library collection development -- class 2 -- community assessment
DESCRIPTION
How can libraries best assess community needs when thinking about developing relevant collections? Created for a UCLA collection development and management course, 2013.TRANSCRIPT
Community AssessmentIS 430 (UCLA)Sarah ClarkMonday, October 7, 2013
Design the Perfect Car
Flickr @Doug88888
Design Debrief
● How did your group approach the design?
● What obstacles or frustrations did you encounter?
Flickr @Doug88888
Get to know your client
● If you could interview your client, what questions would you ask?
Flickr @OperationPaperStorm
Here is your client.
Name: Veronica*Age: 29Car: Doesn’t own one. Parking available: Street.Worried about: $$$Life Change: New job, longer commute hard by subway.
Flickr @ heyimlindsayp
*Note: this information is all made up! I don’t know who this stylish lady really is. But Veronica is a great name.
Cars? Library Collections?
● What questions should you ask when developing a collection that is new to you?
● Which methods might you use to get to know your community and to get to know their needs?
● How would you use information about your community to inform your collection?
Library’s Purpose vs. Community Needs and Wants
■ What do you see as the purpose of a library within a community?
■ Can you imagine any discrepancies between a community’s wants and needs and the library’s institutional purpose? How might those discrepancies be resolved?
Think Like a Designer
● Begin with problems, not solutions.● Be empathetic. First, you must understand
user needs and experiences.● Work creatively to come up with solutions.● Develop a prototype or model.● Test. Evaluate. Refine.
Design Thinking -- David Kelley
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50138327n
Imaginary Case: University of California, Sunnydale
Location: Somewhere in CAEnrollment: 21,000
Type: Public
University
For now, ignore that this campus is on the Hellmouth.
UC Sunnydale Mission
Mission*: UC Sunnydale is a leading research institution that also offers an unparalleled liberal arts experience. We are committed to students being fully involved in their own learning through experience, research, and collaboration in an environment that promotes both teamwork and independent thought. Moreover, as a research institution, UC Sunnydale is fully committed to the creation, dissemination, preservation, and application of knowledge in order to better our global society. In all of our pursuits, we strive for excellence and diversity.
*Note: much of this language is stolen from real UC missions!
UC Sunnydale Library Mission
Mission*: The mission of the UC Sunnydale Library is to provide access to and delivery of information resources to UCSD students, faculty, and staff in support of the research and instructional mission of the university. The Library develops, organizes, and preserves collections for optimal use and provides links to remote information sources. The Library provides services, including instruction for information literacy and information management, to enable its users to fulfill their academic and intellectual needs. The Library provides resources and services to non-UCSD users to the extent possible.
*Note: actually the UCLA Library Mission
UC Sunnydale Library -- Current Concerns
● Library staff feels out of touch with community: most users are remote.
● Library staff don’t understand student and faculty research needs well.
● An external committee review recommended the library evaluate how well resources are meeting faculty and student needs.
UC Sunnydale Library -- Additional Concerns
● Library usage of print materials is at an all time low.
● Many undergraduates report they do the majority of their research online.
● Librarians feel like even faculty rely on them less and less for research needs.
● $$$ Resources are being cut for libraries at UCSD.
UC Sunnydale Library -- Connecting with the Community
● How should UCSD librarians learn about their community’s needs?
● Come up with a plan that addresses the following:○ Data collection
methods.○ Who will collect and
analyze data.○ How data will inform
collections and services.
Community Connection: Oakland Public Library Tool Lending
Tool lending program at Oakland Public Library branch -- Video (4 min)