BI’s via LibGuides:

All your eggs in one basket

Susan Whitmer

Reference Specialist

University of North Texas

September 2013

2

Objectives

• Demonstrate how subject guides enhance the instruction sessions

• Describe how guides employ economies of scale

• Present a user friendly guide that is navigable for new users

• Show complex and sophisticated content for advanced users

3

The library user needs a space to find assistance

Photo: Pinterest.com

4

Subject guides and class pages enhance the one-shot

instruction session

• Guides relate to assignment requirements

• Guides are interactive: citation assistance, links to tutorials and

workshops

• Instruction on demand meeting students at their location

• Online guides, prior to the current practice of guides, were static

versions of paper guides (Gonzalez & Westbrock, 2010)

5

The one-shot instruction session

• For research sources, students want an online one-stop shop at time of

need (Wahl, Avery, and Henry, 2013)

Photo: Ball State University 6

Guides employ economies of scale by maintaining content

on one site instead of multiple locations

• Economies of scale: As the use of guides increases, the cost

decreases

• A variety of online help points are combined into one central page

• Costs: Software, training, creating, maintaining

• Increase number of guides + increase of users = cost benefit to

institution (Liu, 2012)

7

LIS EOPe class page: A user-friendly instruction tool

Source: http://guides.library.unt.edu/liseop?hs=a 8

Statistics for the LIS EOPe LibGuide

• The LIS End of Program Examination is given in February, June, and September

• Highest LibGuide usage is during the months of the exam

9

Other user-friendly elements of LIS EOPe class page

• LibGuides can be printed

• Three clicks from UNT homepage:

Class page

Pull-down menu

LIS End of Program Examination class page

• Easy to update, currency issues resolved

• Reusable boxes and pages

10

Create sophisticated content for advanced users

• Embed media and widgets

• Add book covers and catalog records

• Upload podcasts

• Add images

11

The virtual user connects to virtual assistance

Photo: Sunpack.com

12

Interior of digital bookmobile

Photo: Sunpack.com 13

Guide weaknesses

• The number of clicks to find guides

• Guides require maintenance

• Internet connection

Source: Delgado and May, 2010.

14

Conclusion

• Guides reinforce library instruction, the content is delivered to the user

• Easy to navigate for new users, sophisticated tools for experienced users

• Librarians can update content in one location

• Users have one source for their research needs

15

References

Batman, C. (2013). LIS End of Program Examination Class Page [LibGuide]. UNT

Libraries, Denton, TX. Retrieved from http://guides.library.unt.edu/liseop?hs=a

Delgado, L. & May, K. (April, 2010). Linking through LibGuides: Collaborating with faculty

through an adaptable teaching and marketing tool. Paper presented at the meeting of

the Thirty-Eighth National LOEX Library Instruction Conference, Dearborn, MI.

Gonzalez, A. C., & Westbrock, T. (2010). Reaching Out with LibGuides: Establishing a

Working Set of Best Practices. Journal Of Library Administration, 50(5/6), 638-656.

doi:10.1080/01930826.2010.488941

Liu, L.G. (2012). The cost function and scale economies in academic research libraries.

College & Research Libraries, 63(5), 406-420. Retrieved from http://crl.acrl.org/

Wahl, D., Avery, B., & Henry, L. (2013). Studying distance students: Methods, findings,

actions. Journal of Library & Information Services, 7(1-2), 183-209.

doi:10.1080/1533290X.2012.705656

16

Contact

Susan Whitmer, 940-565-3980, susan.whitmer@unt.edu

For more about the University of North Texas’ Libraries,

visit www.library.unt.edu

17