Competency 5: Reference & User Services
INFO 5400: Gap Assignment, Fall 2022
For this assignment, we were instructed to identify a potential gap at a library we were studying and to develop a list of materials to purchase to fill the gap with a limited budget.
The library I chose to study is extremely large, so it was difficult to identify a gap in their collection. However, a commonly under-served area is LGBT+, so I chose to purchase materials with this area as a focus. I also selected materials for young adults, based on the results of data from the Texas Public Libraries Annual Report which indicated that this age group does not utilize library resources as much as other age groups which could indicate a lack of relevant collection objects. In doing so, I demonstrate an understanding of "the principles of assessment and response to diversity in user needs, user communities, and user preferences" as outlined in ALA Competency 5F.
INFO 5330: Academic Library Profile, Spring 2022
This project required us to choose an academic library and write a profile of it, examining its users, mission statement and more.
For this project I outlined a profile on a library that I was a user of when I was a student at Oklahoma City Community College. I examined every major aspect of the campus's main library. As a community college library, I discovered their attempts to reach out to help particular demographics and to be appealing as a resource. Their community has more diverse needs compared to some other academic libraries I have experienced and by viewing their social media, website and resources I was able to see what steps they are taking to serve the needs of their particular user-base. Competency 5E outlines, "(t)he principles and methods of advocacy used to reach specific audiences to promote and explain concepts and services". This provided me an opportunity to see real-world examples of a library's methods of promoting their services to specific audiences.