5.D.5 The institution consults library and information resources staff in curriculum development.
From fall 2002 through spring 2004, the Librarian served on the Academic Affairs Committee, the committee charged with curriculum review and development. With the creation of Faculty Senate, this institutional function transferred to ASCR Committee (Academic Standards and Curriculum Review) in fall 2006. In fall 2008 (10/21/08), Faculty Senate Bylaws were amended to include the librarian as a voting member of ASCR.
As a recently added participant on this committee, the librarian has provided a reporting of our existing collections when new courses have been proposed to ASCR. This reporting should probably be formalized into a regular review component of any curriculum additions or revisions.
To those of you with more history, especially faculty, does this sound correct?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Standard 5.D.4 – Personnel and Management
5.D.4 Library and information resources and services are organized to support the accomplishment of institutional mission and goals. Organizational arrangements recognize the need for service linkage among complementary resource bases (e.g., libraries, computing facilities, instructional media and telecommunication centers)
HELP! I really need some help input and perspective on this one. I think they may be referring to our place in the organizational chart of the institution, and indeed we have been recently realigned with the Academic Affairs Department, which makes more sense than being in Student Services, as our mission is primarily academically focused and is heavily dependent on developing cooperation with faculty. Most of our institutional collaboration is with faculty, though we interact with every area from Maintenance to Financial Aid.
However we do stay involved and aware of what is happening in Student Services. Mary Ann attends their weekly meetings, often volunteers for projects, and is even the co-chair of the self study committee of this area of the college.
As for IT (instructional media, computing facilities) there are no formal organizational linkages, though we work closely with them on several services –providing laptops to adjuncts, etc.
What do you think we need to address with respect to this indicator?
HELP! I really need some help input and perspective on this one. I think they may be referring to our place in the organizational chart of the institution, and indeed we have been recently realigned with the Academic Affairs Department, which makes more sense than being in Student Services, as our mission is primarily academically focused and is heavily dependent on developing cooperation with faculty. Most of our institutional collaboration is with faculty, though we interact with every area from Maintenance to Financial Aid.
However we do stay involved and aware of what is happening in Student Services. Mary Ann attends their weekly meetings, often volunteers for projects, and is even the co-chair of the self study committee of this area of the college.
As for IT (instructional media, computing facilities) there are no formal organizational linkages, though we work closely with them on several services –providing laptops to adjuncts, etc.
What do you think we need to address with respect to this indicator?
Friday, February 13, 2009
Standard 5.D.3 – Personnel and Management
5.D.3 The institution provides opportunities for professional growth for library and information resources professional staff.
While funds for continuing education and travel have been limited, we are in the fortunate position of being in the state capital and many professional activities are hosted in Helena. In addition, the Montana State Library is very proactive in bringing educational workshops into the state. Consequently, both the professional and technical staff has been able to attend numerous educational activities.
Commitment to involvement in professional organizations has been hampered both by the lack of budget for travel and the need to be on campus to staff the library. The librarian does attend a roundtable meeting of state agency librarians several times a year and meets with an advisory committee of peers at least once a year. Recent allocations for professional development at the institutional level have provided that in spring 2009 the librarian will attend a national conference for the first time.
While funds for continuing education and travel have been limited, we are in the fortunate position of being in the state capital and many professional activities are hosted in Helena. In addition, the Montana State Library is very proactive in bringing educational workshops into the state. Consequently, both the professional and technical staff has been able to attend numerous educational activities.
Commitment to involvement in professional organizations has been hampered both by the lack of budget for travel and the need to be on campus to staff the library. The librarian does attend a roundtable meeting of state agency librarians several times a year and meets with an advisory committee of peers at least once a year. Recent allocations for professional development at the institutional level have provided that in spring 2009 the librarian will attend a national conference for the first time.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Drafting Our Report
Hello all -- Sorry for all the communications, but chipping away at this a little at a time will be more effective and less painful in the long run.
We need to begin drafting the narrative report which summarizes our discussions and findings on each indicator. Mike and I have come up with a plan. As co-chairs, he and I will meet every Monday at 3 pm (not Feb 16, March 16, March 23). We will let you know beforehand which indicator we are drafting. You are welcome to attend or to send bullets or notes on what you feel needs to be emphasized. We will take the blog entries, the documentation, and any other comments we receive and draft a mini “chapter” for that indicator. Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions on this process. And thanks for all the great discussion and comments. Keep it coming!
