VOLUME 29, NO. 1 NEWSLETTER SPRING 2006

ALBERTA ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE LIBRARIANS

ISSN 0829-4321 Published in May and November by the Association [email protected] http://www.nait.ca/libresources/aacl (coming soon) http://aacl.engineseven.com/ Editor – Dave Weber

AACL members also need to thank James Rout for MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR the work he continues to do on both the listserv and website. But James can’t do all the work. We all You don’t want to miss an AACL meeting. The April need to contribute to the website. It’s found at th 20 meeting was a perfect example of why you http://aacl.engineseven.com/ and if you have need to be there and it had nothing to do with me. difficulties logging on, contact James directly at Starting backwards, the workshops arranged by [email protected] Much as I wish I could, Geoff Owens and Ann Gish were - what’s that little I can’t whine if I don’t contribute and neither can simple word? Oh yes - perfect. Of course the quality you. So help make this a valuable tool. Start by of workshops has something to do with the saying what projects your library is working on this presenters, their subject and style but it starts with summer. Summer and library projects always go workshop coordinators who come up with solid together. ideas and then, with a whole bunch of work, contact top-notch speakers, arrange for the technology, and During the past year, AACL members did a good greet, introduce and thank the speakers. collective job at raising the profile of the colleges Unfortunately the King of Workshops, Geoff Owens, within LHCADL. We managed to get all those has stepped down from that position but he colleges who showed an interest included from the mentored Ann Gish, a woman with the same fine beginning. So, the work of this group does have an traits. Ann will be joined by Alice Swabey. Alice has impact. LHCADL is a key initiative in this province. always struck me as someone with ‘fire in her belly’. If you have unanswered questions or concerns, I hope that is the right phrase. I mean energy, voice them. Kit Wilson, Manager of LHCADL, is enthusiasm and ideas. I am sure great workshops very approachable. Contact her at will continue to be a star feature of the AACL [email protected] meetings. I can’t stop writing before I thank Susan Brayford Geoff is not a person who steps out of the action. and her staff at SAIT for hosting the April AACL He traded in his workshop crown for the Chair’s meeting. Susan must have been an events position, a position he’s previously held. He must coordinator in a previous life. She is so gracious believe that a change is as good as a rest. His and thinks of all the details that make these support team at the executive level now includes meetings flow smoothly. Lillian Li as the new and capable Secretary/Treasurer and Karen Hering as Director To end this, thank you for giving me the opportunity at Large. Thanks to all of them for taking on these to Chair the group for the past 2 years. When I roles. attended my first AACL meeting just over 2 ½ years ago, you were a very welcoming group of people. I have sought advice from many of you and always

AACL Newsletter Spring 2006 received much help and assistance. It is a great community. 9:00 – 9:30 COFFEE

I hope you all a wonderful summer, Robin 9:30 – 10:30 1. Welcome. Roundtable Introductions and Minutes for the Update on Anything ‘New’ in Your Association of College Librarians Institution. Spring 2006 Minutes Robin Minion – is opening a new SAIT, Heart Building campus ( Stampede). A new building is Thursday, April 20th being erected that will be attached to the library 9:00 am – 4:30 pm and will include a theatre. Fiona Dyer – Lethbridge Community College Meeting Attendance Kathy Lea, library manager, will be going on a library exchange to England for four months Name Institution beginning July 1. Christine Sammon Alberta College of Art and Susan Brayford – SAIT Design The SAIT library is expanding into the center Kit Wilson Alberta Library core with computer commons, display cabinets James Rout Banff Centre and lounge seating to create 40 additional Carol Nicks Canadian University College seats for students. SAIT was happy to welcome their newest librarian, Kat Johnson, who is first Joyce Van Scheik Canadian University College full time library employee to be hired in 16 Dan Mirau Concordia University years. Kat is working on increasing library College of Alberta instruction. Ann Gish Grande Prairie Regional Christine Sammon – Alberta College of Art College and Design Jennifer Thomas Grande Prairie Regional ACAD has a new president and new vp College academic. The President would like to build a Fiona Dyer Lethbridge Community new campus. ACAD received provincial money College for 10 additional students for 2006-2007. ARLIS Debbie McGugan MacEwan conference of which James and Christine are Sheila Drummond co-chairs will be held in May in Banff in a Keith Walker Medicine Hat College couple of weeks. Lillian Li Medicine Hat College James Rout – Banff Center Geoff Owens Mount Royal College The Banff Center is planning for a new library Marilyn Ewald Mount Royal College facility 2009. Alice Swabey Mount Royal College May Chan - SAIT Brad Neufeldt Mount Royal College SAIT has started a library blog. Peggy French Mount Royal College Meagan Weber – Mount Royal Mount Royal is signing up with OCLC. Mount Margy Macmillan Mount Royal College Royal has recently welcomed three new Pearl Herscovitch Mount Royal College librarians Alice Swabey, Peggy French and Meagan Weber Mount Royal College Brad Neufeldt. Janet Monteith Mount Royal College NAIT – developing online modules to Helga Kinnaird NAIT complement online courses Joan Morrison Norquest College Barbara Palmer - Robin Minion Olds College Barbara has moved into management position. Barbara Palmer Portage College The college will have 20 -50 computers in a Wayne Wicks Prairie Bible Institute new commons and a new branch in Cold Lake. In 3-4 weeks, the library, will have its own Anne Marie webpage. Watson Joan Morrison – Norquest College Joanne Mokry Red Deer College The college is introducing a business and Kristine Plastow Red Deer College industry careers program. The curriculum for Nora Robinson SAIT research and report writing is being designed Zahina Iqbal SAIT and perhaps delivered by library. Kat Johnston SAIT Susan Brayford SAIT

