Learning Commons- Study Support; Library
Learning Commons
At the Learning Commons, we foster an inclusive learning community by offering personalized study support and resources for all students. Resources here include:
- Study space
- Basic computer support
- Study support (formerly called tutoring)
- Individual
- Group/walk-in
- Classroom embedded
- Online study support through Brainfuse
- Support for study groups
- Academic skills instruction
Locations: Main Campus- Cedar Rapids (Cedar Hall, Library) and KRCUI
Modalities: in-person, online, and individual study support can also be held virtually
Rubric for Evaluation
Rating Scale:
3 – Excellent. This resource goes above and beyond in this area.
2 – Adequate. Efforts are being made but more could be done to make it more accessible.
1 – Insufficient. This resource is not accessible in this way.
N/A – not applicable for this resource.
| Current Use/Reflection | Notes |
| Who is the target audience for this resource? | All students with the exception of non-credit seeking students. Increased need in assistance for A &P along with math and science. |
| What are the services being offered by the resource? | Walk in study support/individual study support/classroom and private rooms/study space/computer lab/group study sessions-some assistive tech (read and write) |
| Are there known barriers or stigma that may prevent students from accessing the resource? | Concerns about being seen as dumb. |
| Is there any data available regarding student perceptions/use of this resource? | They have just launched a survey with QR codes. This is available continuously. |
| Does the resource have an existing plan in place to ensure that programs and resources are accessible to students with disabilities and/or unique needs? | No Nothing formal at this time, but there should be. |
| Is there an existing plan in place for continuing improvements to programs and services? | Working on it. |
| Rating | Notes | |
| Physical Accessibility | ||
| Is the physical location accessible to the student population it serves? | 2 | Yes and future upgrades are being plan to be located in a more centralized location along with satellite support. |
| Are the resource’s visual images adequate in clearly communicating services, etc.? | 3 | There are several brochures and handouts available. |
| Wayfinding signage leading to the resource is visible, high contrast, and easy to identify. | 1.5 | Need stronger window signage and individual branding/ magnets/ |
| Scheduling/Time Accessibility | ||
| Do the resource hours and timing of programming meet student needs? | 2 | The LC currently closes at 5:00 in Cedar Rapids and the Coralville LC closes at 4:00, which has been problematic. Could there possibly be extended hours |
| Does the resource offer an on-demand option for face-to-face and online students? | 2.5 | There are limited zoom options. Walk-in is pretty robust for on-demand |
| Do students have the ability to easily self-schedule at a time convenient for them? | 3 | Yes, they can schedule in Calendly at a time that works for them and their assistant. Walk-in times are also available for certain subjects. |
| Digital Accessibility | ||
| Are available online resources easy to locate and user-friendly? | 2 | The Learning Commons website is accessible |
| Are necessary print resources available in digital formats? | 1 | Not at this time, |
| Collaboration Support | ||
| Does the resource help students communicate, collaborate, work, or share information about academic content? | 2 | Provide space for studying.
