• June 6 - UW-Whitewater
  
• June 9 - Rutgers
  
• June 16 - UW-Eau Claire
  
• June 16 - AACRAO
  
• June 16 - UW-River Falls reply to UW-Eau Claire
  
• June 17 - WILS
  
• June 18 - ICS
  
• June 19 - UW-La Crosse
  
• June 20 - AHEC
  
• June 20 - Grant Announcement
  

FYI - ANNOUNCEMENT
TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATORS

On Friday, June 6, Kathy Gibbs, Distance Education Coordinator, Graduate Studies and Continuing Education, UW-Whitewater wrote:

The decision was made yesterday to cancel the UW-Whitewater section of the Technology Institute for Educators. I noticed in the last issue of DESIEN that the dates were switched around for Whitewater's and Eau Claire's program. (Whitewater's) dates were to be June 23-25. Eau Claire's program is planned for July 8-10.

From Joan Lippincott, Interim Executive Director-Coalition for Networked Information on the wislrntec listserv-Friday, June 6:

The message below from Peter Graham of Rutgers announces the availability of a report on electronic publishing and tenure, which is a topic of discussion on many campuses.

--Joan Lippincott

 

You may wish to see and inform others of the recent report from a Rutgers committee on electronic publishing and tenure. In the course of developing this report we asked for information from the cni-announce list and got a number of helpful comments. Many respondents expressed interest in the outcome of our work.

The report is now under discussion within the Rutgers community. It was developed by a committee of faculty in the University and makes recommendations for the consideration of electronic publication in the appointment, promotion and review process.

One paragraph in the Summary portion of the document reads, "The Committee regards electronic dissemination as having all the capabilities to be as legitimate a form of publication as print. We urge a focus on content and quality review processes rather than on medium or format, and we suggest flexibility and common sense in interpreting the value of new publication modes."

This reflects what the committee found and recommended, i.e. that the quality of the work as reflected by peer review is the important issue, not the format of the publication. The report also takes note of the need for assurance of the authenticity, or integrity, of electronic publications.

The report is available both in HTML format (with links to many of the e-publications mentioned) and in PDF format (reflected the publication format here at Rutgers). The HTML version, which will link to the PDF version, is available at URL: http://aultnis.rutgers.edu/texts/ept.html

Peter Graham
psgraham@rci.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University Libraries
169 College Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ 08903
phone: (908) 445-5908
fax: (908) 445-5888
URL: http://aultnis.rutgers.edu/pghome.html

-------------------------------------------------------------

Joan K. Lippincott, Interim Executive Director
Coalition for Networked Information
21 Dupont Circle, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
phone: (202) 296-5098
FAX: (202) 872-0884
Internet: joan@cni.org
URL: http://www.cni.org/

Hello folks (cross-posted),

Cleo Powers and I (UW Eau Claire McIntyre Library) have received a small internal grant to put together a Library DE website for distance education (and, undoubtedly, internal) students. Our informal needs assessments and thoughts have been in process for several years, but we'll finally create a "draft" of the site this summer.

We hope to serve primarily user needs, but by default we also will contribute to provider questions and dilemmas. (E.g., authentication issues, guides, ILL.) We hope also to contribute to a model useful to DE users and providers (libraries, library systems) in Wisconsin.

In the quest for a useful model, we are asking you - as folks who think about this - to take a VERY FEW MINUTES to answer one question.

**********Results will be shared with contributors.**********
******************************************************************

The question:
What are the top FIVE library-information related needs of distance education students that should be addressed in an "Extended Campus Library Services" webpage?

FIVE ONLY but COMMENTS are WELCOME

********************************************************************

Please send by: June 30, 1997 for the tabulation (or later if you must!)
Send to my email: richmoeb@uwec.edu

Thanks, Betsy Richmond

 

Elizabeth B. Richmond, Librarian
McIntyre Library
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
Voice: (715) 836-407
Fax: (715) 836-2949
E-Mail: richmoeb@uwec.edu

On Monday, June 16, 1997 Julie Coleman wrote via DEOS-L:

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) will present "The First World Conference and Policy Summit on Virtual Learning Environments" August 11-15, 1997 in Denver, Colorado.

