September 4
No meeting.
September 11
Guests were Sandi Edwards and Debra Kolah. Lowman described the desire to review the library’s assessment efforts. Rice’s next SACS accreditation review is scheduled for March 2016, and we will soon need to begin to prepare for Rice’s annual ROARS (Rice Outcomes Assessment Reporting System) process for 2014. The library already performs periodic surveys, including 3 administrations of LibQual, evaluations of activities sponsored by the Staff Travel, Training and Development Committee and UX (User Experience) projects.
Doing our next major survey was discussed, focusing on LibQual and a new offering from the consulting firm Ithaka S + R. There has been difficulty with accessibility to the LibQual surveys for participants with disabilities, and customization options have been limited. Ithaka is now offering a locally tailored faculty and student survey, building on their record of successful national faculty surveys (http://www.sr.ithaka.org/research-publications/faculty-survey-series). It seems highly customizable. Because of its cost, university libraries routinely partner with other campus offices, such as a writing center, to pay for it. Some preference was expressed for giving the survey in the spring. Kolah will contact Ithaka to let them know we would like to participate and to ask some questions raised in the discussion. She will also do a literature search for any published accounts of participation at other university libraries.
It is possible that a more formal review of Fondren’s assessment activities and options may still be desired.
September 18
Guests were Shannon Kipphut, Amanda Focke, Mike Dewey (Director, Academic and Research Computing). Mike Dewey was invited to share information about his IT division’s projects and discuss how the library and IT can collaborate effectively. All agreed that the library’s role in managing data should be developed in collaboration with IT, and that close communication will prevent wasted resources and overlaps in service.
Dewey stayed for the discussion of the Horizon report Open Educational Resources as a Factor in the Effective Development of MOOCs [link]. The library’s role in supporting MOOCs has been evolving, as has Rice’s exploration of MOOC possibilities. Three high school courses are now in development. The library can create a Libguide on MOOC development resources, and provide short courses and individual consultation on where to find Open Educational Resources (OERs) for use in MOOCs. Helping faculty members track down clearances for materials under copyright for use in MOOCs is extremely time-consuming and will not scale. Rice Online, the campus entity coordinating Rice’s MOOC efforts, now has a website and is adding positions.
Dewey asked how the library is handling campus interest in 3-D printing. Currently, inquirers are directed to the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK) or the Moody Center for the Arts. There is campus interest in more access to 3-D printing. Staffing and hours of access are complex issues for this technology.