2. You are doing what?
And going where?
Study Abroad Research Opportunity
Preplanning
Literature Review
IRB
Elon Study Abroad
Surveys & Usability Studies
Evaluation Report
4. DIS Background
Copenhagen, Denmark
Urban European University Campus
DIS & Programs
23 Semester Programs
Week long study tours
DIS Library
14000 books, 1100 journals, 1000 DVDs
Emphasis on Denmark, Scandinavia and
Europe
5.
6. Literature Review Topics
Study Abroad
Learning Commons
Technology
Reference Services
Research Guides
Search Strategies
Web Design & usability
7. Objectives
How often are students using their home university’s library
resources (online and physical)
What equipment, space & resources do they most often
use at their home institution? At the DIS library?
What resources do home universities offer study abroad
students? Are students aware of these?
While at DIS, how often do students use the library, it
equipment, space and resources?
Were students satisfied with the library equipment, space &
resources?
While at DIS how are students conducting research, finding
books, articles & other materials needed for class? Is
technology functioning correctly?
8. Evaluation
January 2015 – April 2015
Assessed goals of DIS Library
2015 Action Plan
2018 DIS Ambition Statement
Student & faculty satisfaction
Target population – current students and
alumni
10. Survey Findings
How often are students using their home university’s library
resources?
Physical Library - 97% use
77% 1x week & 26% 5-7x week
Online library resources – 97% use
73% 1x week & 12% 5-7x week
What equipment, space & resources do they most often use at
their home institution?
Physical Library
42.24% go to use library equipment
30% to use the library space
29% to use library resources
Online Resource
67% use databases
15% use library catalog
11. Survey Findings
What resources do home universities offer study abroad
students?
8/10 offer full online database
9/10 offer email & chat access
7/10 offer scanned book chapters & journal articles
What resources are students aware of?
86% knew of online databases
59% knew of librarian assistance (email)
35% knew of chat service
2% knew of scanned copies, research help or ebooks
12. Survey Findings
What do students use at the DIS Library?
78% computer lab
62% library lounge
50% study room
32% librarian
26% books
18% online database
13. Survey Findings
Were students satisfied with the library
equipment, space & resources?
Library Space 2.5
Library Resources 2.45
Librarians 2.85
Library Assistants 2.66
14. Usability Testing Findings
While at DIS how are students conducting research,
finding books, articles & other materials needed for
class? (N=9)
Computer lab (4) and laptop use (5)
Citation sources (EasyBib & Zotero)
Choose to use their home database (7)
Had trouble accessing home database (4)
Choose to use DIS catalogue to search for books
(4)
76% task completion rate home university/21% DIS
15. Survey Results :
What do students want in a study abroad
library?
Computer lab
Study spaces
Databases
Books
Periodicals
Librarians
26. Proposed Design Changes
Increase quiet study space
Smaller mobile front desk (staffed)
Weed reference material
Move travel guides and reserve materials
to main space
Increase quiet study space
Study carrels, tables added
27.
28. Proposed Website Changes
Library Home Page
Less text
One search functionality
More dynamic
Remote access
Catalogue for book search
Metadata for books
Overall: language use, familiarity
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37. Reference Services
Librarians – excellent
Email/chat
Moodle integration
Utilization of other sources
Royal Copenhagen Library
Public Libraries ILL
38. Don’t change a thing!
Librarians
Librarian/Faculty connection
Semester trips
Events
Organic garden
Book club
Student run groups
39. Outcomes
Signage Changes
Reorganization
Possible relocation
Possible addition of chat/email reference
Continuing events
40. Take Aways
Pre-departure orientation
Consider alternatives to chat
Connect with study abroad location
librarians
Ensure access available
Monitor for technology issues
Welcome! I’m Angela Wacker, a weekend librarian at Belk Library at Elon University.
Thanks so much for joining me today.
I’m here to talk about an evaluation I conducted of a study abroad institution’s library in Denmark.