2 AACL Newsletter _____ Spring 2006

Debbie McGugan – Macewan College NEOS as a branch of Concordia and holdings Eight new majors will be offered in the Fall will be showing up in NEOS soon. degree programs. The library has been busy NAIT receiving CTCL award for its online spending money on resources to support the academic integrity module. new degrees and will soon be hiring staff. The library received $3.1 million one time funding for 2. Approval of Agenda resources and $480,000 ongoing operating funds. Macewan is investigating the offering of Kristine Plastow – Added “libqual” to a Bachelor of Science, Music and Nursing agenda Expansion of the physical library space will start Robin Minion added – “TAL next summer representative” Lillian Li – Medicine Hat College – Lillian is Dan Mirau added “online shipping tool” back from her maternity leave and Joanne Mokry is now at Red Deer College. Medicine 3. Approval of Minutes of the Spring 2005 Hat College will be offering a degree in meeting Education in partnership with the . Anne Gish moved for approval of Later this evening, Sheila Drummond is being Minutes of the Spring 2005 meeting, recognized for her work with “One Book One Keith Walker seconded the motion. Community” initiative. Sheila was instrumental Minutes of the Spring 2005 meeting were in Medicine Hat becoming the third community approved in to offer the program. Wayne Wicks – Prairie Bible Institute 4. Executive Report: The Prairie Bible Institute is implementing a. Chair: Robin Minion Horizon ILS. The library is thrilled to be included Robin acknowledged that May and June in the initiative. are very busy months but that it is still Peggy French - Mount Royal College important to meet and participate in The library has just completed a survey with educational programs. Robin thanked SAIT students that have provided staff with valuable for hosting the meeting and Lethbridge feedback. Community College for sponsoring the Jennifer Thomas – Grand morning coffee break. Wanjikuu has The college is undergoing growth in a number returned to her position at Lakeland College of programs. GPC will be partnering with UNBC and will be rejoining AACL meetings soon. for Masters of Education, with U of A for degree Keith Walker is running for chair of CTCL status. and Robin encouraged everyone to vote Geoff Owens – Mount Royal College (for Keith!). Susan Brayford also The college is currently shortlisting for two new encouraged everyone to persevere through librarians. the technical maze that is the CTCL online Kristine Plastow – Red Deer College voting process to vote for Keith and offered Red Deer College is investigating degree to help with navigation if needed. Robin granting status and will be starting with the thanked James Rout for getting the AACL Business program. The library is merging with listserv up and running. She also thanked the RDC Teaching and Learning center – Jeremy Clyde (in absentia) who has moved people moving into library on to the for his work Joanne Mokry – Red Deer College with AACL. Three motions were passed at Joanne has accepted a position as the librarian the last meeting regarding the Lois Hole at the new Rocky Mountain House campus of Campus Alberta Digital Library and were Red Deer College. satisfactorily addressed by the TAL steering Anne Marie Watson – Red Deer College committee. The Fall AACL meeting will be Anne Marie will be participating in panel on held in at Grant Macewan, marketing your library at CLA. November 23rd. Dan Mirau – Concordia University College– The library is currently completing its annual Robin moved for acceptance of the satisfaction survey which was delivered online. Executive Report. Two practicum students are currently being Christine Sammon seconded the motion. hosted. The seminary library will be joining The Executive Report was approved.

