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Course Views A Scalable Project to Connect Students to Library Resources. Kim Duckett and Tito Sierra NCSU Libraries Educause 2007 Conference October 26, 2007. Outline. Challenges for Libraries Reaching Out to Students Online Library Content for Courses Course Views at NCSU Future Work.
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Course ViewsA Scalable Project to Connect Students to Library Resources Kim Duckett and Tito SierraNCSU LibrariesEducause 2007 ConferenceOctober 26, 2007
Outline • Challenges for Libraries Reaching Out to Students Online • Library Content for Courses • Course Views at NCSU • Future Work
Challenges • Library websites are overwhelming
Challenges • Library websites are overwhelming • Information resources are often unfamiliar
Challenges • Library websites are overwhelming • Information resources are often unfamiliar • Librarians tend to focus on: • Disciplines / subjects • Resource types
Challenges • Library websites are overwhelming • Information resources are often unfamiliar • Librarians tend to focus on: • Disciplines / subjects • Resource types • Integration into learning management systems is difficult
Course Pages / Guides • Tailored to specific courses • Student experience is course-centric • “I’m taking X, Y, Z courses” • Offers a scaled-down entry to the library • Can be linked into course websites
Course Pages Summary • Course-centric pages have potential • Scalability is a challenge • Course pages need to be more multifaceted
Project Overview • Collaborative effort between Research and Information Services, and Digital Library Initiatives departments at NCSU • Homegrown system in development • Initial release slated for Summer 2008
Course View Definition “A course-centric portal composed of student-centric widgets designed to connect students to library resources”
Project Goals • A Course View for every course
Project Goals • A Course View for every course • A scalable and sustainable system for library course content delivery
Project Goals • A Course View for every course • A scalable and sustainable system for library course content delivery • Library content customized as much as possible to the course
Static Ubersearch Find Books Citation Tools Project Tools Ask a Librarian Dynamic Course Reserves Find Articles (subject database recommendations) Librarian Recommended Widgets
Widget Selection Process • Content inventory of existing library course pages
Widget Selection Process • Content inventory of existing library course pages • Brainstorm new content
Widget Selection Process • Content inventory of existing library course pages • Brainstorm new content • Fifteen candidate widgets
Widget Selection Process • Content inventory of existing library course pages • Brainstorm new content • Fifteen candidate widgets • Three focus groups with students
Widget Selection Process • Content inventory of existing library course pages • Brainstorm new content • Fifteen candidate widgets • Three focus groups with students • Eight finalists for pilot launch
Dynamic Widgets Customized content based on existing institutional course identifiers. NC State example: ENG 221 • ‘ENG’ = curriculum code • ‘221’ = course number • ‘ENG 221’ = full course identifier
Curriculum level Customized content is shared across all courses in the same department Easier to manage but less customized Approximately 150 curriculums at NC State Course level Customized content is tailored to a specific course More customized but more work to create and maintain Approximately 5000 courses at NC State Customization Options