The document summarizes key points from a conference on libraries and assessment held at Syracuse University from June 12-13, 2012. Some of the main ideas discussed were that libraries need to transform from solely being repositories to places for collaboration and social activities. Libraries also need to focus on access over collections and partner more closely with faculty. Assessment of library services and spaces also needs to change to keep up with new technologies and student needs.

1. 6/12/2012 – 6/13/12
Syracuse University
Report Submitted by Maria, Laurie and
Georgette

2. Some key takeaways:
 Libraries are moving from the grocery store to the kitchen. The library
can no longer be a large repository and has been transformed into a
place where people come to do “stuff” and to collaborate and socialize.

 Libraries need to move from the lending to the sharing model. Its
collection is only one type of service. The library needs to be the
platform to get to the resources of others. Libraries need to push things
out to the community and be the platform for innovation.

 The most important role of assessment knows when to change and the
library needs to change. How do we change?
 Work one on one with faculty. Make them your advocates. Ask yourself
how you can make their life better.
 Get out of the library! Make connections.
 Revisit your space plans

3. Some key takeaways:
 The OCLC metadata “sucks” too much useless and messy information (subfields that have been
used only few times over millions of records). This data has to be moved and batch processed in
order to improve the quality of records.
 Libraries need to change their collecting practice. Access is more in demand than collection. It is
time to think about “cloud library project” (example: HathiTrust digital library
http://www.hathitrust.org/ )

The library is becoming a social place to hook up, to collaborate, but also to hide. We must
address this trend by wiring all entries for RFID sending –for example, an app would show where
empty seats are in the library or the information would be displayed on large screens throughout
the library. We will also have to find a way to eliminate the check-out process – perhaps chips
could be placed in the books for self check-out.
 Partnership with the faculty will be essential.
 Build the right size collections (weed the “old” unused stuff). Move to just in time collections.
 Think imaginatively about your spaces
 Be visible, approachable, and helpful.
Consider using space to build campus communities, get flexible, be decisive, work together, and
have fun making waves.

4.  Good products and services aren’t enough.
 Be innovative. Money flows to new and
innovative ideas. Pursue opportunities with
regard to the resources your currently control.
Align with institutional outcomes, empower
library to carry out work locally, create shared
knowledge and understanding, and contribute
to higher education assessment. Document
your successes. Read the Cluetrain Manifesto
from 1999.

5.  Dr. Fried Foster described the research
process among students and faculty. She
said the majority of faculty and students will
reach out to friends or colleagues for
information long before they come to a
library. We must design services, spaces and
tools to better become part of the
information process.

6.  She sees Information Literacy as an umbrella
for all different kinds of literacy assessments
such as digital literacy, game, media, etc.
She suggested the Mac Arthur foundation
http://www.macfound.org/ as a model for
creating new learning labs and ways to
engage students.

7.  ACRL IL standards have become outdated, too
numerous. She supports team based learning
and introduced the term “ RAP”(readiness
assessment process). Some of the outcomes
created by her teams include: 1) the
development of a wiki or blog platform, 2) the
creation of a facebook page connected to many
devices, 3) the creation of a video showing the
impact of twitter and 4) another team created
link to a book with QR code. We live in a
participatory culture and must change our
assessment accordingly.

8.  Kaila discussed efforts to develop standards
for information literacy standards for visual
literacy.
 More information about learning outcomes
approach to visual learning can be found at:
 http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/con

9.  Games: teach and assess simultaneously,
assist in assessing creativity
Capacity for full sensory engagement.
Games change the behavior!
Temporal understanding of knowledge
acquisition
Visit:
Www.knewton.com/gamification-education
for more information on applying games to
learning outcomes.

10.  Discussed the “Biblibouts” project that
allowed students to cooperate in group built
bibliography in order to choose the best
sources, tag them/evaluate sources found by
other students, and attach full text.
http://bibliobouts.org

11.  We must strive to integrate reality with
gaming, web and virtual reality (Matrix) to
attain integrated reality. The deepest
learning happens when we feel safe and
when we truly are fascinated with the
challenges by our environment