3 AACL Newsletter Spring 2006

5. Elections (Chair and Secretary/Treasurer) – James asked all to review the Kristine Plastow directory on the site and update list. Chair – Geoff Owens was elected Chair of Keith suggested statistics and AACL through acclamation CTCL standards as additions. Meagan Weber moved that Geoff Owens James will also add back issues of be elected Chair of AACL newsletters. James pointed out that Barbara Palmer seconded the motion anyone can add content to the Geoff Owens elected through website. acclamation. Secretary/treasurer - Lillian Li was elected Discussion of logo – James has Secretary/Treasure of AACL through drafted a new logo that is available acclamation for viewing on the website. The Ann Gish moved that Lillian Li be group will review the logo and elected Secretary/Treasurer of AACL decide if it is adequate. Helga also Barbara Palmer seconded the motion volunteered the services of NAIT Lillian Li elected through acclamation. design3 As Chair of AACL, Geoff Owens will represent its interests to The Alberta c. Workshops: Geoff Owens and Ann Library. Gish Geoff is resigning from position as workshop coordinator 6. Committee and Working Group Reports The following were suggested a a. AACL listserv: James Rout possible workshop themes for the next The AACL listserv is up and meeting. running. There is 1mb limit for Bloglines attachments. Susan Brayford Marketing your college library thanked James for his work on the Joanne Mokry – Rocky Mountain listserv. House campus b. Website Review Committee: James NAIT – Academic Honesty module Rout Embedded content at NAIT There was a challenge with getting a domain name with “aacl” in it 10:30– 10:50 Coffee because it is same acronym Laval College uses. The website has 10:50 – 11:15 been set up using a subdomain Strategic Alliance for Library Advocacy and can be accessed at – Karen Hering http://aacl.engineseven.com. A Library Association of Alberta Liaison – job board is coming soon and an Karen Hering RSS aggregator has been added eCampus Alberta – Meagan Weber so that we can start a blog. A short Newsletter – Dave Weber debate about using blogs versus e- Statistics – Susan Brayford mail via the listserv ensued. The CTCL – Keith Walker Blog is good for asking questions related to all of us and will be 11:15 - 11:45 - Kristine Plastow – “Internal Library threaded so that discussion is Communication: a new tool”. organized. The blog will also be good for archiving information. It 11:45 – 12:45 Lunch and Library Tour was also suggested that e-mail could be for items requiring correspondence and the blog could 12:45 – 2:00 –.David Brown. University of Calgary. be used for general discussions, “The Future of the OPAC” recommending websites etc. Susan Brayford inquired about the 2:00 – 2:15 – Coffee possibility of including pictures on the website. James indicated that it 2:15 – 3:15 – Margie McMillan. Mount Royal is possible but eventually server College. “Exploring the Changing Information space will be challenged. James Environment” suggested flickr for storing pictures.

4 AACL Newsletter _____ Spring 2006

3:15 – 4:30 - Kit Wilson – Lois Hole Digital Library NEWS Update Augustana University College Submitted by Nancy Goebel WORKSHOP SUMMARY Submitted by Geoff Owens Information Literacy Awards With the ever growing awareness of information Kristine Plastow from Red Deer College usage and assessment needs, Augustana has demonstrated their staff blog, or “Chatalogue”. recognized Information Literacy as a vital area in Using an open source software from Geeklog, the which to educate our students. In 2001, we RDC library staff are piloting a one year trial in the introduced 21 for-credit discipline-specific use of an online information-sharing weblog. Daily Information Literacy courses for students in Art, library news, database updates, staff vacation Biology, Chemistry, Crime and Community, Drama, times, computer issues and an archive are all Economics, English, Environmental Studies, located within the site (https://library.rdc.ab.ca). French, Geography, German, History, Kristine provided details about staff buy in, the fairly Management, Music, Physical Education, extensive training issues, and the need for strong IT Philosophy, Political Studies, Psychology, Religion, support in the areas of PHP and MySQL. Overall, it Scandinavian Studies, and Sociology. Since their sounds like a very progressive solution to implementation, our reference librarians have information sharing within the RDC library. noticed a substantial increase in students’ library skills. The same year, we held our first annual The Future of the OPAC was the title of the David Information Literacy workshop. Not only has this Brown’s presentation. He contrasted a number of workshop been a valuable experience for visiting new and exciting innovations in OPACs against the librarians, but it has been helpful in educating our apparent stagnation of several OPAC vendors. faculty in different skills and techniques pertaining Innovations are being developed by individuals to Information Literacy. This year, in order to employed by libraries, rather than with the venders further strengthen the recognition of Information themselves, and David demonstrated a number of Literacy on our campus, we have created two home-made improvements and enhancements. awards celebrating those who employ it with Some of the sites providing “food for thought” that proficiency: one for a faculty member who supports, David demonstrated included: encourages, and demonstrates strong Information • RedLightGreen Literacy skills, and the other for a student who (http://www.redlightgreen.com) shows extensive, intelligent, and creative use of our • Greasemonkey Firefox add-on, especially library. Amazon library lookups. • LibraryThing (http://www.librarything.com) Information Literacy DVD • NCSU OPAC After being asked to prepare a multimedia ((http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/catalog) a presentation on Information Literacy for an faceted, highly enhanced OPAC featuring a upcoming conference, I thought it would be exciting controlled vocabulary and classification to make a DVD outlining Information Literacy system displayed “overtop” of a regular initiatives at Augustana. A major part of the DVD OPAC. was to get a campus-wide response about the impact of our Information Literacy courses, our Mount Royal College’s Margy Macmillan ended the annual workshops, our Information Literacy day with a guided tour through the changing library assessment practices and our awards. We information environment. As information sources, interviewed students, faculty, administration, and and thus our jobs, grow more complex our librarians. Altogether we had over 75 participants in perceptions of our role within information retrieval this project! It has certainly been a challenge, but have changed. Self-awareness of these changes thanks to the immeasurable help and support of the can help us deal with the stresses of our everyday Augustana community, we have recently finished work lives. Margy’s presentation is online at: and produced our final product. I look forward to http://www2.mtroyal.ca/~mmacmillan/conf/aacl2006 presenting it this summer at the American Library .ppt Association (ALA) conference in New Orleans and LOEX of the West conference in Hawaii.

