ACRL Assessment Discussion Group

  • Private Community
 View Only
last person joined: 4 days ago 

Charge: To provide a forum for assessment librarians – and those with responsibility for, and interest in, library assessment – to discuss methods, training, results, impact, institutional needs and challenges, and seek solutions to common problems faced by the library assessment community.
Community members can post as a new Discussion or email ALA-acrlassessdg@ConnectedCommunity.org
Before you post: please note job postings are prohibited on ALA Connect. Please see the Code of Conduct for more information.

  • 1.  January Discussion Topic: Advisory Groups

    Posted Jan 09, 2023 10:58 AM
    Hello! As one of your new co-conveners (along with Megan Hodge and Susanna Cowan), I'd like to welcome you to a new year with the Assessment Discussion Group. Starting this month, we will have a monthly discussion topic to try and keep the group a bit more active. This is not intended to limit conversation to the monthly topic - please continue to post/share any topics that come up organically as well!

    For January, our topic will be Advisory Groups. 
    • Does your library use an Advisory Group of any sort? If so, can you share some details about your group?
    • What has worked well / fallen flat?
    • What do you see as the main benefits of having an Advisory Group?
    • If you do not use an Advisory Group, or have disbanded yours, what other ways do you get feedback from patrons?


    ------------------------------
    Anita Hall
    Assessment & Analytics Librarian
    University of Louisville
    She/Her/Hers
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: January Discussion Topic: Advisory Groups

    Posted Jan 20, 2023 02:09 PM
    I guess I should actually get things started on the topic :)

    • Does your library use an Advisory Group of any sort? If so, can you share some details about your group? Yes, we have a Student Advisory Board, a Faculty Advisory Board, and an advisory board for our Institutional Repository. I oversee the Student group, which we've recently expanded to include graduate students. We meet 2-3 times per semester and I try to plan a mix of discussion and interactive feedback opportunities.
    • What has worked well / fallen flat? Meetings that are nothing but discussion tend to be more difficult, particularly when we were meeting virtually during the pandemic. The students really respond to being able to see physical spaces in the libraries, or talk about things like furniture and lighting. 
    • What do you see as the main benefits of having an Advisory Group? For me, I really enjoy getting to know & work with the students since otherwise I tend to be in my office looking at data a lot of the time. For the libraries, it gives us more in-depth feedback than we can get from surveys (which seem to always be getting lower response rates) and the opportunity to get non-verbal feedback. 
    • If you do not use an Advisory Group, or have disbanded yours, what other ways do you get feedback from patrons? I am really interested in hearing about this from anyone who doesn't have a group!


    ------------------------------
    Anita Hall
    Assessment & Analytics Librarian
    University of Louisville
    She/Her/Hers
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: January Discussion Topic: Advisory Groups

    Posted Jan 20, 2023 02:31 PM
    Hi Anita,
    I've been involved in trying to have a Student Advisory Group for our Library at the University of Delaware three different times over the span of 6-7 years (last time being 2019, I think). None of them were successful. 
    1. We were given a list of campus leaders to participate and surveyed them as to the best times of the week for the group to meet, was hoping for quarterly meetings, but no one showed. This one was focused on space and the website and we had a formal invitee/attendee list.  We had specific topics we wanted to have input on and agendas focused on exercises for this input, such as a tour, picking out sample furniture, etc. Attendance was an issue so it fell flat.
    2. We decided to open it to all students, but promoted especially to our student assistants. The meeting format was more of an open forum with some directed questions from us to get the discussion going. The most active attendees were student assistants, but even when we had 10 RSVP that they would attend, 3 would show up and then the next meeting was different (with different attendees). We offered pizza and drinks based on the RSVP list.
    3. We had a student assistant lead the formation and moderation of the group. Started with a student survey (with a gift card raffle) and then invite to the group based on what the students replied (such as, having food at the meeting is a plus and having students create the agenda is good). I thought that there was more support this time around, but when it came to the meeting, the same thing happened, 2 or 3 attendees and no continuity.
    Overall, the jest I got was that students didn't have time for yet another thing and being on this Advisory Group was just not enough of a boost for their resumes. The students most involved are the ones that are most involved all over campus or those who are existing student assistants. The main benefit to having a group like this is having the student voice and allowing them to make grass roots efforts on behalf of the Library and being advocates for the Library on campus. 

