Driving Library Change with User Experience Design

Courtney Greene McDonald portraitKeynote Speaker: Courtney Greene McDonald - crgreene@indiana.edu

Session Time: 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. CST

Session Title: Putting Users First in Practice: Creating Real Change in your Library

Session Description: Courtney Greene McDonald will kick off the morning with a keynote titled, "Putting Users First in Practice: Creating Real Change in Your Library." Courtney is head of the Discovery & User Experience department at Indiana University Bloomington Libraries. Her professional interests are focused on the intersection of emerging technologies and library public services, and on implementing user-centered design methods and philosophies in libraries. She has presented and written on a variety of topics including user experience design, the selection and implementation of discovery tools, and mobile services in libraries. Her most recent book, Putting the User First: 30 Strategies for Transforming Library Services, was published in 2014.

Speaker Bio: Courtney Greene McDonald is head of the Discovery & User Experience department at Indiana University Bloomington Libraries. Her professional interests are focused on the intersection of emerging technologies and library public services, and on implementing user-centered design methods and philosophies in libraries. She has presented and written on a variety of topics including user experience design, the selection and implementation of discovery tools, and mobile services in libraries. Her most recent book, Putting the User First: 30 Strategies for Transforming Library Services, was published in 2014. Courtney is active professionally as Chair of the Reference & User Services Association Emerging Technologies section, and as chair of the editorial board for the peer-reviewed open-access journal, Weave: Journal of Library User Experience. Courtney earned her Master of Library Science degree, as well as a BA in English and journalism from Indiana University Bloomington. She also holds a Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University in Chicago.

Kristin Meyer portraitSpeaker: Kristin Meyer - meyerkr@gvsu.edu

Session Time: 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. CST

Session Title: Building a Culture of UX at Your Library

Session Description: User experience in libraries should be holistic. Library employees at all levels should be proactive about looking for ways to continuously improve library experiences—both virtual and physical--for their patrons. Even if one person or a committee takes the lead in UX initiatives, it’s still critical to build user experience into your entire organizational culture. Attendees from any type of library will come away from this session with practical ways to increase staff understanding and engagement with user experience, including specific staff training techniques, collaborative activities, and creative processes that can increase staff buy-in for UX work.

Speaker Bio: Kristin is the User Experience Librarian at Grand Valley State University Libraries in Allendale, MI. In her current role she leads a user experience team of staff and student employees, manages the single service point, and works on a variety of projects aimed at better understanding and improving user experience, primarily within physical library space. She's passionate about space design, user-centered service, and fostering a culture of innovation. Prior to working at GVSU she worked in public libraries for eleven years.

Marissa Ball portraitSpeaker: Marissa Ball - ballm@fiu.edu

Session Time: 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. CST

Session Title: Agile and Iterative: User Experience Design Through an Iterative Participatory Design

Session Description: Academic libraries are continuously exploring ways to improve spaces and accommodate their growing populations and diverse learning needs, while maintaining the quality and functionality of their learning environment. This session details a case study of an academic library's undertaking of a user-centered iterative and agile space redesign, through small yet thoughtful and impactful solutions, via targeted incremental planning.

Speaker Bio: Marissa C. Ball is the Emerging Technologies Librarian and Co-Department Head of Information & Research Services at Florida International University’s Green Library in Miami, Florida. She leads a team responsible for web/technology projects impacting pubic services and teaching/learning in the libraries. Marissa received a Bachelor of Arts in English (with a concentration in Gender Studies and a minor in Women’s Studies) from the University of Florida and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida.

Elizabeth German portraitSpeakers: Elizabeth German - egerman@library.tamu.edu
Stephanie Graves - stephaniegraves@library.tamu.edu

Session Time: 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: Providing Support: Large Scale Retraining for Better UX

Session Description: LibGuides is an easy to use tool that was rapidly adopted by libraries worldwide.  However, do to the ease of use, the adoption of strong training programs has been less frequent. With the release of a major update to the software, LibGuides 2, Texas A&M took the opportunity to refocus the LibGuides program using a service design model and an emphasis on UX principles. To ensure buy-in and the success of the new service, a massive training program was launched in order to make certain that guides within the new service provide a quality user experience. The training program has revolved around the ideas of (1) quality assurance; (2) good web design and writing for the web; (3) universal design; and (4) shared practices.