5 AACL Newsletter Spring 2006

hanging out at bookstores and the public library. Information Literacy Workshop Brenda will be missed by her colleagues, fellow Our 2005 annual Information Literacy workshop faculty and staff members and students. was a huge success, thanks to our fantastic speaker, Judith Peacock, who is the Information In other staffing news, Shannon D’Agnone began a Literacy Coordinator at the Queensland University term position as Reference Librarian. Shannon of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. The two day attended the University of Western Ontario’s workshop received a very positive response from Faculty of Information and Media Studies and many participants, and the success makes us previously worked at the Wetaskiwin Composite eager to host our 6th annual workshop on High School. Claudia Rodning, a graduate of the November 16th, 2006. At this upcoming workshop, University of Wisconsin—Madison, is also in a new Beth Dupuis, the Head of Instructional Services at term position. Claudia previously worked at the University of California in Berkeley, will speak Concordia University College and the Coutts Library on “Supporting Undergraduate Research at the University of Alberta. City Centre LRC would Experiences.” Registration for this workshop opens also like to welcome back Valeen Gunn, who has in August (www.augustana.ca/library/workshop). returned to Grant MacEwan after an eight year absence. Welcome Shannon, Claudia and Valeen! People Logo In addition, the City Centre LRC has advertised four This spring we asked for student volunteers to continuing librarian positions. The positions cover a assist us in the creation of an Augustana variety of collections areas including the physical Information Literacy logo – made of people! We sciences, business, English, and history. Along had a great turn out and now have a new visual with collections, the incumbents will be involved in identity for marketing. We have printed the “logo” reference and instruction. They will help to support on a 3’x8’ sheet of paper so students can find the undergraduate degrees that will be offered by themselves – lots of fun! This will be posted at the MacEwan, as degree operating money has recently workshop in November. been approved.

Internship Program The degree operating money will allow the LRC to During the past year we have been pleased to have expand its collection, both print and electronic. participated in the University of Alberta Libraries’ Library staff are currently evaluating numerous Academic Library Internship Program. Kristen databases, most of which are produced by EBSCO. Kruse, a graduate of Dalhousie University, has These databases provide content on a variety of served as our intern for the past year. Kristen has subject areas, including sociology, psychology, been a huge help to us this year, working on a business and literature. On the print side, library variety of projects. staff members were busy this spring ordering a multitude of books. With the expected influx of materials and new students in the fall, the LRC is in Grant MacEwan LRC need of more room. As a result, a survey was Submitted by Roxy Welter conducted to determine the space utilization and needs of students. Highlights from the survey It’s been a busy spring at the Grant MacEwan include the reaffirmation of the importance of College LRCs, with staffing changes, space and separated quiet and group work areas, more private storage planning and technology initiatives. group use rooms and a request for improved traffic control near the first floor service desks. After nineteen years as a Reference/Collections Librarian at the City Centre LRC, Brenda Duncan The student survey provided valuable feedback has retired. Brenda graduated from Rosary used in a preliminary space plan created this College, Illinois with her MLS in 1966. She went on spring. The plan reflects changes to the layout of to work at the Detroit Public Library and the the City Centre LRC from 2006 up to 2011. Some University of Windsor. Brenda was fortunate of these changes include the relocation of the enough to work in balmy Hawaii for 11 years, where reference desk to the same floor as the circulation she had to adjust to huge banana spiders and and technology help desks, to facilitate one-stop termites hiding among the books. 1980 brought shopping for patrons. The print collection will be Brenda to Edmonton, to the University of Alberta moved around as well. The main circulating Herbert T. Coutts Education Library and finally on to collection, which is currently split between two Grant MacEwan. Retirement plans include using floors, will be consolidated on one floor. Items that her reference skills to solve crossword puzzles, are not commonly used will be sent to a remote spending more time visiting friends and family, and storage location. In addition, the reference

