About the Library: 2020-2021

Accomplishments

Beginning in spring 2021, the library began an equipment checkout service for laptops and webcams. Twenty laptops were available initially and increased to 100 laptops by the end of FY 2021 due to the demand. This service has been an overwhelming success, with all laptops being claimed during each check out period. In order to further expand the equipment check out service and meet student needs, funds were secured for 25 hotspot devices through an initiative request for CARES Act funding. This will be fully implemented for the fall 2021 semester. 

As another way to meet student needs, a study room was converted into a Zoom Room where students, in groups or individually, would be able to participate in web conferencing calls or record videos. This space is also available to the public. Additional equipment, such as a quality microphone and lighting, will be added for the fall 2021, which were also made available through an initiative request for CARES Act funding.

In the summer of 2020, the Circulation Librarian and liaison to the Division of Arts, English, and Humanities, created library guides for the English Composition I and English Composition II courses. These guides incorporate specific course assignments and provide guidance on research, evaluation, plagiarism, and MLA citations. For FY 2021, the English Composition I guide received 3701 views and the English Composition II guide received 2027 views. 

Due to the COVID pandemic, the majority of OCCC courses were being taught online. In order to provide more instructional opportunities, new library overview videos and resource tutorial videos were created and shared with faculty to embed into their courses. These videos are also available on the Library YouTube page. Although students were primarily working online, librarians were still available in person and virtually for one-on-one consultations. There was also a significant increase in use of EBSCOhost databases, as well as interlibrary loan requests. Both of these services were key to student access during the COVID pandemic. 

The Library Director participated in OER trainings and presentations and was admitted into the Open Education Network OER Librarian Certification program. This program began in the spring of 2021 and will conclude in the fall of 2021. Additionally, other courses at OCCC have adopted OER materials including Astronomy and US History. 

EZProxy, a platform that authenticates campus users and allows off-campus access to Library resources, was moved to a hosted server.  The cloud installation allows for continuity of operations, increased security, and reduced manpower to maintain.

Goals for FY 2022

In the Spring of 2021, a library survey was conducted and three services stood out as ones of most interest to respondents: color printing, hotspots, and additional ebooks. The library is regularly increasing ebook offerings, both through the EBSCOhost academic ebook collection as well as through Overdrive, which provides access to popular materials in both fiction and non-fiction. To address the need for hotspots, the library requested CARES Act funds in FY 2021 to pilot a hotspot program. Funds were awarded to obtain 25 hotspot devices. This service is expected to begin in the fall of 2021. The decision was also made to upgrade the black and white printer to a color printer in FY 2022. These goals are a direct response to the survey. 

OCCC will be working for reaccreditation with the Higher Learning Commission in the fall of 2021. The Library Director served as a co-chair on a criterion committee in the spring of 2021 and the Systems Librarian, who has worked on reaccreditation in the past and has many years of institutional knowledge, will serve as the assurance argument writer going into the new fiscal year. 

After the vast majority of OCCC courses moved online due to the pandemic and the expectation that online and hybrid course offerings will become a more permanent makeup of course offerings, the OCCC Library will explore new ways to engage with courses and students virtually. This may include but is not limited to new online tutorials, additional LibGuides, and integrating "Email-A-Librarian" options directly into Moodle courses. 

As a way to better track study room usage and determine space needs, all study rooms will be available to reserve online. Students will still be able to request a room without a prior reservation, but the availability to submit advanced reservations for all study rooms will become the standard. 

To continue to build OER and increase awareness, OER training for librarians will take place over the 2021-2022 academic year, as well as working with Academic Affairs on the development of potential OER faculty training opportunities. 

Additionally, the decision has been made to move the library management system to the cloud. Moving the Sirsi LMS to a hosted (cloud) instance will improve security, allow for immediate and seamless updates, and reduce the amount of campus resources needed to maintain it. This migration is planned for late fall 2021. 

COVID

COVID precautions that were put into place during FY 2020 are still in place, including socially distanced computers, study tables, and furniture, as well as plexiglass barriers and regular cleaning routines. Students have the option to work with a librarian in person, via chat, email, or through Zoom. Additional resources have been added, such as more eBooks and two new streaming services: Academic Video Online and PBS. With OCCC course offerings likely to remain heavily online, additional online article databases are being considered, allowing students access to even more online resources. These will likely be acquired during the 2021-2022 academic year.