Can we increase opportunities for study groups, encourage. |
| Multilingual Accessibility | ||
| Does the resource currently provide or have access to translation tools or reference materials in commonly spoken languages by Kirkwood ELLs? | 1 | No |
| Does the resource use clear language and avoid jargon? | 1.5 | Study support/tutors/tutoring- While there may be stigma associated with tutoring . We need clear and consistent language. While learning assistant sounds good, it can also be confusing. |
| Feedback | ||
| Is there a system in place for students and staff to provide feedback on services? | 2 | There is a survey in place but it is more geared towards customer service as opposed to accessibility. |
| How are accessibility concerns addressed and improvements implemented? | 1.5 | There is not a formalized process. When an issue arises, changes are made as necessary. When this is done, there is follow up with the students. |
| Is there a process for periodic reviews of the resource and ongoing improvement? | 1 | No, nothing format this point yet. |
| Inclusivity | ||
| Does the resource actively engage with traditionally underserved populations? | 3 | They have been actively reaching out to diverse departments this semester to determine how they can actively serve those groups. |
| Does the resource take measures to ensure traditionally underserved populations feel welcome? | 2.5 | Working actively on welcoming students and providing training to staff. |
| Are there events and activities that promote inclusivity? | 1.5 | The LC does not host events themselves but other departments can host events in the LC. There could be in an increase in workshops or academic events. |
| Are staff trained in cultural competence and inclusivity? | 3 | The staff did an unconscious bias training and that will be continued on a continual basis. |
| Communication/Marketing | ||
| Which channels of communication are used to share services/programs | 2 | Announcements are made |
| Is there a proactive strategy in place to ensure students and faculty are aware of. resource materials/events/opportunities? | 2 | When sessions are happening, yes. In Talon and through marketing. |
| Does the resource market itself to students appropriately? | 1.5 | There are so many opportunities! |
Program Action Steps:
- integration of study support hours into student talons schedules per instructor
- The pre-creation of discipline specific study groups
- Streamlined approach to collecting and reviewing feedback
Library
The library is more than a study space. Some of the items it offers includes:
- Circulation
- Books
- Course Reserves
- Calculators
- Laptops
- Hotspots
- Technology help
- Printing (B&W/Color)
- Reference
- Research consultation
- Databases
- Citation
- Classroom instruction
Location: Main Campus- Cedar Rapids (Benton Hall, 1st floor)
Modalities: in-person, along with virtual assistance
Rubric for Evaluation
Rating Scale:
-
- 3 – Excellent. This resource goes above and beyond in this area.
- 2 – Adequate. Efforts are being made but more could be done to make it more accessible.
- 1 – Insufficient. This resource is not accessible in this way.
- N/A – not applicable for this resource.
| Current Use/Reflection | Notes |
| Who is the target audience for this resource? | Kirkwood Library’s mission is three-fold: to identify the information needs of students and staff, provide accessible quality library resources and services, and teach Information Literacy skills for life-long learning. We provide the resources and services to fulfill this mission to all Kirkwood faculty, staff, and students, at all locations including those working or attending online.
Our aim is to keep increasing the number of students and faculty utilizing our resources and services. We understand that students in some programs will not use library information resources as frequently as others, for example those in auto tech have their own proprietary information resources and have little need for subscription database content. |
| What are the services being offered by the resource? | The Library provides an extensive array of services for students and staff/faculty, including:
|
| Are there known barriers or stigma that may prevent students from accessing the resource? | The Library benefits from having generally positive associations with libraries in general, for most people in our community. There is such a thing as “library anxiety” in academic libraries, where users feel they should already know how to use a library’s resources, and how to do research. We actively address this in our everyday interactions with students and in our classroom visits. Other barriers would just be a lack of understanding of all the resources and services available for all students and staff/faculty to access. |
| Is there any data available regarding student perceptions/use of this resource? | The Library consistently rates high on the college wide student surveys on satisfaction. (I think it’s the CCSSE).
We have lots of data on student use of the Library, including:
The data we have indicates that library resources are an important piece of a student’s academic success at Kirkwood. |
| Rating | Notes | |
| Physical Accessibility | ||
| Is the physical location accessible to the student population it serves? | 3 | The Sundberg Library and Learning Commons is centrally located on Main Campus in Benton Hall. Online resources are available through the library homepage. Books can also be requested/sent to the County Centers.
The location is easily available to all students on the main campus. By having extensive online resources, online help, and center delivery, we do as much as we can while still maintaining a single Library location. |
| Are the resource’s visual images adequate in clearly communicating services, etc.? | 2 |
The directory sign has an error. Both list browsing/ paperbacks on the second floor. |
| Wayfinding signage leading to the resource is visible, high contrast, and easy to identify. | 2 | The Library sign on the building was taken down during construction. The current sign on the Benton Hall entrance is not as visible from a distance. |
| Scheduling/Time Accessibility | ||
| Do the resource hours and timing of programming meet student needs? | 3 | Current Library Hours:
Fall & Spring Semesters
Summer Semester
Between semesters, the library is open weekdays 8:00am – 5:00pm. Closed weekends. It is our belief that these hours generally meet the needs of the students. There are occasional requests at closing time, typically on Fridays and weekends for additional hours but this is not a frequent request. There are also occasional requests for more hours in the summer – evenings and/or weekends – but usage in the last few years doesn’t seem to warrant that. Surveys or trials could be conducted to determine if more hours would be used by students. The busiest hours in the library are generally between 10:00am – 2:00pm with the activity hour seeing the most number of students. There are typically students in the library throughout the day, from opening at 7:30 until closing at 11:00. |
| Does the resource offer an on-demand option for face-to-face and online students? | 3 | Students are able to access library staff during all open hours. Assistance via walk-in, chat, phone, and email is available during all open hours. When the library is closed, students are able to email and/or leave a voicemail that will be responded to when staff is available.
