in four states. These states chose to implement several different types of programs. The results of these case studies, comparison of state programs, and evaluation of the states' LSTA plans and projects are presented.
Archivists and catalogers have different perspectives on the description and cataloging of librar... more Archivists and catalogers have different perspectives on the description and cataloging of library materials. They often use different tools and standards to gain intellectual control of collection materials. However, they can work together to make unique archival materials more accessible. At the New Mexico State University Library, catalogers and archivists are working together to add bibliographic records for their manuscript collections to OCLC and to the local online catalog. This is an educational and enriching experience for staff in both areas. It also provides greatly increased access to these collections.
Telling the technical services story: communicating value, 2021
It can be challenging to step away from our daily work in technical services. There are always in... more It can be challenging to step away from our daily work in technical services. There are always invoices to be paid, licenses to be reviewed, and books to be cataloged. However, when we take a deep breath and "escape" together as a group, we can build new bonds and come up with fresh ideas. Leaving the day-today behind, spending time together in a different environment, and participating in thought-provoking activities can lead to many positive results.
Incorporating shelving and stacks maintenance into technical services puts responsibility for the... more Incorporating shelving and stacks maintenance into technical services puts responsibility for the full life cycle of physical materials in one place. Purchasing, cataloging, processing, shelving, repair, and deaccessioning are done by a single department. With changes in use patterns and retention, it makes sense to closely ally stacks maintenance with other technical services functions. This strategy also creates a pool of trained staff and students who can work on related projects as needed, from shifting to transfers to withdrawals. Public services staff can refocus on customer service rather than managing the flow of books
The authors both started new jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss their experiences ha... more The authors both started new jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss their experiences had implications for the future.
After 40 years under one manager, the Circulation Department at the Richard J. Daley Library was ... more After 40 years under one manager, the Circulation Department at the Richard J. Daley Library was long past due for a change. The challenge of reorganizing included interesting and interrelated aspects: changes to workflows and assignments, moving staff and functions inside the department and across departments, and a deep dive into the culture to which staff had become habituated. Managers eliminated redundancies and increased services, effectiveness, productivity, and joy. This case study is a testament to how successful change happens with patience, respect, and a willingness to be flexible.
The University of Illinois-Chicago is an ARL member library with a collection of 2.3 million volu... more The University of Illinois-Chicago is an ARL member library with a collection of 2.3 million volumes. While we have access to many electronic resources, we still have a substantial collection of physical items to manage in several buildings. Many of those volumes are held at the Richard J. Daley Library on our east campus, where nonhealth-related academic programs are located. Late in 2015, the head of the Daley Circulation Department announced his retirement after more than 30 years in that position. The department was a typical academic library circulation unit, including circulation desk, shelving, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Most of the two dozen staff members had been with the department for many years.
How do students learn and what role do library collections and services play in that learning? Th... more How do students learn and what role do library collections and services play in that learning? This question informs many current efforts at library assessment. Spurred by the Ethnographic Research in Illinois Academic Libraries (ERIAL) project (http://www.erialproject.org/), in which five Illinois academic libraries used ethnographic research techniques to study student research processes, academic health sciences libraries in Illinois decided to test the application of similar approaches to medical education.
In: Rethinking Technical Services, v. 9 of Creating the 21st Century Library, 2015
Librarians have long been information stewards, and in technical services we serve this role by a... more Librarians have long been information stewards, and in technical services we serve this role by acquiring, describing, and providing access to information resources. In the past this meant our skills were highly specialized and clearly defined – we were book vendor negotiators, catalogers, access specialists. In recent years, however, we have witnessed drastic changes in both the resources we manage and the users who access them which have forced us to reevaluate our roles in technical services. New formats have proliferated, challenging our methods of resource description and management. Resources are available through numerous channels that frequently bypass the library altogether. Our users expect instant access to information for minimal investments of time and energy. People now find information readily at home and on the go via mobile devices, and as a result libraries have fallen in prominence as gatekeepers of information resources.
In the spring of 2013, the University Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago was in the... more In the spring of 2013, the University Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago was in the unique position of having access to two discovery systems, Summon and WorldCat Local, at the same time. When tasked with choosing between the two systems, librarians undertook a usability study of Summon and WorldCat Local. The goal of this study was two-fold: to test the ease-of-use of each discovery system with an eye toward identifying one tool to retain for the longer term, and to learn about the search behaviors of different types of user groups. Eighteen subjects, consisting of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty, participated in the study. Participants performed usability tasks using each tool and answered pre-task and post-task questions. While there was no clear preference among study participants for either discovery layer, individual groups did express preferences. Faculty, for example, preferred Summon to WorldCat Local at a rate of five to one. The study findings are explored in detail through an examination of the three major data sets produced by the usability test instrument: results derived from tasks performed by participants as part of the study; themes and trends identified by the investigators within the recorded participant tests; and discovery tool preferences as determined from pre-task and post-task questionnaires administered to study participants. This study has implications for librarians engaged in information literacy instruction, those considering implementing discovery tools, as well as for librarians currently using Summon or WorldCat Local at their libraries.
College & Undergraduate Libraries v.14 no.1 , 2007
The author describes her experiences in compiling and editing a book of contributed chapters, tit... more The author describes her experiences in compiling and editing a book of contributed chapters, titled The Successful Academic Librarian. The process includes writing the book proposal, finding contributors, editing their work, and working with the publisher. A timeline of the process is presented, and the challenges and rewards of the project are discussed.
The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) changed the emphasis of federal grants for librari... more The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) changed the emphasis of federal grants for libraries. LSTA implementation began in 1997. Case studies of LSTA program implementation through state library agencies were conducted in four states. These states chose to implement several different types of programs. The results of these case studies, comparison of state programs, and evaluation of the states' LSTA plans and projects are presented.
Archivists and catalogers have different perspectives on the description and cataloging of librar... more Archivists and catalogers have different perspectives on the description and cataloging of library materials. They often use different tools and standards to gain intellectual control of collection materials. However, they can work together to make unique archival materials more accessible. At the New Mexico State University Library, catalogers and archivists are working together to add bibliographic records for their manuscript collections to OCLC and to the local online catalog. This is an educational and enriching experience for staff in both areas. It also provides greatly increased access to these collections.
The role of academic librarian is far from cut-and-dried. For starters, there are the numerous jo... more The role of academic librarian is far from cut-and-dried. For starters, there are the numerous job classifications: staff or professional employment, full faculty status, various forms of tenure, continuing contract, and/or promotion through academic ranks. While every academic librarian works to meet the research needs of an institution’s faculty and students, many are expected to assume other obligations as part of a faculty or tenure system—including publication, research, service, and professional activities. If this were not enough to test a librarian’s mettle, the widely varying academic focuses and cultures of college and university libraries almost certainly will. The Successful Academic Librarian, expertly edited by academic librarian, writer, and speaker Gwen Meyer Gregory, is an antidote to the stress and burnout that almost every academic librarian experiences at one time or another. In this helpful book, Gregory and nearly 20 of her peers and mentors take a practical approach to a full range of critical topics facing the profession. Their advice, war stories, tips, techniques, and inspiration will help you thrive in your academic library career.
Uploads
Papers by Gwen Gregory