The Conference, August 11-13, will showcase an array of models for virtual delivery of education and training, as well as the tools used to support them. Presenters will represent virtual universities, traditional universities offering virtual programs or degrees, and faculty successfully conducting courses electronically. The highlight of the conference is an extensive exhibit hall providing fascinating demonstrations of these products and services.

The Policy Summit, August 14-15, will bring together a limited number of practitioners and other experts representing the federal, state, system, and institutional perspectives to consider policy issues such as accreditation, articulation, state-based financial aid, seat-time vs. competency-based courses, transfer evaluations, and curricular issues which are affected in this new learning environment. This summit is a working meeting that will produce a publication of virtual learning standards and guidelines for best practices reflecting the collaborative efforts of attendees.

For more information, please visit the AACRAO website at http://www.aacrao.com or contact us by phone (202) 293-7578 or email at summits@aacrao.nche.edu

Regards,

Julie Coleman

 

Julie Coleman
AACRAO Policy Summits Marketing Manager
colemanj@aacrao.nche.edu
(202)293-7578
http://www.aacrao.com

Plan to attend the AACRAO World Conference and Policy Summit on Virtual Learning Environments August 11-15, 1997 in Denver, Colorado

In response to the question from Betsy Richmond, UW-Eau Claire McIntyre Library:

 

What are the top FIVE library-information related needs of distance education students that should be addressed in an "Extended Campus Library Services" webpage?

Judy Caflisch, Program Manager-Continuing Education and Extension, UW-River Falls wrote on Tuesday June 17:

The #1 need, I believe, is statewide access.

 

In response to the question of Betsy Richmond, UW-Eau Claire:

 

What are the top FIVE library-information related needs of distance education students that should be addressed in an "Extended Campus Library Services" webpage?

On Tuesday, June 17 Debbie Cardinal of WILS wrote:

1. I agree with Judy Caflish that the no.1 need is statewide access. Electronic access should include databases with a browsing (full-text) capability or strong abstracts to allow students the same evaluation and selection possibilities they have with print, real-time materials. Since we don't have this yet, Betsy, I doubt if you can do it in your page, but it's an ideal to work towards as rapidly as we can! You can at least begin by providing access to electronic resources at your site. Electronic resources could include not only databases but electronic encyclopedias, dictionaries and other online resources. Provide a link to something or several somethings, like the Internet Public Library?

2. Students should have access to a librarian via email, voice-mail or other electronic means to get guidance in refining and using research tools effectively.

3. Provide a document delivery method direct to student via email, fax, or other electronic means. I don't exclude ILL, but traditional ILL delivery methods (library to library) may be both too slow for students in accelerated programs and inconvenient for students at a distance.

4. A feedback or "carbon-copy" sort of system so that when a student requests an item from an online database they get a copy of what they ordered. This will allow them to keep track of what they ask for so they don't order again when they encounter the same item in a different database. This carbon-copy system should include a library's contact information so the student can verify the status of an order without having to re-order the item or talk to three different people as they try to track the information. Something perhaps similar to a catalog ordering system where there is an order no. and a "customer service" phone number?

Again, Betsy, I don't know if you could do this right now, but I certainly think that is something we need to do as soon as we can figure out how.

5. A link to a libraries page. Here, the student could get a pop-up box of libraries, select libraries near him/her, and find out what's in those libraries physical collections that may serve their research needs. This would allow them to use collections that meet their needs, but also spare libraries the frustration of turning away students when their collections don't suit. Statewide access for electronic resources would be really handy here: the student could select libraries from the pop-up box, see what electronic resources are available and access them from where they are.

