Embedding library resources into Course Management Systems: A case study at Duke University

Embedding library resources into Course Management Systems: A case study at Duke University
Emily Daly
Coordinator of Upper Level Instruction
Perkins Library, Duke University

This session
Background and history
How we’ve gotten where we are
Technical components
Benefits
Evaluation
Questions and discussion

Why become embedded?
Students want library resources online, at their fingertips (surprise!)
Students don’t know what the library offers
We want to be where our students are, at their points of need
70% of Duke courses use Blackboard – led us to include “Ask a Librarian”

Ask a Librarian

Becoming embedded…
Ideal scenario was proposed – how do we turn vision into a more global reality?
Form a committee…
Librarians in Blackboard was born
Fall 2007: Pilot

Library Links

Library Links to Library Guides
Spring 2008: Brought more librarians on board
Subject Portals Task Force formed, recommended purchase of LibGuides
Fall 2008: Natural to transition from Bb interface to LibGuides interface

Library Guides

Course-specific Library Guide

From manual to automated
By middle of Fall 2008, realized that process is NOT scalable (in only 2% of all courses!)
Began exploring automation
Spring 2009: “Library Guides” automatically appeared in EVERY course site

How?
User clicks on “Library Guides”
Javascript redirects user to an on-the-fly URL with Bb variable (subject code)
URL points to django database
Database reads the URL and matches variable to LibGuide/webpage for that subject code
New URL placed in “Library Guides”

Benefits of method
Flexible – ANY URL may be placed in the database (LibGuide, Library website, list of databases)
Dynamic – URLs in django database may be changed at any point
Comprehensive – EVERY site at Duke now has “Library Guides” button

Have process – need content!
Task Force asked subject librarians to provide URLs for 266 subject codes
Included professional libraries
By start of Spring 2010, had URLs for 98% of all subject codes (had URLs for around 65% when project started a year ago)

Subject-specific Library Guide

“Default” Library Guide

Using the django database
Let’s try it out…

Using the django database

Informing faculty of project

Benefits to being embedded
Increased and enhanced collaboration with faculty and students
Access to students’ syllabi, assignments and course readings
Made privy to course communication (email, announcements)

Unexpected benefit
Has led to increased collaboration with Duke’s Writing Studio

Writing Studio Links

Maintain, sustain, assess
Evaluated our efforts at every step of the way (conducted usability tests of LibGuides in early Spring 2010)
Encourage librarians to continue to become coursebuilders in course sites
Encourage librarians to continue to develop/enhance subject guides

Next steps
Committee formally disbanded in June 2009
Representative continues to support embedded librarians and maintain django database
Will continue to evaluate effectiveness of Library Guides in Blackboard program and market program

Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the following:
Librarians in Blackboard and
Subject Portals Task Force
LibGuides and Django Project
Instruction & Outreach Department
Former AUL Tom Wall, who envisioned this project and formed Librarians in Blackboard committee

Show and tell
What are you doing at your institutions?
Questions?

Stay in touch!
Emily Daly
Coordinator of Upper Level Instruction
emily.daly@duke.edu
919.660.5879

Embedding library resources into Course Management Systems: A case study at Duke University

by Emily Daly on Apr 12, 2010

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