11.1 Library and Learning/Information Resources [CR]

The institution provides adequate and appropriate library and learning/information resources, services, and support for its mission.

Judgment

x Compliance o Non-Compliance o Partial Compliance

Narrative

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette provides to its students and faculty adequate library collections and other information resources in keeping with its mission as a doctoral‐granting higher research institution.

University’s Mission

According to its Mission Statement, UL Lafayette “offers an exceptional education informed by diverse worldviews grounded in tradition, heritage, and culture. We develop leaders and innovators who advance knowledge, cultivate aesthetic sensibility, and improve the human condition.” To support this mission, the Library actively seeks to add value to students’ experience at the University by providing access to print and digital resources to promote academic excellence and to satisfy the requirements of courses and degree programs. The Library seeks to provide an environment in which students and faculty can conduct research, collaborate with peers, study, and advance knowledge effectively. It provides flexible learning spaces, technologically advanced private and group work spaces, individual and collaborative study spaces, and reading rooms and technology zones.

The Library is actively engaged in the acquisition and preservation of cultural artifacts including historical books, manuscripts, photographs, Cajun & Creole music recordings, and the enhancement of archival technology. The Library has created a digital institutional repository that provides worldwide digital access to research, scholarship, and creative work by UL Lafayette faculty and students, and recognition of the University’s scholarly impact on learning and research.

The Library supports the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, and its commitment to the pursuit and promotion of education and information literacy through its resources and services reflects the University’s primary mission. The Library is committed to the development of information-literate individuals who value lifelong learning, possess critical and analytical thinking skills, and are thoughtful consumers and producers of meaningful, quality information.

A comparison between the overall size of the Library's collection, whether owned or made available through electronic or other means, and the collections of a peer group consisting of colleges and universities of similar size with the Carnegie Classification Code of Doctoral High Research (R2) demonstrates that UL Lafayette’s students and faculty have access to resources that are comparable to those available to students and faculty at peer institutions and adequate to its mission. Table 11.1 – 1 compares UL Lafayette’s library collection with that of four peer institutions.

Table 11.1 – 1: IPEDS Provisional Release Data (2016-2017)

Institution	FTE (12 month)	Physical Books	Physical Serials	Electronic Resources (Books, Databases, Media, Serials)	Electronic Serials	Total
UL Lafayette	14,929	578,887	315,281	541,861	172,952	1,608,981
Augusta University	7,741	488,242	14,250	223,886	87,026	813,404
South Dakota State University	10,630	573,245	20,282	225,423	60,517	879,467
University of New Orleans	6,396	1,004,295	25,831	276,885	55,551	1,362,562
University of South Alabama	15,441	365,689	239	694,557	418,253	1,4787,38

Library Services

The University Libraries system is composed of several libraries: Edith Garland Dupré Library serves as the main library, which provides cataloging and technical support to the following libraries: the Instructional Materials Center contains books representative of a school library, and the Reading Center provides support for literacy and research–both are housed in Maxim Doucet Hall. The University Art Museum Library contains books housed in the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum; and the William S. Patout III Sugar Library in Patoutville, LA, contains books and materials relative to the sugarcane industry.

The mission of Edith Garland Dupré Library, as an integral part of UL Lafayette, is to support fully the instructional and research programs of the University by providing access to information through the teaching, acquisition, organization, and preservation of information resources in all formats to the University's academic community, the region, and the state.

Edith Garland Dupré Library is a welcoming environment conducive to research and other campus activities and services. Campus Wi-Fi access allows students, faculty, and staff to access Library resources from anywhere on campus. User authentication provides remote access to electronic resources.

The main Library facility floor plan includes the following:

· Floor space: 222,000 square feet

· 300 computer stations for accessing library resources

· Space capacity for over 2,000,000 volumes

· Space capacity to seat approximately 3,000 students

· Library Instruction SMART Classroom

· Two conference rooms

· 66 study carrels

· Eight large group study rooms

· Four individual study rooms

Holdings

As of June 2018, the Library’s holdings included 575,679 titles in the general collection; 969,475 volumes in the general collection; 545,950 electronic books; 1,224 current serials subscriptions; 227 electronic databases; and 468,351 government documents. In FY2017-2018, the Library spent $2,090,153.48 on resources. Table 11.1 – 2 lists the Library’s areas.

