Developing an Assessment Program: From Zero to Sixty

In 2016, the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries created a new position and hired an Assessment Librarian. Five years later, the program is highly agile and supports a larger culture of assessment. This talk will outline the steps, and missteps, as well as the scope of a program that includes an Assessment Advisory Team and multiple sub-teams. The program supports grant applications, IRB submissions, assessment resource recommendations, user engagement, usability and user-experience studies, public service assessment, dashboard development, and continues to expand. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the key steps for implementing a successful program, of the elements of UF’s current assessment program, and of what the horizon looks like as we build infrastructure to support local initiatives. The presenters will utilize interactive technologies to engage the audience in the talk and to share more widely their own institution’s unique assessment path

The development of a menthol solution for use during sport and exercise

Menthol mouth-swilling has been shown to improve performance across differing exercise modalities, yet no work has been conducted to ascertain the preferred concentration of menthol within a swill. Colour has also been shown to influence psychophysiological outcomes, and may influence the efficacy of ergogenic aids. We conducted two experiments: one to ascertain preferred menthol concentration (0.005–0.105% menthol), the second to assess colour preference (Light Blue,Dark Blue, Light Green, Dark Green, Red). Participants rated swills for Smell, Taste, Freshness, Mouth Feel and Irritation (plus Appearance in the second trial) via 15 cm Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), having swilled and expectorated 25 mL of fluid. Both trials employed a crossover design, with tasting order assigned by Latin squares. Differences were assessed for statistical significance (p < 0.05) using one-way repeated measures ANOVAs. Standardised mean differences �90% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the magnitude of any observed differences. No significant differences were found between concentrations for total VAS score, but higher concentrations demonstrated a greater number of small effects. Similarly, no significant differences between colours were found. Small effects were found when Light Green was compared to Dark Green and Red. Effects were trivial when Light Green was compared to Light Blue (0.05 � 0.20) and Dark Blue (0.19 � 0.32). We recommend athletes employ a Light Green or Light Blue 0.1% menthol mouth-swill

Library Renovations and Student Behaviors: A Longitudinal Case Study

Many academic libraries renovate physical spaces to address the needs of the 21st century learner. This study presents the assessment tools used to evaluate the use of space prior to a branch library renovation as well as results of two post-renovation assessments to examine the success of the project. The pre-renovation survey showed that library users desired extended hours of operation, better furniture, more power outlets, more private and group study spaces, better lighting, and more comfort. Both post-renovation survey results indicated an increase in satisfaction of all areas except access to food options and hours of operation

Using Social Networks for Library Funding Advocacy: A Discourse Analysis of the Save the Miami-Dade Public Libraries Facebook Campaign

In July 2013, the social media campaign, Save the Miami-Dade Public Libraries (SMDPL) sought to influence the Miami-Dade Mayor and County Commissioners to reverse proposed budget cuts and maintain existing library funding levels. This study examines the SMDPL campaign by conducting a discourse analysis of the SMDPL Facebook posts and Twitter account @MIALibraries to examine the public value statements and interactive policymaking process using Moore’s Creating Public Value Theory. Information sharing using social network sites can be important sources of the wishes of a community but may not direct the actions of public officials and can become a source of community conflict. While the use of SNS may be disruptive in disseminating or implementing an unpopular policy that is desired by public officials and may be an inefficient way to obtain consensus, the pursuit of social equity may outweigh the potential obstacles and challenges facing public officials navigating social networks.ye

Improving the Enhanced Journal Access through an Academic Library and Publisher Collaboration

In May 2017, the George A. Smathers Libraries (Libraries) at the University of Florida (UF) andElsevier delivered the Phase I findings of a pilot project that aimed to maximize visibility, impact and dissemination of articles by UF researchers who have published in Elsevier journals. Beginning April 2016, the collaboration provided metadata with article links automatically delivered toUF’s Institutional Repository, the IR@UF, in theIR@UF-Elsevier Collection. As of December 31, 2018, links to over 42,000 articles by UF authors published between 1949 and 2018 are available through integration of the IR@UF with theScienceDirect application programming interfaces (APIs) that are freely available to libraries. Access to full-text articles on ScienceDirect written by UF authors is available for all UF institutional repository users who are affiliated with a ScienceDirect subscribing institution

Studying the Night Shift: A Multi-method Analysis of Overnight Academic Library Users

Abstract Objective – This paper reports on a study which assessed the preferences and behaviors of overnight library users at a major state university. The findings were used to guide the design and improvement of overnight library resources and services, and the selection of a future overnight library site. Methods – A multi-method design used descriptive and correlational statistics to analyze data produced by a multi-sample survey of overnight library users. These statistical methods included rankings, percentages, and multiple regression. Results – Results showed a strong consistency across statistical methods and samples. Overnight library users consistently prioritized facilities like power outlets for electronic devices, and group and quiet study spaces, and placed far less emphasis on assistance from library staff. Conclusions – By employing more advanced statistical and sampling procedures than had been found in previous research, this paper strengthens the validity of findings on overnight user preferences and behaviors. The multi-method research design can also serve to guide future work in this area

Academic Library and Publisher Collaboration: Utilizing an Institutional Repository to Maximize the Visibility and Impact of Articles by University Authors

The George A. Smathers Libraries (Libraries) (http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/) at the University of Florida (UF) (http://www.ufl.edu/) and Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com) have embarked on a pilot project to maximize visibility, impact, and dissemination of articles by UF researchers who have published in Elsevier journals. Article links and metadata are automatically delivered to UF’s Institutional Repository, the IR@UF (http://ufdc.ufl.edu/ir), in the IR@UF-Elsevier Collection (http://ufdc.ufl.edu/ielsevier). The metadata, with links for approximately 31,000 articles by UF authors, is made possible through integration of the IR@UF with the ScienceDirect application programming interfaces (APIs) (https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/sciencedirect/support/institutional-repository) that are freely available to libraries. Access to the full text on ScienceDirect is available for all institutional repository users affiliated with a subscribing institution. In the next phase users without subscriptions will be able to access the manuscripts of articles published from 2013 forward. This will be done by embedding metadata and links to accepted manuscripts available on ScienceDirect into the IR@UF. We will conduct user and usability testing of this cross-platform user experience. This article provides an overview of the project’s current status, how it works, what it delivers, and next steps expanding the project to include articles by UF authors from other publishers. It concludes with strategic considerations, future developments, and reflections on the value of library/publisher collaboration

Mapping aerial metal deposition in metropolitan areas from tree bark : a case study in Sheffield, England

We investigated the use of metals accumulated on tree bark for mapping their deposition across metropolitan Sheffield by sampling 642 trees of three common species. Mean concentrations of metals were generally an order of magnitude greater than in samples from a remote uncontaminated site. We found trivially small differences among tree species with respect to metal concentrations on bark, and in subsequent statistical analyses did not discriminate between them. We mapped the concentrations of As, Cd and Ni by lognormal universal kriging using parameters estimated by residual maximum likelihood ({\sc reml}). The concentrations of Ni and Cd were greatest close to a large steel works, their probable source, and declined markedly within 500~metres of it and from there more gradually over several kilometres. Arsenic was much more evenly distributed, probably as a result of locally mined coal burned in domestic fires for many years. Tree bark seems to integrate airborne pollution over time, and our findings show that sampling and analysing it are cost-effective means of mapping and identifying sources