Rodney A. Briggs Library
Unit Annual Report
Conner, Matt Assistant Librarian/Instruction Coordinator
Dean, LeAnn Director
Dent, Christine Assistant Librarian/Reference Coordinator, Government Publications
Haji, Shaheen Library Assistant/Circulation
Hickman, Michelle Library Assistant/Technical Services
Kill, Sandy Library Assistant/Interlibrary Loan
Larson, Ardath Head of Technical Services
Miller, Shirley Library Assistant/Technical Services (75% time)
Panton, Miriam Office Specialist
David Wuolu Head of Systems, Head of Research & Consultation Services
Jeehae Park Morris Administrative Intern for Electronic Services (Fall)
Jessica Thoennes Morris Administrative Intern for Electronic Services (Spring)
Lauren Buck Morris Administrative Intern for Public Services
Student Assistants 3.65 FTE
The primary purpose of the Rodney A. Briggs Library is to support the mission of the University of Minnesota, Morris in its effort to achieve its place among the best liberal arts colleges through commitment to instructional excellence and undergraduate and faculty research. Briggs Library provides quality information resources and services to the students, faculty and staff comprising the campus community. The University is also an educational resource and cultural center for citizens of West Central Minnesota.
1. Briggs Library supports the mission of the college by providing instructional services to the University of Minnesota, Morris and greater West Central Minnesota communities.
2. Briggs Library supports the curriculum by purchasing, organizing, maintaining and providing access to print and electronic information resources.
3. Briggs Library provides access to information beyond its local resources through fast and efficient interlibrary loan of materials from libraries throughout the United States and the world.
4. Briggs Library provides an environment supportive of independent inquiry by maintaining a quality reference service and sponsoring a user education program.
5. Briggs Library provides a friendly atmosphere that accommodates a variety of learning styles through interactions with a staff sensitive to cultural diversity and differences in individual learning needs.
6. Briggs Library provides cultural enrichment opportunities through programming, exhibits, displays and print and electronic collections.
7. Briggs Library supports the outreach efforts of UMM by providing access to U.S. federal documents and the local collection and by providing user education and reference services.
Page 1, Briggs Library 2002/2003
Narrative
Though it's true that each of the last 15 years could be described as years of transition, this term is especially appropriate as we look back at FY03. First of all, the library devoted considerable time and effort in the transition from our GEAC based automation system (utilized since 1988) to the ExLibris/Aleph system that we now share with the other units of the U of M, and soon all of the MnSCU institutions. Many hours were spent in cleaning up the current Summon, setting parameters and profiles to govern the new system, consulting with colleagues at UMTC, UMD and UMC, attending training sessions, and learning new terminology and procedures.
We also experienced a transition in staff as we welcomed a new staff member, Christine Dent, who assumed the duties of Coordinator of Reference Services and Government Documents Librarian on July 1. This brought our staff to full strength after three years with an open position. The situation of having staff members with varying perspectives, backgrounds and years of experience is an enviable one for an organization dedicated to a tradition of service at the same time it explores new and exciting vehicles for delivering that service.
The collection continues its transition from being paper based to a greater dependence on electronic format. Driven both by faculty and student preferences and funding constraints, the number of print journal subscriptions continues to decrease and the electronic offerings continue to increase, with the current number of electronic subscriptions now exceeding 10,000.
Library services are also in transition. Statistical data indicates that print reserve access is down and electronic reserve access up. Usage of print reference works and monographs is down slightly (though use of Briggs Library and the circulation of library materials continues to remain at high levels when compared to other academic libraries) while "hits" to online resources are up significantly. This year we began the transition from a reliance on face-to-face reference service in the library to the "Ask a Librarian" remote reference service option. The number of patrons who come in to the physical building remains at a high level at the same time that the number of times our "virtual" library offerings are used is increasing. Thanks to the Student Technology Fee, the library now offers wireless capability which adds flexibility of computer use within the building. Interlibrary Loan use continue to rise, with a gradual shift in proportion to higher numbers of books requested, since more articles are now available through electronic access. Library instruction is experiencing a transition from traditional bibliographic instruction to teaching information literacy skills and effective use of proprietary and free web-based resources. Under Matt Conner's leadership, with the participation of other Briggs Librarians, the library co-sponsored the Instructional Technology Institute, Instructional Technology Fair and a Census Workshop. We look forward to using the Instruction Classroom constructed in the library that will ready in FY04.
