Library News: Questions

Sorry for the late notice but we have had an addition to our agenda this Thursday.  Ronke Lawal, who will be implementing LibQual+ this Spring 2013, is soliciting feedback on how you go about answering the questions on the survey.  She has given three sample questions for us to examine.

Think about your baseline expectations for the services presented and come prepared to discuss how you would answer these questions.  Please take a look at the sample prompt and questions below:

Please rate the following statements (1 is lowest, 9 is highest) by indicating:

Minimum: For each question, indicate the number that represents the minimum level of service that you would find acceptable

Desired: the number that represents the level of service that you personally want

Perceived - the number that represents the level of service that you believe our library currently provides

When it comes to:

IC-1- Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office

My minimum service level is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

My Desired service level is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Perceived service performance is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

 

When it comes to:

IC-2 - A library Website enabling me to locate information on my own

My minimum service level is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

My Desired service level is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Perceived service performance is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

 

When it comes to:

IC-8 - Print and/or electronic journal collections I require for my work

My minimum service level is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

My Desired service level is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Perceived service performance is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

We greatly appreciate your feedback and look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

 

Programming will be the theme of the December 6th meeting.  Shannon Jones, Associate Director for Research & Education, will be attending to see what kind of programming you might be interested at the VCU Libraries.  Some questions to think about prior to our meeting:

I hope you all have had a wonderful break.  I would like your feedback on the dates I have selected for this next years TMLGAC meetings.  This will be held at Noon with lunch served.  Here are the dates:

The Tompkins-McCaw Library is interested in your opinion about how we organize our Book Stack collection on the second floor.  The books are arranged using Library of Congress Classification, with the majority of our collection in the letter "R" for Medicine.  We currently have our collection arranged with the materials only using one row and starting in the back section of the second floor, like the following diagram:

TML is in the beginning stages of a potential rearrangement of the stacks.  The stacks would be arranged from front to back, utilizing both rows of shelving.  It would look like the following diagram:

We would like your feedback on this potential change to our stacks.  To have a fresh experience in mind, please try to locate one of the following books using their call number and report the title at the meeting:

1. QR46.M425 2007
2.  R280.C6 C.47 2006
3.  RK52.M287 2010

Generally, please be prepared to discuss your experience finding books in libraries.

We'll have a guest joining us who will be talking with you about the implementation of a new search tool at VCU Libraries.  We're calling this tool "Quick Search."  Right now at VCU Libraries, you have to search for books in one place (the catalog), articles in many other places (the databases).  The goal of this new "Quick Search" tool is to search a very large portion of the collections from once place -- including books and articles.  Erin White, our Web Systems Librarian, will be joining us to show you the new product and also ask for your feedback.

 

In order to get the most feedback possible, Erin would appreciate it if you all could take some time to play with this product in advance.  To access Quick Search, go to the Tompkins-McCaw Library website at http://www.library.vcu.edu/tml and click on the "Quick Search" tab on the search box in the middle of the screen.  Please regard the following screenshot to access Quick Search:

Questions to consider:

 

·         Pretend you're trying to find a copy of your favorite book.  Use Quick Search to find it, and see if you can locate the call number for the book.

·         Think about the last time you had to conduct a search for a clinical question or literature - does this tool get you to resources you would have needed? 

·         See if you can figure out how to add the items you like to a list and e-mail them to yourself so you can keep up with them.

·         Generally, please be prepared to discuss your experience with using Quick Search at the meeting!

 

Thanks, everyone! 

Every year, the University asks the VCU Libraries to submit proposals for expending its portion of funds collected from the Student Technology Fee.  Part of this process involves a review by representatives of the student body and by the VCU Libraries Advisory Committee.  The Graduate Student Advisory Committee will act as our representatives of the student body for the Medical College of Virginia.  We don't know yet the amount of funds which will be available next fiscal year but we intentionally aim high to create an environment where discovery and learning are fostered.  Past funds were spent on:

• Upgrading Public Computers
• Enhancing Collaborative Spaces
  
• Digital Media Equipment
• Etc

During the March TMLGAC meeting, we will present you a list of items we want to have this fee contributed too.  In the meantime, we want you to think about the following questions:

1. At your previous institutions, did you have access to technology in your library which you think would enhance your experience at the VCU Libraries?
2. Do you have any suggestions of additional technology to added to assist you in your studies?
   

At our next TMLGAC meeting, our guest will be John Ulmschneider, University Librarian at VCU.  He would like feedback on the following questions:

1. Are the collections adequate for graduate-level work in your field?  What's lacking?  Do you believe your colleagues at other institutions have access to better collections than at VCU?

2. In an ideal world, what kind of space in a library would you like to see available to a graduate student? Would it include space for faculty too?

Please take some time to think about these question and I look forward to our meeting next week. 

Thank you - Emily