The old fashioned way

For the first time since arriving at Ashland University Library, incoming freshman from the college of education are not required to take an introductory technology course. This course served a dual purpose of presenting basic technology skills to be mastered and, from a library and Instructional Resource Center standpoint, guaranteed we would see every one of them in the library at least twice during the term. This week my student workers have been helping me brainstorm marketing ideas.

We talked about creating a Facebook fan page, developing a short series of podcasts featuring the IRC collection, increasing the number (and quality) of IRC blog posts, adding instructional videos to my education LibGuides, creating new Prezi and Animoto videos, and continuing to update the second floor space (visual appeal).

In two weeks the Accent on Success classes, Ashland's first year experience program, will arrive in the library for instruction sessions with the reference librarians. Many of these classes are grouped by declared majors, meaning there will be sessions for education students led by education faculty. While there is generally not time for tours built into the classes, I can certainly provide a parting gift. I updated my old book marks to business cards, featured resources that would be of interest to new students, printed them in color (created in Publisher for the correct Pantone colors), used a square hole-punch and attached them to my IRC pens. I have 126 pens in a clear sterlite box that I will give to a reference librarian later this week. Sometimes simpler is better.

The same, but different

The first wave of purchases for the AU Columbus Center IRC is arriving; cataloging has begun on book kits, reference books, and activity books. Fun factor aside, I was playing with the new puppets earlier, as items are placed in containers prior to cataloging it is obvious the new IRC will be unique, not a carbon copy of the current IRC. More importantly, that's how it should be. As noted on the IRC web site, the IRC collection "supports the teaching programs and curriculum of AU's Dwight Schar College of Education." Students at the Columbus Center will have different needs than traditional main campus users, as such the collection needs to adequately address and reflect this distinction.

In a previous post I mentioned the classification system / call numbers planned for the Columbus IRC would utilize simple word classification and numerical accession, with LC for reference. This will do more than make it simple for locating and shelving items initially; students will be able to use "other call number" in the catalog to have immediate access to only Columbus IRC items. Location codes have been added to the catalog allowing for search limits to be set by users. Cataloging has begun on the following items:

• Activity Books
• Book Kits
• IRC Reference

Using the other call number of "col activ" for activity books and "col bookkit" for book kits, it is easy to create links to these collections. Because location codes were developed for Columbus Circulating and Columbus Reference, users are also able to search in the traditional fashion and limit to a single collection. The IRC Reference link was created by using our catalog's word search option, placing an asterisk as the search term, and limiting the location to Columbus Center Reference (something I've previously used with students scanning the catalog for big books).

Corresponding web support for the new collections are following the same path, as collections are cataloged descriptions and links are placed on both the blog and web page. I've been a bit chagrined to discover my previous collection descriptions will not suffice. The basic bones of each provide a great template, but new information will accompany the new collection on the new support pages. That's how it should be, too.

Feast or famine

One of my instructors in the school library tract consistently evoked the wisdom of and end of year wish list, something prepared when the principal came to the library with an opportunity to spend a specified amount of money in a short period of time. It is a policy that has served me well over the years, allowing me on occasion to say, "Yes, buy this!" When my funds are spent, I routinely create a folder and hold requests for the next fiscal year. But I have wondered which would be worse, feast or famine; having insufficient budget funds or having to scramble to find something when a windfall opportunity arises. After this week, the wondering is moot.

Today was the first day of summer hours for the library, the first day of summer courses at Ashland University, and the first day of the final push to spend remaining budget funds for this fiscal (academic) year. I was on target to finish late last week, until receiving an exciting phone call about the status of the new AU Columbus Center IRC (info here, here, and here) and its collection budget. Unexpectedly the days, hours, and weeks spent preparing a budget proposal and collection overview became an exciting reality. Time and effort put forth gels as the collection begins to takes shape.

• Head of circulation traveled to Columbus to train staff members using OhioLINK and has become a touchstone for those charged with handling responsibilities of being an official OhioLINK pick-up point.
• Systems librarian traveled to Columbus to set up systems, load OhioLINK software, and trouble-shoot connection issues.
• Cataloging librarian created necessary location codes, will be cataloging all of the purchases, and developed a system of call numbers (accession and item type) that will make locating and re-shelving items simple for student workers.
• Acquisitions library ordered everything and managed multiple budget lines as different departments provided start-up funds.
• Technical services assistant is processing all of the collection items, many of them non-traditional in nature.

As a result of this particular feast, I have a bit of collection/resource envy. Why? The roll-top laminator slated for purchase is easy-load with a counter and the materials kits are all fresh and new. But for now, my car is loaded with Ellison starter sets and I will be in Columbus tomorrow for meeting scheduled for 9:30 am and we will be mapping the layout of the new IRC!

It's the most wonderful time ...

Many students are already back on campus and official move-in begins this weekend. The start of another school year is only a few days away. I am a bit farther behind than planned, student work schedules are still under construction, and my current focus is feasibility and budgetary allotments for much needed refurbished computers on the second floor and in the IRC.

Last evening I saw one of the all-time great back to school commercials and had to share. The YouTube Staples Channel says it is "back after fifteen years," those sad-eyed children are now college graduates!

2009 CMCIG Workshop @ AU

If you are attending the CMCIG spring workshop, Realigning the CMC to the Governor’s Pre K – 12 Education Plan,21st Century Skills, and Discovery Learning, at Ashland University this Friday, here are a few informational links including directions to Ashland, location of the Dwight Schar College of Education, and campus parking maps.

• Local Area Hotel List
• Directions to Ashland University
• Mapquest Map and Driving Directions
• Campus Map (PDF)
• Ashland University Parking Map

Dwight Schar College of Education is building #19 on the campus map; please note the academic corridor in front of this building is a closed walkway. Enter using the main doors and Ronk auditorium is located behind the main staircase in the vestibule.

Parking is available in Lot B, across the street from the senior apartments and COE.

"If you continue down King Road and take a left turn on to Samaritan Avenue, there is a large parking lot, Lot B, on your right. There are no visitor parking signs in this lot, but the lot is open to visitor parking. " -- Parking Lots on Campus

General Ashland University resources:

• Ashland University
• Dwight Schar College of Education
• Ashland University Library
• Instructional Resource Center

I am so excited!

This week, barring any unforeseen complications, Ashland University Library and the Instructional Resource Center will both have new web sites! Even better, both are part of the University template and help with the branding and marketing of the sites. After a year of hard work, web committee meetings, and collaboration with the fabulous Ashland University web master who tweaked our template again and again to make it feasible for the library, I can not even begin to describe my enthusiasm for the end products.

Keeping my fingers crossed, actually and metaphorically, for a problem free launch later this week (I still have a couple of pages to finish).