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Transcript of Digital Library Strategies for Distance Learners Roy Tennant The Library University of California,...
Digital Library Strategies for Distance Learners
Roy TennantThe LibraryUniversity of California, Berkeley
Being in Their Face and Out of Their Way
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/~manager/Presentations/ICDE/
Outline
Libraries and Distance LearningBarriers to the FutureFactors Affecting BarriersThe Impact of Network AccessWhat to DoBeing “In Their Face”Being “Out of Their Way”
Libraries & Distance Learning
The traditional situation: telephone reference assistance requests and books by mail
The future situation: all of the above, plus... network access to the library catalog, abstracting and
indexing databases, full-text, digital images, multimedia resources, etc.
online, real-time reference assistance without long-distance telephone charges
Barriers to the Future
Lack of access to a personal computerPoor or missing network infrastructureLack of computer skills
Factors Affecting Barriers: Computer Access
Prices are dropping dramatically In many countries (not all) the economic
and educational climate is improvingRegional learning centers can make
computers available to studentsAwareness grows that higher education
and computer skills are necessary for success
Factors Affecting Access: Internet Access
Satellite systems reduce the need for in-country physical infrastructure
Costs are likely to declineRegional learning centers would reduce
the need for personal connectionsThose who work will increasingly be
connected through their place of employment
Factors Affecting Barriers: Computer Skills
Information skills are likely to become more important and valued
Computers are likely to become more accessible
We can work to make our systems more intuitive and easier to use
The Library: The Good
Has the capability to deliver information to the remote user for no (or less than before) incremental cost
Can provide users with access to a vast array of information resources without coming to the library
The Impact of Network Access
The Library: The Bad & Ugly
Must organize access to a vast array of resources
Must increasingly provide filtering services to reduce the choices or guide the user to the appropriate one
Must find ways to serve the needs of those who are remote (not always in distance!)
Must carry on with existing services
The Impact of Network Access
The User: The Good
Access to an incredible array of resources, with most just a few clicks away
Easy (and often cheap) communication24x7 access (no closed doors)
The Impact of Network Access
The User: The Bad & Ugly
Must cope with being faced with a bewildering number of choices, often with very little guidance as to which is most appropriate for a specific need
Must learn new technologies and techniquesMust cope with a lack of visual cuesMust cope with a lack of convenient
assistance
The Impact of Network Access
Miscellaneous Impacts
Remote online library collections become more accessible than your print collections
You are no longer the solution of first resortThe rules of convenience and “good enough”
can leave your users underservedThe improvement of services to network
users often improves services for in-house users as well
The Impact of Network Access
What To Do: Your Role
Guide users to the best resources (both print and digital) for their need
Use every channel at your disposal (online help, phone reference, online reference...)
Get those resources to them (mail, fax, network)
Be active instead of reactive
What to Do: Specifically
Insert yourselves into your campus’ distance learning planning process
Find out how other libraries support distance education
Establish a robust networking infrastructureAssign responsibility for managing library
participation in distance learning initiativesReconfigure your services for the distance learner
— be “in their face”
Being “In Their Face”: Why?Many catalogs and search systems are difficult to
understand and use Users need help at the moment they get stuck —
email is inadequateUnless assistance is obvious and convenient, the
user will remain stuckOther, readily available information sources, can
be convenient but inadequate (web search engines, for example)
Being “In Their Face”: How
Put your reference desk phone number in prominent places in your catalog system and web site
Have a method to get assistance on every search results screen in your control
Consult literature/colleagues/conferences for new ideas on providing service
Keep up with new network-based communication technologies
Being “Out of Their Way”: Why?
Our users simply want to get their work done
Anything extraneous gets in their wayOver-complicated search systems hinder
access for the majority 80/20 rule as applied to search systemsIt’s time to rethink what we’re doing!
Being “Out of Their Way”: How
Simplify the interfaceComplicate the back-end:
Pre-processing the query Post-processing the results Filter options Sort options
Think imaginatively about what makes an effective search system