Extension Education: How do we learn best?

Due to the rise of new educational methods, one may begin to wonder, what is the best way to learn information? Can these new methods truly replace traditional methods? This experiment evaluated the effectiveness of an infographic to a text based on amount of information retained and personal preference. This study also examines if professional status has an effect on information retention. In order to answer these questions, subjects were given a copy of an infographic and a journal article covering the same information. The subjects were then given 5 minutes to look over both materials and to answer four comprehensive questions. After completing this portion, the subjects were then asked to complete a survey analyzing the effectiveness of the methods and their personal preferences. The results yielded that an infographic is a better than a journal article for distributing information to both students and extension personnel

Training and Development of Library Employees in Research Data Management

Providing services to faculty and researchers throughout the data life cycle has become an important aspect for many libraries worldwide. Considering the complexity of data management, providing these services can appear daunting. Data services worldwide have matured steadily over the past five years and the United States is only catching up. Learning about the information and services available through other institutions allows libraries to develop referral services that make effective use of current personnel. A model for training and development of library employees was created at the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah that prepared librarians to provide successful referral services. The training model develops new skills and tools for current personnel, which takes into account an ever-shrinking personnel and resource budget requiring the library to do more without adding more people. This training model resulted in an effective, low cost means for providing the necessary services, resources, and outreach to campus faculty and researchers to help them with their ever-growing need for assistance with data management

Change Management in Libraries: An Essential Competency for Leadership

In this era of shrinking budgets and advancing technology, libraries inevitably need to change to keep up with the times. This is especially true in regards to changes in the Information Technology (IT) services provided by libraries. Some traditional services are no longer used and others must be rearranged so that the library remains a vital component of the campus. Reorganization of personnel often takes place to accommodate these changes. Organizational change may initially appear overwhelming, especially if it involves many people with strongly held opinions and beliefs about maintaining traditional library services. However, a structured process, transparency, and effective communication can assist in making the change easier and the implementation smoother. A process pulled from established literature on change management was used in a reorganization of IT personnel at the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah, which provided all three ingredients with great success. A review of successes and suggested improvements are explored

Picking up the Pieces: Managing People during and after a Reorganization

Libraries need to change rapidly in response to advances in technology, expectations of users, funding, and other pressures from both inside and outside the library. Often library administration/management reorganizes personnel, duties, and departments to accomplish new goals and to shift focus of library services. Both during and after a reorganization, employees respond to the changes in a wide variety of ways, ranging from acceptance and positivity to anger and resistance. Fortunately, administrators and managers have a variety of tools available to help employees deal with change and to move them toward success. There are many books and articles on the art of implementing and managing change, dealing with resistance to change, and having difficult conversations with those affected and disaffected by change. This article will explore the application of these various tools, including examples that illustrate how any manager or supervisor can use them immediately without extra costs or resources

e-Science and data support services: a survey of ARL members

After working for several years to promote research library support for e-science and e-research, the Association of Research Libraries E-science Working Group surveyed member libraries in the Fall of 2009 to gather data on the state of engagement with e-science issues. ARL members include the largest research libraries in the US and Canada and collectively support a substantial proportion of the North American research enterprise. The survey provides a current snapshot of data curation and e-science support activities, documenting a range of approaches and strategies evolving at research institutions and among research libraries. The research libraries reported on widespread planning and development at their institutions and described a variety of models for service provision and infrastructure development. Library engagement in data curation was also common. Respondents provided information on library services, organizational structures, staffing patterns and staff development, and involvement in research grants, along with perspectives on pressure points for service development

René d'Harnoncourt and the Art of Installation

Review of René d'Harnoncourt and the Art of Installation, Reviewed January 2019 by Kenneth Soehner, Arthur K. Watson Chief Librarian, Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, [email protected]

One Library’s Successful Venture in Providing Comprehensive Streaming Media Services

Thoroughly understanding what professors and instructors needed to accomplish their teaching goals with streaming video was the first step enabling one academic library to successfully manage a rapid increase in demand for streaming media. The second element was incorporating an expert understanding of copyright law and the nature of the video marketplace. This paper will strive to educate librarians and other professional library staff on how they can best integrate media streaming into mainstream library services for their campus faculty, as well as how to provide a full range of streaming services. The paper also will address workflow, communication with faculty, budget and license negotiations, copyright principles, fair use, and content delivery