Reflections on the UHMLG Summer Conference – New Horizons: Preparing for the Future

Introduction

I recently attended the above event. A small, discrete perfectly formed conference. With a theme and focus on preparing for the future, the conference was current, timely, relevant and thought provoking. The speakers were a mix of seasoned, well known faces and new presenters. I was really pleased that student voices were represented at this event. Rather than summarise all the presentations I am going to focus on some that really caught my imagination.

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of the library space in the year of generative AI – Andrew Cox – University of Sheffield  

How do you feel about AI? The reporting in the general media is often negative reporting. With menacing imaginary and a Sci-Fi look to it.  AI is the ability of a computer system to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence.  As an aside whilst creating this post, I have the option to ‘Ask an AI Assistant’!

AI Application

We as individuals, a society and a profession already engage with AI.

How can AI be used in the Information Profession? AI can improve searching for example, video files with only title search information – AI might offer better searching options – based on voice recognition, image recognition, translation. In daily work AI could be used with book ordering, summarising texts, help with systematic review.

How can AI be used in a health context? Perhaps explaining complex health issues to patients?

How can AI be used in daily / work life? Microsoft 365 Copilot – e.g., summarise the emails I missed whilst I was away. Flag important items. Summarise what I’ve missed in a meeting.

Chat GPT

Is a tool that is becoming well known in our community. In my own organisation colleagues have been looking at the application of Chat GPT in a teaching context. However there are lawsuits already around its use. Users need to be aware of bias, as they should be with any tools they use and check for errors.  

The Good

Easier access to information

Easier information creation

Continuous learning

Development of analytical skills

Greater collaboration opportunities

Going to be a lot of investment and development within AI and associated tools.

The Bad

Bias

Inaccuracies in information presented

Ethical principles

Trust – libraries/information colleagues are trusted/respected. Could reputations be affected by mistrust around AI tools?

The Ugly

Emotive

Power of technology companies

People feel threatened by AI and the impact on their jobs.

 Tools are free of charge currently. What about the future and impact of charging for AI tools?

How sustainable is AI, not just in energy or materials, also labour market.

We are already feeling overloaded with information, sources, do we need more?

Like it or not, AI is not going away anytime soon. As a profession we are in a good place to act as testers, advise, educate and inform on the pluses and minuses of AI tools.

_{Artificial Intelligence Brain Think royalty-free stock illustration Pixabay}

Slow and fast change: planning the future of University of Leeds Libraries student spaces – Michael Fake – University of Leeds Libraries 

We all know that user behaviour, culture and expectation have changed significantly post Covid. In my own organisation, we have seen an increase in the demand for spaces to hold online meetings for example. We are currently evaluating some of our library spaces, looking to improve them with new furniture and reimaging how the spaces could be improved and enhanced for our users. We have also increased our wellbeing collection and offerings which were already in place prior to lockdown. With this in mind, it was interesting to hear about another academic library.

The University of Leeds is very different to my own institution. Leeds has 38,000 students, 4,800 study spaces across 5 sites, with silent study, group areas and social spaces. Undergraduate usage had risen by 11%. (Figures up to 2018). By contrast there are over 100 libraries including Cambridge University Library, departmental and faculty libraries, college libraries, and various other specialist libraries associated with the university. 20,000 plus students, from 140 countries.

The Universities of Leeds and Cambridge are not unique in the need for spaces for online engagement. Greater pressure on Capital budgets, sustainability and uncertainty about post- Covid trends, means existing spaces need to be considered and redeveloped. It is interesting to consider how much do uninviting spaces impact on collections/areas being used? Michael gave an example from the Brotherton Library, the microfiche collection is held in the basement behind a heavy/thick/intimidating door, this resource is not well used. To increase awareness of ‘non-clinical’ resources, at my library we expanded our fiction collection to include DVDs, popular science and ‘lived experience’ titles. Arranged the furniture in a cosy way, bought bean bags and new bookshelves. We are looking at ‘greening’ the area and continuing to make it more inviting.

