Welcome Fall AY16

Welcome Fall AY16

Julie Todaro, Dean of Library Services -- September 10, 2015

As always, welcome to our new academic year!  It was great seeing everyone at our all Library Services beginning-of-the-semester meeting. And with the college's freeze or job slow-down lifted, we have returned to our regular size and with our new campuses (Highland being the most recent) we have an even larger Library Services group with several staff beginning work either on or near the date of our fall 2015 all-LS meeting.

As to the "new academic year" email or blog posting as I have done in past years, I will organize this fall AY '16 blog post to update last year's post. This allows us to more carefully track progress and completion of our projects; however, the introductory content says I post three a year and clearly this last year I did NOT. Instead I sent out the first-of-the-year memo, then a few general information/catch up emails so in the absence of a hue and cry (Example: Where are our wonderful blog postings???) I will check in periodically with the Library Leadership Team to see if a larger blog posting is needed or a shorter email will suffice.

General News and Busier than Ever!

Last year at this time ACC had a slight increase in our enrollment and that continues this fall which is always wonderful news. We continue to be VERY busy in IRT/Library Services and I have asked for the data on visits (in person and electronic) as well as student/librarian teaching session numbers. We are WAY up in our teaching/instruction numbers in general but also because we are actively participating in ACC’s new Student Success Course. I will post the “so far” numbers soon, but to give you an example, where Riverside (RVS) typically provides 2-3 librarian/student information literacy sessions in the first few weeks of the semester (and MANY in October and November,) RVS has provided 9 sessions in the first two weeks. I am expecting our other campuses to be equally as busy so I’ll send the numbers as soon as we receive them.  As to “what are our users doing?” ….our constituents continue to use our online and print research resources (reserves, circulating and reference) to complete assignments as well as for lifelong learning, information and research needs as well as for some leisure activities. And with the addition of the Student Success Course to the core curriculum, we have a huge increase in basic use of the library as well as study and research skills acquisition.

Here are updates of some of our bigger projects from the last few years as well as a status of the project implementation.

• Student Success

The library continues to focus on student success and to expand that in light of our college-wide services we focus on student, faculty and staff success. So although these roles and responsibilities are covered throughout the document here is a brief list of what we do for our constituents.

• LS is integrated into the ACC Student Success course and not only did we design the content for the chapter on research, we trained the faculty who are teaching AND we have librarian faculty teaching as well! In addition, our LS ad specialty items are delivered to each classroom for all students. I have gotten some incredible emails from faculty on this.

• Our tutorials (integrated into the course above and many other courses) are receiving very positive feedback and awards and recognition. What makes them special is that they are interactive and mapped to student learning outcomes for each area and each tutorial. We are also receiving requests from other schools (including one from Italy so I’m delivering this one) for permission to use them in their curriculum. Just FYI, although we don’t deliver them, we do allow – with certain restrictions for copyright and including our name on them – others to use them. What a complement to our IL team.

• Reporting out our successes is accomplished in a variety of ways and we do so annually by participating in the college’s aggregating forms and formats and with our own. To illustrate what the library does for student success and helping students achieve student learning outcomes, I have appointed a small group to produce a report this fall focused on these data.

• PR and Marketing takes many forms and shapes and our PR team works hard (and makes it look fun) to create our curated, annual list of posters, bookmarks, etc. While we have our usual posters, we will be promoting our new Makerspace BatLab with fun ad specialty items, great activities, banners and a ribbon-cutting. In addition, we will be promoting our expanding e-device check out service as well.

• Authentication of all IRT and library public service computers

We continue to enjoy our authentication in IRT and wait for the college to catch up. The Tech audit had mentioned some security issues (although none with us) and those will be dealt with along with a single domain. These added processes will just increase the control we have gained to better serve our constituents while still making access for guests possible without compromising our primary audiences.

• Elgin

Elgin remains relatively bug and bat free and the campuses’ community/college advisory committee continues to discuss the vet/tech program addition to the curriculum and the new building.

We have not yet heard on my request for one full time librarian for Elgin (their first!) but library staff continue to meet the needs of Elgin Campus college students and our high school students enrolled in early college activities. If that new position does get added, we will not need our temporary model of staffing at Elgin and will not have – to aid the HL - a coordinator of Academic Hourly Librarians. Thanks continue to go out to the IL team who are organizing a schedule of other full-time ACC librarians to assist in meeting information literacy needs of Elgin classroom faculty this past year.

The new brand of shelving at Elgin (also at Hays and Highland) is too unsteady given the number of sections in a row. We have requested a shelving re-assembling with a center aisle to reduce the number of sections in a row. Putting in a center aisle will lose a little shelving space but continue to insure that no matter where materials are shelved, the shelving units will be safe. Both Hays and Highland shelving is appropriately designed with no shelving problems.

