Browsing by Author "Gammons, Rachel"
Now showing 1 - 20 of 20
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item The ABCS of Strategic Assessment: Building Blocks for Creating a New Plan in Challenging Times(2015-06-28) Gammons, Rachel; Edwards, Jamie; Conlin, Kristin; Barnachea, LuLu; Singh, MadhuThe University of Maryland Libraries embarked on a journey to create a new assessment plan while a leadership transition loomed and campus budget cuts promised new priorities. The Libraries needed to harness its many assessment activities into a strategic coordinated program. The foundation of the new program derives from key building blocks: research, stakeholder engagement, best practices, skills and resources, and integration with strategic planning. To support this growth, the Libraries created a new model for developing assessment capacity: Assess-Build-Cultivate (ABC). The ABC model defines how the Libraries will identify their needs for assessment skills and resources, build their capacity, and cultivate a culture of strategic assessment. Building the new plan and program from the ground up required extensive collaboration inside and outside the organization. The Libraries formed a task force to coordinate this work and recommend how assessment can be deeply integrated into both everyday work and the organization’s strategic planning cycle. The results of the task force’s internal and external research revealed a dire need for coordination, training, and resources. The task force recommended best practices, a new assessment development plan, and the framework for a strategic assessment plan—to be evaluated soon by library management and staff. These building blocks represent what a library in a challenging environment can potentially do moving from limited resources and rapidly changing priorities to the promise of a new vision supported by assessment. The poster will provide charts of the team’s research and figures illustrating the ABC model and strategic framework.Item Creating Community: Using a Peer Mentor Program to Enhance Student Experience(2012-03-22) Gammons, Rachel; Justiss, Katy; Kellerman, LisaIn Fall 2011, the University of Tennessee student chapter of Tennessee Library & American Library Associations introduced a peer mentor program intended to foster meaningful academic and social relationships among new and continuing students in an online MLIS program. This poster presentation presents the results of the pilot program, conducted from 2011 to 2012. Preliminary results indicate that students who participated in the program experienced higher satisfaction with the student experience and were more satisfied, overall, with the University of Tennessee MLIS program.Item Evaluating Information: Using an Instructional Scaffolding Activity to Facilitate Student Learning.(American Library Association Annual Conference, 2012-06-21) Gammons, Rachel; Radom, RachelPresents a new information evaluation method using the 5W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How), and the results of a pilot study assessing student retention and recall of the method as compared to popular evaluation methods (such as CRAAP or CRITIC).Item Helping Parents in a Pinch: An Academic Library Becomes More Family-Friendly(American Libraries, 2020-03) Gammons, Rachel; Corlett-Rivera, KelseyChildren are present in many types of libraries—not just the public variety. The expense and difficulties of arranging childcare mean that even academic library patrons often need to bring young ones along when studying or browsing the stacks. Now, through the creation of a family study space and other amenities, the University of Maryland Libraries has made it easier for parents, caregivers, and children to visit.Item “I appreciate your no-nonsense takes:” Adjunct Instructors and the Future of the MLIS(Association of College and Research Libraries, 2019-04) Gammons, Rachel; Drabinski, Emily; Pagowsky, Nicole; Freundlich, ShantiA master’s degree in Library and Information Science, or MLIS, represents much more than the credentials needed to become a librarian. It is also the primary point of entry into our profession, in which graduate students learn the cultural values, expectations, norms, and standards of behavior of librarians. As of 2019, the American Library Association (ALA) has accredited 60 MLIS programs across the nation. Over the past decades, many of these programs have shifted their curricula and faculty away from traditional librarianship and toward the intersections of information and technology, more broadly. As a result, MLIS programs often rely on adjunct instructors who are also librarians to supplement the curriculum, and lead courses on topics such as academic librarianship, reference, teaching and pedagogy, and collection development and management. This panel examined what it means to be an adjunct and a librarian, and how these roles may reinforce or resist one another. Rather than exploring the logistics of adjuncting and course design, our panel encouraged participants to consider how our work as adjuncts may impact the pipeline into the profession; what we, as practitioners, bring to our work with graduate students; and what graduate education contributes back to our work as librarians.Item Incorporating Critically Conscious Assessment into a Large Scale Information Literacy Program(Association of College and Research Libraries, 2016-09) Gammons, RachelItem Instruction in Transition: Using Ipad-Driven Problem-Based Learning to Enhance the Freshman Experience.