My husband is a professor at Elon as well – in the Communication Dept. He was “offered” the opportunity to work for a semester teaching a class at DIS. After many many months of debate, we finally decided to do it. I was lucky enough that Belk library was willing and able to find a sub for me during that period so I was free to go. Because we were going to be living and working in Denmark, we were considered residents. This meant we had to register upon arrival, pay taxes and live like Danes. It also meant we automatically had health insurance, a doctor, and a school system.
Besides the personal preparations, there was a lot of preplanning involved in this project. Six months prior to the move, I began my literature review, working on the IRB with Elon, working with the Elon Study Abroad department to gather details and information about all aspects of Elon’s Study abroad programs. As part of the IRB, I developed the surveys and the usability studies as well. The final aspect of this project then resulted in an evaluation report that I presented to DIS Library faculty, and DIS Administration.
Many people are not familiar with Denmark so I thought I would share it’s location. It is a series of islands that are in between Norway, Sweden and North of Germany. Copenhagen is one of the cities that is always listed on the “happiest city in the world” list. People are well educated, granted extensive family leave, have great vacations, well paid, and ride their bikes everywhere, and have a wonderful public transport system, free healthcare and free education.
Anyone seen the Bridge? – the first version was a Malmo/Copenhagen version. The Oresund bridge, built in 2000, connects the two cities. DIS is located in Copenhagen, a metropolitan city of nearly 2 million people. Copenhagen has more than 94,000 students enrolled in its largest universities and institutions.
DIS was founded in 1959 and is located in the center of the city of Copenhagen. It is a urban university campus in that it resides in buildings built in 1796, spread out through the streets. There are approximately 1000 students studying here each year.
Each semester includes two study tours – one within Scandinavia (My husband’s class went to Finland, some go to Iceland, Sweden, Norway – depending on the class topic) and the other in another European country (my husband’s class traveled to Dublin and met with Amazon, Google and Facebook).
The Library was expanded just in 2011, and has a large selection of Scandi crime fiction, with reference materials mainly related to Danish and Scandinavian history.
Seeing the Queen, my walk to work, handsome young man, the roads in Denmark, shopping and walking in Denmark
As I was not sure what I would uncover during my project, I began a very broad overview of many different aspects related to students, study abroad and research. Very very little information was to be found on the topic of student’s use of libraries while studying abroad.
So I began by investigating statistics surrounding Study Abroad. I also looked at trends in study abroad students, trends in study abroad programs, etc…
I also looked into the idea of the Learning Commons – what does it mean for libraries, for students. Has this trend continued and has it been effective?
Obviously Technology plays a large role in study abroad programs. Students are using technology to access remotely, they are using different types of technology (phones, tablets, laptops) in different ways and from locations as remote as a Costa Rican jungle to cities such as London.
As I come from Reference Services, this was a large part of my research. What kind of reference options are available (chat, email, personal, skype, study guides), how are students using them and how effective are they.
Research Guides My review covered best practices in creating research guides as well as some interesting findings about student’s use of these guides.
Finally, I did some research into basic Search Strategies – which included how students use websites, search functions and available materials. This led me into some usability topics and Web Design
I based my research project on the answering of the following objectives
My evaluation project occurred during the Spring 2015 semester. In addition to my objectives, I evaluated the library against their own goals as well.
2015 Action Plan, “The DIS Library supports an overall mission of high academic quality while encouraging intellectual inquiry. The Library should function as the information central nervous system of DIS, reaching and connecting all DIS students, faculty, and staff. To do so, we will maintain, strengthen and update its offers while improving visibility”.
While the library is still completing their 2018 Statement as of this writing, they will strive to support the DIS 2018 Ambition, “to offer a European-based study abroad program of the highest quality within the tradition of American liberal arts education, designed for undergraduates from a variety of disciplines.” The library will also continue to focus on student, faculty and staff satisfaction, promoting library resources, and providing effective technological assistance.