Table 11.1 – 2: Edith Garland Dupré Library Areas

Floor	Areas
First Floor	Lobby; circulation/reserve desks; reference & research services and computer lab; reference print collection; U.S. government information print collection; distance learning services; microforms; interlibrary loan; user engagement services; STEP computer lab; library instruction smart classroom; grad student computer lab; technical services (cataloging, collection development, e-resources & serials, IT services); study rooms; coffee shop copy/scanner center; general book stacks H‐K, Z
Second Floor	Administrative offices; STEP computer lab; collaboration stations; study rooms; copy/scanner center; general book stacks L‐V
Third Floor	Special collections (Louisiana Room, University Archives & Acadiana Manuscripts Collection, Rare Book Collection, Cajun and Creole Music Collection, Ernest J. Gaines Center); copy/scanner center; general book stacks A‐G

Departments

Public Services encompasses the following areas: Circulation/Reserve Desks; Reference & Research Services and Reference Online Center; Reference Print Collection; Distance Learning Services; Microforms; Interlibrary Loan; Library Instruction SMART Classroom; and User Engagement Services. Each of these areas supports the research and educational needs of the UL Lafayette community by providing research, instructional, and outreach services.

Reference & Research Services provides informational resources in support of the academic and research programs of the University and provides professional and expert reference assistance and instruction to students, faculty, staff, and to the general public in their research or information-seeking processes. The Government Information print collection is located adjacent to Reference & Research Services and is a selective depository, collecting nearly forty percent of federal documents. Personnel are available to assist users during all operating hours. Computer stations are available in the department for assistance with library resources and U.S. Government information. Research inquiries can be made through the Ask a Librarian service, which is available during all operating hours.

The Library is equipped with five computer labs: two (2) Library STEP Computer Labs, Graduate Student Computer Lab, Reference Online Center Services Lab, and Library Instruction SMART Classroom, providing approximately 300 computer workstations with a full range of application software and on-site support for shared printing at a central location for use by faculty, staff, and students. The Library is part of the University’s computer sustainability plan. Computer labs are updated on a planned cycle using technology funds from student fees. Printing is available for all users.

Circulation Services includes the main circulation desk and reserve desk. Library materials may be checked out with a valid University ID card. Depending on status, the circulation period for books is three weeks or longer. Renewal of materials that are not overdue is available online and at the Circulation Desk. The Reserve Desk contains books and materials placed there by faculty members and graduate teaching assistants for the use of their students. These may include books from the library collection, personal copies of books, course notes and sample exams, and other items.

Interlibrary Loan service supports the research and educational needs of the UL Lafayette community by providing access to materials not held in the Library's collections. The Department conducts all transactions in accordance with the Louisiana Interlibrary Loan Code, the National Interlibrary Loan Code, ALA Interlibrary Loan Code, and U. S. Copyright regulations.

The Library’s Distance Learning Services Department provides assistance and support to students and faculty participating in hybrid and online courses. Distance learning students are entitled to library resources equivalent to those offered on campus. The Library provides resources for reference and research assistance; guides and tutorials; embedded library services in Moodle, remote access via user authentication to all of the Library's online holdings, including databases, journals, eBooks and reference collections; article and book delivery of in-house library materials not available in full text online; borrowing materials from other libraries through the Library’s Interlibrary Loan service; and borrowing resources from other Louisiana institutions via the LOUIS reciprocal borrowing program. The University’s Office of Distance Learning design team actively collaborates with the Library instruction team to ensure that all distance learning faculty are aware of library collections and can include them in their curriculum planning. Both teams share best practices.

Technical Services encompasses the following areas: Cataloging, Collection Development, E-Resources & Serials, IT Services; and Special Collections. Each of these areas supports the research and educational needs of the UL Lafayette community by providing web services, library materials acquisitions, and the identification and access of books and materials.