The traditional approach of planning and changing spaces can be long term, slow, seen as significant investments of money, design by committee rather than the user. Due to the long term nature, priorities and needs can shift from the original goal. “Perfect can be the enemy of the good” – Michael Fake.

Aligning with the Uni. of Leeds Vision – Knowledge for all, Leeds wanted to provide creative/innovative environments. A ‘Non-traditional approach’ was taken, User-led development of spaces, trying things out, moving faster, cheaper, and empowering and engaging staff by giving them permission to try things. Around 15% of library staff had UX training , which was targeted at specific teams. Changes include creation of wellbeing spaces, a maker space, writing cafe.

What Next?

University of Leeds libraries want to continue to empower and enable library staff to engage in innovation. Teaching UX techniques to continue. Fostering a culture of its OK if things break, don’t work. Change the culture of staff to “What would the users think” in terms of new ideas/approaches.

An interesting, timely and thought provoking presentation.

 

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Health Information Week 2020

Health Information Week (HIW) #HIW2020, is a national campaign, promoting high-quality information for patients and the public.’ The themes for this year’s Health Information Week are ‘finding information you can trust,’ and ‘wellbeing,’ with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The library I work in has participated in this campaign for the last few years.  For HIW 2020, plans have changed.  No physical book displays supporting the topics.  No outreach in public libraries.  No Pop-Up stand in the hospital concourse.  We are participating actively online.  For more information please read my post, found on our library staff blog – https://medlibstaffcpd.wordpress.com/2020/07/08/health-information-week-2020/

CILN 2020 – Jane Secker ‘Moving online for Information Literacy teaching in the future’

Dr Jane Secker is Learning Technology Librarian at the Centre for Learning Technology, based at the London School of Economics.

Jane was instrumental in the creation of the Information Literacy Group  

Information Literacy Skills enable us to engage in the world around us , to make informed decisions and develop informed views.

The five contexts of information literacy are:

@jsecker: Information literacy is important for many areas of our lives #ciln2020 pic.twitter.com/PjPgP0gdjm

— Lucy Woolhouse (@LucyWoolhouse) June 25, 2020

We inhabit a world overloaded with information, how easy is it to identify what is real v fake news, how reliable is the source?, what about bias?  Currently within the COVID-19 pandemic there is confusion and mis-information  e.g. 2 metre rule is reduced to 1 metre but, where possible 2 metre social distancing is the preference.  Newspapers take the same piece of information and have different interpretations e.g. The Daily Mail – recent story reducing social distancing to 1 metre cuts risk of COVID-19 by 80%, The Guardian – cutting the distance from 2 metres to 1 metre might double the risk of catching COVID-19.

The 30th June is World Social Media day.  The UN is marking this date by launching a new campaign to tackle misinformation and fake news.  Pause – Take care before you share.  For more information follow this link.

So information literacy skills training is important – how do you deliver it online?  Timely obviously as library services have moved from the physical and face to face service deliver to online.  In order for the transition to work there needs to be access to online resources, technology can be challenging and frustrating, everyone has a different level of digital confidence and knowledge, engagement can be harder and as trainer you can not gauge your audiences enthusiasm or understanding.  As the lead you need to ensure you are familiar with the different online tools that are available and be confident in using them.

In order to deliver successful online training schedule more time for a 45 minute session allow an hour fro example.  This extra time allows for any problems in joining a session.  Think about ice-breakers for the group to get to know one another, quizzes to test knowledge.  If the session is a lengthy one build in breaks.  You could ask attendees to watch a video during a scheduled break as another activity.  Use interactive tools such as Mentimeter for polling/surveys, Jamboard or Padlet to capture thoughts and promote discussion.

Tips when planning and delivering online training #ciln2020 pic.twitter.com/F8rwStNpLu

— Lucy Woolhouse (@LucyWoolhouse) June 25, 2020

some guidelines from @jsecker for Online training
1. Be Guided by (SMART) learning outcomes not Technology
2. Plan appropriate learning activities not a one hour monologue
Provide opportunities for Feedback – use voting tools, polls, chat etc
#ciln2020 pic.twitter.com/zPdQSC8UTE

— CONUL T&L Group (@CONULTL) June 25, 2020

For more information on the move to online training and points to consider go to https://fragmentsofamber.wordpress.com/2020/06/07/home-cooking-a-metaphor/

As Jane states -“Everyone should be taught to be information literate – it’s a fundamental of life”.

