Fourth Week Reflection June 13 – 17, 2022

Session on Machine Learning in Libraries

Discoverability in and across collections especially in digital collections machine learning and artificial intelligence can improve the functionality of digital libraries and augment library services. It improves discoverability by clustering and classification, pre-processing, OCR, Handwriting Recognition, Metadata Recognition and Extraction, Visual Data Annotation and linking Collections. The opportunities to take benefit from Machine Learning in library administration in decision on collection management, preservation and conservation and supporting ML patron Ml experiments.

Developing a Professional Development Program: From Need Assessment to Impact Evaluation

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Coordinator for Research and Teaching Professional Development at the University of Illinois Library discussed the importance of creating and evaluating a professional development program in research writing. The instructor used an interesting metaphor that the research process is an elephant and according to her it is important to eat one bite at a time of that elephant and go step by step in this lengthy process and keep assessing and evaluating the progress to ensure success.  

Visit to Grainger Engineering Library

The Grainger Library four story building was built in the year 1994 and has a collection of around four million print items. It is the only library on the University of Illinois campus that remains open 24 hours five days a week. It offers high-tech computer labs to the engineering students, design learning space, quiet areas and reading halls. Beside these facilities it maintains an idea lab having high-tech equipment used for research and teaching.

The Idea Lab at Grainger Engineering Library

The idea Lab is technology rich using AI and other emerging technologies for research and teaching. It offers a variety of 3D printing and scanning services to faculty, students and staff including services for high fidelity images of objects in 3D which can be embedded in results. It is ensured that cultural information is put correctly especially on cultural heritage objects. It applies machine learning technologies which is considered a subset of AI. This lab contains 30 VR headsets for students to experience Virtual Reality.

Session on AI and Algorithmic Processing in Discovery and Delivery Systems
Bill Mischo, Interim Head of Grainger Engineering Library

Every Integrated Library System revolves around library collections whereas it should be centered around the users to cater their needs. Discovery should contain features that move beyond the retrieval of collections and materials. Discovery services has evolved from federated search to Webscale Discovery Services (WSDS). Although WSDS might have some issues as well such as producing results in blended format including everything such as articles, ebooks, books, thesis and other materials all in one space that can confuse students. Secondly, the relevancy ranking of results is not great and also doesn’t cover the local library services. University of Illinois has a bento box search system embedded in their Ebscohost Discovery Service that enables the results to be grouped in specific boxes according to the type of materials. AI has the capability to improve the discovery services page rank and semantic search capabilities.

Session on Collection and Acquisitions @ University of Illinois Library

The total budget for the acquisition of library collections is $19 millions. It has over 459 fund codes to track acquisitions in certain areas. 45 subject specialists are responsible to build library collections in all the subject areas. Largest portion of the budget is spent on electronic resources including e-databases. The library acquired 1.8 million ebooks in the fiscal year 2021-22.

Session on Library Assessment
Jen-Chien Yu, Director of Library Assessment

A culture of assessment exists in the organization where staff care to know what results they produce and how those results relate to the customer’s expectations and it’s a continuous process.

Assessment for Accountability

  • Annual Reports
  • Accreditations
  • Metrics/Outcomes: total volumes, expenditures, circulation, gate counts, instruction sessions/attendance, learning outcomes

Assessment for Improvement

  • Budget planning and staffing
  • Strategic Planning
  • User-Centered
  • Methods: Online Surveys, feedback forms, workshop evaluation, usability studies, focus groups, observations, analytics

Instruments designed to assess library services, customer satisfaction and teaching effectiveness like LibQUAL + and Ithaka S+R and local surveys. Interviews, focus groups and usability testing are also some of the instruments to assess library services.

Visit to Arthur Public Library

Arthur is a small town of about 5000 population in Illinois. A visit was arranged by the Mortenson Center for the associates to see how a public library in a small town functions. The public library in Arthur is a district library and has a total collection of 22,000 books along with popular magazines and journals. It acquires materials for people of all ages including children, teens and adults. Graphic novels are also subscribed which are one of the most popular items in the community. This small library provides computer workstations with internet which is used by those who have not access to the internet including the Amish community. Separate meeting rooms are also available for patrons to hold various events. This library also organizes summer reading programs for children which are very popular among children.

Visit to Lincoln Library and His House in Springfield

The associates made a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield and his home. This is a special research library catering the needs of the researchers but books and other items are not issued and only can be used inside the library. The building of the Lincoln Library was opened in 2004 and has collections of various items about Abraham Lincoln since 1889 who is considered one of the most popular presidents of US history. This library contains over 400,000 bound books, 13 million manuscripts, 4 million images and overall collections is around 20 million items. The scope of the library collections is not only limited to Lincoln but it also includes Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Illinois History and National history of the USA. It has a separate conservation and preservation unit to curify artificets and manuscripts.

Later in the day we also visited the Lincoln House to see his house and their personal belongings including furniture and other items.

Visit to Illinois State Library in Springfield

Illinois State Library promotes excellence in information access and innovative services for government, libraries and people. It coordinates with other libraries in the Illinois network and shares materials with other libraries. This library was established in the year 1839. Library collections are tailored to serve the state government of Illinois. The most interesting part of its library collections is the “talking books” to cater the needs of the ones with impaired vision. This library is funded by the state government and also receives funding from from the Federal government grant program through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Then, they distribute these funds to libraries in the state using a formula or grant programs.

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