2017 TLA Conference

A user satisfaction survey is usually the best place to start when collecting library user feedback. However, depending on your needs, you may choose a high tech option like Google Forms or a low tech option like a white marker board. Paul Meek Library at UT Martin conducted user satisfaction surveys using both high tech and low tech options in the spring of 2016, the results of which were surprisingly similar. In this presentation, we will discuss our experience conducting high tech and low tech surveys with an emphasis on the benefits and drawbacks of each to help you decide which option is best for your library.

This annual session highlights the UT iSchool's (School of Information Sciences) student research that is relevant to our state's practitioners. This session is an opportunity to meet our practitioner colleagues of the future.

What are predatory scholarly open-access journals (and conferences) and why should you care? A panel of librarians from across Tennessee will share their knowledge of and insights about these exploitative publishers/organizations, including resources for how to recognize and avoid being seduced by promotions that really are too good to be true.

With a keen understanding of the evolution of students' needs and space utilization, the library has undertaken a space utilization survey that will monitor how students are actually using the physical space of the building. The library staff is analyzing the use of study rooms, tables, and the traditional single person study carrels on the 2nd floor. Another benefit of the study is that it gives an idea of utilization by the hour and day of week, as well as correlating it to certain campus events and the campus calendar. This data is also being correlated to the gate count at the main entrance of the library, which will illustrate foot traffic with the utilization of study areas on the 2nd floor. Long term goal is to reconfigure study spaces that correlate to the actual preferences of the students.

With the growing popularity of escape and breakout rooms, libraries can leverage these games and bring people into the library by letting them breakout of it! Not only are breakouts fun, they also promote collaboration and team-building, develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills, enhance communication skills, and more. This presentation will look at all aspects of creating your own breakout program, from building a breakout kit, creating and implementing breakout games, marketing and promoting your program, and connecting with the growing community of Breakout EDU, an open source effort to bring the popularity of breakout and escape rooms into education. At the end, team up with other attendees and test your skills with a mini-breakout game! While this presentation will look at breakout programs through the lens of a school library, they can easily be adapted for use in any library programs or in staff training.

You can access the slides for this presentation at bit.ly/tnlabreakout
 

In January 2016, a sprinkler burst on the first floor of our brand new library sending 4000 gallons of water streaming over book collections, onto the floor, and into floor electrical outlets onto the entire circulating collection of 400,000 items on the ground floor below. This session provides an overview of the disaster from the event itself through the recovery phases. Attendees will gain practical knowledge related to all aspects of emergency response from initial triage and collections tracking to managing temporary workers, communicating to constituents, managing budget, and working with internal and external stakeholders (ie..facilities, contractors, campus administration, state agencies, and insurance adjusters). Time for questions will be provided.

This presentation discusses the role of fifty-two “community-embedded” librarians-in-training to develop contextually-situated collections in a course taught four times in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee. The instructor will identify course objectives, assignments, strategies, and student feedback regarding learning outcomes, course value, and suggestions for course improvement.

 

 

Worried what your interviewer is going to spring on you? Perplexed as how to weed the wheat from the chaff among your applicants? Wondering how you can employ technology to strengthen your chances of getting the job you want or the librarian with the skills to take your team to the next level?

Drowning in email, overwhelmed by constant interruptions, having trouble prioritizing, multitasking not enough? Come join a panel of busy librarians for tips and tricks of time management.

Is an open source integrated library system right for your library? Find out how this software is working out at some libraries which have made the switch. Speakers share lessons learned, the migration process, and change management for staff and patrons as well as current trends in the open source community. This program addresses the pros and cons of open source software through real-life scenarios.