Standard 5.B.3 – Information Resources and Services

5.B.3 Policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of information resources, in all formats, are documented, updated, and made available to the institution’s constituents.

Before commenting on this indicator, view these items.
1. All of the library’s policies are available on the website. Each is a detailed policy.
2. Please take special note of the Collection Management Policy, updated at least every 3 years.
3. All library procedures are documented and constantly revised in the Library Operations Manual. (view Table of Contents) The manual is in print form at the front desk and in electronic form on one of the shared drives.

Standard 5.B.2 – Information Resources and Services

Indicator: 5.B.2 Library and information resources and services contribute to developing the ability of students, faculty, and staff to use the resources independently and effectively.

Before commenting on this indicator, view the following items to gain an understanding of what the library does do to help users develop the skills to use the library and its resources.
1. Direct instruction of students, with stated learning outcomes, integrated into the curriculum by request of faculty. On average, each semester over 25% of students (FTE) receive classroom integrated library instruction.
2. Students instructed and assisted at the Reference/Front Desk.
3. Online orientation for students and for faculty on library resources and services.
4. Library website, especially homepage, using the library, and information for faculty.
5. Webpages of research tips, course specific guides, database tutorials and Book a Librarian service.
6. Participation in new student orientation.
7. Library brochure and various handouts on using databases or organizing research.

Some of the things that we are not doing or are not doing well are:
Could offer more formalized research instruction in the form of a class or workshops.(am working with Gen Ed. Dept. on this)
1. Signage in the library directing users to resources and services could be improved.
2. We have only conducted a few workshops for faculty over the past several years.
3. Brochure needs updating and improvement.
4. Need more handouts and need to organize and display them more attractively.
5. No designated computer for the catalog.
6. Participation in adjunct orientation has been suspended.
7. More ideas . . . .?

Standard 5.B.1 – Information Resources and Services

We are now moving on to a new element and will examine the first of five indicators for this element.

Standard 5.B – Information Resources and Services
ELEMENT STATEMENT: Information resources and services are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currency to support the institution’s curricular offerings.

Indicator 5.B.1 Equipment and materials are selected, acquired, organized, and maintained to support the educational program.

This first indicator is fairly concrete and addresses a lot of the nitty gritty of library operations. Here are some links to information on how the library selects information in response to our educational programs -- Expenditures by Program , Expenditures by Faculty Request, Library Collection by Program, and Collection Development Using Recommended Lists. For information on how the library organizes information, see our catalog and our Online Databases. And review our Schedule of Consulting with Faculty, Currency of Collection by Year of Purchase, Additions and Withdrawls, and Nursing Inventory 2008 to see how we maintain the currency of the collection. Use all this information to comment on how the library does or does not meet this indicator, including any suggestions for improvement or any questions you would like to ask.

One housekeeping note: please make your comments under this post so we can keep our conversation "retraceable."

Standard 5.C.2 – Facilities and Access

Here is our second indicator. Use what you have observed to comment on how the library does or does not meet this indicator, including any suggestions for improvement or any questions you would like to ask. To get you thinking about this indicator, I suggest you explore the library’s web pages on Other Libraries, ILL, Book and Media Catalog, and Online Databases.

Standard 5.C.2 – Facilities and Access
5.C.2 In cases of cooperative arrangements with other library and information resources, formal documented agreements are established. These cooperative relationships and externally provided information sources complement rather than substitute for the institution’s own adequate and accessible core collection and services.

Standard 5.C.1 – Facilities and Access

Standard Five is broken down into five elements (A. Purpose and Scope; B. Information Resources and Services; C. Facilities and Access; D. Personnel and Management; and E. Planning and Evaluation.) Each element has between two and six indicators, resulting in a total of nineteen indicators. We will begin with Element C, Facilities and Access. Here is our first indicator. Use what you have observed to comment on how the library does or does not meet this indicator, including any suggestions for improvement or any questions you would like to ask.



ELEMENT STATEMENT: The institution provides adequate facilities for library and information resources, equipment, and personnel. These resources, including collections, are readily available for use by the institution’s students, faculty, and staff on the primary campus and where required off-campus.



Indicator: 5.C.1 Library and information resources are readily accessible to all students and faculty. These resources and services are sufficient in quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency to meet the requirements of the educational program.

Beginnings

This blog will be our committee's forum to examine our college's library and information services, using the indicators set out in Standard Five of the NWCCU Accreditation Handbook, 2003 edition. Each week we will examine and discuss one indicator, answering the following:

1. what are we doing well
2. what are we not doing so well
3. what can we do to improve this shortcoming
4. when can we accomplish this

Let's have some fun and learn at the same time!

For future reference, here are the items we reviewed at our first meeting:

Library from a Student's Perspective
Library Functions and Processes
Library Annual Report FY 2008