Unfortunately the budget is also in a state of transition as the library suffers with other UMM units in absorbing deep cuts in funding. The library's budget was cut significantly in mid-year as a result of state "unallottment.". In light of the budget situation, the fact that the library received 1009 gift books was much appreciated. For years to come, scholars will note bookplates bearing the names of Hinds, Guyotte, Purdy, Burke, Dabbs, Chollett, Cox and others. We appreciated the enrichment of our multicultural resources this year, thanks to funding given in memory of Bea Nelson by her family. The Henningson Fund and Minority Student Program grants are other sources of collection enrichment. Another exciting and positive counter to budget difficulties was the organization of the Rodney A. Briggs Library Associates. Thanks to the leadership of Anne Schwaller, and the assistance of Maddy Maxeiner and UMM Fund Development, the Associates became a reality. A successful inaugural event was held, by-laws were approved by the membership and officers were elected. We look forward to the programming and the financial assistance that will be realized, thanks to this organization.
Page 2, Briggs Library 2002/2003
COLLECTION
Materials held
|
|
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Held at beginning of year |
175,246 |
179,767 |
182,296 |
184,642 |
186,862 |
190,088 |
194,079 |
|
Books added |
3,883 |
2,994 |
3,147 |
2,779 |
2,952 |
3,274 |
2,820 |
|
Non-Print added |
225 |
103 |
155 |
215 |
400 |
388 |
312 |
|
Musical scores added |
91 |
27 |
115 |
8 |
97 |
120 |
152 |
|
Curriculum materials added |
322 |
285 |
628 |
137 |
313 |
605 |
257 |
|
Materials withdrawn |
0 |
880 |
1,699 |
919 |
536 |
396 |
400 |
|
Materials held at end of year |
179,767 |
182,296 |
184,642 |
186,862 |
190,088 |
194,079 |
197,220 |
|
Periodical titles (current) |
967 |
965 |
927 |
898 |
911 |
913 |
885 |
|
Periodical titles (inactive ) |
1,361 |
1,389 |
1,389 |
1,424 |
1,342 |
1,230 |
1,252 |
|
Govt. Documents (FY end) |
179,539 |
188,131 |
194,057 |
214,640 |
211,430 |
214,784 |
207,802 |
|
Curriculum Library (FY end) |
|
|
|
12,162 |
12,398 |
13,001
|
13,251 |
SERVICES
Circulation of Materials (Loans and renewals)
|
|
FY 1995 |
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
Student check-out |
19,664 |
17,880 |
31,258 |
21,135 |
19,923 |
30,175 |
16,610 |
24,014 |
21,981 |
|
Faculty/Staff check-out |
4,882 |
4,067 |
6,525 |
5,886 |
8,156 |
10,965 |
7,309 |
11,138 |
11,042 |
Community check-out |
1,225 |
1,235 |
1,853 |
1,602 |
1,099 |
1,310 |
997 |
413 |
1,716 |
|
Course Reserve (paper) |
18,697 |
16,004 |
22,481 |
18,266 |
13,610 |
22,327 |
10,092 |
15,017 |
7,069 |
|
Course Reserve (online) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,628 |
|
Library web site visits |
|
|
|
|
90,270 |
113,270 |
119,337 |
165,189 |
220,342 |
|
Searches of licensed databases |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
97,562 |
109,296 |
|
In-library book use |
4,481 |
2,344 |
4,487 |
2,290 |
5,833 |
1,968 |
5,724 |
4,856 |
5,889 |
|
In-library journal use |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,649 |
8,993 |
8,063 |
Interlibrary Loan
|
|
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Requests received |
783 |
736 |
738 |
732 |
771 |
934 |
|
Originals loaned |
337 |
365 |
349 |
332 |
408 |
560 |
|
Photocopies provided |
125 |
103 |
120 |
119 |
132 |
134 |
|
Requests unfilled |
321 |
268 |
269 |
281 |
231 |
240 |
|
Total number of filled requests |
462 |
468 |
469 |
451 |
540 |
694 |
|
|
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Requests received |
9,824 |
7,670 |
8,306 |
7,926 |
8,182 |
8,232 |
|
Originals borrowed |
3,524 |
1,957 |
1,797 |
2,182 |
2,774 |
3,492 |
|
Photocopies received |
5,910 |
5,004 |
4,870 |
4,346 |
4,082 |
3,284 |
|
Requests filled locally |
748 |
371 |
1029 |
588 |
872 |
1,112 |
|
Requests unfilled |
389 |
709 |
610 |
810 |
454 |
344 |
|
Total number of filled requests |
9,435 |
6,961 |
6,667 |
7,116 |
7,728 |
7,888 |
Page 3, Briggs Library 2002/2003
Reference Service (average number of transactions per time period)
|
|
FY 1995 |
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
8:00 |
1.4 |
.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9:00 |
3.0 |
1.4 |
2.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10:00 |
4.2 |
2.1 |
3.7 |
2.6 |
3.1 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
1.8 |
|
11:00 |
4.8 |
2.0 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
