Assessment has many aspects in the Libraries—for collections and use, for teaching and instruction, for research and discovery, and for service and engagement. Some assessment data are collected as statistics for reporting out, such as collections, budgets, and services to the Association of Research Libraries (an organization that coordinates information and programming among the top 100+ libraries in the country). More recently, we’ve been reviewing assessment related to how we report activities for an Academic Performance Review for the Provost. Interim Dean Rhonda Phillips is helping us coordinate the reporting we need to do, and now we have a tool that will further support long-term and on-the-fly reporting out of our efforts.

.As Dr. Karen Hum joined the Libraries as director of assessment, we in the Libraries decided to join some others on campus using Digital Measures (DM) as a database application to track and report out on various academic activities and digital footprint of our people, such as articles/books published, grants submitted/awarded, credit courses taught, instructional sessions given, etc. A lot of information is already collected in these areas related to teaching, research and engagement, and service; however Digital Measures will now act as a central location for all data related to these areas. We have shut down the old instruction database, and we will use DM in the place of the old Staff Profile of Activities that were used to record this information. Our goal is to have a one-stop-shopping place for data and reporting.

Through the hard work of Karen, along with Rachel Fundator, Ayn Reineke, Kim Ringley, and Matt Riehle, we have our installation of Digital Measures up and almost complete. The data and information gathered there allows the Libraries faculty and staff to better respond to the Provost's requests, and for reports, such as those needed for the upcoming external review we are undertaking. This information can also be used to create end-of-year activity reports and C.V.s for grant applications. Access is limited to those who need to input data and information; if you feel they should have access but do not have it, contact Karen.

We’ve had several training sessions over the past couple of weeks—although only about half of the people who need to log in and check their information have done so. We recognize that this is new software and takes time to learn, but we need users to check their data and make any changes or updates to keep it accurate. Karen, Rachel, and Ayn are happy to answer any questions related to using the tool.

We are also working on a Libraries' landing page, but, to log in, simply Google "Purdue digital measures" and use either the Ag or PPI link for now (both point to a Purdue login page that will load DM dashboard). Karen will have a session planned for each of the next three weeks; you can contact her for details. The user guide is located on the S Drive (S:\Digital Measures\Training Resources and Instructions\Digital Measures_Libraries User Guide).

We ask that anyone who is doing research and teaching who has not yet checked out their records to do so immediately, so we will be ready for the upcoming academic performance review. Lastly, please note we’re still in the process getting things finalized and the group is entering/importing data, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Karen.

Editor's Note: Karen Hum and Rachel Fundator contributed to this piece.

BY RAELYNN BOES

The end of the semester is almost upon us, and we are once again extending hours in three of our libraries: Hicks will be open 24-hours beginning Sunday, April 22; Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education (HSSE) and Parrish will extend hours on Friday, Saturday, and during Finals week. All other libraries will remain open normal hours.

This schedule has the participating libraries open for many additional hours, and we'd like to thank all of the staff who have volunteered to assist us during this time. The students really do appreciate it. We receive positive comments every semester about the additional hours, the coffee and snacks, and the study breaks. None of this would be possible without all of the wonderful staff who pitch in to make it happen!

Students take advantage of the Hicks Undergraduate Library Study Break events (December 2017).

Below are photos and images from Purdue University Libraries-related events and activities.

At the April 6 Purdue University Board of Trustees meeting, Libraries faculty members Nicole Kong and Ilana Stonebraker were both approved for promotion to associate professor with tenure. Congratulations!

On Monday, April 9, Purdue Krannert students Bhuvan Jindal (far left) and Shan Lin (second from left) presented results of a yearlong study about how undergraduate and graduate students use the space in the Parrish Library of Management and Economics. Bhuvan and Shan are pictured here with Business Information Librarians Ilana Stonebraker (second from right) and Heather Howard (far right), who worked with the students on the research. Other students who collaborated on the research included: Mrithula Suresh Babu, Kelly Adams, Tanner Mellon, Sairam Venkatasubramanian, and Alexander Batta.

Following the survey they completed in the fall, the students (members of the Krannert Graduate Student Association, in collaboration with the Purdue Marketing Club) conducted several focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of student use of the Parrish Library. The study will help inform Purdue Libraries faculty and staff about how the Parrish Library space can be enhanced and improved for student use.

Tuesday, April 10, was National Library Workers Day (celebrated during National Library Week). All National Library Week, via the Purdue Libraries' social media, we're celebrating the many ways Purdue Libraries faculty and staff play an integral role in student learning and success, as well as in faculty research and instruction at Purdue!

Purdue Libraries Information Literacy Instructional Designer Rachel Fundator (right) served as one of the judges for the poster symposium/competition in the Office of Undergraduate Research's 2018 Undergraduate Research Conference (April 10).

Purdue University Press Co-Interim Director Katherine Purple evaluates a Purdue student's research in the poster symposium/competition of the Office of Undergraduate Research's 2018 Research Conference (April 10).

Worlds collided this week for Purdue Libraries and Purdue Agriculture! It's both National Library Week and Purdue Ag Week, and to celebrate, the staff at the Library of Engineering and Science in the Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC) are tending some hatching chicks. The chicks will be at the information desk (on the 2nd floor of the WALC) through Friday (April 13).