By Cynthia Archer
This week my question to you and the problem I am trying to tackle is more complex than last week’s topic. Four years ago in a survey, students tagged the quality of library computing as an issue that needed attention. In response York University Libraries moved from a plan that replaced computers every five years to one that replaces them every three years in an attempt to make them faster. We also very modestly increased the number of computers available to students. I was therefore totally surprised to see that in the same survey conducted last year student assessment on the quality of library information technology services was (slightly) lower than ever before.
I would sincerely appreciate your feedback to understand what York University Libraries might do to improve our rating. Some comments from students highlighted difficulty getting access to a library workstation which correlates with a similar complaint that many students cannot always find a place to sit and study in the library during the fall and winter terms. Some people commented on the speed of printing. Others talked about difficulties accessing library online journals when not using library workstations. If we could try to correct one or two library IT issues in 2013/14, what would you suggest and why?
Please feel free to leave your comments by clicking on the “chat bubble” at the top of this post. We want to know where we can improve.
Hi there!
I went to Brock before coming to York, and one of the things there that was amazing was that I could access course reserves electronically (and from home!). This would be so helpful if York had a similar offering. Otherwise at the top of my head, I’m pretty happy with York’s IT. The website could use some polish (not to the content or the catalogue, but to the framework and flow itself). Take care!
I feel that the computers themselves function well for student purposes. For me, the difficulty of learning how to navigate things such as printing or locating online articles was due to my lack of knowledge before I stepped into university. I feel that giving first year students a workshop/tour on how to use the library would make students feel more comfortable using it. While there are videos and online tutorials that can help students learn how to navigate the library, face-to-face instruction would help the adjustment of transitioning into becoming library users.
I also want to add this: Some scanners can create only images while others can pick up texts and create PDFs. The scanners at the libraries should have a consistent policy and quality to them. The Map Library’s scanner has the best quality compared to the others; I recommend that the other scanners try to replicate the clear instructions and abilities of the Map Library scanner.
Having specific computers for Facebook, etc, with specific time limits, would be very useful. Currently, there are users who do not necessarily use the computers for academic purposes; other students then have to search for a free computer to do course work.
How many laptops does the library have available for checkout? Increasing these may alleviate some of the issues, also allowing the students to work in the areas of the library which they favor. The university I worked at while doing my MLIS had a laptop checkout program and it was EXTREMELY popular.
My two cents on improving York Library IT is the state of the website. At the risk of sounding disloyal, I’m going to say that what I would like to see in the York Library website can be seen in action at the U of T library website.
York’s web design requires too many clicks and choices — it is *not* user friendly. I have to state what my area of interest is first; then I have to pick a source for my articles. Only then do I get to search for an article.
I would prefer to just search for an article and then let the computer system do the work. If I’m forced to pick JSTOR first, then enter my search criteria, it means I have to repeat the search with Gale; then repeat it again with someone else.
Instead, let me enter my search criteria and let the system check all of the resources for me. This functionality exists at other libraries, so I know it can be done.
Even the catalogue doesn’t work as well as one might hope. The entire search process for articles and books is in need of an overhaul. It seems unwieldy and out of date.
Dear Adverb:
Your observation that it take too many clicks to find articles on our web site is shared by a number of people in the library. We actually have a group working on this issue. Would you like an opportunity to talk to a member of this committee? I can also ask for brief reports from this committee to share with you and other students over the blog if you think it would be useful.
Cynthia
That is indeed a very complex problem Cynthia. We live in a world where technology is constantly changing and for the better. For me, good library IT is purely functional as well as user-friendly, brilliant with speed and one that works like an active fire hose. I agree with the students surveyed about the difficulty of accessing a library workstation. I usually come across a workstation that no one is using only to find out later that it’s not working, it’s frozen, or it takes forever to log me on it.
If there were improvements to be made to library IT issues in 2013/2014, I would almost suggest a regular maintenance to check on computers not working properly or up to the standard of users so it’s just not sitting there to give the idea of a free space. There can be a reporting booth or a contact person where I can report problems about a particular computer. Library visitors with vision and hearing disabilities find many of their needs met online these days so making sure they have access to resources while studying at home. Also, a computer beside each printing station which is faster and dedicated to printing only would help improve printing speed.
Scott needs an express printing station on the ground floor with a computer exclusively for accessing/releasing print jobs. Robarts’ ground floor printing stations is an excellent example of this can be created.
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