Stepping outside the walls of the libraryBroadening our role in supporting academic skills
Monica Crump, NUI Galway
A c a d e m i c & S p e c i a l L i b r a r i e s C o n f e r e n c e , F e b r u a r y 2 6 t h 2 0 1 5
http://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/photo/man-walking-towards-a-beach-high-res-stock-photography/183842323
Libraries:At the centre of intellectual activity
Imperial Library of Constantinople
http://writingisfun-damental.com/tag/imperial-library-of-constantinople/
Google! Competition as the source of knowledge
The original Google storage device –housed in a frame of Lego blocks!
http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.htm
Evolving Roles
• Librarian as Teacher
• Librarian as Knowledge Creator
• Librarian as Publisher
?Have our wider audience kept up with this evolution?
?Do they still know what we do?
Peeking at what’s beyond
http://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/photo/child-peeking-over-a-wall-high-res-stock-photography/98855611
First steps beyond the boundaries
• Academic Writing Centre
• From hosting to service ownership!
Fear and trepidation
http://dreamatico.com/fear.html
A successful marrying of two worlds
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2009/2010 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14
Academic Writing Centre Growth in Uptake
No of visits
No attending workshops
Getting a seat at new tables…
http://www.beleaderly.com/leaderly-quote-dont-seat-table-bring-chair-4/
Time to break down the walls
http://3nter.com/breaking/breaking-down-walls.html
Student Projects Fund
• In order to be considered for funding, the Project must clearly support the Strategic Objectives of the University, be in character in the general student services domain and fall into any or a combination of the following categories:
• Service
• Web-based development
• Equipment
• Building
• Research
Research on Academic Skills Support
• Analysis of what skills students believe they lacked in 1st year and would have valued support with.
• Analysis of what skills academic staff believe 1st year students require for success and which they need support developing.
• Review of skill supports currently available in NUI Galway and staff and student awareness and perceptions of them.
• Report and Recommendations
Eek! What have I done?
http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-and-get-back-to-the-ivory-tower/
Skills Support Services at NUIG
• Academic Writing Centre
• Information Skills Support from Subject Librarians and Information Assistants
• Skills4Study Campus – Online Study Skills Support
• ECDL - Online Training Modules
• SUMS - Support for Undergraduate Maths Students
• ComputerDISC - Computer Programming Drop-in Support Centre
• Disability Support Services – including skills supports that are available to all students
Beyond the walls – and outside the comfort zone!
http://www.travelfranceonline.com/walker-through-walls-in-montmartre-paris/
Survey of Academic Staff
• Measuring awareness and perception of other people’s services!
• Clear we’d hit a nerve!
Long, detailed comments
Clear lack of awareness of many of the services available
• Strong feeling that students’ needed support to develop their academic skills
• Strong message that better integration and sharing of information about the supports available was needed.
Survey of Students
• Once again measuring perceptions of services owned by someone else!
• But again a clear message of support needed by students to develop their skills
• Better awareness amongst students of the supports available, but not necessarily sure that they could avail of them
• Many helpful comments about specific services
Information on Supports Available
• Asking support service owners for information about:
Their services
Level of uptake and demand
Source and level of funding
• Nerve-wracking! But all happy to help!
• Less willing to provide funding information
The value of breaking the boundaries
• Academic Staff Awareness of the supports available for their students
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
SUMS
Academic Writing Centre
Subject Librarians
Skills4Study Campus
ComputerDisc
ECDL Online Training
Staff Awareness
Staff Awareness
Seeing the wider context
• Student Awareness of the supports available to them
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
SUMS
Academic Writing Centre
Subject Librarians
Skills4Study Campus
ComputerDisc
ECDL Online Training
Student Awareness
Student Awareness
Broadening our understanding
• Level of uptake of the various support services in 2013/14
0 4000 8000
SUMS
Academic Writing Centre
Subject Librarians
Skills4Study Campus
ComputerDisc
Support Uptake in 2013/14
Support Uptake in 2013/14