Meeting Students Where They AreEmily BolesWaheedah BilalStephen SmithTim Salm

Waheedah & Stephen

UIS Online Fast Facts

In the Fall 2009 semester:

Students living in 47 states and 9 foreign countries studied online

50.4% of all UIS students took at least one online class

35.7% of online majors pursued UIS degrees from other states or outside the country

More than 150 faculty members taught online

Average age of our online students – grad and undergrad - mid-30s

30.1% of all credit hours were generated online

The Challenge

UIS has many online students -- and on campus students who prefer to work online.

To serve these students, Brookens Library provides a multitude of online journals, e-books, reference tools, and videos.

Students still search Google (and other search engines) first.

Our Approach

Library tab in Blackboard since 2002– Tutorials and links to the multitude of

online/digital resources– It is convenient for students prone to using the

library, but doesn’t draw in students looking for “quick and easy” results.

Add a Simple Search tool.

Create custom resources for disciplines and courses.

Embed librarians in courses to answer student questions.

Putting the Library in the LMS

http://et-web.uis.edu/library/aboutus/circulation/online.php

A Simpler Way to Search

Easy Search is a search and discovery tool that allows users to simultaneously search more than one database while providing interactive retrieval techniques to users.

It is sometimes called a federated, or mega, search tool.

Easy Search was designed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

http://uislib1.uis.edu/easysearch/searchassist.asp

What Easy Search Gathers…

Includes many of our general databases and resources

It is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to offer a starting point for online discovery.

Targeted to undergrads– they don’t need to know all the databases, which

to go to– gives them one stop shopping (like Google) but

with more reliable results

Easy Search offers 2 search strategies

1. Primary search is on "multi-subject resources"

2. Select databases grouped together by subject or discipline

Easy to Use as 1 - 2 - 3

1. Choose a category in Choose Search Options.

2. Enter Search Terms in the box provided.

3. Click Perform Search.

Features

Direct Link Capability (the user does not need to reenter the search)– incorporates the Google spell checker as "Do you

mean...."

Bookmarks to many services

Second level choice to redo initial keyword search as author search or title search

Provides normalization of author headings as search terms (last, first switch…)

Will search for partial matches (it will truncate and give all permutations)

Integrates robust facets to limit the “too many, too few” results issue (facets include: types of material, geographic areas, publication dates)

User Search Behaviors with Easy Search

1. Research at UIUC suggests that a broad continuum of searches is being performed1. From general topic searches <----> specific item2. Like how we all use google

2. Interactive Search Assistance is being utilized– Spell suggestions are important (affects the

10% of initial input errors)

Sample Discovery Searches

1. Multi-Subject Resources search for stone circles 1. click on full text (Direct Link capability- the user does not need to

reenter the search)

2. Incorporates the interactive Google spell checker as "Do you mean...." (stone cirles); (redo search: stone cirles >click on text suggestion; then Choose a Bookmark Service (Facebook; LinkedIn; Delicious; MySpace; Diigo)

3. Enter a name directly: Jane Austen second level choice to redo initial keyword search as author search or title search– provides normalization of author headings as search terms– yes; academic search premier; click on full text

4. Uses Standard search limiters (like Google) Search "online learning" (use double quotes for exact phrase);

click on full text Use asterisk for truncation: environ* (for environs, environment,

environmental) Will search for partial matches: enter IEE, will find IEEE

Putting Librarians in the LMS

About LibGuides

Currently 946 institutions using them

Incredibly user friendly

Need no previous web design experience to develop pages and make them appealing and informative

Enough variety in functions to attract faculty and students

Enormous support from the vendor (Springshare) and through the academic library community

Extremely useful for both on-campus and online users, for a link may be placed within the course management system

The LibGuide Community

LibGuides Blog

At UIS

Other Applications

For Support

Library Tutorials for Specific Courses

http://webcast2.uis.edu/multimedia/cmross1/CRJ315/CRJ315.htm

Sample Embedded Librarian Page

http://otel.uis.edu/library/demo2.html

Resources

Free, David. 2009. In the news. College & Research Libraries News 70, (8) (09): 433-, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=44337291&site=ehost-live.

Harris, Laura, Julie Garrison, and Emily Frigo. 2009. At the crossroads: Bringing the tenure and promotion process into the digital age. College & Research Libraries News 70, (8) (09): 465-8, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=44337307&site=ehost-live.

Judd, Cindy, and Nicole Masica Montgomery. 2009. Libguides and librarians: Connecting content and community. Kentucky Libraries 73, (3) (Summer2009): 14-7, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=43406684&site=ehost-live.

Kerico, Juliet, and Diane Hudson. 2008. Using libguides for outreach to the disciplines. Indiana Libraries 27, (2) (07): 40-2, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=35344311&site=ehost-live.

Moses, Donald, and Jennifer Richard. 2008. Solutions for subject guides. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library & Information Practice & Research 3, (2) (07): 1-9, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=36267044&site=ehost-live.