Publications on Assessment: UW Libraries Authors

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://digital.lib.washington.edu/handle/1773/19907

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Case Study: Implementing a Sustainable, Long-Term Student Learning Assessment Program
(2017) Hurst, Leslie; Belanger, Jackie
This case study offers a model and set of practical approaches to implementing a sustainable, long-term student learning assessment program. While many academic libraries assess student learning outcomes, and the literature offers a variety of techniques and models for doing so, librarians can still struggle to build this activity into an ongoing practice. The Campus Library at the University of Washington Bothell developed a multiyear program that aimed to make assessment routine, predictable, and manageable. Strategies for developing a flexible assessment plan, managing the process of creating student learning outcomes, writing rubrics, assessing outcomes collaboratively with librarians and faculty, and using assessment results to make changes to the information literacy curriculum are discussed.
Three Thousand Library Users Can’t Be Wrong: Demonstrating Library Impact Using One Open-Ended Survey Question
(Association of College and Research Libraries, 2018) Belanger, Jackie; Faber, Maggie; Oakleaf, Megan
Librarians seeking to balance quantitative value measures with qualitative methods should consider the inclusion of critical incident technique (CIT) questions into their library value inquiries. Even the addition of one well-conceived CIT question in a larger survey question pool can provide valuable stories in users’ own words describing the impact of the library’s services, resources, and spaces on teaching, learning, and research at their institution. This chapter will discuss the CIT question used by one large, multi-campus public research library to elicit over 3,000 undergraduate student, graduate student, and faculty responses: “Tell us in a few sentences about a time that Libraries staff, services, resources, or spaces had a positive impact on your academic work.” Taken as a whole, the comments point to the impact of library staff, spaces, and services on faculty and students, while individual responses can serve as callouts within larger reports and provide depth and description necessary to understand other quantitative results.
User Surveys at the University of Washington Libraries
(Chandos Publishing, 2016) Hiller, Steve; Belanger, Jackie
The University of Washington Libraries has a long-established and robust assessment programme that has delivered critical information about user needs, library and information use, importance, impact and priorities for more than 20 years. Two long running cyclical surveys, a large-scale user survey and an in-library use survey, provide the foundation for a lengthy history of evidence-based decision making and library advocacy.
Understanding the Transfer Student Experience Using Design Thinking
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2017) Whang, Linda; Tawatao, Christine; Danneker, John; Belanger, Jackie; Weber, Stephen Edward; Garcia, Linda; Klaus, Amelia
Purpose: Discussion of a 2015-16 University of Washington Libraries project focused on understanding the needs and challenges of transfer students on the Seattle campus and developing innovative ways to support transfer student success. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs design thinking methods, including interviews and rapid iterative prototyping and feedback, to understand and emphasize the user experience. Findings: Transfer students at the Seattle campus identify themselves as a unique group separate from other undergraduates because of their prior experience, shortened timeline at the university, and their need to balance academic, work, and family commitments. Because transfer students often have little time to learn about and effectively use campus resources, the authors found that working with campus partners to enrich transfer-specific student orientations and events with educational and practical content was the most effective means of supporting new students. Research limitations/implications: This pilot study was conducted over an 11-month period with a small number of participants, but the iterative nature of design thinking allowed the authors to gather new feedback from a variety of students and staff at each phase. Originality/value: This study showcases how design thinking methods can increase understanding of transfer student and other user needs. The design thinking approach can also enable the rapid development of library and campus services, as well as outreach efforts, to meet user needs.
Project RAILS: Lessons Learned about Collaborative Rubric Assessment of Information Literacy Skills
(Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015) Belanger, Jackie; Holmes, Claire; Zou, Ning; Rushing Mills, Jenny; Oakleaf, Megan
Rubric assessment of information literacy is an important tool for librarians seeking to show evidence of student learning. The authors, who collaborated on the Rubric Assessment of Informational Literacy Skills (RAILS) research project, draw from their shared experience to present practical recommendations for implementing rubric assessment in a variety of institutional contexts. These recommendations focus on four areas: (1) building successful collaborative relationships, (2) developing assignments, (3) creating and using rubrics, and (4) using assessment results to improve instruction and assessment practices. Recommendations are discussed in detail and include institutional examples of emerging practices that can be adapted for local use.