(Library Orientation Exchange National Conference, 2014-05) Gammons, Rachel; Gold, Melissa; Stewart, KatieIntended to facilitate the transition from secondary to higher education, First Year Experience (FYE) Courses have been linked to increased retention rates, higher levels of satisfaction, and a more developed sense of belonging among students (Purdie2010). Due to their transitional function, these courses are often marked by an emphasis on institutional culture, community, and academic well-being, and frequently include collaborations with campus partners. Despite a lack of research-based assignments, librarians are often invited to participate in FYE instruction as part of a larger rotation of resources such as Student Affairs, Academic Advising, and Counseling Centers, among others. Without a credit-bearing assignment, librarians are faced with the challenge of effectively preparing students for college level research in an abstract, disconnected, and inauthentic learning space. To meet this challenge, Millersville University (MU) librarians have combined Problem Based Learning (PBL) with innovative technology solutions to create an FYE activity that is engaging, collaborative, and instructive. Designed specifically for use on an iPad with the iBooks app, the FYE PBL activity leverages the mobility and interactivity of the tablet to engage students in the learning process.Item Kids in the Library: Enacting Joy in the Academic Workplace Through the Creation of a Family Study Space(IGI Global, 2020) Gammons, Rachel; Corlett-Rivera, Kelsey; Kletscher, KarinaWhile children’s services are traditionally associated with public libraries, the increase in students with dependent children means that academic libraries are increasingly being called to provide family-friendly spaces. Using the University of Maryland Libraries as a case study, the authors detail the process of developing, implementing, and overseeing family-friendly services, including a family study room and activity kits for children. They argue there is value in welcoming families into the academy and projects, such as a family study room, worthy not only for the contributions they make to the community but also for the opportunity to enact joy in our daily practice as academic librarians.Item Making it work: Developing a student-centered assessment model for a large-scale information literacy program(Library Assessment Conference, 2016-10) Gammons, Rachel; Inge, Lindsay; IngeInformation literacy instruction presents a difficult balance between quantity and quality, particularly for large-scale general education courses. This paper discusses the overhaul of the freshman composition instruction program at the University of Maryland Libraries, focusing on the transition from survey assessments to a student-centered and mixed-methods approach using qualitative reflections, rubrics, and the evaluation of student artifacts. The article discusses the progression from a pilot assessment program using Twitter as a data collection model to the implementation a robust and multi-layered assessment using both qualitative feedback from students and the evaluation of student artifacts. Each assessment includes detailed collection methods and customized rubrics for evaluation of student responses. While information literacy assessment has been covered extensively in the literature, few articles discuss the use of qualitative student responses on a large scale (4,000 participants per year). The article also discusses the re-structuring of an assessment program around the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy, which is incorporated throughout the project from the pilot up through the full implementation of the final program.Item Making it Work: Developing a Student-Centered Assessment Model for a Large-Scale Information Literacy Program(Library Assessment Conference, 2016-10) Gammons, Rachel; Inge, LindsayInformation literacy instruction presents a difficult balance between quantity and quality, particularly for large-scale general education courses. This paper discusses the overhaul of the freshman composition instruction program at the University of Maryland Libraries, focusing on the transition from survey assessments to a student-centered and mixed-methods approach using qualitative reflections, rubrics, and the evaluation of student artifacts.Item Re-envisioning NMRT’s Newsletter, Footnotes(2015-06) Gammons, Rachel; Freeman, John Mack; Goodman, Amanda L.; Janvey, Alexandra; Orozco, CynthiaPoster presentation for 2015 American Library Association Annual ConferenceItem Re-Imagining Information Evaluation: Using Social Constructivist Theory to Create an Information Evaluation Method that “Sticks"(Association of College and Research Libraries Bi-Annual Conference, 2013-04-10) Gammons, Rachel; Radom, RachelPresented a new information evaluation based on the 5W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How) and discusses overlaps between social constructivist theory, student learning, andItem Sharing Our Success: Using a Teacher Training Program to Improve Information Literacy Instruction and Support MLIS Students(2017-03) Gammons, Rachel; Inge, Lindsay; Carroll, AlexanderA research library and an MLIS program have created a fellowship to develop future leaders in information literacy instruction. This conference paper presented at the Association of College and Research Librarians 2017 conference provides an overview of