6 AACL Newsletter _____ Spring 2006 collection will be moved to the same floor as the success and the third one is on the way. So stay three service desks. Two computer labs will be tuned! created and utilized for librarian instruction, each seating forty students. Keith Walker, the director of the Library Services, was elected as the Chair of The Alberta Library and In technology news, the MacEwan Learning is running for the Chair of the Community and Technology Centre (LTC) has initiated a Hot Spot Technical College Libraries. He joked that he has project, enabling students to access the Internet lots of campaign managers but hey, why not! A wirelessly from outside of the library or computer strong voice from Alberta will certainly lead the labs. There is one hotspot location at City Centre Alberta and Canadian college library community to with others planned for South Campus and Centre a brighter future! for the Arts. For students without their own laptops, the LTC has a new “Laptop for Loan” project where Music scores! Are we done yet? Well sort of. In for $5.00 a day, students can book one of the PC or early May, the Library staff celebrated the milestone MAC laptops for up to 5 days. Stay tuned for more of finishing cataloguing all the existing records, exciting initiatives at MacEwan! which counts over 3000. To add to the fun of working at the Library, an inventory was done amazingly just in one day on April 24th with the Library closed for the very first time for this purpose Medicine Hat College and pizza for lunch as well as treats during the Submitted by: Lilian Li breaks.

Degree granting is always exciting and challenging It is hard to believe that the Vera Bracken Library is to college libraries. Medicine Hat College Library 3 years old now although sometimes we or the staff are all geared up for a busy Spring/Summer to patrons still refer it as “a new library”. The lino floor get everything in place for a new BEd degree on was noticeably worn out, especially in the computer campus. This is a collaborative effort between the area. We kept pushing our facilities department to Medicine Hat College and the University of Alberta get the floor waxed and they finally listened to us, with rural elementary focus and is going to start very carefully. The shinning floor makes us feel like right at the beginning of the coming Fall semester. we are walking on the water. Right after the new The ceremony was great with speeches from the floor, we got nice comments again about the college’s president and the city’s mayor, soft music, appearance of the Library, which we were so used tasty food and a little chatting. The stress is really to and missing. up though because we actually have to get things done before September! Lots of issues need to be Library blog! The Medicine Hat College Library taken care of and decisions made. We even had to Services makes every effort to ensure that we are debate on which classification system we should on the front line of the library trends. Please check use for the curriculum collections. And the answer: out our blog to read the most recent updates and Dewey Decimal Classification. A new curriculum lab news from the Library. is going to be added to the existing library, which involves enormous shifting and weeding of the current collections. A trip to the University of Mount Royal College Lethbridge’s curriculum lab has been arranged so Submitted by Ross Thrasher that staff can get advices on how to build, maintain and develop the lab. Personnel – (a) Librarians – We have just completed the hiring process for two tenure-track Now it comes to the reward for the hard work! librarian vacancies. One is a new position in the Sheila Drummond, our Reference Librarian, 2006-07 budget, and the other results from Ian received her 10 year service award and her very Watt’s retirement last fall. The successful special College Service Achievement award at the candidates are Michelle Sinotte (from U of C) and same night. The Service Achievement award was to Alice Swabey (who has been on a term-certain acknowledge her being innovative at initiating and contract at MRC Library this past year). organizing a city-wide One Book One Community The Library has obtained approval to event for the past two years and also being an establish a faculty chair position effective Fall 2006. excellent instructional and marketing librarian. The Janet Monteith has been appointed Library Chair One Book One Community event was a huge for a three-year term.

7 AACL Newsletter Spring 2006

Brad Neufeldt, who has been with us on contract since January, has just been appointed College Librarian at St. Mary’s University College. NAIT Library (b) Library Support Staff – Our Serials Technician, Submitted by Helga Kinnaird Marilyn Cox, is retiring in June after 26 years at MRC Library. Access Services Desk Technician • Fairview Campus Library staff collected 195 Theresa Remtulla will be going on maternity leave lbs of food for the Student’s Association in July. We are in the process of recruiting their Food Bank thanks to the generous NAIT replacements. We also have budget approval for a staff and students who dropped off food in new Tech Services Technician position in 2006-07. support of students in need.

