Irene Ke’s research while affiliated with University of Houston and other places

As data services gain momentum in academic libraries, liaison librarians are expected to be part of the education force for data literacy. Nonetheless, due to the broad scope of data literacy, training librarians to improve data-related skills can be challenging. This article used consultation statistics to identify tools and resources employed to solve users’ data questions. The results offered insights into users’ data needs and provided librarians with a clear direction to further develop data skills in their assigned disciplines. The methodology used in this study can be replicated at other institutions to identify needs and to direct professional development.

This article focused on the analysis of four years of circulation data from print monographs acquired through an approval plan and firm ordering and incorporated interlibrary loan data to compare purchases with demand. A group of subject areas, including communication, psychology, and engineering were selected as examples for in-depth analysis. Using R programming, the authors automated an analysis to identify areas needing attention. The results from the analysis, together with librarians' subject expertise, enabled librarians to adjust monograph purchases accordingly.

This article compares the usage of print monographs acquired through firm orders and approval plans to determine whether title-by-title book selection makes a difference. The circulation data of print monographs acquired in a four-year period were extracted and separated according to their acquisition methods. Usage data were analyzed according to the Library of Congress Classification system and library's three subject area groups (Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences). The results indicate that books acquired via firm orders had a higher circulation rate in almost all subject areas. The authors discuss how the findings can be used to inform future collection practices.

This article outlines preliminary results of a complete gap analysis of the collections at the University of Houston Libraries. Methodology for a large-scale collection analysis project is explored here, including necessary collaborators for successful and accurate data collection. As well, the preliminary results of phase one of the project, studying usage by subject area and comparing to available interlibrary loan data, are outlined. Limitations and future directions for the project are also discussed.

In recent years, the University of Houston has engaged in a campus-wide effort to raise the university to Tier-One status. The initiative has led to a significant increase in faculty's research output in the field of psychology. This dynamic change inspired the Psychology Librarian and Collection Coordinator to embark on a citation analysis to investigate two questions: how has faculty been using information for their research and how does the library's collection meet the research needs of faculty? In addition to reporting these findings, the article also describes how to use features in Scopus to simplify the data collection process.

A team of four librarians at the [Institution Name] ([Institution Initials]) Libraries partnered with the [Institution Initials] Office of Institutional Effectiveness and its Director of Assessment & Accreditation Services for General Education to conduct a campus-wide, exploratory assessment of undergraduate information literacy skills. The project evaluated a selection of graduating, senior-level student papers using a rubric developed as part of the collaboration. This paper describes and discusses the collaborative rubric development and rating process, the practical implications for other librarians seeking to conduct a similar assessment, and the impact the project is having on the library instruction program.

A team of four librarians at the University of Houston (UH) Libraries partnered with the UH Office of Institutional Effectiveness and its Director of Assessment and Accreditation Services for General Education to conduct a campus-wide, exploratory assessment of undergraduate information literacy skills. The project evaluated a selection of graduating, senior -level student papers using a rubric developed as part of the collaboration. This paper describes and discusses the collaborative rubric development and rating process, the practical implications for other librarians seeking to conduct a similar assessment, and the impact the project is having on the library instruction program.