I think a pop-up box of libraries would also distribute access more equitably across libraries across the state so that resources at one or two "known" libraries collections would not be decimated.

Debbie Cardinal
Wisconsin InterLibrary Services (WILS)
728 State St., Rm. 464
Madison, WI 53706
608 263-5051
FAX 608 262-6067
cardinal@wils.wisc.edu
http://www.wils.wisc.edu

 

On Wed. June 18, Michele Jacques, ICS Project Coordinator, WWW Distance Education Clearinghouse wrote:

In response to Betsy Richmond's Needs Assessment:

Betsy's proposal is indeed a welcome one, and I'm glad that we're coordinating efforts to start to assemble web resources for distance education students.

The topic of library services to the distance education student has certainly hit a hot spot...both in some recent discussions I've had with others around the state, as well as here on the listserv(s).

I agree with Debbie Cardinal's response, and also wish to recognize some of the "down the road" features vs. what we can be done an a more immediate basis.

Another important element for this web site: We need to help students learn what their options might be as to how and where to find appropriate resources. As Debbie's pop-up menu would suggest, students could identify a nearby library, but in addition to knowing where the library is and what it has, we should provide a way for students to determine the "best" library and/or resource for the particular information need. For example, when would it be better to use an online service? when to go to the public library? when to email a librarian? etc.

It would be great to offer an interactive way for the student to be able to use the web site as a direct way for them to continue to pursue their information needs/requests. Instead of just a list of names and numbers of who to contact, the site could provide a learning tool so that student can make selections, use an interactive form, etc. Results of their specific query could be handled directly from the web page. This is perhaps another future enhancement, but could be a time saver in the long run.

Finally, even though the distance education student is the target audience for this new web site, should it also look at some of the ways that the faculty address the resource needs for their students? Without being specific to any individual instructor, could this site also be a way for students to find out more about the library's ability to provide these elements?

Michele

 

Michele M. Jacques
Project Coordinator
World Wide Web, Distance Education Clearinghouse
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/home.html
Instructional Communications Systems
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Radio Hall
975 Observatory Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1391
fax: 608.263.4435
office: 608.265.6178
email: jacques@ics.uwex.edu

 

On Friday, June 20, Peg Allen of Northern Wisconsin AHEC wrote on the wislrntech listserv:

Before I post a response to "A Library DE page: Needs Assessment," I wanted to share where I'm coming from. The project described below was funded because of the demonstrated need of rural health care professionals and students for access to library and information resources, including those which would support distance education. One reason I got involved in library outreach work was the needs presented by adult learner nursing students that I saw when working at the St. Joseph's Hospital LRC in Marshfield (site of UW-EC Satellite Nursing Program) and later at UW Stevens Point. These nurses often find access to library resources to be a barrier to degree completion. Those working in hospital with a staffed health sciences library have good alternatives - but this is not true for those in most rural communities.

As you may be aware, the UW Collaborative BSN completion program is offered by five separate campuses, each responsible for one of the five core courses. Some of the northern Wisconsin distance education sites are not at UW campuses. Who assumes responsibility for the collective library needs of the students in this program??? They pay tuition to their "home" campus, yet, only one of the five core courses comes from that campus.

So, here's where we are, with funding for workstations and staff (if you know of a librarian looking for a challenge, please share the job posting). This fall, we'll be offering Internet/MEDLINE searching workshops for health professionals in all the participating communities. I hope to have better answers for the students who attend these sessions. =20

Peg

**************************************************************

The Northern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center (NAHEC), based in Wausau, Wisconsin, is pleased to announce that the National Library of Medicine has funded its Northwoods HealthNet Information Systems Project. Funding is for two years, for a total award of $363,145.

