Who are they? How do they learn best?
A Beginning Conversation
- Carole Cragg, Bethel University
- Lyndi Finifrock, Bethel University

did an interactive Powerpoint demo with response remotes in the audience (I love this)
my team won the quiz :-)

had three students on a student panel to talk about their experiences and information needs
showed a "60 Minutes" video on Echo Boomers
students agreed with the characteristics noted in the video overall, although they noted there are exceptions

first panelist - thinks it was right that they are about the "now"
second panelist - agreed internet buzz is big, can't really market to them, it's more trendsetters
third panelist - agreed they are impatient

first panelist - always has her cell phone and her iPod
checks email then Facebook, MySpace, then eBay or whatever
second panelist - likes waking up on her own timing
spends a lot of time on the internet throughout the day checking email or Facebook
third panelist (a guy) - is a techie and has lots of gadgets
checks email during class
we value relationships a lot more, so would answer the phone in class
called his PDA a "palm pilot" :-p
always on the internet at any given time in the day

had to explain what Facebook is at this point
third panelist used the terms "social networking" and "online community" to describe it :-)

first panelist hates working in groups because it allows more room for human error
second panelist thinks they work in groups because the previous generation thinks individualism didn't work and forces them to collaborate as a result

what is great about libraries? (disclaimer - all three panelists work in the library)
third panelist - quiet, but would like some background music because it's difficult for him to focus on it without some music - "it's just awkward"
best part, though, is how helpful they are
second panelist likes how much technology has advanced - the catalog, journal articles online; would like more comfortable chairs

do you use net resources more than library databases for research?
first panelist starts with wikipedia to get a handle on subject or find terms to use; professors don't accept it, though - they prefer book sources
second panelist agreed
third panelist cited google and google book - called google book a lifesaver for its search capabilities
- noted cited sources in wikipedia, uses though

audience questions:

do you use a public library? do you read for leisure?
first panelist is a journalism major, so loves reading; prefers school libraries because closer
other two didn't answer

what's up with Paris Hilton? the Lindsey Lohans, etc.
second panelist - a lot of us really hate her, thinks it's the younger kids; most of her peers think hilton just inherited fame; funny in a ridiculous way

would you come if we offer library workshops? what kind would attract you?
second panelist - we find out information on the internet, so we wouldn't come; for example, she learned how to knit on the internet; most wouldn't come to the library and sit through a 60 minute session
third panelist - there are Flash programs and movies that you can download to your laptop to learn; much more about convenience; I don't have to go the library to learn something, although if you give us candy, we will come

so you would use Flash tutorials online to learn how to use the library?
third panelist - oh, yeah; I would much rather do that; it's easier for me; I could do that from my dorm room

do you think you need to learn more about the library or do you think you can get by?
third panelist - we're very trial-and-error based; "I can guarantee you that if I don't figure something out the first time, I guarantee you I'll get it the third or fourth time"
second panelist -

would you be willing to ask those questions more over IM?
first panelist - don't like face-to-face interactions; might use IM; many use phone; easier to get your thoughts together in email, too
second panelist - they did a survey at her library and most said email over IM; email, chat, phone, person as preferred methods
third panelist - email is more on your time; on chat I'm wasting your time; I would use chat for that but I would prefer email; I might use IM

in email, do you want answer or to teach you how to do it?
all - we just want the answer

...

how civic and political-minded do you think you are? do you plan to vote in the upcoming election?
third panelist - we are very in tune with political aspects; doesn't have time or cable to watch "The Daily Show" or "Colbert Nation"
second panelist - senses despair in voting because nothing she votes for ever comes to fruition; this country is an oligarchy, so what good is it at this point
first panelist - finds that people older than her are a lot more liberal than she is; friends seem to be moderate; Facebook has political affiliations and there seem to be a lot of moderates

Defining Services for Undergraduates
- Jerilyn Veldof, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Melissa Prescott, St. Cloud State University

themes for redesign of services
- independent access
- awareness
- community/space
- curriculum connection

defined problem statements for each theme using:
1. Who, what, why questions
2. IWWMW technique ("In What Ways Might We" process)

top three votes from students were space, a single search engine for all library resources, and an information commons for one place to get all of your information, help, and services
80-99% votes for those three, so clear they needed to do these things

decided to implement:
1. student-centered space
2. information commons
3. marketing/advertising campaign

important to do:
4 - coffee shops
5 - information literacy help

(unfortunately I couldn't type fast enough to capture the other things)

came up with 3 levels of investment: gold (perfect world with necessary resources), maroon (a little watered down), and gray (more watered down)
used the "undergraduate virtual library" as an example
did this for all of the initiatives they had on the student survey

showed new home page and dissected what is on it, includes some social pieces
investing in cafes - hits the awareness and community themes

rethought their whole branding process; launching into a more specific survey now
on survey, email is by far the biggest way they find out what is going on on campus
newspaper
campus posters/flyers

what messages would resonate with them?
- information is of high quality resonates with them
- librarians are helpful
- libraries are intellectually stimulating
- libraries are easy to use
- libraries are inviting

will start branding with these themes

showed Uthink as being part of community theme
showed university portal page for students, getting library into it

moderator closed by noting that one day he found his son handling 35 different IM conversations
165 text messages were waiting for him the next morning!