Library and Information Resources
Standard Seven
Description
At Northern Essex Community College, library and information resources is a crucial component of the college’s mission of optimal academic performance and student success.
Library
On the Haverhill Campus, the Bentley Library building houses the main library, the Library instructional classroom and the campus Media Services office and labs. On the Lawrence campus, a smaller library specializing in health sciences and law is located on the lower level of the building. Wireless Internet access is available in the libraries for students who have registered for a wireless internet account through the IT department.
The Bentley Library has holdings of more than 65,000 volumes, while the Lawrence Campus Library contains more than 10,000 volumes. An integrated online catalog provides access to library materials and maintains circulation and cataloging records. Library and information resources at NECC are readily available to students at the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses and through a comprehensive and interactive website. Students can register in person or online for a library card. The NECC Library card number entitles the student to full library privileges, including off-site access to subscription databases via the Internet, patron-initiated request capability for NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange) and Virtual Catalog resources, and walk-in privileges at NOBLE and Massachusetts public college libraries.
Training and support in the use of library resources is made available to faculty, students, and staff through library instruction sessions offered at both campuses, and through online instruction and tutorials on the library website. The Library’s website has been designed to support the information needs of the college’s students, faculty and staff. The Research Aides and Tutorials webpage provides access to information literacy skills tutorials designed to assist students with research tools. Library staff regularly evaluates and revises the website’s content and style to maintain its quality, clarity and simplicity. Reference librarians act as added support on an individual basis and reply to email inquiries received through ‘Ask a Librarian’ link on the website as well as responding to telephone inquiries. New faculty orientation includes information on library services.
The Libraries are staffed by the equivalent of nine full-time librarians and paraprofessionals. Of these, 5.8 FTE are professional librarians holding Master’s degrees in Library and Information Science (Data/First). A professional librarian qualified to provide reference assistance to students, faculty, and staff is scheduled to be present at all hours the libraries are open. The technical services and circulation areas are staffed by qualified full- and part-time paraprofessionals.
Instructional and Information Technology
The Center for Instructional Technology and Distance Learning (CIT) provides instructional technology support services to the college’s faculty and staff. Faculty are encouraged to develop distance learning versions of their courses and training and assistance are available to support them in this endeavor. Services include one-on-one coaching, demonstrations, and course development tools and materials. Staff assist faculty in the design of online courses and the creation of faculty web sites and demonstrate techniques to enhance traditional face-to-face courses utilizing electronic presentations or interactive learning modules. New faculty members receive an orientation with CIT and are informed of all services that are offered. Every spring, CIT runs iTEACH, a semester-long faculty development program that trains its participants in designing pedagogically sound and interactive online or hybrid courses. Additionally, workshops geared towards maximizing instructional effectiveness are offered. A listing of workshops can be viewed at the CIT website. The website also provides online tutorials.
CIT has developed a video tutorial on its Distance Learning Website to help students familiarize themselves with the distance learning experience. The Helpdesk, part of the college’s IT department, provides walk-in, phone and email support to students on both the Haverhill and Lawrence Campus. The Media and Video Services branch of CIT provides media support and materials for classroom and special events.
CIT is staffed by a director holding a Master’s in Media Production, two professional Instructional Designers with appropriate advanced degrees, and two qualified paraprofessional staff members.
The College uses Banner, an administrative software system, to address many of its institutional needs ranging from student services to finance services and human resources. Banner Self Service allows enrolled students, faculty, and staff access to information, resources and services online. Banner interfaces with other software systems such as Blackboard, the college’s course management system.
The library has policies regarding the appropriate use of computers and technology systems. These policies are designed to address a diverse set of parameters, including, but not limited to, eligibility for access to computers and networks, acceptable and unacceptable use of library computer stations, acceptable use of e-mail, time limitations on use, printing policies, access to software and hardware, equipment reservation and loan, and software loan policies. Additional usage issues not specifically addressed by either the library or CIT can be viewed online at the College Policies & Student Code of Conduct webpage and is published in the Student Handbook under the heading “College Statements, Policies, & Disclosures”. These policies address enforcement of guidelines, use priority, privacy policies, security, eligibility for and cost of accounts, electronic mail policies (which covers acceptable uses and suggested guidelines for sending and receiving e-mail), use of the internet and World Wide Web access, and copyright infringement. Policies addressing the use of resources other then computers and wireless networks (i.e. books, movies, and print journals) are listed on the NECC Library Policies webpage.
