Columbia University Libraries: Butler Library’s Media Center and Digital Humanities Center

Bethany EdwardsLIS 698-01: PracticumDean Giannini

*Caution: Large-Scale Projects at Work

*Interning at Butler Library

*1) Kim’s Video DVD donation

*2) Reference Desk

*3) Digital Humanities Center

*Kim’s Video DVD’s

*Cataloging system: Voyager*Fairly straightforward

copy cataloging*Some foreign films

required some detective skills

*Russian characters for “English subtitles”

*The Reference Desk

*Sunday afternoons*“This is due on Monday.”*Advanced research

questions*Lots of questions about

technology and the library’s online tools.*CLIO*Subject Guides*Printer Privileges?

*Digital Humanities Center

*Official Practicum Project

*Bob Scott, Director

*DHC is in conversation with Digital Science Center and Digital Social Science Center

*Planned future expansion

*DHC: “New in 2012”

*DSC and DSSC have been renovated in the past few years*DHC has been told they will get a

renovation and an additional space *Assessment of current DHC is planned

before renovation/expansion—data driven improvements*Issues: Delays, no assessment librarian

*DHC: New Space

*Literature review

*Open questions about use of space will be included in faculty focus group sessions

*Unique nature of the space presents challenges

*DHC: Focus Groups

*Focus on faculty: Database

*Focus on process: Best practices in conducting focus groups in libraries

*Focus on action: Questions, notices, meetings

*Focus on the future: Work in progress

*Digital Tools

*Filemaker Pro*RefWorks*Google docs*Familiarity with DHC’s tools

*ABBYY Fine Reader*Adobe Suite*Nvivo 9*Arc, Google Earth*SPSS

*Findings

*Based on previous assessment results, DHC is on the right track in terms of gathering and interpreting data.*Staff associated with DHC are very enthusiastic*Lack of an assessment librarian (or someone in a

similar role) made the smallest steps more difficult*“Intern” status has prevented useful interaction

with the IRB*Why hasn’t focus group happened yet?

*Faculty seem to respect the DHC and digital scholarship*Main barrier is time and resources*DHC director , steering committee, and faculty selected

for focus groups have limited time