All Starting from Baseline Data: What Can We Do with Library Resources and Services? Hong Li Xiaocan (Lucy) Wang Head, Technical Services Librarian Emerging Technologies/Systems Librarian

Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) MSSU: Joplin, Missouri mSSU: four schools, 140 academic programs, over 6,000 students Distance Learning/MSSU Online

George A. Spiva Library MOBIUS Consortium member Various systems Over 20 different collections Over 360, 000 items Online resources

The Distance Learning Program Data As of 2017 Fall: 7,002 taking one or more DE courses, and 3,264 taking exclusive DE courses DE courses and programs increase from 2013/14 The corresponding DE credit hours increases

Library Support and Services to Distance Learning The primary goal is to provide optimal support as well as equal access to library resources and services What have we done with our goal? What can we do with our goal? Collect baseline data through ASSESSMENT!

A Survey to Obtain Baseline Data Purpose of the survey: Awareness Utilization Population of the survey 1,050 students Leader of the survey The Library Assessment Committee Survey questions 12 survey questions Method of the survey email through the Qualtrics system

Survey Results Participants: 292 students, 28% 166 of 292 (56.8%): have used library online resources or services 111 of 292 (38%): have NOT used library online resources or services

Survey Results (continued) Awareness of tools and methods to locate and obtain library materials Library webpage – 77.7% A-Z Database list – 68.5% Mobius catalog – 47.3% Summon search – 42.1% Interlibrary loan – 41.1% SWAN catalog – 38.0% LibGuides – 37.7%

Survey Results (continued) Awareness of Library Services: assistance, instruction and consultation Assistance at service desk – 80.8% Assistance via email, chat/IM, phone, text/SMS – 49.0% LibGuides – 36.6% Class instruction – 31.2% Personal research consultation – 27.4%

Survey Results (continued) Demographic information Age range: 15 (youngest) – 57 (eldest); 49% between 19 and 23 Class rank: senior (43%), junior (24%), sophomore (15%), and freshman (11%) Major focus group: Business, Criminal Justice, Education, Biology, and Health Science

What Found from the Survey More than half of the surveyed distance students have used library’s resources and services The lower awareness of existence of LibGuides The lower awareness of roles of librarians Face-to-face contact preferred More upperclassmen (junior and senior) responded to the survey vs. small number of underclassmen (freshman and sophomore) The major group respondents : CJAD, EDUC and MRKT

What Found from behind the Survey The definition of distance students: clarification Adjunct faculty: Hard to reach Their influence The importance to communicate with adjunct faculty The necessity to reach out adjunct faculty and through them distance students OR

Actions Taken New Distance Learning Services webpage Library orientation videos: for distance students and 10 Question Quiz for adjunct faculty Library organization page in Blackboard Book-a-Librarian Service

Action One: library webpage for distance learning

Action Two: library orientation videos For distance students For adjunct faculty

Action Three: library search tools guide

Action Four: library information embedded in Blackboard

Action Five: Book-a-Librarian service

Lessons Learned … The significance of baseline data Survey design and manipulation Future tasks of the Library Assessment Committee Campus-wide collaboration A centralized place/office

Future Plans Increase collaboration with campus departments Create marketing and promotion campaign Conduct assessment projects for the Actions Taken

Questions?