Mongolian Libraries Assessment: A Collaboration Between Western Washington University and the American Center for Mongolian Studies

In November, 2015, Western Washington University (WWU) librarians Jenny Oleen and Gabe Gossett, the authors of this report, were invited to visit Ulaanbaatar in order to do a preliminary assessment of library services in the area and participate in a conference. The assessment was supported by the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) and WWU with the purpose of identifying ways in which there could be improved collaboration and development between Mongolian libraries, ACMS, and WWU (Western Libraries in particular). The librarians made numerous site visits over a two week period in Ulaanbaatar and the surrounding area to gather information about library facilities, collections, services, and, most importantly, their development goals in order to meet the information needs of Mongolians in the 21st Century. Near the end of their stay the librarians took part in a conference, hosted and co-sponsored by the Mongolian National University of Education, with over 200 library participants. This report includes an overview discussing general themes, a narrative describing issues and areas for development identified during library site visits and conference, and recommendations for partnerships

Implementing Reference Statistics Collection Software at Multiple Library Service Points

Purpose– The purpose of this article is to explore the process of implementing LibAnswers, a reference statistics collection and analysis software, at multiple service points in an academic library and to outline the benefits of the process. Design/methodology/approach– The article outlines the process used to implement a statistics software, including initial testing, development of categories and terms used to define the question types, and training of library staff. Findings– Implementing a statistics program at multiple service points takes flexibility and patience. The biggest challenge faced was developing common terms to define what each desk did and how the statistics would be used. While this process was useful for implementing the software, it also resulted in unexpected organizational development opportunity as it allowed others to see and better understand the functions of different service points. A total commitment to the new program developed through training and the experiences of those who had used LibAnswers during a test period. Practical implications– LibAnswers, and similar statistics collection programs, are fairly new applications in the library field. While they have multiple uses for expanding and simplifying the collection of reference statistics, this article demonstrates that while implementing statistics software across multiple service points can be difficult, the process of putting it in place can produce numerous benefits. Originality/value– Much has been written on the implementation of reference statistics, but little has been written in detail about developing a library-wide statistics program. This article fills some of the gaps