 

Cambridge University Libraries Information Literacy Day (CILN) – Ruth Carlyle – Information Literacy

Cambridge Information Literacy Network (CILN) 2020 is a very different event to the one envisaged prelockdown in February of this year, a face to face event held at the site where I work.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

CILN began in 2018, their remit researching students’ learning outcomes, inductions and orientation, professional skills, and delivering online teaching and learning activities to support students in their transition to university.

Ruth Carlyle (Head of Library and Knowledge Services, HEE Midlands and East) gave an informative, timely and in part shocking presentation on “Information literacy in the age of Coronavirus: for health and for life’.

How many people working in the information sector know what “Information Literacy” means?  According to CILIP – Information literacy is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. It empowers us as citizens to develop informed views and to engage fully with society.  Whereas The Association of College & Research Libraries defines information literacy as a “set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning” and The American Library Association say this – “Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to ‘recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.'”  All along the same lines but no agreed definition.

In the Topol Review in 2019, information literacy underpins digital literacy.  Libraries across all sectors can contribute to upskill the general public and future health workforce.

Allied to information literacy skills is health literacy defined by The World Health Organisation as “Health literacy refers, broadly, to the ability of individuals to “gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health”¹ for themselves, their families and their communities. ”

Research has shown that 43% of adults in the UK cannot understand text-based health information.   When figures are introduced the percentage increases to 61%.  Cambridge is slightly below the average at 43%, as compared in Germany where 54% have limited health literacy and over 7% very good understanding.  In practical terms this affects basic day to day living e.g. calculating pain relief for children or in these times of social distancing an understanding how what 2 metres mean, understanding hospital appointment letters or finding the X-ray department which is signposted as radiology.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

How can library staff help?  – Partnering with public libraries and be active in nationwide campaigns such as Health Information Week,   be a timetabled part of academic programmes, educate library staff, medical students, health workforce for example.  Begin information literacy in schools perhaps?  We live in such an information rich age now surely it is common sense to incorporate these essential life skills at the earliest opportunity.  BBC Bitesize have a section on distinguishing fake from real news with articles, tips and quizzes.

Should we be thinking of better terms rather than the somewhat negative informative/health literacy?  Some suggestions from attendees include – Information Fluency or Digital Fluency.

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

As communicators we can check and take responsibility for ensuring others understand what we are attempting to convey, e.g. use the Talkback method to get attendees to share/repeat what you have said to demonstrate their understanding.  We also need to be aware of the impact stress has plays in understanding information received and the effect of decision making – students at exam time, the ongoing effects of lockdown, being the recipient of bad news.

Being information and health literate is crucial to society even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Image by Sumanley xulx from Pixabay

Home Thoughts

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

I have been working from home/working remotely/working in isolation for three weeks now.

In the beginning

I must admit to finding it much harder than I anticipated.  I have tried to maintain my usual work routine and hours and do attire properly (no sitting in PJs).  No more getting stuck in traffic jams.  Just a few steps and stairs and I am at my ‘workstation’.  I have a work supplied laptop which has all the functionality that I need.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

I am getting better at taking breaks, at the start I was well I’ll just do that and reply to this and it is easy to be immersed and not know where the time has gone.  I am now trying to take a mid-morning break (as I would with my work colleagues) and am upholding our library team adherence to good coffee.  You do not realise how much you move around your workplace until you don’t!  I miss the library environment, my colleagues and interacting with many and varied users groups.

I have not always been taking my full lunch break, but have made a conscious effort to get outside and enjoy the sunshine as part of my break.  Initially I was going for a short walk over lunch.  I find it of greater benefit to go in the evening once the working day has finished.  Much easier now and of greater enjoyment since the clocks went forward.