• Hays

Hays enrollment is steady and the library is getting good use.  Although originally Hays had a temporary, different model of staffing…with a full time Head Librarian and an hourly coordinator of Academic Hourly Librarians - that has ended with this fall as the full time librarian faculty opening created by Nathan Tinnin’s retirement was moved from Pinnacle to Hays. Thanks again to the IL team who assisted in meeting information literacy needs of Hays classroom faculty and staff.

• Highland

• Highland is open and has many students using the library all day, every day and that number grows each day.  This coming year HLC will be starting a new service, their Makerspace (the BatLab) and we have an hourly faculty member (who just started library school!) Anita Johnson, who will work with us and the HLC Accelerator to design and provide support and activities for Maker activities. To this end, we have created a Makerspace Team (Carrie and Marc) and they are bringing in two librarians and a technician from North Texas to consult with us. I am looking forward to their presentations next week. Managers and team members are gathering questions from staff we need answered to benchmark what these two successful groups are doing. More later as we complete set up, begin marketing and schedule a ribbon-cutting. (P.S. the first activities – piggy backing on Anita’s Makerspace Meetups from last year – were VERY successful drawing not only ACC students for several ACC faculty as well.)

• IRT/LS e-device activities

• After a great pilot, reference librarians continue to use their e-devices to assist students and faculty in using our extensive online collection of e-materials. E-devices were successfully rolled out for checkout to HLC students this past year and we are moving some out to campuses so all libraries can offer their student and faculty populations the opportunity to check out e-hardware. 
• Apps or applications for educational purposes abound! We have created a new position of App Facilitator and that person will be adding to his already large base of educational free apps to recommend to students. Recommended free App information will be added to all LibGuides this year ensuring that all disciplines and educational areas have recommended online resources.

• Budget

We are waiting for this year’s budget to load as I am writing this. It should be a flat one with no cuts and no major increases but we are getting some of our requests. A full list of those as we get them. Typically I prepare a “what we asked for” and “what we got” memo for my boss and will share what I can.

• Technical Services (under new management)

We have a new HL for Technical Services (TS) and Automation as we all know. Thanks to Toyya for “acting as acting” and a big thank you to the staff who soldiered on through several tries to find the perfect person. And we think we found her! More below in the new information and have you seen her in her television ad????

• Printing solutions

It seems every year I say “Try as we might, this didn’t happen.” But it’s true, it hasn’t yet. LS did put together a team and we have a pilot we want to try either this fall or early spring with a company.  We continue; however, to struggle with ways to be efficient, effective and green.

• Leadership training continued (librarians, SLA and LA's as appropriate)

Last year we had two leadership training activities for team leaders and facilitators... the next two activities are on project management for all and then when we get the Hays SLA in place we will schedule another leadership vs. management and focus on SLA’s and coordination of activities, people, etc.

• Strategic Planning

Library Services Ad Hoc Strategic Planning Committee will meet this year and focus on LS activities only, rather than waiting for more specific college deadlines. We have a great deal to work with so I think we have some good discussions ahead. In addition, the college’s Future’s Institute is in full swing and Teresa Ashley is our representative on the initiative so she will report back to our group and share with LS (as she has already done) those things we need to read and experience as well.

• LS Organization/AVP and new people

• Each summer we review the Library Services teams, facilitators and stewards and continue to both add and subtract. For the AY' 16 year, we will continue to have Library Leadership Team meetings in the a.m., some online/Google Hangout and some in person. Head Librarian's meetings will continue, as well as the TLF meetings of Team leaders, Facilitators and Stewards. 
• We will begin to schedule new librarian meetings again as we will have several new librarians and still have a few "Five or Fewer" (years of service) but these won’t happen until we get them hired later this fall! Our groups continue to use a variety of ways to meet regularly with both in-person and Google Hangout methods. We encourage Library Services groups to explore alternatives to face-to-face only.

Other activities for this year include:

• Security and Risk Management

We will schedule a Police training and work with the police on major events and how we handle them. Our training will include also e-devices (and where and how many will be there) and our efforts at prevention which include: labeling, electronic designations, costs, acquisitions, our insurance, and our circulation policies and procedures. In addition, the Risk Management office is working with us on placing cameras in libraries where vulnerability is already occurring (more thefts this past summer but fewer than last year!) and more vulnerability is possible. 