I used a mix of qualitative and quantitative data gathering for my methodology. Both surveys included likert type response scales, choice based and open ended questions. The usability study was based on task completion, open ended discussion and research methods. The ethnographic observation included several weeks of observing interactions with staff, students and librarians in the DIS library. Finally, a review of the DIS evaluation reports, student evaluations and staff interviews were also conducted.
Getting the surveys conducted was a bit tricky. As a part time librarian, I didn’t have access to the Elon survey monkey or Qualtrix account. DIS ended up running the alumni survey for me. They placed the survey in their alumni newsletter. The second survey, was the mid-semester survey, which goes out each semester to all students. Each department has their own list of questions. For this, the library allowed me to propose the questions.
From the Top 10 Sending Universities
1 Washington University-MO (45)
2 Gettysburg College-PA (61)
3 Vanderbilt-TN (59)
4 Dickenson College-PA (51)
5 Tulane University-LA (58)
6 Elon University-NC (51)
7 Loyola University-MD (40)
8 American University-DC (59)
9 Georgetown-DC (72)
10 Northwestern-IL (40)
Universities
There were a lot of varying statistics surrounding the use of resources : SAE had 31% said they didn’t use them, DAS had 19% didn’t use them/ Books- 46% said they didn’t use books while abroad
Scale of 1 – 3 ; most negative comments related to library space (35%), then about resources – books (16%), finally comments indicated they were unaware of the library and it’s resources
Note: these building date back to 1798. They are in the middle of the city center, in multiple buildings and the layout is confusing. In addition, students were often unaware of the existence of the library unless mentioned by another student or faculty/staff member. Orientation is not providing full info or tour.
Satisfied
Library space
Equipment
Resources
Librarians
Dissatisfied
Small size
Layout
Lack of individual study space
Library website
Finding librarians
Number of books
I was a bit disappointed in the usability testings numbers. I had wanted to test at least 25 students. Five of the usability students were from Elon and therefore, a bit more willing to come in and do the study. The others responded to an ad posted in the student newsletter.
Home uni: 7/9 book, 6/9 article, 7/9 newspaper, 4/5 resource guide, 7/0 contact librarian
Dis: 4/9 book, 5/9 article, 1/9 newspaper, 1/9 resource guide, 1/9 contact librarian
DIS just opened a branch in Stockholm this semester therefore they are very concerned with how to approach adding library resources to that location without having an actual library. At this point, they are still contemplating chat reference.
My recommendations for the DIS Library were part of an evaluation report. This report included an executive summary, a literature review, all survey data and results, usability studies, recommendations and references.
Nothing at the front entrance helps identify the library as such
Library must be included in the tours which all students have at the beginning of semester
the signage was numerous, but not helpful, unnoticed and not uniform
,
space is choppy and over 3 floors – include map to show the spatial dimensions, painting and unifying the rooms in the same design
The library office currently contains two desks for the librarians, one desk for the library assistant, shelves for older reference materials, shelves for reserve books and compendiums, DVDs, and travel guides. To create a more efficient space and make room for more student study space, it is recommended that at least one librarian and/or library assistant move into the main library space. This would several functions. First, the librarian and/or library assistant could work more closely with the student worker. Second, many students have trouble locating library staff even when they are inside the library. Having a librarian front and center in the library will provide much more exposure and accessibility for the student.
Further, the older reference materials and binders could be moved to offsite storage. Travel guides and reserve books could be moved into the main library space. This would greatly free up usable space. With the librarian in the main library space, the DVDs could be moved into the hallway between the office and media rooms. This would open the library office into a space that could be filled with study carrels, tables with dividers and a few additional computers (see Appendix E). This would provide a study area that would not need to be completely silent like the second floor study lounge. Students frequently commented about the availability of power outlets, so ensure that these corrals and spaces are fully equipped. Finally, as group study space is not in high demand, but is useful for some students, having a small, flexible space available for reserve should be all that is necessary to satisfy the need. Having a whiteboard and a few stackable chairs could easily allow the small media room to serve as a space for small work groups as well.
Part of a larger project including Elon students at the Elon Centers this semester – China, London, Florence, Costa Rica