Active Learning in Odegaard Library Report on Year 1 of UW’s First Active Learning Classrooms
(2014-10) Hornby, Amanda; Fournier, Janice; Richards, Louise
The University of Washington recently completed an award-‐winning $16 million renovation of the Odegaard Undergraduate Library that includes two state of the art Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs). The classrooms are designed to encourage student engagement and active learning. A major goal of the assessment project for 2013-‐14 was to understand what challenges and opportunities for teaching and learning instructors and students would perceive in these new environments.
Assessment Management Systems: Questions to Spark Librarian Engagement
(Journal of Academic Librarianship (Elsevier), 2013) Belanger, Jackie; Oakleaf, Megan
In recent years, ever-increasing demands for accountability have had an impact on all sectors of higher education. As a result, assessment has become central to the work of higher education institutions nationwide. Initially, many institutions scrambled to gather whatever assessment data they could find, and the handling of that data was somewhat haphazard. Now, institutions recognize that assessment data must be carefully collected, stored, organized, analyzed, communicated, and acted upon. To achieve this goal, many institutions purchase assessment management systems (AMSs). Librarians, who might otherwise be stymied in their efforts to participate in campus-wide assessment initiatives, can leverage their selection skills to help their institutions choose an AMS. In contrast to many higher education professionals, librarians are experienced selectors and can provide valuable input to their institutions on the identification and evaluation of AMSs. Likewise, librarians can participate in the use of AMSs as fully as other faculty and professionals on campus. Many librarians are just starting to learn ways in which they can use AMSs to collect, manage, and report library data. Librarians may not be sure how to begin investigating AMSs or get involved in campuswide AMS conversations. To this end, the authors offer some initial, practical questions that may help librarians engage in AMS exploration.
Are you asking the ultimate question?
(OCLC, 2006) Storey, Tom
Data Driven and Customer Focused
(OCLC, 2008) Storey, Tom
Survey Results Show High Satisfaction with Libraries
(University of Washington Libraries, 1999) Hiller, Steve; Rickerson, Carla
LISTENING TO THE UW COMMUNITY: THE 2007 UW LIBRARIES TRIENNIAL SURVEY
(University of Washington Libraries, 2007) Hiller, Steve
The UW Community Speaks: The 2004 UW Libraries Triennial Survey
(University of Washington Libraries, 2005) Hiller, Steve
Listening to Our Library Users: 2001 Survey Results
(University of Washington Library, 2002) Hiller, Steve
Assessment in North American research libraries: a preliminary report card
(2006) Hiller, Steve; Kyrillidou, Martha; Self, Jim
When the evidence is not enough: Organizational factors that influence effective and successful library assessment
(2008) Hiller, Steve; Kyrillidou, Martha; Self, Jim
From Measurement to Management: Using Data Wisely for Planning and Decision-Making
(2004) Hiller, Steve; Self, Jim
Usability Testing, Interface Design, and Portals
(2005) Hiller, Steve; Ward, Jennifer
Another Tool in the Assessment Toolbox
(2004) Hiller, Steve
Hiller Wright Bibliography
(University of Washington Libraries, 2011) Hiller, Steve; Wright, Stephanie
Developing a Collaborative Faculty-Librarian Information Literacy Assessment Project
(Emerald Publishing Library Review, 2012) Belanger, Jackie; Bliquez, Rebecca; Mondal, Sharleen
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the process of developing an information literacy assessment project, and to discuss key findings from the project. Design/methodology/approach – A variety of assessment tools were used to gather information about student learning and our information literacy instruction: pre- and post-surveys, student feedback surveys, faculty feedback to librarians, librarian self-reflection, library worksheets, student research journals, and citation analysis of students’ final research paper bibliographies. Findings – We found that our initial suite of assessment tools did not provide us with the information we wanted about students’ research processes, so we modified our ‘assessment toolkit’. We found that we were able to gather more meaningful information about students’ research processes when we worked closely with faculty to embed information literacy assessments into course assignments. From our analysis of student work, we discovered that, for many students, our library instruction was most valuable in helping them refine and explore research topics. Originality/value – This paper will be useful to librarians and faculty seeking to implement an information literacy assessment project. We provide ideas for ways for faculty and librarians to collaborate on information literacy assessment, as well as on assignment and course design.

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