• Collections

• Our collection were assessed this past year in two important ways. We had our materials reviewed to assess our breadth and depth as to diversity AND I asked for an assessment of our e-books (exclusive of databases) to see if they were a “complete” collection – that is – A to Z in LC.  Our diversity assessment yielded a list of recommended titles and areas which went to the bibliographers for their information and assessment and acquisitions. Following the review of the e-book collection, it was determined that we do have breadth and the depth is adequate as well. That initiative was turned over to the PR team to play with the idea of – not an online library per se – but a branding of an entity we can market.  Can’t wait to see!

• Training

During any given year we assess our needs, determine availability and either design or find access to curriculum to meet needs. I see the fall meeting as our kick off for training and the positive push for the new academic year.  We had many discussions about how to achieve that and focus on the importance of diversity awareness and presence AND our diverse constituents AND how best to determine and meet their needs. After many weeks of discussing speakers and then determining the speaker, vetting the content and sharing our needs as well as profiling who we were - we had a speaker who – whether they listened or not – went their own way. SO…I am explaining my feelings about this first event because of several things. They include:

• Several people told me they were unhappy, discouraged, etc. but did NOT want to come up to me because they had felt the presentation was what I wanted/what LLT wanted therefore, they felt it wasn’t appropriate to say it didn’t work for them.
• Several people said they were uncomfortable during the presentation.
• Several people said they felt discouraged. They felt they had been made aware in ways they hadn’t been before but they didn’t see what they were supposed to do with it.
• I think many of you spoke to each other but not to me or managers.
• Several read beyond the speaker’s presentation after the presentation and then shared their unhappiness with specific articles he had written. (I felt this way as well.)

Different reactions to content happen and presentations do not meet expressed needs – although seldom as much as I saw this fall. Was his topic important? Of course. Was his presentation provocative? Absolutely. Was it what I asked for? No it wasn’t.

Many speakers are asked to be provocative only. They make you think, they may shock you, they may challenge you….their content does not typically includes strategies for change OR how to deal with what they have introduced. We are so limited in our time if we had known that the speaker was planning to do this we would have:

• Possibly given pre-work to get your ready for the content and presentation
• Create opportunities to create lists of what did and didn’t happen or what was and wasn’t covered to capture our next directions
• Provided time afterwards to share reactions, ideas, and challenges
• Designed strategies for change
• Provided time for people to practice strategies and – literally – relax and process the content

• So my point?

• If a speaker or discussion EVER makes you feel uncomfortable, leave.  After the event, ask your manager what (specifically) they want you to know about the content delivered so that you will have the information for your roles and responsibilities. Work with them on how you will get the information you missed.
• If you feel strongly about what someone has said (agree or disagree!) say so in the evaluation. Tell me in person or by email or tell your manager and they will let the Staff Development Team know. Or tell the Staff Development Team directly.
• If you really feel uncomfortable putting your name to your comments, feel free to share what worked for you with your manager and ask that your feelings be shared but anonymously.

We will be expanding training for diversity this year because this topic is and should be very important to all of us. During this year we will discuss awareness, how it relates to us, who our constituents are, how we should manage services and clients in the broadest of our definitions and specific strategies for change. Our definition of diversity will be the broadest definition of diversity including any special-needs populations and transgender. Our training will include review and revision of existing scripts on our wiki and new scripts. Thank you all for hanging in there as we strive to get it right to best meet our staff and constituents needs.

• New staff here/filling frozen positions

* Deborah Brailas (Debby) is the new (September) SLA at SAC, arriving with a total of 15 years of experience as an award-winning Library Assistant in her district and has wide and varied experience in a collaborative library team environment. Her experience and student support activities have covered all tasks and services from opening to closing and everything in between, including management of student iPads.

* Arriving in June, Angelica Saenz is the new Library Assistant at SAC. She comes with both bookstore and library experience and she is very used to fast-paced environments with an enormous range of tasks.  Angelica has wanted to work in libraries since ‘bitten by the bug' in high school and faculty, students, and staff are all benefitting so far from her excellence customer service skills.

* Amy Heath comes to us from the ACC NRG Testing Center where she worked part-time and also as a part-time Circulation Tech Service I for the Pflugerville Library. She held full-time employment at a local department store as the Area Supervisor where she managed and reconciled the cash office, provided customer service and trained new employees. Amy holds a Bachelors of Fine Art from Cameron University, in Lawton, Ok.

* Nicholas Keeling is a graduate of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas with a degree in English and minor in Sociology. While in school he worked as a library student assistant for three years. He provided customer service in a fast-paced university campus library that served over 100,000 patrons annually. He assisted with daily circulation tasks and participated in inventory and other projects. Nicholas's experience in using Millennium is making it an easy transition for him.