Library Technology – (a) Our Endeavor Voyager • On January 26th McNally Library held a very library system is being moved to a larger server in successful open house for students and May, in preparation for a system upgrade in June. staff to showcase the “new look” as well as (b) The College is converting all networked printers highlight some Library’s services available from SmartCard (cash card) to a Pcounter (network both in person and online. debit account) system, and the Library’s printers have now implemented Pcounter. • Beginning on March 1st, NAIT Libraries staff piloted the use of Instant Messaging to Library Transition Implementation Committee provide real-time reference service to (LTIC) – To sustain the momentum of the MRC students and staff. The pilot demonstrated Library Transition Task Force (LTTF) report that that IM complements existing in-person, was completed last summer, we established a phone and email library services; it can be committee to oversee the implementation of some added at very low cost; and it will help of the LTTF report’s recommendations. LTIC hired library staff develop strong virtual reference a senior student from Public Relations, Robin relationships with students and staff. Hours Boschman, for the winter semester to conduct for IM were expanded and the service several student focus groups and an declared permanent on May 1st. Isobel internal/external library communication audit. Robin Rancier and Harriet Arnold are giving a was ably assisted by librarian Peggy French in presentation about this project at the these projects. An LTIC report has now been Association of Canadian Community drafted for consideration by Library Council at our Colleges Conference in Calgary in May. spring planning day on May 26. • Diane Clark has been seconded to the New Degree Proposals – Mount Royal has University of Alberta Library from April 2006 submitted several proposals for new degrees to to April 2007. Isobel Rancier is acting as Alberta Advanced Education. The first of these, a Supervisor Information Literacy Instruction Bachelor of Nursing, has been approved, which during this period. triggers an institutional review by the Quality Council. The Library contributed to the self-study • Thin client computers are now available to document that MRC has prepared for the QC students in public spaces on satellite review team. A site visit has been scheduled for campuses in Edmonton and in the June 12-13. northwest. Advanced Education provided the funding for the equipment as a grant for Professional Development Activities – In April an applied research project to test Library Director Ross Thrasher was a delegate at collaborative server-based computing and the Chair Academy Conference in Tucson, Arizona, to expand use of the SuperNet. Because and Library System Administrator Alan Waugh these thin client computers are located in attended the Endeavor End User conference in public spaces, students are able to access Chicago. In May librarians Pearl Herscovitch and Library resources, the Student Portal, and Margot Millard attended the WILU (Info Lit) the internet anytime the buildings are open. conference in Wolfville, N.S. Margy MacMillan and Staff is gathering data on whether this Meagan Weber have both been invited to give approach achieves greater efficiency, lower papers at another information literacy conference, cost, and an easier way to use technology LOEX of the West, in Hawaii in June. Alice Swabey in learning. plans to attend CLA 2006 in Ottawa. • Preparations are underway to merge NAIT Libraries two online catalogues in July.

8 AACL Newsletter _____ Spring 2006

This is the final step to complete the merger of the NAIT and Fairview libraries. Olds College • Diane Clark, together with Kathy Cocchio (a Submitted by Robin Minion NAIT School of Business instructor), will receive the CTCL Innovation award during Hot May afternoons make working or even thinking the Canadian Library Association (those two are probably connected) darn hard. But Conference in June. This award is for a here goes. If this report stops in mid-sentence, you WebCT course intended for use by NAIT will know I have broken out of the Library into the staff - TCI 320: Academic Integrity: Defining great outdoors. It, Building It, Teaching It and Keeping It. The purpose of this online project was to I think summer + library = renovations in nearly address issues of academic integrity every library. The ink was barely dry on the last through providing access to learning or student exam before Campus Facilities flew into the training, to establish a learning community Library with their hammers, saws, paintbrushes, where participants can share their teaching screwdrivers and plastic sheeting. We’re expanding experiences, to promote information literacy the Information Commons and reorienting the competencies, and to work collaboratively layout of the computers to better facilitate teaching. with teaching faculty. TCI 320 is a self- So, the meeting room next door was sacrificed but it paced, stand alone online module that was a worthwhile surrender since the enlarged demonstrates best practices in instructional room is much brighter and more functional. design through engaging the learner (faculty) through multimedia, content and Library staff saw Campus facility staff having so learning activities and creating a community much fun with their tools that they got out their own. of learners via discussion and shared Carrels have always been underutilized here so experiences. staff removed the partitions between some of the double carrels to expand the student’s work This online module/workshop was designed surface. If the usage of these carrels increases, to provide teaching faculty with the more sawing might take place. necessary tools to address academic integrity. The module has five objectives Book trucks have also been crisscrossing the 1. Defining key terms Library at high speed. To replace the meeting room 2. Understanding student attitudes demolished in the expansion of the Information towards plagiarism Commons, the videos were moved out of another 3. Regulating academic integrity at NAIT room into the open stacks. The collection was 4. Deterring, detecting and responding to heavily weeded and these have now been made plagiarism available for circulation to students. After much 5. Understanding copyright in online discussion, faculty can place videos that are heavily learning used by their students on permanent reserve. Note: In addition to the described workshop above there is an accompanying academic Conference season is another part of springtime integrity module for students (one for APA activities. Numerous staff attended various and one for MLA); this was not submitted conferences such as WILU and AALT. I attended for this award. the ARLIS pre-conference workshop on Copyright that was held at the Banff Springs in early May. Benefits to the NAIT Libraries are Both Christine Sammon and James Rout need a supporting and promoting student success pat on the back for helping organize that session through the reduction or elimination of (and getting great rates at the Fairmont Banff plagiarism. A co-benefit is the promotion of Springs). Wanda Noel, an Ottawa copyright lawyer, the library and its services to the NAIT conducted the session and for the first time I think I community. Collaborating with teaching understood it or most of it (but no questions faculty through curriculum development vis- please!). She was really clear about the principles à-vis embedding information literacy upon which she was basing her answers. If you get competencies into the classroom is an a chance to hear her…. integral component of achieving student success. The groundbreaking for the first new building to be constructed as part of the Community Learning

