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Moser, Dennis
Associate Professor of Library Science; Head, Alaska & Polar Regions Collections & Archives
Recent Submissions
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Use of Social Media By Alaskan LibrariesThis paper summarizes a survey study of the use of social media by school, public, and academic libraries in Alaska. Librarians at 243 Alaskan libraries were contacted and asked to participate in the study; 83 librarians responded by taking the survey. Results show that public libraries are heavily engaged in social media; academic libraries regularly use social media; and some school libraries use social media but many face school district restrictions on usage. The top reasons Alaskan libraries use social media is to promote library news and events; promote specific resources; and promote specific services. Reasons for not using social media include: not having enough time; social media isn’t deemed as important; and poor Internet connectivity in rural communities. Social media platforms are selected based on librarian preference and comfort level, as opposed to audience characteristics. Libraries that aren’t under prohibitive restrictions, such as policies against using social media or poor internet/bandwidth issues, should frequently reassess their use of social media platforms to best engage with patrons and the community.
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No More Liaisons: Collection Management Strategies in Hard TimesCollection development in medium to large academic libraries typically involves multiple subject librarians or “liaisons.” The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Libraries have lost significant numbers of personnel in the last four years due to attrition and retirements, including most of the professional liaison librarians whose positions will not be replaced in the foreseeable future. In addition to this challenge, collection budgets have been severely reduced due to the State of Alaska's ongoing budget crisis, necessitating large cancellation projects. This article examines UAF Libraries’ collection strategies used to sustain a research-intensive collection without liaisons and with a drastically reduced budget.
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Understanding the Impact of the New Aesthetics and New Media Works on Future Curatorial Resource Responsibilities for Research CollectionsThe author examines the emerging impact of the works of the “New Aesthetic,” along with other works that have their genesis in the rapid technological changes of the last fifty-plus years. Consideration is given to the history of digital audio/visual works that will eventually be held by repositories of cultural heritage and how this history has, or has not, been documented. These creations have developed out of an environment of networked, shared, re-usable and re-purposed data. The article briefly examines how these works are utilized while looking at the future impact of the growing creation and use of complex, compound multimedia digital re- search and cultural collections as evidenced by augmented and virtual reality environments such as smartphone apps and Second Life.
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UAF Libraries Undergraduate Student Library Use Survey Fall 2007 Triennial campus-wide UAF libraries use survey, summary of results for undergraduate students.
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UAF Libraries Faculty and Researchers Library Use Survey Fall 2007Triennial campus-wide UAF libraries use survey, summary of results for faculty and researchers.
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UAF Libraries Undergraduate Student Library Use Survey Fall 2010Triennial campus-wide UAF libraries use survey, summary of results for undergraduate students.
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UAF Libraries Graduate Student Library Use Survey Fall 2010Triennial campus-wide UAF libraries use survey, summary of results for graduate students.
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UAF Libraries Faculty and Researchers Library Use Survey Fall 2010Triennial campus-wide UAF libraries use survey, summary of results for faculty and researchers.
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Beyond “classroom” technology: The equipment circulation program at Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska FairbanksThe library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks offers a unique equipment lending program through its Circulation Desk. The program features a wide array of equipment types, generous circulation policies, and unrestricted borrowing, enabling students, staff, and faculty to experiment with the latest in audio, video, and computer technologies, for both academic and personal enrichment projects. The program enjoys great popularity and significant financial support by the University. The results of a recently conducted online patron survey demonstrate the need for continued support and further development of the equipment lending program.
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Under New Management: Developing a Library Assessment Program at a Small UniversityPrompted by new leadership in both the library and the university, the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Rasmuson and BioSciences Libraries recently established a strategic planning process that included the creation of a general assessment program for the libraries. The library administrative team felt that it was time to assess our program and come up with a new action plan. The purpose of these efforts is to ensure that spending and staffing priorities match current user needs, to respond to university-required performance measures, and to help with strategic planning. The assessment program includes gathering library user and use data, systematic collection analysis, and implementation of an ongoing campus-wide community survey. This paper describes how a task force of four UAF librarians recently adapted and implemented surveys of faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students, modeled on a process conceived by the University of Washington Assessment Program. The UAF libraries’ surveys yielded response rates of 25% (243/943), 19% (143/750), and 8% (431/5086) among the three groups, respectively. Included are an overview of the assessment program, the survey planning and implementation process, and a summary of results and action plan. Recommendations for conducting small-scale surveys are provided.
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Data-Driven Decisions for Library Liaisons: Exploring Strategies for Effectively Managing Diminishing Monograph CollectionsMany academic libraries have liaison programs as a means of building relevant and useful library collections and to promote library resources to campus users. Librarians have long served as liaisons without the benefit of much data to guide decisions. In this age of library budget cuts, librarians need to make every dollar count. What collection and use data help liaisons build a quality monograph collection that better meets the needs of library users? This article offers some ideas for providing the data needed by liaisons for more informed decision making and collection management and, ultimately, for ensuring that library materials purchased are needed and used.
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Blogging at a Small Academic LibraryThe Rasmuson Library Circulation blog began as a digital replacement for our Circulation Department white board, which we used to communicate information to student and staff employees, and which was frequently ignored. We were frustrated with our attempts to get everyone to pay attention to the written announcements, procedure changes, and new policy notices, which were regularly posted on the white board. Verbal feedback from both students and staff indicated that there were too many signs, too much visual information, so that everyone felt overloaded and paid little attention to new items. If students or staff were absent for a week or two, they would miss any new announcements, which would be erased by the time they returned to work. There was no record of what had been posted; once erased it was forgotten, so we would find ourselves repeatedly posting the same information, to try to ensure that everyone had read it, and inadvertently causing many to disregard the board entirely. The blog tool provided a solution to all of these concerns, allowing us to reduce the paper waste and visual clutter that a white board produced, archive messages, providing categories for easier reference, and giving users an easy filter to access only the most current information.
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Managing Library Electronic Resources Using Google SitesAfter attempting to use a home-grown Drupal database to administer electronic resources and later a vendor-provided electronic resources management (ERM) system, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Libraries created a Google Site that quickly proved to be more efficient than either previous system. Although this new system may not be a permanent solution, as ERM software continues to evolve, this original answer to a complex problem streamlines workflow, allows for further innovation and development and, best of all, comes with a Google mail account, and no formal training is needed.
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Learning 2.0: A Tool for Staff Training at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rasmuson LibraryThis paper describes a Learning 2.0 library staff training project completed in September, 2007 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rasmuson Library. The project planning process, curriculum creation, implementation, incentives, and outcomes are included, along with a summary of survey results from program participants. Recommendations for implementing this free and useful staff training tool by other academic libraries are included, as well as a link to the Library’s Learning 2.0 blog.