    Since it didn't work out, I concentrate more on partnering with existing student groups on campus and asking for input during their meetings. It is difficult to get on their agendas, but usually if it is space-related or if there is a huge change coming (say to Library hours) than we can get an audience with the student government association, grad student council, etc. We also make sure to meet with the editor of the student newspaper on campus every year so that they know our priorities and know that we are open to hearing and being able to respond to feedback before it goes live in the paper...
    Hope this helps! Glad that your group is working out so far!

    Shelly McCoy

    Associate University Librarian for Public Services and Space Planning

    University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press

    302-831-6363  |  610-329-9328 (for urgent matters)



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: January Discussion Topic: Advisory Groups

    Posted Jan 22, 2023 07:21 AM
    Hi Anita,

    Great question- back in 2013 when I worked at the University of Rochester, I worked with our Dean to form a student advisory board. The class officers for the senior year class were the core members (a role they agreed to). I worked with them to publicize each of the 3 meetings during the semester. Most of the topics were on space planning but we also talked about their needs during finals and the things like the hours the building was open. We served dinner and would regularly get 10 or more students. 

    I found it a valuable way to get student input and to connect with them.

    Thanks and good luck!
    Lori Birrell
    Director of Special Collections and Museums
    University of Delaware



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: January Discussion Topic: Advisory Groups

    Posted Jan 23, 2023 07:05 AM
    • Does your library use an Advisory Group of any sort? If so, can you share some details about your group?
      • We started on in the fall of 2019.  It was helpful at time for a renovation project we have in the libraries. Undergraduate and graduate students had great feedback for this project. 
      • Students were asked to apply . We accepted nearly everyone, about 20 students. I think we met twice, once in the fall and again spring  2020 (before lockdowns). Food was provided both times. 
      • We haven't meet since; we're hoping to revive it in the near future.  
    • What has worked well / fallen flat?
      • We had specific feedback we were looking for and since lockdowns, it hasn't been a priority. 
    • What do you see as the main benefits of having an Advisory Group?
      • It was super helpful for the renovation project.  I'd like to see it help give some direction for workshops / programs. 
    • If you do not use an Advisory Group, or have disbanded yours, what other ways do you get feedback from patrons?
      • I'd say right now a lot of feedback is anecdotal. We're looking to have some surveys via qr codes near our busy areas. I'd also like to partner / meet with some student groups. 


    ------------------------------
    Megan Benson
    Instructional Outreach Librarian
    Binghamton University Libraries
    She/Her/Hers
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: January Discussion Topic: Advisory Groups

    Posted Jan 24, 2023 08:43 AM
    Hi Anita et al,

    For January, our topic will be Advisory Groups.
    • Does your library use an Advisory Group of any sort? 
      • I've been involved in student advisory groups for the past 10 years at my library. Beginning about 5 years ago we combined our graduate and undergraduate councils into one. We recruit at the beginning of the semester and generally accept all who apply. We usually have 20-25 members, with many returning from previous years. We meet twice per semester and usually have 8-12 members attend. We feed them lunch/dinner. Though we met virtually the past 2 years during Covid. 
    • What has worked well / fallen flat?
      • We ask Student Government and the Graduate Student Association to appoint a member of their cabinet. This has been effective because they are generally active in soliciting feedback from their constituents and communicating that to us. This year we wrote to about 20 student organizations on campus and asked them to send a member of their group (multicultural student association, interfaternity council, student veterans, etc) and we seem to have a more diverse group. We always highlight an area of the library for about 20 minutes of the 75 minute meeting (special collections, technology lounge, ask-a-librarian services, etc) with Q&A and then we talk about news from the library and open the floor for suggestions/questions. The students like learning about different areas and they always have questions/suggestions. This year we focused on library communications, DEI initiatives, printing.  Sending out mutiple dates to see when the majority are availalbe works well to make sure we have a good turnout. We always have a set of questions prepared to get the conversation going. We have to be cognizant that their opinions are not necessarily representative of all students but it is good to hear their points of view.
    • What do you see as the main benefits of having an Advisory Group?
      • Great connection between administration and students. I attend every meeting and the Dean attends at least one. We just interviewed for a new dean and members of the council participated in interviews. They have also written letters in support of funding for library projects such as renovation of seating areas. They are good advocates for the library in their circles.
    • If you do not use an Advisory Group, or have disbanded yours, what other ways do you get feedback from patrons?
    Great to see others responses. We are always trying new things to improve the council. 

    Beki Gettys
    Associate Dean for Public Services
    University of South Carolina Libraries
    she/her/hers

    ------------------------------
    Rebecca Gettys
    Associate Dean
    University of South Carolina
    ------------------------------

    Original Message