Technology has presented some obstacles which have largely been overcome now.  I have the internet (which I know not everyone does) and although I was telling myself if won’t be the same as the work internet I did initially experience some frustration at the connection.

We have all had to embrace new methods of working, had to figure out new products with everything seemingly changing constantly.  I do now feel that things have settled down.

I am working in a communal space, where others around me are not working.  Comprise is needed by everyone.  I am getting into a rhythm, I am not sure I am fully there (yet).

Now

Days are punctuated by web meetings with my work colleagues.  I see all the team virtually over the course of a week.  Answering emails, responding to queries.  Working on eresources provision are some of the tasks taking my time and there is still plenty to do.  New systems to learn, online training, documentation to write for example.

I am adapting to my new work environment.

The Future

No-one has any idea of how long lockdown and remote working will continue.  The inventiveness and creativity of the human species is to be applauded.  Virtual pub meets, online museum tours, access to music, books and film we have not had previously.   I think I can say with some certainty that post COVID-19 the word will be a different place.  Things will not return to exactly how they were prior to self-isolation, travel restrictions and lockdown.  I will be using technology more to attend meetings where I can, as opposed to traveling them. More services could be delivered remotely potentially providing greater access to our library community.

My local environment is better without the traffic, quieter to.  I notice more and varied bird song and have seen a hedgehog in the garden.  I am becoming acquainted with more of the people living locally and finding new paths to walk, by taking a turn here to see ‘Where this track leads’  I am discovering more connections.

This pandemic has forced us all to change our lifestyles and adopt a slower, more considered pace.  Whilst these are difficult times, hard to be separated from our family, friends, colleagues and living a life with restrictions there are some good lessons to be learned.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

 

Cambridge Libraries Conference 2020

2020 Vision for Libraries

This year’s conference covered a number of topics from teaching referencing to cataloguing, open access, future design, research cafes and accessibility.

I was especially interested in the keynote speaker Hong-Anh Nguyen – Information Services Manager at The Kings Fund.  The Kings Fund are making it an organisational goal “to improve people’s understanding of the health and care system, how it works and how it is changing.”  https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/health-care-explained?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=thekingsfund

Hong-Anh’s keynote resonated with me, not surprising given we both work in health libraries.  She addressed many pertinent areas such as fake news, how do you reach an audience that will benefit from the information and data you research and publish yet are not aware of your existence and so will just Google?

When seeking answers the tendency is to look for a simple or definitive answer – which is not always possible e.g. answering the question is the NHS being privatised?   Hong-Anh referenced some quotes from George Lakoff – “Don’t think of an elephant” – these struck a chord with me, especially with reference to the NHS privatisation debate.

In the health information world, we are familiar with the concepts of evidence based research, tools used to critically appraise articles’ and know the importance of health literacy skills.  Teaching students and staff from the University and the NHS underpins a major part of the services we offer.  These essential concepts are becoming more well-known and established and being adopted by other libraries outside of the health sector.

Information staff are in a pivotal role in guiding users to access authorative, unbiased information and empowering them with the skills to be digitally literate and literate with health information.  An article from Rowland, Protheroe, Winkley et al in The British Journal of General Practice, found that in a sample 43% of adults do not have the literacy skills to understand health information.  This increases to 61% when numbers are involved.

CILIP and LKS – Knowledge for Healthcare have active campaigns to support an increase in (health) literacy.  Librarians are vital in enabling the public to make sense of the information and data that surround us.  72% of under 30s obtain their news mainly from online sources’.

All of these are skills we have and should be sharing, encouraging and educating to have a more confident, skilled public able to process and critique information.

We are told we live in an information rich society and that knowledge is power – it’s a dangerous place if people are not able to interpret the information correctly.

My libraries@cambridge conference experience 2019; From committee role to delegate.

The annual day libraries@cambridge is a highlight across the University of Cambridge libraries and colleges.  This year’s conference theme was “Collaboration and Exploration”.  For this year’s conference I was in the unusual position of being part of the conference organising time (speaker liaison) as well as my usual role of delegate and sometimes presenter.  As I already had 2 roles I decided taking on a presenting role in addition would be too much.

