Library Services for the Distance Learner: A Library Needs Assessment at Oregon State University

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1 Library Services for the Distance Learner: A Library Needs Assessment at Oregon State University Stefanie Buck Ecampus/Instructional Design Librarian Oregon State University Introduction Online or distance education programs offer a convenient and flexible alternative for students who want to pursue a higher education degree but cannot attend classes at a university campus. Distance education is a rapidly growing trend in the United States. The Sloan-C Learning on Demand Report (2010) noted a 17% growth rate for online learning compared to the 1.2% growth rate of the regular higher education enrollment (Allen & Seaman). As the online programs grow and expand, so does the need for access to campus services, including the library. At Oregon State University, a mid-sized land grant institution, online programs (Ecampus) represent a growing university population with enrollment rising up to 40% every year for the last 6 years (Reed, 2009). Students taking courses online require services such as book and article delivery in addition to access to online databases, an online catalog, and research assistance. The library literature indicates that students and instructors do not always use library services to their full potential (Dinwiddie & Lillard, 2002; Stockman & Turtle, 2004). One of the principle issues identified in the literature is the often low level of awareness among distance education students of available library services (Cooper, Dempsey, Menon, & Millson-Martula, 1998; Kelley & Orr, 2003). Even those who are aware do not always make use of these services to their fullest. The use of library sources among distance learners remains low even as the need for library services and resources is high, particularly when students are becoming more skeptical of Web sources and want reliable information (Kelley & Orr). Access to these resources, therefore, is critical. Libraries and distance education programs can work together to raise awareness among students and instructors. Understanding what the awareness levels and the issues among distance learning in accessing library services are the first steps in closing the gap. A needs assessment conducted in 2009 by the Ecampus Librarian at Oregon State University Libraries aimed to answer the following questions regarding Ecampus instructors and students and library resources: 1. Awareness of library resources and services 2. Use of library resources 3. Instruction and user education services and needs Study Methodology The method for gathering data for this study was through surveys, discussion groups, and interviews of library and Ecampus staff. A 25-question survey with both closed and open-ended questions was sent out to 1,500 students and 300 instructors in the Ecampus program. Eleven students and instructors participated in discussion groups using virtual conferencing software. Finally, 11 faculty and staff in the OSU Libraries and Ecampus were also interviewed. The results of the survey were too small to yield statistically significant results. Sixty-four students and 62 instructors responded to the survey. Although small, the issues that the survey revealed were not unexpected when compared to the issues identified in the literature. In combination with the results of the discussion groups and interviews, the data provide some useful information for follow-up and issues that should be addressed by the library and Ecampus program and can provide a guide for other institutions. Copyright 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System 1

2 Results Awareness and Use OSU Library provides an array of services to students and instructors at a distance including online databases and e-journals, electronic delivery of journal articles and mail delivery of books from the library, interlibrary loan services, and research and instruction in the use of library resources. In this study, the students were more aware of some of these services than others were. Almost 90% of the students said they knew about the OSU Libraries home page, which is the main starting point for library research. Students were aware of the library catalog (71%) and the online databases, but less aware of some of the unique services, such as access to consortial libraries (59%) and Interlibrary Loan (19%). Interlibrary Loan acquires books and journal articles and sends these to distance students, so it is a critical service point for them. Students also did not know where to get research assistance. Many institutions have a designated distance education librarian who can assist students and instructors in the use of library resources. Thirty-five percent of the students were not aware of this option. Overall, 11% of the student respondents had not learned about the library at all, despite the required Ecampus orientation that contains a library unit. This puts them at a disadvantage compared to on-campus students. The library needs assessment overall indicated a high level of use among the students; 71% use it weekly or monthly. However, given the small sample size, this cannot be considered conclusive. Previous surveys (2008, 2009) that had a larger response rate indicated that use is at about 48%. Those students who are aware of the services use the services regularly if not frequently but, again, this applies only to some services. Interlibrary Loan (8%) and Summit (9%) were the least used services, which is most likely a reflection of the general lack of awareness. Use of the services is not always easy. One barrier that the students frequently mentioned was the library Web site itself. They found it difficult to use and it was confusing to them how to get the articles once they had identified them. Instructors did not have this same issue with the Web page, but they did feel that the Web site is a potential barrier to the students and may discourage them from using library resources. Instruction and User Education How and where students learn about the library resources is crucial to their awareness and use. Instructors play a vital role in connection students to library resources and many of the students in this survey learned about the library from their instructors (31%). Adams and Cassner (2001) pointed out that instructors are influential in affecting student perceptions of, and their use of, the library (p. 6). Instructors too were aware of some services and resources but not others, specifically the consortial library services. Since most of the instructors were on-campus, they already had some familiarity with the library. However, when it comes to passing this information along, instructors were inclined to believe that they provide more information about the library than the students think they do. If they did provide information about the library, it was more likely to provide information about the library than in the actual use of library resources and some instructors provided no library information (27%). There were different reasons for this. Twenty-four percent of the instructors agreed that their students already know how to use library resources and therefore did not provide any additional information or instruction. Most instructors did provide, at a minimum, a link to the OSU Libraries Web site. The students, however, commented that the instructors had not provided them with a lot of information about the OSU Libraries or how to use it, and, although some may have suggested the OSU Libraries, the general expectation was to use whatever means necessary to get the resources for the paper or project. Some instructors were making use of the number of the services offered to help the students access library materials, such as creating direct links to articles (55%) or adding library information to the course syllabus (42%), but not as many were asking for course pages (13%), which are guides for the students to locating effective library resources or asking a librarian to participate in a course Blackboard (0%). In Copyright 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System 2