Speaker Bio: Elizabeth German is the Instructional Design and Web Projects Librarian at Texas A&M University Libraries in College Station, TX where she works to create high quality learning experiences for the Texas A&M community. She was formerly the Web Services Coordinator at the University of Houston and Visiting e-Scholarship Librarian at the University of Illinois. Her previous publication and presentation topics include: web design, user analysis, discovery systems, and team development in libraries. Her current research focus is around the idea of the libraries website as a learning system and the relationship between user experience and project management.

Stephanie Graves portraitSpeaker Bio: Stephanie Graves, Associate Professor, is the Coordinator for Learning and Outreach at Texas A&M University Libraries in College Station, TX.  She received her M.L.I.S from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.  She is active in ALA and Reference and Users Services Association (RUSA).

Stephanie’s research explores the intersection of information literacy, user experience, and emerging technologies. Her publications have appeared in journals such as Reference Services Review, Journal of Academic Librarianship, and Reference and User Services Quarterly. She is passionate about the library’s role in the educational mission of universities.

Stacy Taylor portraitSpeaker: Stacy Taylor - stacy.taylor@cwu.edu

Session Time: 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: 4 Little Tests, 1 Big Change: A Multifaceted Approach to Usability Testing

Session Description: The tabbed search box had to go!  Students were confused. There were too many options. Surely there had to be a better way. In the spring of 2016, the Brooks Library set out to determine which features of the search box for their discovery tool were actually being used by students, what peer institutions were doing, and what options could be eliminated or improved. Learn how the Brooks Library used a variety of usability testing methods to take their search box from super complicated to super simple.

Speaker Bio: Stacy Taylor is the User Experience Librarian at the Brooks Library, Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA. Stacy joined the Brooks Library in August 2015 and has been working as a librarian since 2011. She received her MLIS from Dominican University in River Forest, IL. Her mission: make the library website better.

Chris Edwards portraitSpeaker: Chris Edwards - cwe0110000@utdallas.edu

Session Time: 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: Using Behavioral Observations for Space Planning

Session Description: In 2014, the User Experience committee at UTD McDermott Library conducted a 6-week study of student traffic to identify peak hours and popularity of particular seating options in the library building.  Using a tablet and online survey software, occupied vs. vacant seating was counted in all library areas at regular intervals. The results of this survey were used to make decisions for new furniture and renovations.

Speaker Bio: Chris Edwards is the Assistant Head of Information Literacy and Instruction Services at the Eugene McDermott Library at the University of Texas at Dallas.  He has 8 years of experience in instruction and reference.  His past titles have included, "first year instruction librarian," and "user experience librarian."

Angie Thorpe portraitSpeakers: Angie Thorpe - atthorpe@iuk.edu
Rachael Cohen - rachcohe@indiana.edu

Session Time: 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: Deciphering User Searches: Improving Library Partnerships through Search Query Analysis

Session Description: What do students search for in library discovery tools? What successes and challenges do their search queries reveal? This session will report on a methodology adopted by two Indiana University campuses for analyzing search queries from web-scale discovery tool logs. We will present emergent trends and issues identified from search query examination. We will also discuss how transaction log analyses may facilitate deeper collaborations with faculty both inside and outside the library. Attendees will learn how technical and public services librarians alike may utilize anonymous usage data to further develop information retrieval systems and partner with instructors to build students' information literacy skills.

Rachael Cohen portraitSpeaker Bio: Angie Thorpe is the Digital User Experience Librarian at Indiana University Kokomo. She manages the library's electronic resources and Web presence. Her research interests include discovery service user behavior, emerging collection development practices, and the impact of the library on student outcomes.

Speaker Bio: Rachael Cohen, Discovery User Experience Librarian at Herman B Wells Library at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, focuses her work on improving the user experience of IUCAT, the shared systemwide library catalog, and other resource discovery tools for the Libraries. She received a dual Master’s degree in Library Science and Information Science from IU Bloomington in 2012, and earned her B.S. in Educational Media and Technology from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Prior to joining the IU Libraries, Rachael served as the Director of the Grand Forks, North Dakota Air Force Base Library.

Lisa Chow portraitSpeakers: Lisa Chow and Sandra Sajonas - peopleinteractconsulting@gmail.com

Session Time: 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: From UX Study to UX Service: Using People-Centered Research Methods to Improve the Public Library Experience

Session Description: Learn about how a user experience (UX) study on a self-service model led to the development of Book a Librarian, a personalized reference service model in the 5th largest public library in the United States. Presenters will share the various methods used (word association, fly on the wall observations, etc) to evaluate the self-service model, analyze user interactions in the library, and identify gaps in library services. Presenters will also share how they used user-centered research and design to plan and implement Book a Librarian service from start to finish. They will share how and where the UX approach fits into project management and also the various UX design methods used.

