Public services librarians are often in the position of training patrons how to use technology. They adopt new technologies such as discovery layers, link resolvers, subject guides, virtual reference services, OPACs, content management systems, and institutional repositories to provide access to materials and facilitate collaboration, but…

How do college students "really" conduct research for classroom assignments? In 2008, five large Illinois universities were awarded a Library Services and Technology Act Grant to try to answer that question. The resulting ongoing study has already yielded some eye-opening results. The findings suggest changes ranging from simple…

Increasing use of screencast and Flash authoring software within libraries is resulting in "homegrown" library collections of digital learning objects and multimedia presentations. The author explores the use of Google Analytics to track usage statistics for interactive Shockwave Flash (.swf) files, the common file output for screencast and Flash…

In this paper, the author discusses various articles that offer practical programs, as well as detailed analysis of data, highlighting the breadth and depth of librarians' literature. These are: (1) Albitz, R. S. (2007). "The what and who of information literacy and critical thinking in higher education." "Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 7(1),…

Discusses the role of stacks support staff and student assistants in providing point-of-use assistance and instruction in Oregon State University's library. A user's survey is described; staff training is explained; and survey instruments and Stack Maintenance Team recommendations are appended. (LRW)

Describes methods used at the University of Akron (Ohio) library to increase the usage of government publications, including cataloging that appears in the online catalog, integrating them into bibliographic instruction, listing in pathfinders, and presenting workshops. Examples are appended. (LRW)

Discusses trends in library reference services, focusing on the needs of the individual user. Highlights include the effects of CD-ROM; the growth of online systems; tiered reference service structures; roving reference librarians; going out to users; user studies; and bibliographic instruction. (LRW)

Discusses reference-use statistics in academic libraries. Highlights include new functions and resources, limits of traditional counting methods, ranking the sources, the Internet's impact on instruction, computer-assisted versus one-on-one instruction, and creative solutions to reference services. (AEF)

Six point-of-use audiovisual programs were developed by librarians as part of a library instruction program in Alexander Library at Rutgers University to illustrate the basic skills needed in using the library's print collections in the social sciences and humanities. Topics for the 16mm filmstrip cartridges were (1) Tour of Alexander Library; (2)…

A survey of 977 postgraduate distance-learning students in the United Kingdom investigated student perceptions of library needs. This article examines how students felt they were treated, need for libraries, library training (previous experience and nature and extent of training), problems of distance and time, costs for texts and charges for…

The purpose of this grant, funded by the Council on Library Resources, was to allow a librarian to put aside normal duties for an academic year to explore with faculty, students, and administrators ways of improving library services, and to design methods of increasing library use by college students. A program was developed for orienting and…

College faculty who learned to do online bibliographic searching were surveyed immediately following and one year after training workshops. Information was gathered about user characteristics, their motivation for learning to search, and type of training needed, and conclusions were drawn about need for academic libraries to provide end user…

Librarians use subject guides to introduce students to library materials. Surveys, usability tests, and usage statistics demonstrate that students do not relate well to subject guides. We suggest that library resources organized or delivered at a course level are more in line with how undergraduate students approach library research. (Contains 26…

A project was undertaken by the University of Wisconsin library staff to educate freshmen and transfer students in the resources of the library and resource use. Visually appealing library instructional packets were produced in several media formats to achieve this aim. They were in two forms: a minipacket for quick help in finding library…

Reflections of a school librarian on the impact of technological innovation in libraries. Highlights the librarian role in user education, accessioning new titles, weeding, library automation and how to avoid misleading collection use statistics, the Internet and online resources, Internet use policy, and the importance of time in adjusting to new…