Oregon State University Libraries Research Articles

Why teach “research as a conversation” in freshman composition courses? A metaphor to help librarians and composition instructors develop a shared model

Ongoing discussion between the Oregon State University (OSU) libraries' acting instruction coordinator and the Assistant Composition Coordinator focuses on improving collaboration between our programs and more effectively integrating the research process into the English composition curriculum. We briefly describe a qualitative analysis of the problems with students' writing that led us to develop a new model for integrating the research and writing processes. We provide our rationale for selecting conversation as a metaphor for research and summarize suggested teaching strategies from the literature that are consistent with this metaphor and approach.

Helping Hands

Summary Research in an unfamiliar library can be intimidating for international students, particularly while they are struggling to overcome language barriers. The Helping Hands Project translated a two-page handout into fourteen different languages to acquaint non-native English speakers with library services in a language they understand. It was a collaborative project between the Oregon State University (OSU) Libraries and the International Cultural Services Program (ICSP). The expected outcome of this project was to lessen language barriers for international students during their initial library visits, and hopefully, to help retain them in the institution. The average enrollment of foreign students at OSU per term, from Fall 2001 to Spring 2002, was 1,162. Usage counts showed that the translated library guides were estimated to serve a population of 819 students from all 14 countries, which was 70% of the total foreign student enrollment at OSU. The total handout distribution count was 306, which was 37% of the targeted population.

Lessons learned about developing and coordinating an instruction program with freshman composition

In the Spring of 2001, the Oregon State University Libraries began planning for a collaboration with the university’s freshman composition program. In implementing this project, with no additional library resources, and with the majority of library faculty less experienced in working with freshman students, the coordinators of the program learned numerous lessons which highlighted both the steps needed in initiating and maintaining a new instruction program, and the functions and competencies vital to providing instructional leadership and coordination in an academic library. The following case study describes the process that the coordinators of this instruction program followed, and will discuss the important role that library instruction coordinators have to play in starting a new program of library instruction.

Assessing the Need for a Natural Resources Digital Library.

To guide the design, content, and development of a natural resources digital library, the Oregon State University Libraries commissioned a needs assessment. Interviews with citizens, policy makers, and scientists show that potential users want to quickly find, retrieve, integrate, and synthesize well organized and geo-referenced information on Oregon's natural resources, and they welcome the library's intent to develop such an information resource.

Evolution of Peer Evaluation of Library Instruction at Oregon State University Libraries

In 1998, tenure track librarians at Oregon State University (OSU) Libraries were required to participate in peer evaluation of instruction. This paper discusses the benefits of peer evaluation as applied to library instruction and outlines the planning, implementation, and outcomes of a formal process for peer evaluation of instruction at OSU Libraries.

Successful Fast Track Implementation of a New Library System

Over a six-month period beginning in the fall of 1998, Oregon State University's libraries migrated all bibliographic, patron, circulation, and acquisitions data from a GEAC automated system to one designed by Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III).The most important factor in achieving this success was the active involvement of staff of all levels in planning, implementation, and testing. This paper provides an overview of the process developed by OSU to train staff from all units of the library to assist in the migration, plan the technical details for transferring all data, test the new system, and correct problems that arose as a result of the migration.

Developing an Online Science Journal Collection: A Quick Tool for Assigning Priorities.

Oregon State University Libraries are committed to increasing electronic access to information. The catalog, myriad databases, and a small collection of e-books are accessible over the Internet. OSU Libraries are now focusing attention on access to primary science journals. Using an existing library liaison network, we conducted an informal e-mail poll of science faculty. We asked them for lists of the "top ten" journals that they would like to access electronically. These faculty lists have been compiled into an Excel spreadsheet for analysis. Other data added to the spreadsheet include the publisher, whether or not the Libraries have a current subscription (print or electronic), cost of the subscription, licensing conditions and the ISI impact factors and rankings. We are using this information to set priorities for the allocation of staff time and available funding to develop the online science journal collection.

An Overview of the Project on the Imaging and Full-Text Retrieval of the Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers at Oregon State University Libraries

Linus Pauling, un eminent chimiste qui eut deux prix Nobel, a ecrit un nombre d'ouvrage considerable. L'ensemble de ses ecrits constitue le fonds scientifique le plus important du siecle. Cette collection est stockee aux Oregon State University Libraries et consideree comme tres importante pour les chercheurs. Cet article presente un projet de rendre accessible sur le reseau Internet les textes de Ava Helen et Linus Pauling en texte integral. Les differents phases du projet sont presentees, puis ses specificites techniques et les problemes de droit d'auteur sont exposes