3 most cases, they were not aware of these services. Twenty-six percent of the instructors did not know they could ask a librarian to participate in a class. Even those students who knew about the library services did not ask for individual research assistance. Most students (60%) indicated they had never contacted a librarian for research help. In some cases, the difference in time zones made contacting the library more difficult for some students, but it was also an awareness issue. Both students and instructors were interested in additional library instruction. They wanted tutorials and guides that explain to them not only what is available to them, but how to conduct research in the most efficient manner. Students are heavy users of online resources and, for many, if it is not electronic, it does not exist. Many university libraries will send books and copies of journal articles to students at a distance. In this survey, the use of the service was low due in part to a lack of awareness but also because of time. If a journal article is not immediately available online, they ignored it rather than requesting it through interlibrary loan. They also indicated they are reluctant to borrow books because of the shipping time and, in part, the cost. Students expressed a need for more full-text online journals (94%) and would like more e-books (42%), which will allow them to preview the contents. They were also interested in the possibilities of streaming videos (44%). Instructors were also interested in ebooks as a more accessible alternative to hard copy. On a more positive note, overall satisfaction with the library was high. It was higher for instructors than for students. Eighty-eight percent of the faculty agreed that the OSU Libraries are giving them the assistance they need to conduct their research or studies. Fifty-nine percent of the students agreed. If we can lead the students to the right resources and help them in using these sources easily and effectively, they will most likely use them again in the future. Recommendations Instructors often complain that students are not using quality sources in their research (Tomaiuolo, 2005). Libraries pride themselves on being the best source for credible and scholarly resources but only if the students know about them and can use them. What can distance education departments or programs and libraries do to help get students to the library resources? Library outreach to distance education students and instructors is crucial but distance-learning programs play a key role in getting the word out. A coordinated effort between the two areas can mean the difference between a student finding and using the best resources or just settling for what s out there. Raise the Awareness New services and initiatives need to be marketed aggressively to distance education students and instructors. A good marketing plan to help get the word out about the library and in particular the new services that students may not know about is essential. This needs to include both high tech and low-tech options such as brochures, e-newsletters, targeted s, presentations and information on the website. The distance education program and the library need to leverage all of the different contact points the program has with students and instructors. Students and instructors suggested that there needs to be more communication between the library and themselves. At OSU, some college advisors have Blackboard sites just for their advisees or send out advising packets to students. These are two places where library information can be included. A distance education program can help make the library Web site more visible in the CMS, which is the students main point of entry to the university and their coursework. Distance education programs often offer introductory courses or Webinars or orientation programs for incoming distance education students. Making the library a part of that orientation is critical to forming student research habits early on. Copyright 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System 3