We need to begin drafting the narrative report which summarizes our discussions and findings on each indicator. Mike and I have come up with a plan. As co-chairs, he and I will meet every Monday at 3 pm (not Feb 16, March 16, March 23). We will let you know beforehand which indicator we are drafting. You are welcome to attend or to send bullets or notes on what you feel needs to be emphasized. We will take the blog entries, the documentation, and any other comments we receive and draft a mini “chapter” for that indicator. Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions on this process. And thanks for all the great discussion and comments. Keep it coming!
Standard 5.D.2 – Personnel and Management
5.D.2 Library and information resources staff include qualified professional and technical support staff, with required specific competencies, whose responsibilities are clearly defined.
This indicator examines the specific positions and individuals that staff the library. For an overview of library staffing and responsibilities, view this staffing summary. The librarian, library assistant, and work study students all have job descriptions.
The librarian has a Master of Arts in Library Science from the University of Iowa (an ALA accredited library program), has been credentialed at the Distinguished Member level by the Academy of Health Information Professionals of the Medical Library Association, and has over 30 years of professional experience in academic, public, school, and special libraries. (vita)
The library assistant has a Master of Science Degree in Education, has three years of library experience, and is in the process of pursuing Level 3 library certification from the Montana Certification Program of the Montana State Library Commission.
The work study students receive an initial orientation, are provided a Work Study Resource Manual, and receive training sessions and memos on an ongoing basis as needed.
This indicator examines the specific positions and individuals that staff the library. For an overview of library staffing and responsibilities, view this staffing summary. The librarian, library assistant, and work study students all have job descriptions.
The librarian has a Master of Arts in Library Science from the University of Iowa (an ALA accredited library program), has been credentialed at the Distinguished Member level by the Academy of Health Information Professionals of the Medical Library Association, and has over 30 years of professional experience in academic, public, school, and special libraries. (vita)
The library assistant has a Master of Science Degree in Education, has three years of library experience, and is in the process of pursuing Level 3 library certification from the Montana Certification Program of the Montana State Library Commission.
The work study students receive an initial orientation, are provided a Work Study Resource Manual, and receive training sessions and memos on an ongoing basis as needed.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Standard 5.D.1 – Personnel and Management
Standard 5.D – Personnel and Management
Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.
The important parts of this element statement stress that the library 1) has enough staff and 2) the staff are qualified to do the work they are doing – which is both 3) developing the resources and 4) helping people to access and use those resources. Hopefully as we explore these next six indicators, we will answer these questions for our college’s library. Here is the first indicator.
5.D.1 The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.
Do we have enough staff? There really is no way to sugar coat the findings in this indicator. Library staffing is less per hour open than any other office at this college that directly serves students. We rely heavily on work study student to maintain hours of operation that include morning, afternoon and evening hours. I believe we are the only college area that is frequently staffed solely by a work study employee, even during the daytime hours. (see sample schedule) This keeps the doors open, but does not provide qualified assistance to users of the library and its resources. In addition, staffing does not allow for weekend hours, for service at the Airport Campus, or for a well developed library/research skills instruction program. A comparison of library staffing at similar 2 year colleges in our region indicates that our staffing, even with our student workers factored in, is low.
Personnel are adequate in number and in areas of expertise to provide services in the development and use of library and information resources.
The important parts of this element statement stress that the library 1) has enough staff and 2) the staff are qualified to do the work they are doing – which is both 3) developing the resources and 4) helping people to access and use those resources. Hopefully as we explore these next six indicators, we will answer these questions for our college’s library. Here is the first indicator.
5.D.1 The institution employs a sufficient number of library and information resources staff to provide assistance to users of the library and to students at other learning resources sites.
Do we have enough staff? There really is no way to sugar coat the findings in this indicator. Library staffing is less per hour open than any other office at this college that directly serves students. We rely heavily on work study student to maintain hours of operation that include morning, afternoon and evening hours. I believe we are the only college area that is frequently staffed solely by a work study employee, even during the daytime hours. (see sample schedule) This keeps the doors open, but does not provide qualified assistance to users of the library and its resources. In addition, staffing does not allow for weekend hours, for service at the Airport Campus, or for a well developed library/research skills instruction program. A comparison of library staffing at similar 2 year colleges in our region indicates that our staffing, even with our student workers factored in, is low.
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