From a Distance: Library Services for Distance Learners

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From a Distance Library Services for Distance
Learners

• Joseph Dobbs
• University of Texas at Austin

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Common DE Selling Points

• Earn a degree online from your home or office,
  at your convenience.
• Never have to step foot on campus
• 100 percent online college degrees
• Earn a MBA degree online -- without interrupting
  your current career
• Our Challenge
• Librarians must develop methods of providing
  traditional services in this
• non-traditional, distributed environment

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Trends in Distance Education

• Rapid growth in enrollment in distance education
  classes
• Online courses and hybrid courses are becoming
  more common
• Substantial increases in on-site students taking
  DE courses
• Proliferation of virtual universities

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ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library
Services
Members of the distance learning community are
entitled to library services and resources
equivalent to those provided for students and
faculty in traditional campus settings.
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Designing an Effective Library Service for
Distance Learners

• Define distance learner
• Identify distance learners, their information
  needs and potential barriers to access and
  services
• Formulate a plan for providing access to
  resources and services
• Market and promote distance library services

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Definitional Challenges
Who are distance learners ?

• Students who are geographically separated from a
  physical campus
• Students enrolled in a technologically mediated
  classroom

Distance - vs. - Distributed

• The notion of distance may become irrelevant
• What we now call DE library services may become
  a model for
• library services in the future

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Characteristics of Distance Learners
Extremely independent and self-motivated

Are often busy with conflicting demands
May be confined to their homes - disability or
illness

Are often re-entering education after a hiatus
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Identifying users, their needs and barriers
Determining the number of distance learners can
be difficult
Knowing the mode of distance education
instruction is important
What kinds of classes and programs are offered
will affect service
Needs Assessment
Best achieved through surveying Should be
formulated in a written profile
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Surveying User Needs
survey regularly distance learning library users
Distance learners are busy keep surveys short
Surveys can be distributed to students
by email directly at point of service
via DE course
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What to ask students
Determine past patterns of information use

Use of research materials other than textbooks
Where they accessed these resources Use of
existing DE library and information service
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What to ask students
Questions about technology skills and access

Approximate distance in miles from campus
Access to the Web home, office, connection
type Use of computers and information technology
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What to ask students
Questions about info skills and satisfaction
Confidence level in their ability to locate
information Satisfaction with current
info/library services How the library can serve
them better Factors that prevent students from
using the library

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What DE Students Want
Full-text and/or expedited document delivery
Responsive services with single contact points
Integration of the library into DE
infrastructure

Kazmer, 2002
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Solicit Input of DE Instructors
Have they had to adapt their curriculum around
DE ILS
Where they refer their students for
library/info materials
Attempts to integrate research skills into
courses ???

What kind of training they think students need
Willingness to work with the library
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Formulating a resources and service plan
The requirements and desired outcomes of
academic programs should guide the librarys
responses to defined needs. Innovative approaches
to the design and evaluation of special
procedures or systems to meet these needs is
encouraged.
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Formulating a resources and service plan
Clear and succinct statement of mission and
purpose Set achievable and measurable goals
Timeline for reaching benchmarks Plan for
measuring success
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Library Services

• Two types
• Traditional Services and Resources
• Our core services are still necessary but must
  be adapted
• New services resulting from technology new
  info needs
• Technological environment blurs line between
  library tech support

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Resource Planning Electronic
Develop a method of providing off-campus
access Identify and prioritize resources for
purchase/license Formulate a support services
plan Anticipate use of resources and promotion

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Resources Service Planning Print
How will the library provide access to print
resources? Cooperative arrangements with
other libraries Mailing books,
sending/faxing photocopies Image capture
and electronic delivery Emailing files
Desktop delivery software ex. Prospero
Outsourcing to document exchange service
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Reference Services

• Provide as many options as possible
• Telephone
• Email
• Chat
• Face-to-face

FAQs, subject guides, citation guides and
tutorials
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Information Literacy

• ILS incorporation in distance education courses
• Enable students to request and appointment
• Web-based research guides
• Interactive Web Tutorials GO TILT!
• Information literacy short courses

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Marketing Promotion

• Marketing is more difficult than brick mortar
  libraries

Lack of building recognition must be
accounted for
Web presence
Institutional brochures and handbooks
Mass electronic mailings
Incorporation into DE courses
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Going the Distance
Have more of our users become remote, or have
libraries become more remote from our users?
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Additional Information

• ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library
  Services
• http//www.ala.org/acrl/guides/distlrng.html
• Copies of this presentation will be accessible
  at
• http//www.lib.utsystem.edu/offcamp/
• Joseph Dobbs, UT Austin
• jwdobbs_at_mail.utexas.edu