Project Description, from the application: Northwoods HealthNet is an innovative response to the information access concerns of rural Northern Wisconsin health professionals and students. This project funds the key technological systems required to develop and support our mission during the critical stages beyond the initial phases of planning and educational programming. As a cooperative organization of 30 public and private health care and educational institutions organizations serving nine rural counties, we need equal access to technology, along with appropriate information systems to make our network work. Members have identified this area of Wisconsin as "Information Starved." The nine initial rural target counties serve a total population of 203,712, including 4,840 Native Americans. Participating members include NAHEC, WIS-TREC, nine hospitals, four clinics, six county public health departments, five academic institutions, and four native American organizations. In the second and third years, the project will expand to include additional underserved/ unaffiliated organizations, including additional rural counties, long term care facilities, and Native American clinics in the NAHEC region.

This project will provide the hardware, software, support systems, education, and personnel required to:

=B7 Develop and implement information systems to provide timely access to health information resources at the local point of need, including Internet access and Internet Grateful Med.
=B7 Develop and implement cooperative mechanisms for the sharing of information resources by members of the cooperative.
=B7 Provide the education and training that facilitates access to health related resources.

With this funding, we are recruiting for a Project Librarian. This is an entry level position, budgeted at $26,500 plus benefits. Due to travel requirements, there is a generous travel allowance. The position description follows. While current funding is for two years, the project includes planning for continued project funding by members. Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter to:

Suzanne Matthew, Executive Director
Northern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center, Inc. (NAHEC)=20
719 North 3rd Ave.
Wausau, WI 54401

Position Description:

Northwoods HealthNet Project Librarian
Department/Location: Marshfield Clinic Medical Library, working for Northwoods HealthNet

Reports To: NAHEC Executive Director (Principal Investigator) and Project Director

Job Summary: The Project Librarian functions as part of the Northwoods HealthNet Information Systems Project team, with primary responsibility for cataloging member holdings (50% of position), and creating and maintaining an Internet home page for the project. This librarian also supervises the project=92s Library Assistant, fields technical and reference questions from Northwoods HealthNet members, and works with the consultant Project Director to present outreach educational programming on database searching, health sciences Internet resources, and health sciences library management.

Job Duties:

I. Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential):
A. Collection management=20
1. Plans and organizes the Northwoods HealthNet cataloging project,=20 including developing OCLC profiles=20
2. Creates and maintains cataloging records for Northwoods HealthNet= =20 members, including the host Medical Library, using the OCLC=20 cataloging system and database management software
B. System Operations:
1. Plans Northwoods HealthNet home page in close collaboration with project partners
2. Develops and maintains home page in cooperation with NAHEC staff
3. Plans and organizes implementation of OCLC Interlibrary Loan=20 system at host Medical Library
4. Supervises use of OCLC Interlibrary Loan system =20
C. Library Operations:
1. Works with project staff and members to develop purchasing=20 specifications for project workstations=20
2. Orders project workstations and other equipment
3. Assists with equipment installations at project sites=20
4. Participates in ongoing planning and evaluation of the=20 Information Systems Project=20
5. Leads process for selecting additional databases for second=20 year of project
D. Customer Services:
1. Responds to member requests for technical assistance, providing=20 "help desk"services regarding computer workstations purchased=20 for project
2. Responds to member requests for search and reference assistance
3. Participates in the planning and presentation of educational=20 programming for Northwoods HealthNet members
II. Additional Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Functions as a member of the host Medical Library team

Qualifications

A) Education: Masters degree in library science and eligibility for=20 membership in the Medical Library Association=92s Academy of Health=20 Information Professionals. =20
B) Experience: Demonstrated competence in cataloging and web page=20 authoring required. Experience in a health sciences environment=20 and teaching experience preferred. =20

********************************************

Margaret (Peg) Allen, MLS-AHIP
Library/Information Consultant=20
Resource Librarian Consultant for Cinahl Information Systems, Inc.
Project Director, Northwoods HealthNet, Northern Wisconsin AHEC, Inc.
PO Box 2, 308 Kann
Stratford, WI 54484-0002 =20
(715)687-4976 or (715)687-2287
Fax:(715)687-4976 pallen@tcccom.net