Special Collections includes the Louisiana Room, the Rare Book Collection, the University Archives and Acadiana Manuscripts Collection, the Cajun & Creole Music Collection, the Ernest J. Gaines Center, and the U.S. Government Information collection. Special Collections houses various materials such as books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, microforms, DVDs, CDs, phonograph records, photographs, vertical files, and Louisiana state documents. Special Collections fully supports the mission of the Library and University by the preservation of and access to information resources in all formats. Special Collections also provides professional and expert reference assistance and instruction to students, faculty, staff, and to the general public via email, phone and the Live Chat application.

Learning/Information Resources

The Library is a member of the statewide academic library consortium called LOUIS. LOUIS was begun in 1992 by both public and private institutions of higher learning in the state as a means of establishing a cost-effective collaboration to assist with the procurement of resources and technology for libraries as written in the LOUIS Consortia Agreement. Through LOUIS, the Library obtains its online public access catalog, which uses the SirsiDynix product Symphony, and its Interlibrary Loan system, ILLiad. Membership in LOUIS also provides the Library with access to several online resources including EBSCOhost, which provides its primary discovery tool EBSCO Discovery (EDS). The consortium formed a working group in 2018 to review the shared online resources provided to its members. The Library also participates in the LOUIS reciprocal borrowing program, which provides on-site borrowing privileges among the state’s colleges and universities.

The Library provides an online catalog for information about its holdings and an extensive range of electronic databases and eBooks for users to access for their research needs. The Library is a participant of the worldwide OCLC Consortium, in which cataloging records are maintained and shared, utilizing the latest national standards. The online catalog is available 24/7 remotely and via Library computers.

The Library pays an annual membership fee to LYRASIS. Several online research databases are purchased through the membership, and reduced costs for supplies are available. LYRASIS provides professional development opportunities through online and onsite training.

The Head of E-Resources & Serials, along with the departmental librarians, consults regularly with university academic departments on the selection of print and electronic serials in order to meet the educational and research needs of the departments. The Library’s Serials/E-Resources Committee meets regularly to prioritize and review current and potential subscriptions.

Print Journals. The Library has approximately 172 current print subscriptions. It owns complete back files of most serial titles in the collection.

Full Text Journals. The Library is increasing its online full-text holdings in response to demands by academic faculty. The Library currently has approximately 1,052 individually subscribed electronic journals. The Library’s full text publication application, EBSCO’s Publication Finder, provides information on journals, eBooks and other materials that are available in full text via subscriptions or through open-access protocols. Library users may access these full-text publications either remotely via authentication or on campus. Users may search by title, ISSN/ISBN, subject, or discipline. Access to online journals varies according to publisher and access model.

Electronic Databases and Selected E-Resources. The Library currently subscribes to approximately 227 online research databases and 545,950 eBooks that support the educational and research needs of the University. Electronic databases provide subject-level indexing information from journal and magazine articles, U.S. government publications, and many other online resources. A growing number of eBooks is available for full-text downloading by users. These and other Library electronic resources are accessible on campus and remotely. A complete listing, both alphabetically by name and arranged by subject, of the Library's databases is available through the Library's website. Sample research database subjects include Art & Architecture, Computer Science, Engineering, History, Modern Languages, and Psychology. Many of the resources are retained as part of the Library’s consortium membership with LOUIS, and others are purchased independently by the Library. The University’s Office of Distance Learning designates funds for online databases to support the variety of online programs that it offers. In 2018, Distance Learning provided $150,695.99 for online resources. The Office of Distance Learning is also working with the Library’s Distance Learning Librarian to investigate Open Educational Resources (OER) to be used in online courses. Due to the growing demand of electronic resources, including full-text journals, the Library has responded by purchasing more online subscriptions to fully support the curriculum and programs of the University.

Collection Development

The Library strives to continually maintain depth of the collections through book orders and journal requests. The major source of funding for acquisitions is institutional allocation, while some funding comes from gifts, grants, and self-generated funds. The Library Dean allocates the budget to each University department according to level of degree program for the purchase of library materials that will support classroom instruction and research.