Initial conference preparations began in August 2018 with the formation of the committee.  No conference prep can fully begin until the conference theme was agreed, the decision of which was made within a week.  I had the role of speaker liaison, see below for more information

Role: Speaker Liaison

– Main Responsibilities:

• working with Committee Chairs and to decide which Speakers to approach
• contacting potential speakers and providing background information about the Conference and theme
• assisting in organising transport and accommodation for Speakers
• liaising with Venue and Timetabling committee members to ensure that Speaker’s presentation needs are met
• liaising with Ticketing and Social Media committee members to ensure relevant information about Speakers is available to promote prior to the Conference
• be an ‘on the day’ contact point for speakers at the conference

I helped to identify potential speakers and make initial contact, provide information to them of the conference day, help with accommodation and equipment needs, organise their presentations to be available when they presented, obtain permission to share their photo and presentation, obtain a short biography of them, be a recognised contact for the presenters on conference day, arrange taxis and time sessions.  Post conference thank the presenters and ensure they knew how to file any expenses.

On the day of the conference I had responsibilities in my committee role.  Therefore, the experience of conference delegate was very different to my usual one.  For most of the sessions I was involved with, I was either charged with timing the sessions; making sure each speaker had their allotted time and the session did not over run or introducing/thanking the speakers.  With this in mind I did not have my usual opportunity to tweet or take many notes from the presentations.  Standouts for me were;

Dr Philippa Sheail (Edinburgh University Library) keynote speaker – “What makes a library?”  From Dr Sheails talk it was perfectly clear that the library environment and staff are too jargon heavy.  “Loan”, “self-issue machine”, “inter-library-loan” for example, what does this actually mean to people who enter through our library doors and use the services provided?  One respondent in a survey opined the term Loan suggested a payment was due.  We also found out what libraries smell like to people, coffee, stress and dust.  Attendees discovered you can actually purchase library scented candles and download library sounds.  Who knew!  Research conducted in the library supported the misunderstanding of library terminology and jargon.  Additionally, there is a sense of “communal suffering” – sharing a space where everyone around you is working.

Jo Parker and Joanna Farmer (Open University) keynote speakers – “Just do it! Digital capabilities at the Open University.  The Open University is associated with utilising technology and pushing boundaries to enable everyone to engage with learning.  Courses are taken by people in full time work, people who have been out of education for a considerable amount of time, people living in remote areas and prisoners for example.  Many of the students will not be confident or fully equipped to utilise digital tools in their learning or indeed have access.  In order for the students to become more confident, tutors also needed to.  The Digital Skills and Capabilities (DISC) project was launched.

Lightning talks by library colleagues highlight work, developments and innovation across the Cambridge library environment, from a collaboration between the Medical Library, Papworth Hospital Library and Cambridge Central Library highlighting good, reliable information sources to the public, the use of cartoons to publicise services at the Marshall Library, the Scott Polar Institute making theses open access and St Johns College Special Collections Librarian on outreach activities with school children.

As always my mind was buzzing with information and ideas and the general feeling that the conference had gone very well.  I would encourage you to get involved with the next libraries@cambridge conference.  It was a great opportunity to work with colleagues I would not necessarily have the chance to work with and to see ‘behind the scenes’.

Thoughts on being on the libraries@cambridge conference committee – 2019.

For the first time I was on the committee for the libraries@cambridge annual day conference. This is a regular event and high on the list of University of Cambridge library staff and college library staff.  I had the role of speaker liaison.

Your role is redundant until the conference theme has been decided.  Once this has been agreed this role involves;

• working with Committee Chairs and to decide which Speakers to approach
• contacting potential speakers and providing background information about the Conference and theme
• assisting in organising transport and accommodation for Speakers
• liaising with Venue and Timetabling committee members to ensure that Speaker’s presentation needs are met
• liaising with Ticketing and Social Media committee members to ensure relevant information about Speakers is available to promote prior to the Conference
• be an ‘on the day’ contact point for speakers at the Conference

In identifying potential speakers, you need to trawl your memory banks for relevant, engaging speakers you have seen at conferences or meetings.  Keeping ahead via your professional body can also generate leads, as can a presence on social media and engaging with colleagues.