* Sara Casselberry began working at Riverside as our Senior Library Assistant in March of 2015 and came to us with 10 years of experience working in academic libraries, five of which were at ACC. She originally started at the Eastview Campus as a Library Assistant in 2010. Prior to coming to ACC, Sara worked at Hardin Simmons University for seven years in a variety of positions including Library Assistant, Graduate Assistant and Adjunct Instructor of English.

* Lindsey Watson began working at Riverside as a Library Assistant in May of 2015. She was first hired at ACC in 2013 as a half-time Library Assistant. Additionally, Lindsey worked hourly at HYS and SAC as an Administrative Assistant and Library Assistant until earlier this year. Prior to coming to ACC, Lindsey had three years of experience working in academic libraries – Northern Arizona University and Collin County Community College - as well as extensive money handling experience as a retail supervisor.

* Charlene Michallick joined HYS LS (for a second time) as a Library Assistant in July 2015.  Initially, each of her two positions with ACC LS were as two .50% Library Assistants -- and now both of the .50 positions are combined into one and located at HYS LS.  Charlene began her full time HYS LA position with over 12 years of Circulation experience including work at AISD as a Library Clerk at Gordon Bailey Middle School and in addition to her excellent work in Circulation, Charlene is very creative!  She enjoys stained glass art, scrapbooking, and cooking.

* Tiffanie Ford-Baxter is a new Library Assistant, 50% at Elgin (since July) and is a new Austin transplant, who graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana in May 2015 with a BS in Biology. She comes to ACC LS with 2 years at the Ball State University Libraries as a Maps Student Assistant, Chat Reference Student Assistant and Library Student Assistant on Special Projects. She is a fast learner, a hard worker and provides excellent customer service to the ACC Elgin community. She has also started her masters’ program in library and information science this fall.

* Lauren Hood is a Library Assistant, 50% and began working at ACC Highland Campus as a full-time Library Assistant in November 2014. She has two 50% Library Assistant positions – one at Elgin and one at the ACC Round Rock Campus Library. Lauren has a solid background working in customer service in retail as well as working at public libraries. Lauren is an enthusiastic, dedicated worker and enjoys working with ACC students and faculty.

* Colin Marquardt is a Senior Library Assistant but began working for the ACC Elgin Campus Library as both a Library Assistant, 50% in March 2014, and as an hourly Library Assistant (Elgin and Round Rock) beginning in January 2014. He is now the Senior Library Assistant for the Elgin Campus Library as of January 2015. Colin worked as a Library Assistant for the St. Edwards University library prior to ACC and his background includes college and high school teaching as well as customer service. Colin is a strong team member and provides leadership by example for the Elgin circulation staff. He will be serving on the Staff Development Team for AY16.

* Dixie West will serve as Reference Coordinator of the Hourly Academic Librarians for the ACC Elgin Campus beginning fall 2015, but began working as a reference librarian since the Elgin campus opened in July 2013 and before that worked at the ACC Elgin Center library. Dixie has over 30 years of experience working for Bastrop ISD libraries and her last librarian position for that district was at Cedar Creek Middle School library. Before Bastrop ISD Dixie worked for over 7 years at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, and is fluent in American Sign Language. Dixie has a long record of working for student success and exemplifies servant leadership. She is an alumni of the University of Texas Library and Information Sciences program.

* Lindsay J Porter is a Library Assistant (Eastview Library) and started work on August 10. He has worked at libraries across the country, from the Boston Public Library to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He has experience in the fields of education, research, and community organizing. Lindsay is an active volunteer, currently serving as a collective member and accountant at a radical bookstore and community space, Monkeywrench Books.

* Linda Barr has joined us as Head Librarian for Technical Services and Automation. She has worked for us as an hourly academic librarian and has extensive experience working for and with our vendor audience. Linda also brings years of experience as well managing budgets, teams and has a broad background with a variety of ILS both for implementing systems and the process for assessing existing, selecting upgrades or new and migrating to a different system. Linda also has a sound background in the organization of information or what we might call more traditional technical services environments such as cataloging and acquisitions.

• New staff a’ comin (maybe)

• We are in the midst of hiring our three replacement librarians for Hays, RRC and SAC, a Hays SLA and a Highland LA for staff who have moved on.  In addition, if we get the new positions requested we may have a new LA at Cypress and a new fulltime librarian for Elgin.  Fingers crossed.

• Facilities

• This year we will be designing the new Leander campus library and at the table for the discussion of the newest RRC building – which will have an Accelerator for expanded partnerships for us to deliver information literacy instruction and our presentations for our Student Success Courses!.

Have a great year...we have a busy year and I can’t thank you enough for all the work you do for Austin Community College Library Services.