4 Target the Instructors The impact of the instructor in raising the awareness of the students should not be underestimated. Because they play such a vital role in connecting students and the library, distance education programs and the library need to target the instructors, particularly those with research intensive courses (Dermody, 2005; Gandhi, 2003). Getting the word out to students is important but it is the instructor student interactions that bring the most benefit. Instructors need to know about the sources available but also need to know about their own students library research skills. Offering an orientation to instructors new to the distance education program before beginning of the school year can help to raise their awareness and thereby their students awareness. Regular contact through a variety of coordinated methods, such as , newsletters, brochures, etc. will also help raise instructor awareness. Provide More Instruction in Different Forms A number of comments indicted that students would like to learn more about the library earlier in their course of study. They also wanted instruction on demand so they can learn at a time and place most convenient to them. Tutorial, guides, and handouts need to be in a place where students can easily find them and in a variety of formats. The students recommended embedding the tutorials in Blackboard or having the instructors link to them from the CMS. Students often have Blackboard open already because they are doing homework so they will be more likely to see them there. Library-related information and tutorials can also be added to the distance education program page Web page. Access to these resources needs to be in a place distance students frequently visit. They also need to be easy to use. Address Resource and Service Needs The library will not be able to purchase all of the resources that distance education program students and instructors want. Instead, the services such as Interlibrary Loan and use of consortial agreements that can help students get additional materials need to be advertised better and instructors need to be made aware of the time factors involved with getting these materials. New resources need to be advertised widely. When the library has to cut sources, including distance education programs, in any serial cancellation or major library collection changes will help to keep people informed. Libraries are moving heavily to online sources and purchasing full-text online journals whenever possible, which is a great boon to distance learners. The library and distance education program can investigate ways the distance program can supplement the purchase of new online journals or to purchase online versions of older journals currently only in paper. It is also vital that the library and the distance learning program establish a procedure to work together more closely when new programs come up or as new courses go online to ensure that the library has what the instructor needs to that the library can get the item. Gather More Information Even something like the OSU survey reported on here has done something to raise the awareness, a phenomenon experienced by others conducting library surveys among distance users (Adams & Cassner, 2001). Some of the instructors commented that this survey was the first they had heard about the library and that they intended to learn more, now that they knew about it. Thanks for taking the time to put out this survey, one instructor wrote, this is in itself is a good way to spread information about Library services. Raising awareness requires constant effort. Keep beating the drum in regard to the services that are available, wrote an instructor, we need to learn and be (continually?) reminded of what is there. That's the only way I am going to realize how I can use these services and hopefully pass that information on. Copyright 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System 4

5 References Adams, K. E., & Cassner, M. (2001). Marketing library resources and services to distance faculty. Journal of Library Administration, 31, DOI: /J111v31n03_03 Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2010, January). Learning on demand: Online education in the United States, Babson Survey Research Group/The Sloan Consortium. Cooper, R., Dempsey, P.R., Menon, V., & Millson-Martula, C. (1998). Remote library users: Needs and expectations. Library Trends, 47, Retrieved from Dermody, M. (2005). We cannot see them, but they are there: Marketing library services to distance learners. Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning, 2, DOI: /J192v02n01_04 Dinwiddie, M., & Lillard, L. L. (2002). At the crossroads: Library and classroom. Journal of Library Administration, 37, DOI: /J111v37n01_21 Gandhi, S. (2003). Academic libraries and distance education: Challenges and opportunities. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 43, Retrieved from Kelley, K. B., & Orr, G. J. (2003). Trends in distant student use of electronic resources: A survey. College & Research Libraries, 64, Retrieved from Reed, A. S. (2009, August 1). Division outreach and engagement academic report for Oregon State University. Retrieved March 23, 2010 at Stockham, M., & Turtle, E. (2004). Providing off-campus library services by team: An assessment. Journal of Library Administration, 41, DOI: /J111v41n03_09 Tomaiullo, N. G. (2005). Faculty views of open web resources use by college students. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 31, doi: /j.acalib About the Presenter Stefanie Buck is the Ecampus and Instructional Design librarian at Oregon State University. She has held this position since July Prior to joining the faculty at Oregon State, she was the Extended Education librarian at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. She has taught library research skills online and to distance education courses. Address: 121 The Valley Library Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Phone: stefanie.buck@oregonstate.edu Copyright 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System 5