the fellowship’s curriculum and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities of working with an MLIS program. The paper concludes with results from the program’s first cohorts, including job placement rates for alumni, reflections from student participants, feedback from participating librarians, and lessons learned from fellowship directors.Item Sharing Our Success: Using a Teaching Training Program to Improve Info Lit Instruction and Support MLIS Students(2017-06-08) Gammons, Rachel; Inge, LindsayThe University of Maryland Libraries Research and Teaching Fellowship prepares MLIS graduate students to enter into a competitive academic job market. The scaffolded training program equips fellows with the skills and experience to perform entry-level public services functions including: information literacy instruction, research assistance, basic program assessment, and peer training. The fellowship goes beyond basic job responsibilities to prepare fellows to step into faculty roles by providing funding and support for professional development, including presentations, posters, and conferences; engaging in discussions about current literature with academic librarians through a monthly journal club; and the opportunity to lead a small scale research and assessment project of their choosing. Finally, it supports fellows through their job search processes by providing career readiness workshops, mentorship, and a supportive community of practice.Item Situating the Self: Teaching-Librarian Narratives Within and Beyond Instructional Spaces(Association of College and Research Libraries, 2019-04) Gammons, Rachel; Telwell, Eamon; Bhat, Nimisha; Santamaria, Michele; Fiedler, BritneyUsing the three thematic areas of Experience, Identity, and Workplace, we will discuss a range of questions designed to uncover and trouble the ingrained narratives of teaching in academic libraries. We hope to prompt consideration of your identities, of how teaching practices are impacted by institutional power and authority, and also present some opportunities for self-reflection and ideas for changes to make going forward.Item Systematic Review Task Force Report(2020-01) Coalter, Jodi; Gammons, Rachel; Over, Sarah; Ritchie, Stephanie; Tchangalova, NedelinaIn today’s busy research university library, many advanced level researchers need specialized research support. Literature review workshops have been very popular at the UMD Libraries in the last couple of years. Systematic reviews, originally relevant for research in medical research, are a type of literature review that is getting increasingly commonly used in all other sciences where data are collected and published in the literature. UMD Libraries evaluated the feasibility of offering Systematic Review services to the UMD community and beyond. In this report, short and long term recommendations are provided to enhance the service.Item UMD Libraries Information Literacy Disposition Rubric(2015-11-01) Gammons, Rachel; Inge, LindsayThis rubric is used by the Teaching and Learning Services Department at UMD Libraries to evaluate one minute papers submitted by first year students during library instruction for ENGL101.Item UMD Libraries Peer Teaching Observation Program(2018-01-01) Gammons, RachelEvery three years, the UMD Libraries' Fearless Teaching Institute organizes a large-scale peer-teaching observation program by pairing up interested library instructors and providing guidance and support for mutual observations. This document serves as the program plan and guide for the 2018-2019 peer observation program.Item UMD Libraries Research and Teaching Fellowship(2017) Gammons, Rachel; Inge, Lindsay; Carroll, AlexanderThe University of Maryland Libraries Research and Teaching Fellowship prepares MLIS graduate students to enter into a competitive academic job market. The scaffolded training program equips fellows with the skills and experience to perform entry-level public services functions including: information literacy instruction, research assistance, basic program assessment, and peer training. The fellowship goes beyond basic job responsibilities to prepare fellows to step into faculty roles by providing funding and support for professional development, including presentations, posters, and conferences; engaging in discussions about current literature with academic librarians through a monthly journal club; and the opportunity to lead a small scale research and assessment project of their choosing. Finally, it supports fellows through their job search processes by providing career readiness workshops, mentorship, and a supportive community of practice.Item When Stars Align: Redesigning an instruction and assessment program to align with the Framework for Information Literacy(2018-05) Inge Carpenter, Lindsay; Gammons, Rachel; Sly, JordanThe University of Maryland Libraries’ instruction program serves nearly 20,000 students per year. In 2015, with the introduction of the ACRL Framework, we began the process of redesigning this program; starting with learning outcomes and moving up through curriculum mapping and assessment. We present a case study for how a library system can work together to create a collaborative, cohesive, and diverse instruction and assessment program that is structured but flexible enough to meet the needs of individual librarians and units. The breakout session will feature concrete strategies for learning outcomes development, curriculum mapping, and programmatic assessment.