Researchers in the Graduate and Undergraduate Services (GUS) department at the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah designed and created a collaborative service interaction space to alleviate symptoms of library anxiety. This plan led to several iterations of purchase and renovation proposals. After a lengthy design period, the…

With the continued growth and evolution of distance education at many colleges and universities, academic librarians must be prepared to respond to the changing needs of distance users. This article discusses the results of a utilization assessment of distance instructors at five midsized American universities. The results inform libraries about…

As distance education programs grow at college and universities across the country, libraries must ensure virtual reference services are prepared to meet the needs of patrons in these programs. This article describes the process and results of a 2018 chat analysis conducted at a midsize research university with a large distance education program.…

Many universities and colleges focus on student retention and completion as a measure of their success. Publications such as the "Chronicle of Higher Education" carry an increasing number of articles dealing with student retention, success, and completion. Academic libraries support this goal through a wide variety of services, teaching,…

Academic libraries continually adjust services to adapt to the ever-changing landscape in higher education. In response to the broken textbook market, libraries are becoming actively involved in the open educational resources (OER) movement. Although there is not a formal program in place, librarians at Utah State University explored a…

Published children's literature in the United States overrepresents some identities while underrepresenting others, such as people of color, LGBT people, people with disabilities, people who live below the poverty line (Crisp et al., 2016), and more. Thus, some children may not encounter text representative of their identities. As literature can…

As more students, faculty, and staff from traditionally underrepresented groups enter universities and colleges, academic libraries must find ways to reach out to these groups in order to better meet their unique educational needs. In this article, librarians from two large public universities describe how they used data about their communities to…

In response to a charge from the library administration, the Circulation Committee of the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University designed and implemented a thorough assessment of circulation policies. Using multiple assessment methods including surveys, focus groups, and statistical analysis, the committee determined that the…

This article is a study of the policies that govern the use of the university library by external users at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and 12 peer institutions used by IUPUI for comparative purposes. A search of each institution's Web site was conducted as well as interviews with circulation librarians and managers.…

The librarian for the Stevens-Henager College, Murray, Utah campus was hired in the spring of 2008 and given the task of maintaining and improving the college's library and bookstore. It was soon discovered that many areas needed improvement (processes, outreach, policies, personnel, work-flow, etc.) Fortunately, she possessed skills from previous…

Gardening in the American Southwest (SW) is an extreme sport. Not only are gardeners challenged by geographic extremes from tropical deserts to subalpine locales, they must also deal with a wide range of climates. Winter in the mountains and higher regions means heavy snows, frozen soils, and temperatures that can dip below zero. In contrast,…

Ten years ago, in 1996, poet and children's book author, Pat Mora began celebrating "book joy" by founding a children's book and reading day, El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros or Children's Day/Book Day. Dia is modeled on National Children's Day Celebrations in Mexico held since 1925 when it was launched in conjunction with a…

There are four library systems in Utah which provide bookmobile library service; the Salt Lake County Library, Salt Lake City Library, San Juan County Library and Utah State Library Commission. This study is limited to bookmobile library service in Utah and to librarians who first began library service. The history of bookmobiles in Utah began in…

The plan for the development of library service for the people of Utah is designed to indicate directions for public library service and to define areas of interaction between all types of libraries in and out of the state. It defines the needs of various groups and areas of the state. It lists goals and objectives to help meet these needs and…

Explores current patterns of recency, structure, intent, scaling, and planning and measurement in state library standards. Ways that four states--Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, and Ohio--have adapted basic standards elements are considered, and issues in linking planning and measurement to standards are discussed. (MES)