9 AACL Newsletter Spring 2006

Campus (CLC) will take place on May 24th. This is exciting around here as we fit these six people into the e-Learning Core located in the same overall our space over the summer. complex as the Library. The new facility will have multiple functions including providing opportunities Speaking of student spaces, we conducted a for distance learning, promoting rural access to high survey of the usage of our group study rooms from speed internet through the Supernet and access for February to April. Our library has 12 group study remote learners, and reducing technology rooms, six of which are equipped with computers. tool/resource redundancy between Olds College We also have one dedicated quiet study room, and Chinook’s Edge School division. In a nutshell, which can accommodate up to ten people studying think computer technology and all that involves. In at individual carrels. this evolutionary process, we are also continuing discussions on how to best merge the libraries of During the survey period, staff counted people in the College and High School. each room every hour that the library was open. While the results have not been fully analysed yet, That’s it, I think, for news from this part of the library there are some patterns emerging from the data. world. One pattern is that the group rooms with computers are used more often than the ones without computers. However, all rooms are used Red Deer College consistently, with peak times generally being Submitted by Anne Marie Watson weekdays from 10 AM to 4 PM. Also, the group rooms are used primarily by groups rather than by Lots of internal changes at RDC Library these past individuals. While this was always the intention of months. The College went through a reorganization those rooms, we were not sure that this was the last year, and the Library became part of the new way they were in fact being used. Division of Learning Resources through that process. Other units in the Division are the Students have consistently identified noise in the Teaching Learning Technology Centre (an area to library as an area of concern and the quiet study assist faculty with technology or with learning room is available for these learners. However, the design) and the Computer Learning Lab. Our stats are showing that the quiet study room is not Library Chair, Alice McNair, has become the Interim well used. Our sense is that, although students are Manager of this new Division. Her place as leader asking for the quiet study space, they generally of the Library was taken by Maureen Toews, who want to be in the thick of things in the main part of has become Library Team Leader. the library, rather than in a quiet study space. The full survey results will be available in July. Over the past year, these organizational changes have not had much effect on our day-to-day life in This week we are launching our “IM a Librarian” the Library, other than the fact that we’re short- service – an instant messaging reference service. staffed because they have not back-filled for For the pilot project over the summer we will offer Maureen, who is back-filling for Alice. But now the IM service 9-5 weekdays. We decided to go ahead changes are really starting in earnest. The four with our pilot project this summer to prepare us for TLTC staff are moving into the Library, along with the arrival of the AAQ IM service, which will their specialized multimedia equipment. We are probably be launched in the fall. This way, our staff also welcoming the two staff who work in the will be more comfortable with IM when our busy Faculty Animateur’s office – this is a College-wide period comes next fall, and we’ll have one less office which coordinates professional development thing to learn! Details on our IM service are for all faculty. available on our website.

So, where do we put six more people and more computers without taking space away from SAIT Library students? That’s been the challenge of the space Submitted by Nora Robinson & Dave Weber planning people, and they have come up with plans to convert some one-person offices into two-person New Staff offices, and to renovate some underutilized spaces The Library has added two new staff to help handle (like the microfilm room!) to turn them into offices. its expanded service hours and its growing and The issue we have been most vocal about is that diversifying information resources that include more we cannot lose any student spaces, including group E-Resources such as electronic books. Audrey study rooms and open study spaces. Things will be Farch, Library Technician, and SAIT LIT grad, joined the Library in September and will be working

10 AACL Newsletter _____ Spring 2006 evenings and weekends at the Information Desk. Kat Johnston has filled the new instructional librarian position. Kat brings a wealth of classroom and web application instructional experience obtained during her work at Grant MacEwan Community College and University of Alberta libraries.

