Transforming ILL Requests into Information Literacy Instruction Opportunities Dana Shreve, MLIS, MS, Reference Manager Nita Mailander, MSLIS, AHIP, Director of Library Services Grand Canyon University

Reference Team & Staffing @ GCU Library  University Student Population  ~14,000 campus students  ~65,000 online students

 Library Reference Team  10.5 FTE Reference Librarians  Responsible for ILL verification and initial response to all incoming requests to Library via phone, email, chat, and in-person

 4.0 FTE Library Supervisor  Responsible for directing the ordering and processing of all ILL requests

 20.0 FTE Student Workers  Team of student workers responsible for staffing Information Desks, assisting with directional inquiries, and ordering and processing ILL requests

 Total Library Staff    

16.5 FTE Librarians 4.0 FTE Library Supervisors 2.0 FTE Library Assistants 20.0 FTE Student Workers

Information Literacy Instruction @ GCU Library  Ask-A-Librarian Service (On-Demand Individualized Research Assistance)  Webinars & Workshops (Group Instruction)  Tutorials & Research Guides  Inclusion of Information Literacy Curriculum into Coursework (Curriculum Librarian role @ GCU Library)

2015 Webinars & Workshops

# of Sessions

# in attendance

Webinars (Virtual)

152

4,318

Workshops (In-Person)

291

8,124

ILL Requests @ GCU Library  60,400 Directional and individualized research assistance requests answered in 2015 via phone, email, chat, and inperson

2015 Total ILL Requests = 14,001 ILL Requests GCU Owned

5,220

37% of total

ILL Requests Found Online

2,098

15% of total

Jan-Jun 2016 Total ILL Requests = 8,439 ILL Requests GCU Owned

3,021

36% of total

ILL Requests Found Online

1,320

16% of total

How Often and Why Do Link Resolvers Fail?  Failure rate – 5% to 35%  Why?     

Bad metadata Issues with quality of link resolver (varies by vendor) Outdated local holdings data Full text provider errors User error

Further Reading: Steven Bell, “Resolving the Link Resolver Problem” http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/08/opinion/steven-bell/resolving-the-link-resolver-problem-from-the-bell-tower/#_ Eddie Neuwirth (Senior Product Manager, Discovery Services), “Focusing on Discovery and Delivery, Part 2: A Need to Advance Linking for Libraries” http://www.proquest.com/blog/2014/Focusing-on-Discovery-and-Delivery-A-Need-to-Advance-Linking-for-Libraries.html?WT.dcsvid=MzU0Njk0OTEyMDQS1&WT.mc_id=&sp_ctc=&spMailingID=46475281&spUserID=MzU

Marshall Breeding, “Knowledge Base and Link Resolver study.” http://193.10.12.180:11349/dokument/Knowledgebase_linkresolver_study.pdf

Summary of above study: Marshall Breeding, “E-resource knowledge bases and link resolvers: an assessment of the current products and emerging trends”, Insights, 2012, 25(2), 173–182, http://dx.doi.org/10.1629/2048-7754.25.2.173

Cindi Trainor, Jason Price, “Rethinking Library Linking: Breathing New Life into OpenURL”, Library Technology Reports, 7, 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/ltr.46n7

ACRL Information Literacy Framework Searching as Strategic Exploration Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops.

Information Literacy Instruction & ILL Requests

Own it! Detailed instruction provided on how to navigate to the material

Found Elsewhere! Detailed instruction provided on how to search the Internet

Information Literacy Instruction & ILL Requests

No Immediate Access!

If we really don’t own it and the requested material meets certain criteria, such as need by date or date of publication…..

Need by Date

Patron receives a call/email from a Reference Librarian with a search strategy for articles that are immediately available, article is ordered, rush requests are escalated.

Date of Publication

If the topic is known to have more current research, article is ordered and instruction is provided to the patron in the form of a search strategy covering more current research.

Supporting the Development of Information Literate Abilities – Novice to Expert  Framework Knowledge Practices - Searching as Strategic Exploration  utilize divergent (e.g., brainstorming) and convergent (e.g., selecting the best source) thinking when searching;  match information needs and search strategies to appropriate search tools;  design and refine needs and search strategies as necessary, based on search results;  understand how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized in order to access relevant information;  use different types of searching language (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language) appropriately;  manage searching processes and results effectively

 Framework Dispositions - Searching as Strategic Exploration  exhibit mental flexibility and creativity  understand that first attempts at searching do not always produce adequate results  realize that information sources vary greatly in content and format and have varying relevance and value, depending on the needs and nature of the search  seek guidance from experts, such as librarians, researchers, and professionals  recognize the value of browsing and other serendipitous methods of information gathering  persist in the face of search challenges, and know when they have enough information to complete the information task

“I can't thank you enough for the tips and links. This is invaluable in terms of saving me time and stress. Thanks so much! – Student Feedback Thank You! This is my first time reaching out to the GCU library, and your reputation precedes you! You are fantastic! – Student Feedback “Interlibrary loans are a wonder of the world and a glory of civilization.” – Jo Walton, Among Others

QUESTIONS?