2.6 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
2 |
|
12:00 |
4.7 |
1.7 |
3.8 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
|
1:00 |
4.0 |
3.1 |
6.0 |
2.3 |
3.1 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.2 |
|
2:00 |
5.4 |
2.9 |
7.6 |
2.8 |
3.4 |
2.4 |
2.9 |
2.7 |
2.3 |
|
3:00 |
5.3 |
3.0 |
7.6 |
2.4 |
3.8 |
2.6 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
1.9 |
|
4:00 |
4.7 |
2.1 |
4.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7:00 |
3.7 |
2.8 |
3.9 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
1.8 |
1.9 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
|
8:00 |
3.7 |
2.7 |
5.6 |
2.8 |
2.2 |
1.8 |
2.1 |
1.9 |
1.8 |
|
9:00 |
3.7 |
2.4 |
5.2 |
2.5 |
1.9 |
1.3 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
1.8 |
|
|
FY 1995 |
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Monday |
38.4 |
19.7 |
25.1 |
13.6 |
17.6 |
12.1 |
14.4 |
16.0 |
14.6 |
|
Tuesday |
43.2 |
19.3 |
39.1 |
16.5 |
17.3 |
16.8 |
15.5 |
17.8 |
16.4 |
|
Wednes |
36.2 |
21.7 |
30.0 |
13.9 |
20.1 |
15.0 |
15.8 |
17.3 |
16.8 |
|
Thursday |
34.8 |
15.9 |
20.4 |
14.3 |
20.2 |
15.7 |
16.7 |
17.5 |
16.1 |
|
Friday |
34.7 |
16.8 |
24.1 |
17.5 |
15.0 |
12.5 |
12.2 |
14.4 |
12.4 |
|
Sunday |
13.6 |
12.3 |
19.0 |
9.5 |
5.2 |
4.3 |
4.9 |
4.5 |
4.3 |
|
|
FY 1995 |
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Monday |
20.5 |
15.0 |
23.4 |
9.1 |
8.7 |
9.1 |
8.2 |
|
Tuesday |
11.5 |
7.8 |
11.1 |
9.5 |
9.2 |
6.2 |
5.5 |
|
Wednesday |
16.0 |
5.0 |
9.8 |
7.1 |
4.6 |
6.8 |
4.5 |
|
Thursday |
7.0 |
5.8 |
7.9 |
4.7 |
5.1 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
|
Sunday |
12.8 |
6.6 |
12.1 |
10.6 |
6.6 |
4.0 |
4.3 |
|
|
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Total |
4,606 |
7,664 |
3,913 |
4,137 |
3,259 |
3,451 |
3,811 |
3,463 |
Library Instruction
|
|
FY 1995 |
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
||
|
Sessions |
53 |
58 |
87 |
100 |
83 |
147 |
146 |
161 |
126 |
||
|
Attendees |
983 |
1,230 |
1,691 |
1,526 |
1,332 |
1,991 |
2,367 |
2,320 |
1,637 |
||
|
|
Introductory |
Subject Specific |
|||||||||
|
Number of sessions |
65 |
49 |
|||||||||
|
Faculty/Staff attendees |
21 |
28 |
|||||||||
|
UMM student attendees |
766 |
603 |
|||||||||
|
High school student attendees |
31 |
21 |
|||||||||
|
Community attendees |
2 |
131 |
|||||||||
|
Humanities division attendees |
|
166 |
|||||||||
|
Social Science division attendees |
|
166 |
|||||||||
|
Science/Math division attendees |
|
156 |
|||||||||
|
Education division attendees |
|
112 |
|||||||||
Page 4, Briggs Library, 2002/2003
Patron Gate Count
|
|
FY 1995 |
FY 1996 |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000 |
FY 2001 |
FY 2002 |
FY 2003 |
|
Number of patrons |
269,452 |
254,734 |
243,548 |
231,204 |
223,529 |
198,749
|
178,331 |
228,076 |
224,136 |
Sunday 472 FY 1999 4,443
Monday 920 FY 2000 5,118
Tuesday 864 FY 2001 5,858
Wednesday 874 FY 2002 6,916
Thursday 784 FY 2003 7,053 Students 80%
Friday 554 Faculty/Staff 9%
Saturday 280 Community 11%
Evaluation
The library made progress towards realizing goals set forth in the Long Range Plan adopted by the library staff in FY 2002. Focus One (To heighten the awareness of services and collection and to encourage utilization of the resources and physical facility, the library staff will pursue resources and connections to improve the image and perception of Briggs Library) was addressed in a number of ways: involving community and UMM individuals in the Library Associates organization; continuing to give two student art awards each year to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the building; improving signage; offering instruction sessions and services to community groups, such as the Stevens County Genealogical Society; MAI for Public Relations activities such as writing articles on library services for the University Register and holding a focus group to elicit student comments; Focus Two (To enhance the library's contribution to the overall success of UMM and the effectiveness of library services to both the UMM and regional communities, increased emphasis will be placed on collaboration with other units and organizations): cosponsored Census Workshop, Instructional Technology Fair, Instructional Technology Institute; collaborated with Academic Assistance and Disabilities Services, Continuing Education, Media Services, Computing Services, International Travel programs, as well as other library organizations. Focus Three (The library's commitment to instructional excellence and scholarly research