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UCM Library Annual Asessessment Plan & Report 2012-2013 (Budget Priorities): Goal C: Usability & Accessibility

Version of the Annual Assessment Plan 12-13 with budget priorities called out.

Goal C

The library will actively pursue innovative solutions and worthwhile collaborations that increase the usability and accessibility of information resources to support users' course work, research, and service.

Relevance to campus budget priorities:

Building Critical Research Infrastructure

  •  Information is a core reasearch tool. Information must be available to researchers in highly usable forms and must be accessible to them both in terms of the ease with which it can be found and the speed with which it can be accessed.  

Strengthening Interdisciplinary Research

  •  The de-siloing of information is essential so researchers can identify the connections between information resources that come from the work of disparate disciplines.

Enhancing Student Academic Support/ Improving Student Success & Rention

  •  Usable and accessible information is vital to students working on deadlines to complete course-related papers and projects.

Addressing Faculty Or Staff Retention Challenges

  • Faculty who have efficient access to the information they need for research and instruction are more satisfied than those who do not.

Outcomes

Outcome C1:

Make data driven decisions to maintain and enhance the quality of reference services.

Measures: C1, C2, C3

Outcome C2:

Undertake local projects to improve the usability and accessibility of information resources such as enhancements to the website and other library information technology.

Measures: C3, C4, C5

Outcome C3:

Maintain adequate staffing levels to meet library user needs.

Measures: C6, C7, C8

Outcome C4:

Provide excellent customer service at all library service points.

Measure: C9, C10

Outcome C5:
Advocate among UC researchers for more economically sustainable publishing models. 

Measure: C11, D8

Measures

Measure C1:

The per-capita use of 24/7 digital reference service by UC Merced students will be above the mean for all UC campuses.

Responsibility: Teal Smith

Measure C2:

Eighty percent of UC Merced users who complete the 24/7 digital reference service feedback form will report that they will use the service again. 

Responsibility: Teal Smith

Measure C3:

The library will analyze verbatim transcripts of 24/7 sessions initiated by UC Merced students. The goal is to use this data for continuous improvement of the library web site and user interfaces based on actual questions from library users. 

Responsibility: Teal Smith

Measure C4:

The library will conduct usability testing of the library website with new library student assistants looking for any patterns that indicate either the extent of success or failure on the part of information seekers.  The goal is to use this data for continuous improvement of the web site and user interfaces based on actual use. 

Responsibility: Susan Mikkelson

Measure C5:

The library will analyze data gathered by the LibAnswers software to identify repeat questions or any pattern of problems that student encounter when search for information or using the library. The goal is continuous improvement of the UC Merced Library web site, user interfaces, services, and instruction. 

Responsibility: Susan Mikkelson

Measure C6:

The library will gather a random-sample of data concerning the number and complexity of questions asked at the Library's Helpdesk and Service desk. The library will analyze this data to insure that staffing levels are appropriate based on day of week and time of day.

Responsibility: Mary Weppler-Selear

Measure C7:

The Library's Roving Reference student employees collect data on the number of questions they are asked, the time and day on which the questions are asked, and the complexity of the questions they are asked. The library will analyze this data to ensure that levels of Roving Reference staff are adequate. 

Responsibility: Sara Davidson

Measure C8:

The Library will have at least one career staff member on duty at all times the library is open including nights and weekends.

Responsibility: Eric Scott

Measure C9:

Seventy-five percent of individuals who respond to the Graduating Student Survey will "agree" or "strongly agree" that they received satisfactory assistance from library staff at library service desks.

Responsibility: IPA/Sara Davidson

Measure C10:

Seventy-five percent of individuals who respond to the Graduating Student Survey will "agree" or "strongly agree" that they received satisfactory assistance from library staff when they asked for hlep finding information for their papers and projects.

Responsibility:  IPA/Sara Davidson

Measure C11:

Library staff will provide a minimum of three events to faculty promoting economically sustainable publishing.

Responsibility: Emily Lin