Appraisal
Library
The Libraries’ mission and vision as stated in the FY 2008-2012 Long Range Plan (Resource Room) indicates a commitment to providing the environment and resources necessary to support the college’s goals of student success and faculty and staff development. The Long Range Plan clearly articulates the libraries’ goals in the areas of Information Literacy, Circulation and Access Services, Collections, Technology, Library Environment, Space Needs, and Communication.
The libraries’ strong connection with the academic departments through the library liaison initiative, the Academic Affairs Committee, and other avenues allows the libraries to stay abreast of new courses and trends. Academic needs are supported by a 75,000 volume book collection, as well as access to the collections of the twenty-seven member libraries of NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange). Electronic resources play an increasingly important role in student research. A wide variety of databases provide access to thousands of journals and other full-text resources and are easily accessible to registered students both on and off campus via the library web site. In 2009, the library added a collection of nearly 20,000 electronic book titles (Ebrary) which can be read in full-text online.
Despite the increasing importance of electronic resources, the libraries have experienced an increase in the circulation of print and media materials. Total library circulation grew from 9,790 in FY2005 to 17,595 in FY2009. In 2009 alone, overall circulation of library materials increased by 21%. At the same time, usage of all databases also increased (2009 Annual Report Summary). These increases in use may reflect, at least in part, resource allocation on the part of NECC’s administration in support of library collections, information resources and technology.
The library budget has remained stable during this period with modest but steady increases in funding. Between FY 2005 and FY2009, materials expenditures grew from $105,600 to $114,600. Operating expenses, excluding salaries, grew from $152,602 to $178,655 during the same period (Library Annual Reports). Despite the concurrent increase in the number of students and cost of materials, this investment has allowed the libraries to increase access to print and electronic resources significantly.
The quality of service provided by the library staff was judged to be one the libraries’ greatest strengths according to the LibQual Survey of students, faculty, and staff conducted in 2007. In 2005, evening and Saturday staff was increased with the addition of a library assistant to back up the Reference Librarian on duty at the Bentley Library, freeing the librarian to offer information literacy sessions, and providing needed circulation assistance. Other staffing improvements include the addition of a part-time Reference Librarian to allow the Lawrence Campus Library to remain open on two additional evenings a week and on Saturday mornings. A part-time circulation assistant was added in 2004 to help cover the busy morning hours of operation at the Haverhill Campus. Finally, the Cataloger position was increased from part- to full-time in 2008.
Information Literacy is an important part of the libraries’ mission and vision, and has recently been approved as one of the college’s core competencies. Library instruction sessions are one way of increasing student exposure to information literacy. Faculty are encouraged to bring classes into the library or to invite instruction librarians into the classroom. Yearly demand for library instruction sessions has risen steadily, with a 36% increase since FY2006. More than one third of the sessions presented in 2009 were for English Composition classes (Library Annual Reports). However, in both 2008 and 2009 there was an expansion of the program into other areas, especially Business and Science. The instruction librarians have worked to tailor classes for the various subject areas in order to ensure that students are exposed to information literacy topics relevant to their field of study. In 2009, the librarians began posting LibGuides on the library web site. These web based guides are designed to steer students toward appropriate sources specific to a course or subject area and are accessible to students on campus or off campus via the internet .
Methods of evaluating student success in acquiring proficiency in information literacy while at the college are still under development. The efficacy of individual sessions is evaluated through exercises at the end of class and through the administration of “minute papers” in random classes. Annually, the libraries promote awareness of information literacy on both campuses by conducting a contest for the best use of information in a research paper.
The physical space devoted to instruction has presented problems on each campus. The Lawrence Campus Library has no dedicated space for information literacy instruction. Sessions must be conducted in the library proper, taking over space at the expense of other students, or at an off-site location, especially problematic because of the limited staffing in Lawrence. The library itself is small, and its location in the basement of the building limits accessibility and exposure. The library also suffers from a lack of differentiated quiet and group study areas. These issues were prominent in both the LibQual Survey of 2007 and the Process Management project on Library Visioning of 2005.