will be exemplified by continued and expanded attention to content organization and management): is dominated by the successful preparation for migration to a new automation system. Bibliographic records were examined and corrected when necessary and lingering cataloging projects were completed. Government Document collection management was also improved. We continued to meet with individual disciplines, with the information gleaned there informing journal and monograph collection management and service improvements. Focus Four (In recognition of the reality of massive amounts of information facing library users, the library will undertake initiatives to enhance information literacy, research skills and instruction activities across the curriculum): was addressed by continued participation in the First Year Seminar experience and the beginning of a collaborative relationship with the Faculty Center for Learning and Teaching concerned with faculty use of technology. Focus Five (In order to strengthen the crucial role of the library staff in the mission of Briggs Library, more effort will be made in the areas of professional development and staff recognition): is the most problematic section of the long-range plan. Concentration of effort and travel on the system migration and attending training and planning sessions in the TC dominated off-campus travel in FY 03. The minimal opportunities initially planned were reduced further after the unallotment. A commitment made last year during our federal depository library inspection to send the documents librarian to a training workshop was honored. In terms of recognition, Christine Dent was elected to a leadership position in the Minnesota Document Librarian's group. We celebrated with Ardath Larson in April when she received the UMM Academic Staff Award.
Page 5, Briggs Library 2002/2003
Major Changes/Plans for 2003-2004
1) Publicize change in Summon, offer instruction sessions to teach effective use of the database and continue to refine internal workflow and technological aspects of the new system.
2) Staff changes: accommodate leave of absence of circulation manager fall semester; plan for probable retirement of key senior librarian.
3) Develop an assessment program to ascertain strengths and weaknesses of library services, collections, and instruction program.
4) Broaden and refine information literacy initiative across campus.
5) Continue to arrange meetings between the professional librarians and individual disciplines.
6) Plan for building renovation.
7) Effectively use new library instruction classroom.
8) Introduce new technology (Open URL/SFX) for efficient linking of bibliographic data and full text.
Recommendations and Concerns
1) Inadequate funding is the dominant concern looking ahead to FY 2004. Just as is the case with other UMM units, the continued eroding of purchasing power and service support has a very real negative impact on the contribution the library can make to the overall success of UMM. 36% of the books added to the collection during FY 2003 were gifts. Lean budget years, combined with the large number of new books published in the various scholarly fields, results in serious gaps in the collection that will be almost impossible to ever fill.
2) Increasing costs of interlibrary loan services at the same time that demand is rising is problematic.
As more institutions within our region are forced to cancel journal subscriptions and are unable to purchase as many monographs, it becomes necessary for us to borrow from libraries with which we do not have reciprocal (free) borrowing arrangements. The fees for articles, as well as books are rising dramatically.
3) The Inability to support adequate professional development of the library staff is also a continuing concern. Good library service, wise collection management decisions, and up-to-date technological expertise are dependent on a knowledgeable, motivated staff. It is essential that opportunities and support be provided to encourage participation in a wide variety of in-state and national workshops and conferences.
4) Just as there have been innovations in library service and changes in the collections, the physical facility must also be upgraded. The building is showing the deterioration that comes with 30 years of hard use and needs to be reconfigured to accommodate the technological realities and collegial needs of UMM in the 21st century. Renovation planning needs to be a high priority in FY2004.
Page 6, Briggs Library 2002/2003