Kristian McInnis, one of our sessional evening/weekend staff, is currently working as the cover off for Michelle Racine who is on maternity (left to right) Dan Mirau-Concordia, Ann Gish- leave until the summer of 2006. Grande Prairie, Susan Brayford, SAIT (standing), Lillian Gish-Medicine Hat, Brad Neufeldt-Mount Exhibits Royal The SAIT Library hosted its first ever SAIT staff artwork exhibit from November 14 to December 16. Fourteen instructors and staff from six departments displayed photographs, wood sculptures, fabric art, paintings, blown glasswork and mechanical  sculptures.

Library Renovations Update your bookmarks! Lowering shelving to many 1.5 meters and reorienting some high 2 meter shelving have The AACL website address has changed to: improved sight lines across the library and to http://www.nait.ca/libresources/aacl/ windows on both floors. To improve circulation and in-library use, the English as a Second Language The new AACL ListServ address is: and Children’s Literature collections were pulled [email protected] from the main circulating shelves and given dedicated shelving.

Planning is underway to incorporate approximately 300 square meters of space adjacent to the library Retirements entrance into desktop/laptop access space. This Tom Skinner, one of the original members of AACL, renovation will necessitate two new sets of library has retired. His participation in AACL activities doors, a new library information desk, and new ranged from establishing and chairing the Statistics book drop, plus workstations, a printer, a Committee to involvement with the AACL/AGCL photocopier and a print release station. union list of serials and the union list of films and videos in the AACL libraries. He joined the SAIT Wireless Access in the Library Library in 1973 as manager of technical services The SAIT Library has installed wireless technology. and became library manager in the late 1980s. In This service is designed to match laptops leased by the late 1990s, Tom was seconded to the planning SAIT students from the Information Systems team for the new Heart Building where the Library is Department. Non-compatible personal laptop now located. He then moved to the Centre for wireless access has not been a high priority for the Instructional Technology and Development serving SAIT Information Systems Department. However, as the head of Strategic Initiatives for the institution. they do acknowledge that personal laptop use is Tom was honoured at the Spring AACL meeting growing on campus and will require greater support lunch at SAIT. He was presented with two books in in the future. recognition of his long time involvement with the AACL. We wish Tom all the best!

11 AACL Newsletter Spring 2006

- Crafting creative assignments and assessments - Initiating complementary programming and recognition - Redesigning teaching and learning spaces

Where: Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta Camrose, Alberta, Canada

Registration will open August 2006. Space is limited - plan to register early to avoid disappointment! Cost includes workshop handouts, lunch, and refreshments:

$65 Cdn - on or before Sept 30, 2006 $100 Cdn - Oct 1-31, 2006 $150 Cdn - Nov 1-16, 2006

More information will be posted to listservs in the Tom Skinner Head of SAIT Strategic Initiatives and coming months and to long time AACL executive member is honored at www.augustana.ca/library/workshop the meeting lunch. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Nancy Goebel Upcoming Events Head Librarian/Human Rights Advisor Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta The Augustana Faculty Library of the University of 4901-46 Ave Alberta Camrose, AB, Canada 6th Annual Information Literacy workshop! T4V 2R3 ph: 780-679-1189 Date: Thursday, November 16, 2006 (Wed., Nov 15 fax: 780-679-1597 optional dinner) [email protected]

Speaker: Elizabeth Dupuis Fall 06 AACL Meeting Head of Instructional Services, University of California, Berkeley Grant MacEwan College Project Director for the Mellon Library/Faculty November 23, 2006 Fellowship on Undergraduate Research at Berkeley 2004-2006 Association of Research Libraries Leadership Fellow

Former Head of the Digital Information Literacy Hot Off the Press Office at the University of Texas at Austin and project manager for the award winning educational Congratulations to Keith Walker, Medicine Hat site TILT. College, on his election as Chair of the Community More information at: and Technical College Libraries (CTCL) section of www.lib.berkeley.edu/~edupuis/ the Canadian Library Association. His election was announced on Tuesday, June 13 on the CLA Theme title: website. Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences

Theme description: Research-based learning can invigorate undergraduate education by engaging students in the process of discovery. Effectively supporting undergraduate research experiences requires that attention be directed toward a range of areas including: - Developing successful collaborations

12