SLOs for Librarians Kevin BontenbalScott Lee Cuesta CollegeAntelope Valley College

Description “ Library and other learning support services for students are sufficient to support the institution ’ s instructional programs and intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural activities in whatever format and wherever they are offered. ” Thus begins ACCJC Standard IIC, “ Library and Learning Support Services. ” How do librarians help their colleges meet and exceed the demands of this standard? How can library faculty use this standards to help their colleges meet the library and learning resource needs of their students?

What we’ll cover… ACCJC accreditation standards/ requirements Purpose/importance of SLOs Difficulty of SLOs in the library Types of measurements Implementation & assessment

Accreditation Standards Library and Learning Support Services (II.C) II.C.1.b –The Institution provides ongoing instruction for users of library and other learning support services so that students are able to develop skills in information competency.

Accreditation Standards Library and Learning Support Services (II.C) II.C.1.c –The institution provides students and personnel responsible for student learning programs and services adequate access to the library and other learning support services, regardless of their location or means of delivery.

Accreditation Standards Library and Learning Support Services (II.C) II.C.2 –The institution evaluates library and other learning support services to assure their adequacy in meeting identified student needs. Evaluation of these services provides evidence that they contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. The institution uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement.

Rubric for Evaluating Institutional Effectiveness – Part III: Student Learning Outcomes

Ultimate Purpose Why is this important? To measure the effect of library services on students. Have they learned anything as a result of their interaction with the library? To meet accreditation standards.

Difficulty of SLOs in the Library Learning Outcomes must focus on what the students has learned and not on the performance of the library. Most library evaluation, especially reference evaluation, does not focus on the student.

Rubric for Evaluating Institutional Effectiveness – Part III: Student Learning Outcomes

Where to Measure? Service Level –Measuring the individual services in the library. Reference, Tutorials, Bibliographic Instruction Program Level –Measuring the overall success of the library. Information Literacy Examples: Focus Groups, Pre & Post Testing, Longitudinal Testing of Cohorts Both…

Cuesta College Library - SLOs Program Level Approach Conceptualize and communicate a research topic or information need, and know when expert assistance is necessary. Synthesize material and evaluate whether information need has been successfully satisfied. Locate, use, and evaluate library and information resources relevant to collegiate assignments and personal information needs.

Cuesta College Library - SLOs Program Level Approach

Antelope Valley College Library - SLOs Service Level Approach Students will be able to use the AVC Library Catalog to identify an LC call number for a book. Students, after identifying a books call number, will be able to successfully retrieve the book from the AVC library collection. After a reference interview, students will use selected search terms to initiate a search in an EBSCOhost.

Rubric for Evaluating Institutional Effectiveness – Part III: Student Learning Outcomes

How to implement? Courses –Stand alone –Component of existing course(s) Embed –Unit, assignment, or activity Linking courses-learning communities Tutorials/guides Orientations/class visits

Rubric for Evaluating Institutional Effectiveness – Part III: Student Learning Outcomes

Antelope Valley College Library - SLOs Service Level Approach - Assessment Students will be able to use the AVC Library Catalog to identify an LC call number for a book. Assessment: Demonstrate using the AVC Library Catalog to find a book call number. Students, after identifying a books call number, will be able to successfully retrieve the book from the AVC library collection. Assessment: The student shows the retrieved book to the reference librarian. After a reference interview, students will use selected search terms to initiate a search in an EBSCOhost. Assessment: Demonstrate initiating a search in EBSCOhosts.

Thank you! Kevin Bontenbal Cuesta College Scott Lee Antelope Valley College