Call for panelists - The Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation Section (MAES) of LLAMA

Call for panelists - The Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation Section (MAES) of LLAMA

The Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation Section (MAES) of LLAMA is planning to host a panel program for ALA 2010 Conference in Washington DC, which will showcase how different libraries have used data to challenge library assumptions and long-held beliefs.

The program title is "Myth Busting: Using Data to Challenge Your Assumptions."

We want to include all types of libraries.

If you will be at ALA in 2010 and are interested in being on our program panel, please email Jan Sung (jansung@hawaii.edu) or Scott Britton (brittons@miami.edu) with a brief description of the data you have and how you found it "myth busting".

CFP: Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice

CFP: Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice

Are you using data in decision-making? Has taking an evidence-based approach to your work helped you to make the right choices for your library, your staff, and your users? We want to know, and we want to help you share the lessons you've learned about implementing evidence-based practice in your library.

Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice has launched a new feature called "Using Evidence in Practice" to provide brief reports of LIS practitioners' use of evidence to assist with decision making. Have you followed an evidence- based approach in your daily work? Have you begun a new project and incorporated assessment to measure outcomes and success? Have you tried to incorporate evidence but not had any success? All of these scenarios lend themselves to a retelling that may benefit others. Please consider writing about your experience and submitting it to EBLIP.

Submissions to the "Using Evidence in Practice" feature follow a structured format to report practical implementations of an evidence-based approach to tackling workplace problems and are reviewed by the editorial team for publication in the journal.

A sample "Practice" feature can be found at:
https://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/4580/5081

Author guidelines are available at:
http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

If you have questions about the "Using Evidence in Practice" feature of EBLIP, please contact Scott Walter, Associate Editor, at swalter@illinois.edu.

EBLIP is a peer reviewed, open access journal published quarterly by the University of Alberta Learning Services, using the OJS Software. The purpose of the journal is to provide a forum for librarians and other information professionals to discover research that may contribute to decision making in professional practice. EBLIP publishes original research and commentary on the topic of evidence based library and information practice, as well as reviews of previously published research (evidence summaries) on a wide number of topics.

Visit the journal at:
https://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP

Call for Presentations - 15th Reference Research Forum, 2009 (ALA Annual, 2009)

Call for Presentations - 15th Reference Research Forum, 2009 (ALA Annual, 2009)

The Research and Statistics Committee of the Reference Services Section of RUSA invites the submission of research projects for presentation at the 15th Reference Research Forum at the 2009 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.

The Reference Research Forum continues to be one of the most popular and valuable programs during the ALA Annual Conference, where attendees can learn about notable research projects conducted in the broad area of reference services such as user behavior, electronic services, reference effectiveness, and organizational structure and personnel. All researchers, including reference practitioners from all types of libraries, library school faculty and students, and other interested individuals, are encouraged to submit a proposal.

For examples of projects presented at past Forums, please see the Committee's website: http://tinyurl.com/rssresearchstatistics

The Committee employs a "blind" review process to select two projects for 25 minute presentations, followed by open discussion. Winning submissions must be presented in person at the Forum in Chicago.

Criteria for selection:

* Quality and creativity of the research design and methodologies;
* Significance of the study for improving the quality of reference service;
* Potential for research to fill a gap in reference knowledge or to build on previous studies;
* Research projects may be in-progress or completed;
* Previously published research or research accepted for publication will not be accepted

Proposals are due by Monday, January 5, 2009. Notification of acceptance will be made by Friday, March 20, 2009. The submission must not exceed two pages. Please include:

1. A cover sheet including your name(s), title(s), institutional affiliation(s), mailing address(es), fax number(s) and email address(es).

2. The second page should NOT show your name, any personal information, or the name of your institution. Instead, it must include:

a. Title of the project;
b. Explicit statement of the research problem;
c. Description of the research design and methodologies used;
d. Brief discussion of the unique contribution, potential impact, and significance of the research.

Please send submissions by email to:

Liane Luckman

Chair, RUSA RSS Research and Statistics Committee
312.745.3858 (phone)
liane.luckman@gmail.com

Call for Book Reviewers: Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship Special Issue on Statistics and Library Usage

Call for Book Reviewers: Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship Special Issue on Statistics and Library Usage.

The Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship is planning a special issue as stated below on statistics and library usage. As part of this, as book reviewer editor, I am seeking individuals
to write reviews of a number of books related to the topic.

