Lessons from Lassie: supporting library users

at a distance

Dr Jane SeckerCentre for Learning Technology, LSE

CDE Seminar: 6th July 2010

Overview of talk

• The LASSIE Project overview and key outcomes:– Literature review– Case studies– The project blog– Developing an information skills course: IRIS

• What does it tell us about distance learners and libraries?

• Where are we going from here?

LASSIE

• Libraries and social software in education

• Nine month project funded by University of London’s Centre for Distance Education

• University of London project partners (+ OU)

• Literature review to provide a snapshot of activity

• Five case studies to explore different technologies

Lassie filming on location in Florida. Photo courtesy State Archive of Florida

LASSIE Resources

• LASSIE literature review (Jan 2008)• Case studies on:

– Reading lists and social software– Resource sharing and social software– Citing and referencing podcast– Blogging and libraries– Facebook and libraries

• LASSIE blog – still running• Project website

Habib’s model of Library 2.0

Habib’s revised model

LASSIE – what worked?

• Literature review widely used & cited by library community

• Many publications and conferences• Case studies showed the value of tools

such as blogs, social bookmarking, podcasting, Facebook to enhance library services

• Strength of project team• Value of the blog as a research tool

What went less well?

• Getting real distance learning students involved in the project

• Limited feedback from students• Getting agreement at a senior

level that web 2.0 tools are useful in libraries

• Fast pace of change – so results date very quickly

Libraries and web 2.0

• A lot of enthusiasm for new technology in some parts the library community: blogs, wikis, social bookmarking etc.

• New technology can: – Reach new audiences– Engage with users more effectively– Enhance services by allowing greater

interaction and feedback• Many issues including: privacy / data

protection / copyright / staff development

Libraries & web 2.0 – 3 years on

• Web 2.0 has been a slow burn• Many libraries reaching conclusions

about which tools they want to use after a period of experimentation

• Starting to see new training courses offered to staff and students

• Still a lot to learn• No real consideration of web 3.0 /

semantic web as yet

Web 2.0 is good for:

• Community building

• Sharing• Conversations

• All help support and motivate distance learners

Supporting distance learners’ use of libraries

• LASSIE found many similarities between distance and full time students

• Students experience of libraries is increasingly via the web

• Physical libraries becoming increasingly social – should virtual libraries mirror this trend?

• Echoed recent research that shows students lack information literacy skills (CIBER report; RIN report and others)

• New technologies provide new opportunities for supporting distance learners

Developing IRIS

• IRIS (Improving your Reading and Information Skills) is a course for EMFSS (LSE) students on University of London external programme

• Available in Moodle• Four modules on: reading and libraries, using

the Online Library, improving search skills, advanced use of the internet

• Also developed material on citing, referencing and plagiarism to go elsewhere

• Over 400 students have accessed IRIS since launch in September 2008

Screenshot from IRIS

The challenge..

• Embedding information skills into the curriculum for full time students is challenging

• Distance learners are more likely to need help, but less likely to receive it

• Face to face training often not an option so we need to deliver this online

• We shouldn’t assume they are the same as our full time students

• Need to understand the needs of our distance learners

• Need to work collaboratively in libraries

Free information literacy resources

• OpenLearn (OU) have various skills resources including Safari

• JORUM Open have numerous information literacy resources

• Nancy Graham from Birmingham has compiled a list of reusable IL content on a wiki

• IL website lists many resources

What next?

• Evaluation of IRIS– Need to gather feedback from students – Need to update course following changes to

Online Library – now using Summon• Potential to roll out IRIS to other parts of

the External Programme – many of the modules are generic

• Potential to share these resources and build on other projects that release open education resources on information literacy

Discussion

• In pairs discuss:– What special library services do you offer

your distance learners / non campus based students?

– What web 2.0 initiatives are you using in your library to enhance services?

– What have you tried and works?– What have you tried and rejected?– Are you training users on any aspects of

web 2.0?

• Report back

Jane Secker. (2010) Copyright and E-learning: a

guide for practitioners.

Facet Publishing: London.

Chapter Five

LASSIE

For more information contact:j.secker@lse.ac.uk

Project website:http://clt.lse.ac.uk/Projects/LASSIE.php

Project blog:http://

elearning.lse.ac.uk/blogs/socialsoftware

/

Delicious account: http://delicious.com/lse_lassie/