Student Learning Outcome #4
I was able to accomplish the fourth Student Learning Outcome as I learned about considering all users and communities while creating content. Throughout my various courses, I came to understand the importance of providing content to those who may have different abilities and creating accessible resources for all.
During my first semester at UNCG, I dived into learning more about creating services for all users. A popular academic library service is creating LibGuides, more commonly called research guides, for students, faculty, and staff to assist them with library and university resources.
- SLO #4: The student designs services to meet the information needs of all users and communities.
During my first semester at UNCG, I dived into learning more about creating services for all users. A popular academic library service is creating LibGuides, more commonly called research guides, for students, faculty, and staff to assist them with library and university resources.
Creating My First LibGuide
I was asked to create a guide and asked to provide links to databases that would help users search for more resources from my guide's topic. Using Civil War authors as a topic with a target of college/university freshmen as a target audience, I designed my guide to be a starting point for research on the authors of the Civil War era. By creating alternate text for images and links, dropping any
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inaccessible features such as the photo galleries in LibGuides, I made sure that my guide would be easier for a screen reader to view. I also provided information about which databases to search generally, as well as which databases might be more relevant for finding information specifically tailored to the time period. As the majority of information during the Civil War was processed through newspapers, I also added a significant amount of information regarding UNCG's available newspaper databases.
Understanding that most college freshmen simply begin their research with a Google search, I provided more information about better websites to begin with under the "Web Resources" tab, along with a link to a ready-made UNCG guide about using Google for research. Finally, I included a tab for print resources to familiarize the students with the benefit of the catalog at UNCG.
This exemplar demonstrates my ability to create resources that take all users into account, including those in need of ADA-compliant information, those who may not know where to start with their research outside of Google, and more. Creating this LibGuide showed me how easy it can be to forget about those with needs that are different from my own, and why it's so important to take a step back and assess whether a resource is serving the most people for the better. Creating web content like LibGuides only impacts my career in the future for the better, as I already understand how to develop this content and am currently studying best-practices for LibGuides through my final semester independent study course.
Understanding that most college freshmen simply begin their research with a Google search, I provided more information about better websites to begin with under the "Web Resources" tab, along with a link to a ready-made UNCG guide about using Google for research. Finally, I included a tab for print resources to familiarize the students with the benefit of the catalog at UNCG.
This exemplar demonstrates my ability to create resources that take all users into account, including those in need of ADA-compliant information, those who may not know where to start with their research outside of Google, and more. Creating this LibGuide showed me how easy it can be to forget about those with needs that are different from my own, and why it's so important to take a step back and assess whether a resource is serving the most people for the better. Creating web content like LibGuides only impacts my career in the future for the better, as I already understand how to develop this content and am currently studying best-practices for LibGuides through my final semester independent study course.
Check out my Civil War Authors LibGuide here!
Collection Development Logs
While creating web content is one way to serve the information needs of users, another is anticipating their needs through collection development. Reviewing materials for a collection was one task I was asked to complete during my Materials for Adolescents course. I was asked to determine how I would use each book with teens in my library, requiring me to think critically about how the materials could be used in different ways to reach students. I read across categories, from non-fiction selections to award winners such as State Book Award and YA Edgar Award winner titles. By stepping outside of my comfort zone, I learned how to develop collections for users interested in a wide range of materials as well as to the justification process that takes place during each selection. Throughout the course of the class, I created literature logs that explained each book as well as how I would use them in a library. Finally, I ensured that these logs were on an ADA-compliant platform like Smore that offers alternative viewings as an option to access the resources.
The literature logs are further exemplars of how I have critically assessed services, in this case, books for a young adult collection, for all users and communities. The titles range from multicultural viewpoints, to different reading formats, to topics about drug use and immigration, to LGBTQ+ reads, that provide a wide range of reading material for all. I evaluated each to determine how they could be used for young adult students in a library, which will definitely be something I aim to do in my future career as an academic librarian.
The literature logs are further exemplars of how I have critically assessed services, in this case, books for a young adult collection, for all users and communities. The titles range from multicultural viewpoints, to different reading formats, to topics about drug use and immigration, to LGBTQ+ reads, that provide a wide range of reading material for all. I evaluated each to determine how they could be used for young adult students in a library, which will definitely be something I aim to do in my future career as an academic librarian.
View my literature logs here:Literature Log #1Literature Log #2 |
Creating My First Finding Aid
Creating my first finding aid was a new experience, because I had never explored the world of cataloging or archives at any real length. By crafting a document that provided information about a shelf of my own personal library, I came to understand all the information needed to finalize an archival collection or even a catalog record. By creating an aid that detailed materials, their history, and even their physical orientation, I came to understand that designing services to meet the information needs of all users doesn't necessarily have any uniformity.
The finding aid is an exemplar of this SLO, as it attempts to provide information for an (imagined) audience. By attempting to describe the collection as accurately as possible, the finding aid attempts to anticipate questions about the collection if possible. While I don't forsee participating in archival work, creating this finding aid helped me to critically think about what information may be needed by an audience that could range from serious researchers to someone who stumbled upon a link to the document. By analyzing the collection for information, it definitely prepared me for what I hope to do in the future in my role as an academic librarian with collection development responsibilities.
The finding aid is an exemplar of this SLO, as it attempts to provide information for an (imagined) audience. By attempting to describe the collection as accurately as possible, the finding aid attempts to anticipate questions about the collection if possible. While I don't forsee participating in archival work, creating this finding aid helped me to critically think about what information may be needed by an audience that could range from serious researchers to someone who stumbled upon a link to the document. By analyzing the collection for information, it definitely prepared me for what I hope to do in the future in my role as an academic librarian with collection development responsibilities.
Finding Aid.docx | |
File Size: | 19 kb |
File Type: | docx |
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