A list of books is available at http://www.uvm.edu/~kbridges/reviews.html

=================

The Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship (JERL) http://www.jerl-info.com is a peer-reviewed journal addressing issues in electronic resources librarianship. The journal is
published quarterly by The Haworth Press (Taylor & Francis). Submissions are being accepted for a special issue of this journal titled, "Electronic Resources Usage Statistics: Research
& Practice," guest edited by John McDonald, Director of Information & Bibliographic Management and Faculty Relations, Claremont University Consortium.

JERL aims to inform librarians and other information professionals about evolving work-related processes and procedures, current research and the latest news on topics related to electronic resources and the digital environment's impact on collecting, acquiring, and making accessible library materials. This issue of JERL will focus on the use of statistics and quantitative or qualitative data analysis relating to the acquisition and management of electronic resources in libraries. Articles will include original research on journal and database usage statistics, collections decisions, electronic books, and library services in general.

JERL strives to find a balance between original, scholarly research, and practical communications about relevant topics in electronic resources librarianship.

The journal will publish the following types of articles:

* Peer-reviewed articles of a scholarly (original research) nature

* Practice-related articles, such as case studies or pieces on the state of the field/new areas of work

* Review articles of books, conferences, and other resources of interest in the field

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the theory, application or usage of statistics in collection development, including:

assessment and evaluation of e-resources
determining value of e-resources
economics of e-resources in libraries
e-resources usage by format types (online journals, e-books, databases)
standards development for statistics relating to digital resources and collections
statistical research relating to usability of resources or user preferences
information needs and behaviors of users
statistical affect of access & discovery tools
evidence of changes in the nature of research in the digital environment
statistics on digital Libraries and digital repositories
statistics supporting collection planning
novel techniques for statistical research on bibliometric data

For details or more information, contact:

Guest Editor of this Issue:

John McDonald
Director of Information & Bibliographic Management and Faculty Relations
Libraries, Claremont University Consortium
Claremont, CA 91711
909-621-8014
John.mcdonald@libraries.claremont.edu

Editor, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship
Bonnie Tijerina
Digital Collections Services Librarian
University of California, Los Angeles
33456 Charles E. Young Research Library
Los Angeles, CA 90095
AIM: bltijerina
btijerina@library.ucla.edu

CFP: Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship (JERL) Special Issue on Usage Stats

CFP: Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship (JERL) Special Issue on Usage Stats


The Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship (JERL) http://www.jerl-info.com is a peer-reviewed journal addressing issues in electronic resources librarianship. The journal is published
quarterly by The Haworth Press (Taylor & Francis). Submissions are being accepted for a special issue of this journal titled, "Electronic Resources Usage Statistics: Research & Practice.", guest edited by John McDonald, Director of Information & Bibliographic Management and
Faculty Relations, Claremont University Consortium.

JERL aims to inform librarians and other information professionals about evolving work-related processes and procedures, current research and the latest news on topics related to electronic resources and the digital environment's impact on collecting, acquiring, and making
accessible library materials. This issue of JERL will focus on the use of statistics and quantitative or qualitative data analysis relating to the acquisition and management of electronic resources in
libraries. Articles will include original research on journal and database usage statistics, collections decisions, electronic books, and library services in general.

JERL strives to find a balance between original, scholarly research, and practical communications about relevant topics in electronic resources librarianship.

The journal will publish the following types of articles:

• Peer-reviewed articles of a scholarly (original research) nature
• Practice-related articles, such as case studies or pieces on the state of the field/new areas of work
• Review articles of books, conferences, and other resources of interest in the field

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the theory, application or usage of statistics in collection development, including:
Assessment and evaluation of e-resources
Determining value of e-resources
Economics of e-resources in libraries
E-resources usage by format types (online journals, e-books, databases)
Standards development for statistics relating to digital resources and collections
Statistical research relating to usability of resources or user preferences
Information needs and behaviors of users
Statistical affect of access & discovery tools
Evidence of changes in the nature of research in the digital environment
Statistics on digital Libraries and digital repositories
Statistics supporting collection planning
Novel techniques for statistical research on bibliometric data

For details or more information, contact:

Guest Editor of this Issue:
John McDonald
Director of Information & Bibliographic Management and Faculty Relations
Libraries, Claremont University Consortium
Claremont, CA 91711
909-621-8014
John.mcdonald@libraries.claremont.edu


Editor, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship
Bonnie Tijerina
Digital Collections Services Librarian
University of California, Los Angeles
33456 Charles E. Young Research Library
Los Angeles, CA 90095
310-306-3388
btijerina@library.ucla.edu

CFP (edited volume): Library Data: Empowering Practice and Persuasion

CFP (edited volume): Library Data: Empowering Practice and Persuasion

Librarians increasingly have access to vast amounts of data, but more important than the data itself is how it is handled, interpreted, and used. This is your opportunity to contribute to the
critical discussion concerning the theory, uses, and best practices concerning numerical evidence in libraries today.