The library website is always available for student access to resources at all times. |
| Do students have the ability to easily self-schedule at a time convenient for them? | 2 | There are a few options for students to “self-schedule”.
During open hours, students are able to seek assistance at any time of their choosing via walk-in, chat, phone, and email. Students are able to schedule a Research Help Appointment via a Calendly link on the library website. These appointments are available using chat, Zoom, and in-person and are scheduled for 15 minutes but can go beyond that as needed. Students may include their research question when making the appointment to give the librarian some advance notice of the topic. Students have the ability to self-schedule one of the six small study rooms via a link on the library website. |
| Digital Accessibility | ||
| Are available online resources easy to locate and user-friendly? | 2 | It is confusing to students that they are unable to reach library resources when using the “library” link on Kirkwood pages. Instead, they must click the “Library Resources” button on the marketing created Library landing page. This creates an impediment to reaching valuable learning resources.
Otherwise, through the Library’s LibGuides pages (those beginning guides.kirkwood.edu) extensive collections of resources are available 24/7, including research help guides, all kinds of serials articles, and a large collection of eBooks. We make these as easy to access as possible, including proxy access which allows current Kirkwood students and employees to log into subscription databases using their usual K number and password. |
| Are necessary print resources available in digital formats? | 3 | The library offers several resources both as print material in physical books and electronic material via our journal, eBook and video databases. Additionally, we are willing to purchase electronic versions of books that we currently only own in physical formats. |
| Collaboration Support | ||
| Does the resource help students communicate, collaborate, work, or share information about academic content? | 3 | The Library provides a variety of different types of spaces for students to work together, including computer tables, large open tables, portable white boards, and group study rooms with white boards.
Flexible seating furniture would be a further way to encourage and support student collaboration, for example light tables and chairs on casters in the library’s first floor. |
| Multilingual Accessibility | ||
| Does the resource currently provide or have access to translation tools or reference materials in commonly spoken languages by Kirkwood ELLs? | 2 | Most support material has not been translated into other languages. We had our copier directions translated into French one time, and it was a cumbersome and expensive process. We would need some assistance or college support to provide translations, as we have so many different help guides and signage. Or perhaps guidance on the types of materials it’s most helpful to have in translation.
Our main article databases, including EBSCOhost and Gale products, provide “instant” translations into multiple different languages with a simple dropdown selection menu. |
| Does the resource use clear language and avoid jargon? | 2 | One of the top objectives in our web style guide is to write in clear, conversational tone:
“Use common words, don’t use formal language or jargon:
We regularly make updates to wording on the website to reflect current usage by students and staff/faculty. |
| Feedback | ||
| Is there a system in place for students and staff to provide feedback on services? | 1 | Feedback from faculty is solicited in a yearly survey. We have focused more on faculty than students, since our experiences have shown that we reach more students when their instructor introduces them to the library, or suggests they come to use for help.
We often ask for feedback on specific decisions we need to make on space, services, or resources. We also ask them: what problems they see in student work related to research or information literacy; what the library could do to support them; what information resources are lacking; what support resources (such as guides and videos) they use the most and would like to see more of. We have struggled to get meaningful student feedback on surveys. We more often observe how students are using the library, review data on usage of online services and resources, and use anecdotal evidence and personal interactions with students to introduce new or expanded services, or brainstorm ways to resolve problems students express. We would welcome guidance on better ways to involve students in guiding library improvements. We have a public “suggestion box” on our website but it rarely yields any meaningful input. |
| Is there a process for periodic reviews of the resource and ongoing improvement? | 2 | We regularly review and update the following:
|
| Inclusivity | ||
| Does the resource actively engage with traditionally underserved populations? | 2 | The library attempts to include underserved populations by offering resources in a variety of formats. Additionally, we have invested in special seating for patrons with children. We create displays featuring titles for and about underserved populations on nationally recognized holidays/time periods. The library continues work to develop and maintain a collection of books for non-native English speakers. This year, we attempted to connect with the Black Student Union for Black History Month, unfortunately, we were unable to connect with them in time. We are very willing to establish connections with other groups across campus in order to generate partnerships that increase inclusivity among underserved populations.
