Presentation given at PaLA Annual Conference 2017. Discusses the process of doing a needs assessment study in order to set goals for a library unit.

1. Online Teaching Faculty
Needs Assessment for Planning
Distance Library Services
Carrie Bishop
Distance Learning Librarian

2. • Why do a needs assessment?
• Overview of Research Methods
• Findings of the Study
• Goals Developed and Progress
Made
Introduction

3. Needs Assessment
Became the Distance Learning Librarian in Spring 2017
ACRL Standards for Distance Learning Library Services (2016) recommends
that institutions
1. designate a Distance Learning Librarian to “plan, implement, coordinate, and
evaluate library resources and services addressing the information and skills needs of
the distance learning community,”
2. charge the Distance Learning Librarian with “developing and maintaining immediate
and long-range goals and objectives for distance learning library services” and
3. urge the Distance Learning Librarian to “involve representatives of the distance
learning community in the formation of the objectives and the regular evaluation of
their achievement.”

4. Needs Assessment
• Needs assessment is a process used by
organizations to determine priorities,
make organizational improvements, or
allocate resources.
• “Stakeholders ultimately determine
organizational direction and provide the
needs that the library must fill in order to
be considered resourceful, effectual, or
of worth” (Blankenship, 2008)

5. IUP Overview
• Mid-Sized University
• State System of Higher Education
Renewed Focus on Online Learning
and Distance Education
• Middle States Final Report
• IUP Strategic Plan 2015-2020
Distance Learning Community
• Online Students
• Regional Campuses and Centers

6. Literature Review
• Needs Assessment approach discussed at length in the literature
–Different methods such as surveys, focus groups, and interviews
• Wharton (2016), Distance Learning Librarian at FSU
–applied findings from qualitative interviews to develop goals and plans of action
for distance services
–“determining overall perceptions of library resources and services including what
the participants found most important and useful about the library as well as what
improvements could be made”
–“establishing connections throughout the university and creating relationships
with key stakeholders”

7. Why do Qualitative Research?:
Challenges and Benefits
Challenges
• Data Overload
• May end up not answering the question
Benefits
• Don’t have to know what you’re looking
for
• Really good sense of what your
population wants
• Able to meet and gain information from
key players in online education at IUP
• Market services through conversation

8. Selecting a Sample
Key Informants
• People who are highly respected and knowledgeable about the areas
being addressed
• “Getting the word out to students is important but it is the instructor-
student interactions that bring the most benefit” (Buck, 2011)
Criterion Sampling – Select all cases that meet a criteria
• Teaching online or hybrid courses at IUP for more than 2 years
Random Purposive Sampling – Select more participants than needed
• 57 were invited to participate, 13 were interviewed
• 9 departments, graduate and undergraduate programs

9. Data Collection
Structured Interviews – specified set of questions that elicits the same
information from all the respondents

10. Data Analysis
Types of transcription from audio
recording:
• General: transcribe only for
content; record general ideas
• Literal: transcribe word for
word
• Full reporting: add
inflection/body language, etc.
into transcription

11. Data Analysis
SWOT Analysis
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

12. Strengths
In-person, on-campus services like reference and instruction
“Anytime I’ve had a student that said they called the library or went to the reference
desk they’ve been able to get help”
“In person, in Indiana, this (library instruction) has worked well”
Access to library material online
“Great job of getting electronic journal
access. We can access most of the articles
we need using the online system.”
Past info lit modules created by IUP
Information Literacy Librarian for English
Email and text reference service

13. Weaknesses
Asynchronous information literacy instruction
“I don’t know how to get those resources
(instruction) to the students when they are not
here where a librarian can come to class.”
“I make a lot of videos, and then I feel like the
library should just have these videos, because I
can’t be the only one whose students need this instruction.”
Marketing of distance education services to both faculty and students
“I don’t know what’s there. I would like more information on what the possibilities are.”
“Students don’t know what’s available. And it’s harder for students who are not on
campus to find out.”

14. Weaknesses
Librarian focused on distance learners
“Didn’t have a connection to one librarian for
online classes so was unsure of how to
incorporate the library into those classes.”
Distance students’ access to print materials
“Access to books is an ongoing issue.”
Library services are limited during winter
and summer sessions when many distance
education courses are being taught.
“Most of my online teaching that really involves
the library is during the winter so having that lack
of support staff is challenging.”

15. Opportunities
Expand the work of subject librarians into online courses
“If I could have (subject librarian instruction) online that would be fantastic. They
(students) need it.”
Partner with Instructional Designers
“Perhaps I should be integrating the library more into my online classes, but I
hadn’t really thought about it too much before”
Service to Graduate Students and Programs
“Library instruction is really critical for our doctoral students because they need to
hit the ground running.”

16. Put it all together
•What are we already doing
well?
•What areas need attention?
•What opportunities are
available?

17. Needs Become Goals
Create a librarian position focused on
online learning and distance education
–Member of Online Learning Committee –
Advocated for Embedded Librarian Role
–Co-Director, Center for Teaching
Excellence
–Took lead on virtual reference service
Provide more instruction in different
forms and make it easier to find
–Creation of asynchronous video instruction
–Credo Information Literacy Modules
–Embedded Librarian Role
–Library Instruction website re-design

18. Needs Become Goals
Collaborate with Instructional
Designers
– Create orientation videos and interactive
tutorials
– Create guides for faculty about including
information literacy in an online course
Raise the Awareness
–Create an aggressive marketing plan
including both high and low-tech
marketing methods
–Standard presence in the CMS
–Targeted marketing for online/hybrid
graduate programs and online courses
with heavy research projects.

19. Questions?

20. Further Reading
Association of College and Research Libraries. (2016). Standards for Distance Learning Library Services. Retrieved
from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/guidelinesdistancelearning
Blankenship, E. (2008). Aligning the assessment process in academic library distance education services using the
Nash Model for Improved Demonstration and Reporting of Organizational Performance. Journal of Library
Administration, 48(¾), 317-328.
Buck, S. (2011). Library services for the distance learner: A library needs assessment at Oregon State University.
27th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/resource_library/proceedings/45432_2011.pdf
Jerabek, J.A., McMain, L.M., & Van Roekel, J.L. (2002). Using needs assessment to determine library services for
distance learning programs. Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, & Information Supply, 12(4), 41-61.
Jerabek, J.A., & McMain, L.M. (2002). The answer you get depends on who (and what) you ask: Involving
stakeholders in needs assessments. Journal of Library Administration, 37(¾), 387-395.
Kvenild, C. & Bowles-Terry, M. (2011). Learning from distance faculty: A faculty needs assessment at the University
of Wyoming. Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning, 5, 20-24.
Wharton, L.N. (2017). From assessment to implementation: Using qualitative interviews to inform distance learning
library services. Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning, 11(1-2), 196-205

21. Evaluation
•https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017sessioneval