As its working title suggests, this collection proceeds from the basic observation that library data serves two primary functions: informing decision-making and providing support for communication beyond library walls. Some data analysis projects may support both activities, but most (appropriately) primarily address just one or the other. Therefore, the finished work will include papers that focus on data-driven practice or data-strengthened persuasion, as well
as studies that may speak to both.

Some topics to address might include:

*how existing data sets may be used to make a case for funding, resource, or other changes
*how "non-library" data (community demographics, economics, etc.) may relate to library trends
*interesting or non-traditional sources of data and how they may be used in library decision-making
*assessing the integrity of electronic data (web site "hits," vendor-supplied versus internal data, etc.)
*librarians for planning, assessment, data analysis, etc.: a new specialization within the profession?
*critiques of commercially available tools for data analysis
*comparing apples and oranges: data on different scales
*a crash course in statistics for non-statistician librarians
*how you have made a potentially "ho-hum" data presentation data engaging and persuasive

You may find inspiration in:

*Summary and presentation documents from the recent ACRL Education & Behavioral Sciences Section's 2007 conference panel, "Empowering Data," available at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/aboutacrl/acrlsections/EBSS/ebssconferenceinfo/empoweringdata.htm
*Publicly available (and understudied) reports and data from the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) web site:
http://www.nclis.gov/survey.htm

*Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Statistics,available at:
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/arl/

Please send inquiries or brief proposals (of approx. 150 words) to:
darby_orcutt@ncsu.edu (Darby Orcutt, North Carolina State University Libraries)

Deadline for proposals: November 19, 2007
Deadline for completed chapters: March 31, 2008

Call for Papers: "Library Data: Empowering Practice and Persuasion" (an edited volume)

Call for Papers: "Library Data: Empowering Practice and Persuasion" (an edited volume)

Librarians increasingly have access to vast amounts of data, but more important than the data itself is how it is handled, interpreted, and used.

This is your opportunity to contribute to the critical discussion concerning the theory, uses, and best practices concerning numerical evidence in libraries today.

As its working title suggests, this collection proceeds from the basic observation that library data serves two primary functions: informing decision-making and providing support for communication beyond library walls. Some data analysis projects may support both activities, but most (appropriately) primarily address just one or the other. Therefore, the finished work will include papers that focus on data-driven practice or data-strengthened persuasion, as well as studies that may speak to both.

Some topics to address might include:

*how existing data sets may be used to make a case for funding, resource, or other changes
*how "non-library" data (community demographics, economics, etc.) may relate to library trends
*interesting or non-traditional sources of data and how they may be used in library decision-making
*assessing the integrity of electronic data (web site "hits," vendor-supplied versus internal data, etc.)
*librarians for planning, assessment, data analysis, etc.: a new specialization within the profession?
*critiques of commercially available tools for data analysis
*comparing apples and oranges: data on different scales
*a crash course in statistics for non-statistician librarians
*how you have made a potentially "ho-hum" data presentation data engaging and persuasive

You may find inspiration in:

*Summary and presentation documents from the recent ACRL Education & Behavioral Sciences Section's 2007 conference panel, "Empowering Data," available at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/aboutacrl/acrlsections/EBSS/ebssconferenceinfo/empoweringdata.htm

*Publicly available (and understudied) reports and data from the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) web site: http://www.nclis.gov/survey.htm

*Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Statistics,available at:
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/arl/

Please send inquiries or brief proposals (of approx. 150 words) to:
darby_orcutt@ncsu.edu (Darby Orcutt, North Carolina State University
Libraries)

Deadline for proposals: November 19, 2007
Deadline for completed chapters: March 31, 2008

*[NB: FYI, I will be away from email for much of October and November, so please don't worry if you do not receive confirmation right away of your received proposal. -Darby]*