The Bentley Library is currently undergoing a renovation which will include an improved library instruction classroom. The new room will be somewhat larger and will offer twenty-two computer work stations, double the number in the older ERA (Electronic Research Area). The space will seat larger classes more comfortably. The original ERA will be repurposed for general student use. The total number of available computers for student use in the library will increase from 35 to 52, improving ease of access for students, who are currently sometimes confronted by a waiting line for an available computer.
The Library Visioning Process Management project of 2005 highlighted the wants and needs of students, faculty and staff in relation to library space. The current renovation project at the Bentley responds to many of the needs expressed in that survey. More group and quiet study spaces, reading and relaxing spaces, greater access to computers, and improved security are all part of the project, as is an art gallery/meeting room. Wireless computer access is available in the library in accordance with IT’s policies. One of the top two wants or needs expressed by students in the survey, but not yet included in the renovation, was for a coffee/snack bar area in the library.
The NECC libraries play a role in the cultural life of the college through sponsorship of and participation in projects that reflect the intellectual and cultural diversity of the college’s students, faculty, and staff. Events sponsored during the past year included student and community art exhibits, environmental awareness month activities, author presentations, and a reception for NECC’s faculty and staff authors and writers. (Events Notebook)
Policies addressing the use of resources other than computers and wireless networks (i.e. books, movies, and print journals) are listed on the NECC Library web site as are policies for computer and cell phone use. In order to discourage inappropriate use of the library computers, software has been installed on the computers to prevent the downloading and installation of unauthorized files and/or images. However, the library computers do not contain content filters in order to minimize interference with research activities. Technology systems within both the library and CIT are primarily monitored by observations by the staff and users of these systems (i.e. faculty, students, etc.) for improper use. If improper use is observed, it is brought to the attention of appropriate staff members who then deal with the problem as deemed appropriate.
In order to prevent theft of materials, an alarmed electronic gate is located next to the circulation desk which will go off in the event an item passes through the gate before being checked out. There is an exit point to staff offices on the second floor of the Bentley Library where it is possible for people to enter and exit the library unobserved. There are also four fire exits which are alarmed so these doors can only be used in the event of an emergency. While the library has the capability of tracking borrowed materials, the unsecured door on the second floor does allow for the unmonitored removal of resources.
Instructional and Information Technology
The growth of distance education (DataFirst) and the establishment of NECC’s first online academic programs have led the college to expand and improve its support services for faculty and students in the online environment. CIT provides assistance to NECC faculty as they transition from traditional to online instruction. The staff provides individual and group coaching and is well qualified to provide both technical and pedagogical assistance to instructors in the online environment.
CIT offers a workshop program (iTEACH) for faculty developing distance learning sites. Faculty participants meet as a group once or twice a month throughout the semester and conclude with a three day showcase at semester’s end. Faculty are encouraged to meet with CIT between scheduled sessions for individual coaching, building strong partnerships with CIT staff. CIT staff offer assistance and consultation to faculty after the course is up and running as well as during its creation. CIT has modified its training offerings significantly over the past several years as a result of feedback provided by faculty via online surveys.
Online course completion rates have consistently lagged behind those of traditionally delivered courses. A college process management project on Student Success in Online Learning completed in 2007, examined possible factors that led to this discrepancy in rates. Results indicated poor student self-selection and poor pre-registration advising were key causes. In response, CIT and the Advising Office collaborated to create the Provide Support advising tool. An Online Readiness Survey is available on the Distance Learning web page to help prospective students determine whether distance education is right for them. To further support student success in the online environment, CIT is currently building a virtual library of brief video tutorials to be made available on Blackboard tools.
CIT provides assistance with e-tutoring initiatives and works with the Learning Accommodations Center staff to ensure that distance courses are accessible to students who require accommodations. CIT staff actively promotes the concept of “Universal Design” in the creation of online courses and faculty web sites.
There is currently a lack of CIT support for faculty at the Lawrence Campus; however a CIT office and lab is scheduled to open on the Franklin Street Campus in the fall 2009 semester. Support is especially important at the Lawrence Campus as the Sleep Technology Program, headquartered on that campus, works toward delivering its entire program online.
