Announcements/Updates -15 minutes* A Google software engineer will be giving an Intro to the Google API and KML presentation today in the DIRC at 5pm, which will be recorded.
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-Possible new way of creating subject pages- Remlee and Nicole have been testing a new way of creating subject guides. Remlee will show us and ask for feedback. -15 minutes* *Library guides editor option: http://libguides.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org*
- They are testing this site as a possible new solution for creating and maintaining subject guides without having to know dreamweaver or html
- It's a fairly young system and involves a subscription, but schools like BC are already using it. Provides easy to use tools to copy already created pages, set up options for rss feeds, letting users provide commentary; can have people vote on things, easy to put your contact info, link to tutorials in techtv, podcasts, make multiple people editors, tags and tag clouds, etc.
- This has the potential to be used for both subject guides and course pages. Dreamweaver guides already in place would not transfer, so one would need to rethink their existing pages and the code is not really editable on the libguides site.
- If you are interested in helping test the system and providing feedback about what is good and bad about it email Remlee and she'll tell you how to access it during our 30 day trial period. Nicole is thinking about putting something like this in place by this summer. She will also think about how to keep some consistentcy amongst the library site, but people would be able to choose between the new and old systems.
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- "Desperately seeking citations" (article suggested by Maggie) - discusses faculty giving students broad topic; students don't know how to focus topic; could acrl standards shape themselves to respond to this? Dealing with lost students regularly at reference desk; if topic in field major then easier to figure out because familiar already. Role of the librarian vs role of faculty member in shaping the topic - article notes librarian needs to proselytize to the faculty; job not to decide topic but give them guides for how to learn about - librarians provide basic resources to help contextualize topic for field and start searching - role of the librarian
- What does our program do for the students at MIT? Goals of what our instruction program are; undergrad = first focus; end of freshman year goals vs end of senior year goals (Learning outcomes). Most freshman take 3.091 and an expository writing class - setting up basic standard instruction to these classes would create a basic level of knowledge that would reach the entire freshman class; instructors could build on this basic platform of library knowledge. The ACRL literacy standards are too broad and vague, but the science and engineering standards are more tangible and applicable as a starting point and they are relevant to more areas than just science and engineering
- Data = some data is easy to access, some is not, some is in formats that are very complex to work with, others are simple; Proprietary vs not; already created datasets vs having to manipulate data from multiple sources for a project; many users have no concept of these issues when getting started; its an interdisciplinary issue - ESL, Dewey, GIS regularly experience the challenges of working with users falling unexpectedly into these challenges
- We can add to the perception of relevance surveys. Will also talk to Rudy about what's applicable to grad students; would standards like this be applicable to grad students or only good for undergrads? For graduate students we may want to use something more simple/tangible?
-Reference Vision -Can we discuss how we'd like this presented at PSLG and, time permitting continue our discussion on this?-30 minutes*
- Hayden at desk - mostly doing citation support / help people find something
- Ask-us - citation support and direct to research support
- Dewey & Rotch & GIS - every day questions that could take hours to days; they come in during scheduled and unscheduled times and via email, some via ask-us
- Barker and Science reference questions tend to come to individuals via email (some through ask-us), not coming at the desk desk * What is our new vision of what reference is?
- It's time intensive; can start anywhere; does happen much less at the desk than it ever has at the desk
- We will send what we currently have to PSLG, but clarify we it's a progress report and we are still figuring out next steps steps * We are doing both intermediated reference and supporting self help; reference and usability and access merging together
- What does this mean about the reference staff and what our work consists of?