Contact your potential speakers well in advance of the conference date.  Make sure you have more speakers than you need, people may not reply to you in time and of course last minute incidents occur.  The best laid plans of mice and men and conference organisers.

Be clear about what each speaker is expected to talk on and for how long.  Think about the format of the session they are delivering.  For example, is it a keynote speech, lightning talk or interactive session.  This may influence where they are placed in the conference programme and which room their session is in.  Are there suitable rooms for their session to be held? Is any special equipment needed? How many people can the room accommodate?  Will numbers have to be limited?  If the speaker is a ‘big draw’ you need to ensure the room will be able to hold the potential audience numbers.  Obviously all of this does not fall on the speaker liaison shoulders, you will be in contact with the venue and timetabling contacts and may will be keeping the chair informed.

Ensure you receive any speaker presentations in advance and be mindful to check if the presentation uses more specialist software, do you have access to it? Check if speakers require accommodation and have any specific needs e.g. dietary requirements, mobility issues.  Organise accommodation and make sure they know where they are staying.  Think about who is responsible for organising travel for the speakers.

Remember to obtain their permission to make their presentations public.  Some sessions may be recorded and shared within your library community.  You will need the presenter’s permission in order to do this. Does your presenter consent to have their photograph taken during the conference?  Will they supply a photo in advance of the conference which can be used for publicity.  Is theire presentation going to be uploaded into your institutional repository.  You need to check these details. Of course it goes without saying (but I am going to mention it anyway) you need to check if the presenter uses their formal name, check their affiliations and respond to any questions from them in a very timely manner.

Come the day of the conference you need to be recognised and available to the speakers.  Help with any luggage.  Ensure they know where they are presenting and the layout of the conference venue as a whole.  Help set up the room for them.  Provide a programme for the day, after all there will probably be sessions they would like to attend and meet some of the other presenters.

It is a good idea to have at least one committee member in each session.  They can introduce/thank, keep the session to time, be a familiar face for the presenter and the attendees and be on hand should any problems arise.

Well its done, all the hard work for the day is over.  The conference has finished and has been a great success.  There’s still work for you to do.  Contact the speakers to thank them.  Inform them of when their presentations etc. will be available to view. Establish who is the contact for expenses and how the speakers get the expenses to the conference organisers.

Then job done, you have successfully survived and contributed to the conference, your colleagues and your own CPD.  Remember, it’s a team effort. You have played your part, your colleagues have helped you achieve your role, you have helped them.  This time next year perhaps….

 

Constructing effective surveys

I recently attended a short course on survey construction.  It is a tool used significantly in the library world and I am sure we have all completed poorly designed surveys.  The course created and delivered by Claire Sewell (@ces43) was a practical and interactive session.  We looked at examples of poorly designed surveys, survey tools and started to design our own survey.

Reasons why surveys are used so extensively include

• they are relatively low cost,
• reach a large number of people,
• the same questions are asked of all participants
• consistent questioning

Of course where there are pro there are also cons, these include;

• generally low response rates
• possibility of ‘survey fatigue’
• no opportunity to clarify questions
• can be ignored

A good survey will have an introduction so participants know why their views are being sought. Contact information should be supplied and respondents should have the option to withdraw from the survey if they choose to.  Applicants should be thanked for the time.  The survey should follow a logical pattern rather than taking the respondent on a haphazard journey.  Time needs to be built into the survey process for the testing of the survey before it is released.

Think carefully of what type of questions to use when creating your survey.  A few types to consider are;

Open Questions – allow participants to tell you their thoughts with no limits applied.  E.G “Why have visited the library today?”

Closed Questions – allow for comparable responses, guide the respondent and are simple to analyse. E.G “How many times in the past 30 days have you visited your public library?

(a) 1-5 (b) 6-10 (c) 11-15 (d) 15 or more

Multiple Choice – allows preferences to be measured and can pre-empt common responses. E.G “What library services have you used today, please select all that apply”.