This work is always ongoing and improvements in this area can always be made. However, it should be noted that libraries have traditionally been a passive learning environment in which patrons are welcome to use the space for discovery on their own terms. The required aspect of academic libraries as a requirement for assignments, etc., might reduce the appeal of the library as a place for patrons’ self-guided learning. |
| Does the resource take measures to ensure traditionally underserved populations feel welcome? | 2 | The library displays artwork that features various minority groups in photographs and a large painting “The History of Iran.”
While the library space seems to attempt to be welcoming to individuals of different races, ethnicities and ages unfortunately, there is nothing about the space that indicates it as a safe space for LGBTQ individuals. Perhaps Kirkwood could invest in artwork that features photographs of prominent LGBTQ individuals and artwork by known LGBTQ individuals. As a library, it seems like it would be easy to obtain portraits of known LGBTQ community authors. The library is committed to building a collection inclusive of a diverse array of voices and viewpoints. As such, we are always willing to consider acquiring suggested titles/resources. |
| Are there events and activities that promote inclusivity? | 1 | Holding a strange gray area as both a student support and academic department we do not hold many events that might be disruptive to students attempting to study within the library. We have a sign indicating that we are an academic area and discourage disruptions. Every semester we do hold our Exam Cram, and have traditionally partaken of campus-wide events such as New Student Orientations and Welcome Week activities.
Unfortunately, we have not held events or activities that specifically target underserved populations, other than creating displays that feature such communities. The library is very willing, however, to partner with others across the college to become involved or host such events as long as they are not disruptive to those attempting to study. |
| Are staff trained in cultural competence and inclusivity? | 2 | This past December, the Library & Learning Commons staff attended the Unconscious Bias training. Additionally, there is the option to attend Collaborative Learning Days sessions on inclusivity, however, this is not required.
As is the case around the college, there is little incentive for part-time employees to attend this sort of training, despite the fact that part-time workers make up a majority of our staff. Additionally, opportunities to attend lectures or training in these areas often occur over activity hours, which traditionally are the libraries busiest times of the day making it difficult to attend. |
| Communication/Marketing | ||
| Which channels of communication are used to share services/programs | 2 | We communicate hours and offerings in various ways:
We have all sorts of programming available that includes services (such as citation help) and events (Exam Cram, Book Club). One of our department goals for the upcoming year is to create a marketing outreach plan which will be a much more detailed analysis. |
| Is there a proactive strategy in place to ensure students and faculty are aware of resource materials/events/opportunities? | 2 | As a small part of a larger institution without much independent abilities at outreach we are constantly endeavoring to reach out more effectively along allowable lines. We have tried many ways of communication, some have worked and some haven’t, but it’s an on-going project. We have just started a marketing outreach plan to do a more in-depth analysis.
In the short term there are things to improve such as we haven’t taken advantage of them changing their minds about letting us periodically post something in the student Updates newsletter, we still aren’t fully cross posting things automatically (for example, sending all paper signs or digital signs for the display across social media as well). |
| Does the resource market itself to students appropriately? | 2 | I’d say the library does market itself well to students and we are always a stop on tours when the college is marketing itself. There are things that could definitely be improved, for example, we could have a large and easily spotted from the road sign and we could make sure we are always taking advantage of opportunities offered.
For the most part I’d say we do a good job although part of that analysis will be done in the marketing outreach plan. Mostly the secret about marketing libraries is about never giving up and never letting down. In a community college especially with its 2 year system there are always new students and reach has to be consistent and repetitive. There isn’t a group of returning students who already know about us and, with a heavy dependence on part-time instructors, we can’t guarantee there is a group of returning instructors who already know all about us either. There are definitely chances for more collaboration on projects for outreach and we just have to remember to keep reaching out again and again. |