The Center for Instructional Technology and Distance Learning is actively involved in college wide strategic planning which includes annual initiatives and goals directly related to measuring and improving instructional and information technology resources and services for the NECC community.
The College strives to maximize the effective use of Banner, its ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) to administer, plan and evaluate its programs and services. A new CIO was hired in 2008 and has been working to further develop Banner functions and use within the college with the plan of bringing all of the institution’s data into this single database, allowing for more efficient reporting. Three key areas; Finance, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts Receivable, have been analyzed for implementation of business functions in Banner. Finance Self Service was implemented in March 2009. It supports online budgeting, requisitions and encumbrance queries.
Banner Self Service, a web-based tool, implemented in 2005 has improved access to student records for students, faculty and advisors. Faculty submit grades and students access them through this application. More than 80 percent of students used Banner Self-Service during the spring semester in 2007.
In FY2007, electronic survey capabilities were implemented in Banner, supporting student elections, a student satisfaction survey, and the appreciate inquiry interviewing process in its first year of use. College room requests are scheduled through Banner, providing a centralized location for booking rooms and a website that displays their availability. A college-wide Emergency Notification System was implemented in September 2008, allowing members of the college community to receive safety and emergency text messages on their mobile devices.
The college is working on creating a more effective system of training faculty and staff on the use of Banner applications. Training among staff has been inconsistent and often incomplete since its adoption 12 years ago. In fall 2009, the college’s Living Our Vision of Excellence Committee plans to survey all employees to ascertain what training they need, including speaking with deans and department heads. Discussions with the President’s Cabinet and other groups will follow about how to meet those needs. An orientation program has already begun for new employees.
Other changes in the use of information technology have improved administration, planning and evaluation within the college. A Time and Attendance Project resulted in the creation and implementation of an automated attendance recording system for employees via the web. Following a Document Management Project, document imaging software and equipment was purchased and several college offices began moving from an entirely paper-based system to an electronic filing system. The purpose of these efforts is the eventual reduction of paper use, better utilization space and staff time, easier retrieval of information, and improved security of individual data.
In 2005 the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP), began posting a wide range of data used in program planning, administering and evaluation, including specific college strategic initiatives and plans on its Institutional Research and Planning Website. By making this information accessible to the public “IRP is working to create a culture of inquiry at the college, where faculty and staff continuously seek to improve upon student success.”
In 2007, the College began subscribing to Strategic Advantage, a set of tools used to gather data on employment trends and development in our service area. The data reports generated from this tool led to the consideration of expanding the Hospitality Program to include courses/certificates in Culinary Arts. The Work Force and Development Office has also used this suite of data tools to obtain information on “Green” jobs. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning has gained valuable information on the Growth of the Health Care industry which has been used to inform discussions of collaboration between the College and Middlesex Community College. Reports generated from strategic advantage have also been useful for planning about enrollment projections.
The college began using the Provide Support web-based application in September 2007. This application provides secure synchronous and asynchronous online advising; enabling advisors to better assist distance learners.
In January 2008, the college completed a transition of its online course delivery system from WebCT to Blackboard Campus Edition. A Windows Media Server was launched with a customized faculty control panel and secure login feature. Faculty can now post streaming audio and video content, including providing podcasts to students. Additionally, in the summer 2009, the Center for Instructional Technology performed upgrades to Faculty web sites. Now powered by WordPress, they include new features such as the option to add a blog allowing for student comments to be moderated and posted, student subscription to faculty Posts and Comments feeds, and a “Share This” button allowing linkage to Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites.
The college is developing a central IT Plan which would include addressing all purchasing, maintaining, and replacing of computer hardware and software on campus. So far, NECC has used this centralized system only for its computer labs and smart classrooms. Other areas have been expected to monitor the capabilities of their equipment and budget accordingly when they need to refresh equipment, with some assistance from IT on these determinations. This process creates many extra steps and has led to some inequalities across the campuses. The college is in the process of centralizing all computer equipment management with IT allowing for a more accurate and timely plan for refreshing equipment across the College. This plan has been brought to the Cabinet for funding from capital expenditure and other sources such as the 2009 Federal Stimulus. A set annual budget has not yet been developed to refresh IT equipment that would help ensure the college maintains proper life cycles on necessary IT equipment.
