Landgren Holm Akramy & Wiberg - Does it make any difference? An impact evaluation of the libraries educational activities at Lund University, Sweden

Does it make any difference?

An impact evaluation of the libraries’ user education at Lund

University, Sweden

• our project– and its methods

• the results– but also

• some added values– and finally

• where we stand today

LILAC 2012 Akramy/Holm/Landgren/Wiberg

The next 15 minutes will deal withThe next 15 minutes will deal with

• Sara Akramy, Bitte Holm, Lena Landgren & Anna Wiberg

• Lund University Libraries


library

Faculty

libraryFaculty

library

Faculty

library

Faculty

library

Faculty

University Library

Why & HowWhy & How

Why?

‐ Evaluate the libraries’ user education

‐ Increase quality

‐ Find out what are the ”factors”that make a difference

How?

‐ 3 faculties and University Library

‐ Spring 2011

‐ Focus group interviews

‐ Collecting data

‐ Model by Sharon Markless and David Streatfield (Evaluating the impact of your library, 2006)


ObjectiveObjective

Students can independently find sources that are relevant to their assignments


Markless’ & Streatfield’s modelMarkless’ & Streatfield’s model


Students can independently find sources that are relevant to their assignments

e.g. Students feel an increased confidence in their own ability to search for information

e.g. Librarians are involved in the planning of the teaching at departments

e.g. ‐number of teaching librarians‐pedagogical method

e.g. Creating learning outcomes for libraries’user education

Results• Learning and students’ thoughts and experiences• Learning outcomes• Pedagogical methods• Information literacy• The liability issue of information literacy• Contact and integration of library’s user education


Some factors that might make a difference

• Library user education is relevant and timely

• Library user education is integrated in courses throughout the curriculum

• Library strives to meet students’ diversity

• Education provides opportunities to practice information literacy

• Librarians’ pedagogical competence

• Library user education should have the same conditions regarding learning outcomes and examination as other education

• The pedagogical method

• Students and teachers are aware of the importance of information literacy

• The liability issue of information literacy: Who is responsible for students’development of information literacy?

• Organization and information channels ‐ cooperation and dialogue between teachers and librarians



Added values

• A meeting in February with our library managers to ensure next step of the evaluation

• Keep the way we worked during step 1, but with some time saving changes

• Changes in the environment


Where we are today

Markless’ & Streatfield’s modelMarkless’ & Streatfield’s model


• Formulate targets for each faculty library based on the information gained from the study

• Plan activities to be implemented autumn 2012 ‐spring 2013

• Re‐evaluation spring 2014


Next steps

• Things to consider– Actions taken by the library

– Changes in the environment

• Together we make a difference!


So, will we prove we make a difference?

Thanks!Sara Akramy, Medical Faculty Library

[email protected]

Bitte Holm, Library of School of Economics & Management [email protected]

Lena Landgren, University [email protected]

Anna Wiberg, Faculty of Law [email protected]
