Oregon State University Libraries Strategic Plan Implementation 2004/2005 Project Team Report Goal 2, Strategy A-a

Abstract

In September 2005 LAMP charged the Virtual College Library task force to begin work on the University Libraries Strategic Plan Goal 2 Strategy A-a. The VCL task force was charged to co-develop “with faculty ‘virtual college libraries’ to make targeted information easily available to students.” The VCL task force engaged in several key actions in order to accomplish its charge: literature and web site review; review and exploration of Blackboard as a potential mechanism for delivering tailored services to the teaching and learning needs of OSU faculty and students; assessment activities with undergraduate and graduate students, including focus groups, an online survey and usability study. The task force determined that the best way to define VCLs was to understand how students approach their information needs, what searching methods and technologies they typically use, and whether they would use personalization features. The results of the assessment activities led the VCL task force to conclude that VCLs as originally conceived were not the best option for meeting student’s information needs. This paper reports on the assessment activities and resulting recommendations developed by the VCL Task Force.