Demographic – E.G. age, gender.  This type of question needs to be considered carefully.  Often part of a survey, not always used well and not always necessary.

Likert Scale – useful for capturing feelings on a subject.  E.G “How satisfied are you with the library service”

This list is adapted from “Doing real research: a practical guide to social research” by Eric Allen Jensen, Charles Laurie.  Sage Publications 2016

In addition to designing a survey by hand there are a number of online tools you can utilise;

Qualtrics, Survey Monkey, Kahoot, Google Forms, Mentimeter and Answer Garden are such examples.

Consideration needs to given to the collection and storage of an individual’s personal details.  It may also be necessary to contact an ethics committee before the survey is released.

From this session I learnt the good and the bad of survey creation.  When to use a particular type of question.  Allow time to test and amend and test your survey again and that each question should ‘earn its place’.

I am looking to create some short surveys to glean information on a new library service, user expectations of an established service and general feedback on the library where I work and the services offered.  I now feel more confident in constructing surveys and am aware of some of the common pitfalls which I should now be able to avoid.

 

UHMLG – Autumn Forum – Statistics & Stories for Impact.

I recently ventured to a location on Russell Square for this year’s UHMLG autumn forum.  Both in the HE and NHS sectors’ we are being asked to record impact for the work searches, services etc. we provide.  The opening presentation from Kay Grieves (Service Engagement and Impact Manager, University Library Services, Sunderland) certainly made a positive impression.  The presentation was colourful and interesting.  Kay provided examples of user engagement and impact in relation to resources including journals usage and relationship management with faculties.  All the evidence collated is within our reach, circulation statistics, reading lists data, training data and feedback, focused conversations with users, surveys and a clear understanding of what we do, why and how the library fits into the universal mission of the organisation.

https://twitter.com/ilk21/status/1058302121978814464

 

Alan Fricker – Head of NHS Partnership & Liaison at King’s College London, shared a new, more dynamic way of producing the dreaded annual report.  No more a boring one dimensional multi page document which may never see the light of day, be read by the intended audience and has kept you awake whilst thinking of the work you need to do in order to create it.  Produce your report using PowerPoint for example.  Using this tool, you can easily incorporate images to illustrate your content and make for a more interesting ‘read.’  After all, most of us are carrying a camera around.  Include meaningful metrics.

Demonstrate progress in projects from year to year.  Include patterns of usage, areas for improvements, stories, feedback and plans for the forthcoming year.  Make your next annual report, brief and relevant.  Once written go out and publicise, talk to people about your report.  If you have put the work in to create it, make sure people, hear it, see it!  Oh, and don’t forget to share with your own library team!

Barney Brown Head of Digital Communications University of Cambridge spoke of the challenges and positive impact of social media, using Cambridge as the example.  With millions of followers, interacting on different platforms there is no possibility of “One Message Fits All”.  Part of a successful media presence is understanding the different tools and the limitations of each.  Think about the target audience of the social media tool you are choosing to broadcast your message.  Align your libraries social medial messages with the mission of your employing organisation.  Select carefully images to accompany the text.  To reinforce a point made by Alan Fricker, we carry a camera with us all of the time.  Finally check the analytics for the number of Likes, Retweets, Impressions, Total Engagements, Comments, Shares and Reactions.

Sam Piker Academic Liaison Librarian Brunel University London shared infographics created using Canva.  Harvesting data from Lib Answers, Emails, Twitter, Teaching stats to create eye-catching visuals which tell a story and demonstrate impact to our management and customers.  Canva is used my organisation and library, it is a product I have been thinking of using.  Seeing examples of infographics that Sam created is encouraging me to give this a try!

In conclusion, is it too much to say that the survival of YOUR library service depends on the Impact your service has on the people who use your services?  Why it is in your organisations interests and your users and non-users to highlight why libraries can help to achieve users’ goals.

Stone, Graham and Ramsden, Bryony (2013) Library Impact Data Project: looking for the link between library usage and student attainment. College and Research Libraries, 74 (6). pp. 546-559.