keepin ’ track
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Keepin ’ Track. a look at statistics-keeping methods at ULM presented by Megan Lowe, Reference Librarian, ULM Karen Niemla, Reference Library, ULM. Session Overview. A Brief History of ULM Library ULM Library Today Statistics-Keeping, 1960s – 2008 The Change, 2009 The Committee - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
a look at statistics-keeping methods at ULM
presented byMegan Lowe, Reference Librarian, ULM
Karen Niemla, Reference Library, ULM
Session OverviewA Brief History of ULM LibraryULM Library TodayStatistics-Keeping, 1960s – 2008The Change, 2009The CommitteeThe MethodThe Technical StuffQ & A
STATS
A Brief History
Bry Hall, 1939
OriginsThe University of Louisiana at Monroe – formerly
Ouachita Parish Junior College, Northeast Center of Louisiana State University, Northeast Louisiana State College, and Northeast Louisiana University – has had four libraries since being established in 1931
The Library has gone through four buildings: Brown Hall, Bry Hall, Sandel Library, and the current 7-story building known as the University Library
Brown Hall
Ouachita Parish Junior College
Brown HallFirst building (and for a while, the only) on the campusHoused classrooms, administrative offices, and student
activities, in addition to the LibraryThe first librarian was Mary Elizabeth Eason; a second
librarian, Mary Clay, started in 1933The initial collection was composed of five hundred
books and fifteen periodical subscriptionsThe Library’s hours were 8:15 am to 4:15pm
Bry Hall
Northeast Center of Louisiana State University
Bry HallBry Hall was specifically built to house the Library; it
opened its doors in 1939By then, in 1934, the Library had acquired a new
librarian, Sue Hefley; she left in 1940 and was replaced by Mary Clay
In 1948 the Library became a member of the newly formed Louisiana State Documents Depository Program, at that time only one of two programs in existence (California was first)
There were classrooms on the second floor
Bry HallA side note on Ms. Hefley: she got rid of the practice of charging fines
for overdue materials in 1938, stating:
The library believes that students should return books because it is the thing to do, not because they will have to pay a fine if the book is not returned. This is a new idea in library training. It is good training for life to do a thing because it should be done, not because one will be punished if it is not done. (Pow Wow, February 11, 1938)
This “new idea in library training” did not endure, and fines were reinstated in 1956.
Sandel Hall
Sandel LibraryOpened its doors in the spring of 1963; Bry Hall was
renovated for the use of other departments – it’s now houses the art department and Bry Gallery
Named for Percy Sandel, Sr., a District Attorney who became Judge of the Fourth Judicial District and was significant in the establishment of a junior college in Monroe
In 1977 the addition of a third floor to the two-story building was completed
Now houses the campus bookstore, Admissions, and the Museum of Natural History
University Library Today
University LibraryOpened its doors on April 12, 19997 floors
The Library is housed on floors 1-5Campus Administration – the President, Provost, and Vice
Presidents – are housed on the 6th floor7th floor is a conference centerThe building is divided into two sides: the library side
(floors 1-5) and the other side (floors 6-7)Has a working belltower with five cast bronze bells and
three clock faces
University LibraryComputer lab with 100+ computers + 2 printers7 classrooms added in 2004The current reference staff is composed of four full-time
librarians; several other faculty also man the desk at least once a day; in some cases once a weekILL LibrarianCoordinator of Technical ServicesCollection Development LibrarianAssistant DeanLA Delta CC Librarian
1960s - 2008
Statistics, 1960s
Details & ChangesThis is about as far back as the stats go that we’ve been
able to find – there might be one set for 1962-1963During this time period reference was decentralized –
there were first two and then three desks covering Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences
Categories of questions include General and ResearchWe’ve been unable to find the day-to-day method of
keeping track – just the composite totals by monthThere are composite totals up through 1969The only change in stats was moving from 2 desks to 3
Statistics, 1970s
Statistics, 1970s
Statistics, 1970s
Details & ChangesDecentralized reference continued into the 1970s with
three desks, Humanities, Social Sciences, & Sciences - at least, according to the stats up and through June 1972
Statistics for 1973, 1974, and 1975 are sketchy and sporadic at best, and don’t exist for 1976-1978
The composite total stats sheets remain similar to the 1960s though gridlines are present
We were able to find at least one set of individual tracking sheets with hash marks
Otherwise, it’s difficult to discuss stats in the 1970s
Statistics, 1980s
Statistics, 1980s
Statistics, 1980s
Details & ChangesStats in the 1980s were pretty consistent – composite totals
exist for the entirety of the decadeBy this time for sure reference had become centralizedNew categories for questions emerged: Directional, Reference
General, and Reference ResearchStatistics related to searches began to appear in the 1980s,
including stats for Dialog, BRS, and SDCAdditionally, the cost of these searches was also calculated
and added to stats trackingWe even have some daily tracking sheets for parts of the 80s!
There were a lot of changes in the 80s!
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Statistics, 1990s
Details & ChangesDaily stat sheets are in abundance. Monthly composite
sheets appeared with more regularity; they included stats on questions, bibliographic instruction, reference items shelved, and searches in databases
Collection and usage statistics were also found, as well as a Notis problem log, a log for SOLAR searches, and a sign-in sheet for Netscape access (time limits)
The items shelved stats continue to appear throughout the mid-1990s but disappear around the time the current library opened
Details & ChangesQuestion categories were changed and expanded:
DirectionalBasic ReferenceExtended ReferenceHardware
Stats for the databases started out regularly kept but dwindled – perhaps because of the availability of that kind of tracking by individual sites
The 1990s saw a lot of changes!
Statistics, 2000 - 2008
Still using the same stats gathering sheet adapted in 1996, and the same cumulative stats sheet from 1993.
Details & ChangesBy the 2000s, “items shelved” disappearedThe tracking of hardware problems, which began in the
1990s, continued along with the addition of software problem tracking; later the two categories were collapsed together
For a brief period, a new category was added – Email Reference – but it didn’t last long
The daily sheets also continued, with monthly composite sheets
The tracking of database statistics completely disappeared from the monthly composites
•eliminate hardware-software questions and email categories•record department and # of pupils•Excel
ulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xlsulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xls
ulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xlsulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xls
Keepin’ Track: FYI & ResourcesPresentation URL http://bambam.info/luc09/refstats.html Stats Page
http://www.ulm.edu/reference/ref-stats-2009.xlsULM Reference Page http://www.ulm.edu/library/referencedesk.htmlOur Contact Info
Megan Lowe, [email protected] Niemla, [email protected]
If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact us!