Projection
Library
While the libraries are equipped to meet the growing demand for services and materials, certain challenges remain. First the libraries must manage the rapidly increasing number of electronic resources and related technologies. This requires essential training of staff. Second, insufficient library space presents a problem, especially at the Lawrence Campus, where the number of library circulation transactions has almost tripled since FY2005 (Library Annual Reports). Third, computers, equipment and facilities must be kept up-to-date to meet evolving student needs. Fourth, as new courses and academic programs are added, new materials and electronic resources will be required to support these programs.
Library staff levels are adequate to maintain the current level of library services. However, there is no surplus of personnel. Any reduction in staff hours would likely necessitate a cutback in the hours the libraries are open.
In 2009 and 2010, the Bentley Library will implement renovation plans for an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant circulation desk, an expanded library instruction room, and increased informal gathering and collaborative learning spaces for students, faculty and staff, addressing many of the issues raised in the LibQual and Process Management surveys. The relocated circulation desk will be adjacent to the exit, providing enhanced security for library materials. At this time, there are no renovation plans in place to address the space, computer access, and visibility problems of the Lawrence Campus Library.
Library staff will continue to investigate ways of reaching out to college faculty and students to encourage participation in library instruction and awareness of library resources. They will continue to refine the library web site, and explore new modes of delivery, such as LibGuides. Bibliophile, the library newsletter, will be replaced by a NECC Libraries blog or online newsletter in 2010 with the goal of publicizing library services and the librarian’s role in the education process.
The size of the libraries’ print collections will likely remain more or less constant, but the collection of current, relevant circulating books and media will grow in relation to the rest of the collection as older materials are weeded. Electronic resources, including Ebooks and online databases, will continue to grow in numbers and importance.
The college will need to confront the challenge of assessing the information literacy proficiency achieved by graduating students now that it is one of the core competencies. A college wide discussion of how to incorporate information literacy across the curriculum has begun. A Core Academic Skills Assessment Committee is in place and has scheduled several open meetings on the topic for the fall 2009 semester. Library staff, faculty, and administrators will need to be active participants for this process to be successful.
Instructional and Information Technology
The Center for Instructional Technology and Distance Learning’s role in college life is likely to increase as electronic delivery of educational services grows in popularity. At the same time, Instructional Media services would seem to be evolving into new formats and away from older technologies. The staffing configurations of these two areas may need examination in the years to come, perhaps growing, or combining.
CIT will continue to expand faculty and staff training in instructional technology, providing additional and more advanced training on both campuses. The Center will continue to develop the Distance Learning web site to include a universal portal, student blogs, and E-Portfolios. It will continue to encourage and support new online programs and improve services to online students by providing technical training and assistance to college staff and faculty teaching distance classes.
The college will continue to implement Banner as its ERP, and make fuller use of the features it offers. This will include pulling all functional areas out of their unconnected Excel and Access processes and putting them into Banner. As this is completed, many new services will be added to the College’s online environment. There are plans to integrate budget reporting and course scheduling software in FY2010 and 2011 respectively. In June 2009, the college purchased Argos, a reporting software for end users that integrates with Banner. This software will enable staff across the college to generate their own reports, empowering users and reducing report development time. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning and the Finance Department plan to begin utilizing this software by the end of the fall 2009 semester.
As part of the 2008-11 Academic Plan, the college is developing tools for assessing the effective allocation of program resources and services to meet student and community needs. Currently in development is a Program Dashboard tool which could be used to assess the effectiveness of existing NECC programs. This would complement the current outcomes assessment and program review processes of the college. Plans are in place to finalize a model for implementation in 2010.
The college will endeavor to improve its web site, and to establish a single portal through which students, faculty and staff may access online information and services. The web site will be modified to include student blogs and portfolios. Development of a college wide IT plan and a central IT committee will help coordinate and develop these activities as well as assist in the maintenance and development of the college’s smart classrooms, instructional and laboratory equipment, and general computer hardware and software needs.
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