Discussion: Creating a Northwest Library Research Network

1. Discussion:Creating a Northwest Library Research Network Robin Paynter, Portland State University Laura Zeigen, Oregon Health & Science Univ.

2. What? • Start Orbis Cascade Alliance interest group focused on library research • http://www.orbiscascade.org/index/interest-groups • “Interest Groups are informal discussion groups organized around a professional topic of interest to the membership. Interest Groups arise from the membership and consist of a Facilitator and self-indentified participants from at least seven member institutions. Interest Groups are provided with an Alliance email list but receive no consortium support for meetings.”

3. Why? • “For a profession that spends its time identifying, organizing and retrieving research evidence, librarians are not known for their own utilization of researching findings.” (Booth, 2002) • Crumley E., et al. (2002). Developing evidence-based librarianship: practical steps for implementation. Health Information and Libraries Journal 19: 61-70. • Evidence Based Library and Information Practice • https://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/index

4. Why? • Assessment • Self-advocacy • Unique, ever-changing environments • Create better quality instruments • Capitalize on strengths across institutions • Advance needed research quickly • Utilize available collaborative networks to …

5. How? • Seeking grant support to fund research activities • Examples of cooperative research utilized elsewhere • University Investment in the Library: What's the Return? A Case Study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign http://www.ideals.uiuc.edu/handle/2142/3587

6. Statewide Serial Collection Assessments ILLINOIS: Chrzatowski, T.E., et al. (2007). Feast and famine: A statewide science serial collection assessment in Illinois. College & Research Libraries (November): 517-532. VIRGINIA: Metz, P. and Gasser, S. (2006). Analyzing current serials in Virginia: An application of the Ulrich’s Serials Analysis System. Portal: Libraries and the Academy 6: 5-21.

7. University of Rochester • Hired an anthropologist! • Compared to other sites • Useful for many reasons • Assessment needs both quantitative AND qualitative data • Qualitative research helps unearth needs, tell stories of library’s use • http://docushare.lib.rochester.edu/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-4436

8. Benefits • Larger data pool • Development of valid/reliable instruments • Drawing on people’s expertise in various domains • Potential for consortial purchases • Research in rotation • One year focus on collection development research • Next year on user services • Next year on web

9. Benefits (continued) • Different areas/possible applications: • Instruction – pre-/post- test instruments • Web site design – usability testing metrics • Collection Development – Scholarly Stats / Ulrich’s Serials Analysis System • Developing in-house tools • Example: PSU’s Survey Research Lab (http://www.srl.pdx.edu/) develops high quality instruments for a fee. Consortial division of fee cheaper than each institution creating its own in-house instrument and end product higher quality

10. When? Next steps • Apply to start an Orbis-Cascade Alliance interest group • Start communicating with each other • Start creating a repository (wiki) for research instruments and tools that may be of use

11. Resources • To subscribe to the listserv (nwlibresearch@lists.pdx.edu) • https://www.lists.pdx.edu/lists/listinfo/nwlibresearch • Until we have an official Orbis Cascade email list • To subscribe to the wiki • https://nwlibresearch.pbwiki.com • Orbis Cascade Alliance resources (if an official research interest group)

12. Contacts Robin Paynter, MA-Library Science Social Sciences Librarian Portland State University paynter@pdx.edu, 503-725-4501 Laura Zeigen, MA, MLIS Systems & Web Development Librarian Oregon Health & Science University zeigenl@ohsu.edu, 503-494-0505