Lisa Chow portraitSpeaker Bio: Lisa Chow is an information professional who has used people-centered design methods to develop and manage multiple projects, including BPL ThinkTank staff unconference, Book a Librarian reference service, and HealthCampNYC regional health unconference. She also served as project manager for a hospital health sciences library user study. Lisa is half of People Interact, a consultancy that empowers libraries and other organizations to be people-centered. Lisa has a few "library ribbons" including SLA Rising Star, LJ Mover & Shaker, ALA Emerging Leader and ARL Diversity Scholar.

Speaker Bio: Sandra Sajonas is an independent information professional with 6 years of experience at Brooklyn Public Library. During her time there, she has used people-centered usability ideas and methods to develop a strategic plan, evaluate library service, and launch new initiatives. Some results of this include a staff ThinkTank - the first library staff unconference, and Book A Librarian - a service allowing patrons to schedule an appointment with a research librarian.  Sandra has also won several library awards including Library Journal Mover & Shaker and ALA Emerging Leader.

Anna Strackeljahn portraitSpeaker: Anna Strackeljahn - astrackeljahn@lindenwood.edu

Session Time: 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: Quick Fixes: Identifying Small-scale Touch Points to Drive Large-scale Impact

Session Description: This session will share how to make quick, easy, and impactful changes to improve library user experience, particularly in the physical environment. It will also describe Lindenwood University - Belleville's long-term comprehensive plan for user experience and improvement, including how to get buy-in at the library and university level.

Speaker Bio: Anna is the Director of the Campus Library at Lindenwood University in Belleville, Illinois. She received her Bachelor's in History from St. Louis University and her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri. Before joining Lindenwood in 2016, Anna was in management at the St. Louis County Library for eight years. She has also held library positions at Fontbonne University and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Jeff Karlsen portraitSpeakers: Jeff Karlsen - karlsej@scc.losrios.edu
Karen Tercho - terchok@scc.losrios.edu
Kate Williamson - williak2@arc.losrios.edu
Sarah Lehmann - lehman2@arc.losrios.edu
Amy Brinkley - amy.brinkley@flc.losrios.edu

Session Time: 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: Doing UX Without UX Librarians: One Community College District's Team Approach

Session Description: While implementing a discovery system as their primary search tool, librarians from a four-college community college district formed a Library User Experience (LUX) team. LUX has provided a structure allowing us to overcome a tendency toward librarian-focused interface changes, and forcing user data to become a major factor in decisions--all without a designated UX librarian. The session will share the benefits and challenges of our approach, including the role of UX as a framework for action, how our ideals for this team play out in practice, and how UX works in an environment of limited time and coding expertise.

Speaker Bio: Jeff Karlsen is a Public Services Librarian at Sacramento City College.

Speaker Bio: Karen Tercho is a Public Services Librarian at Sacramento City College.

Speaker Bio: Kate Williamson is a Public Services Librarian at American River College.

Speaker Bio: Sarah Lehmann is a Public Services Librarian at American River College.

Speaker Bio: Amy Brinkley is a Public Services Librarian at Folsom Lake College.

Karen Tercho portrait Kate Williamson portrait Sarah Lehmann portrait Amy Brinkley portrait
Ellen Bosman portraitSpeakers: Ellen Bosman - ebosman@nmsu.edu
Avinash Kuna - avinashk@nmsu.edu

Session Time: 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. CST

Session Title: An Online Map of New Mexico's Literary Heritage

Session Description: Bosman will discuss the creation of a database-driven searchable/browse-able online research tool which was used to foster interest in New Mexico's literary heritage and demonstrate the database. Topics covered include the origins of the project, the purpose & goals, finding funding, and research methods for identifying relevant content. The presenter is also interested in receiving participant feedback as a means to improve the database.

Avinash Kuna portraitSpeaker Bio: Ellen Bosman is Professor and Head of Technical Services at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. Her research interests include gay/lesbian literature and church libraries.

Speaker Bio: Avinash Kuna is completing his Masters degrees in Computer Science and Industrial Engineering at New Mexico State University. He is a Software Developer with more than six years of experience.
His range of services includes developing website and desktop applications, designing apps and building user interfaces for mobile phones, tablets and desktops.