University faculty control the selection of books, materials, serials, and online resources for the Library along with the assistance of departmental librarians. The departmental librarians actively seek suggestions for additions to the Library collection from members of the faculty. The designated departmental librarian coordinates the identification and purchasing of library resources and provides an online form for year-round submission of requests. After purchased materials are processed, the librarian sends the faculty representative a webpage link that lists all new materials and their location information. The departmental librarian also sends subject-specific publication announcements on a periodic basis. In addition, with the current trend towards online journals, the Head of E-Resources and Serials is also involved in directing the decision-making process of transitioning print to online journals as well as consulting with faculty to review their departmental journals and databases.

A Library faculty member serves on the University’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. All educational programs and curricula at UL Lafayette are approved by the faculty through the curriculum committee structure at the department, college, and University levels and, ultimately, by the Provost. Using the Undergraduate and Graduate Course Change Forms, faculty designers of proposed new courses must consult with the Library regarding the present and future availability of library resources needed for the course.

The University’s “UL Lafayette Guidelines for the Proposal of a New Academic Program” requires the department to consult with the Library regarding adequate library holdings, library expenditures, and access to materials in order to initiate the proposed programs.

The Library maintains a formal collection development policy to ensure that it includes in the collections the books, periodicals, and other appropriate library materials to support the institution’s mission, research, and programs and/or provide access to them. The policy is general and applicable to all University programs and is available on the Library’s website and given to academic departmental liaisons. Replacements follow the same collection development policy as original purchases. The Library also maintains a deselection policy, which includes the process of removing outdated and obsolete resources from the Library’s collection.

Departmental Accreditation Feedback

The Library works with departments who have discipline-specific accrediting agencies to identify appropriate resources to ensure that the Library is meeting those needs. The Library has written reports for the College of Engineering, departments of Visual Arts, Computer Science, Nursing, and the School of Music & Performing Arts. The departments report the favorable outcome regarding the Library from these agencies.

School of Music: National Association of Schools of Music 2018 Accreditation report on the Library:

The visitors were impressed with the knowledge and dedication of the library staff. It appears that the holdings and equipment in the Edith Garland Dupré Library sufficiently meet the needs of the School of Music and Performing Arts. There appears to be adequate library assistance, both in-person and virtual, a good system of acquisition, and a plan to address needs. Funding for the main library seems sufficient to provide resources. There is good communication between the music librarian and the music faculty. The need for conservation/preservation of materials is conscientiously monitored. (…) It appears that the institution meets NASM standards with regard to maintaining viable library and learning resources to support the size and scope of all undergraduate and graduate programs.

Department of Nursing: Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Self Study, July 2018:

UL Lafayette Dupré Library provides faculty and students with a full range of library services and bibliographic instruction. Present library holdings are adequate to meet current and proposed teaching needs. In addition to physical presence, the library has a website with access links that support scholarly work and research. The library provides students and faculty with online support through many electronic databases which provide access to full-text and abstracted journal articles, and governmental documents. Online library resources also include useful tutorials for searching reference data bases, obtaining access to online journals and abstract services, and evidence-based practice databases. A distance learning librarian is available to provide assistance to both faculty and students, and this librarian is embedded in course sites through Library Q and A forums. Active chat time with librarians increases students’ ability to accurately and thoroughly utilize all online library resources.

Learning/Information Services

The Library develops services to improve engagement with its users. It offers a variety of services and information resources that meet the mission of the university and the needs of the University community. Members of the public are welcome to visit and peruse the Library's resources and access federal and state documents. Learning and information services offered include:

· 360 interactive library tour

· ADA equipment

· Circulation/Reserves

· Collaboration Stations (large screen monitors and mobile white boards)

· Computer Labs (4) with printing

· Copy machines

· Departmental Librarians

· Embedded librarians in Moodle

· Government Information

· Group and Individual Study Rooms

· ILL

· LOUIS Reciprocal Borrowing Program

· Library instruction via SMART classroom or classroom visits

· Microforms

· Online catalog

· Research services (chat, text, email, individual appointments)

· Roving research services (visits to dorms, Writing Center)

· Scanners

· Subject Guides & Tutorials

· USB outlets

· Website

The following support services are offered through the Library as opposed to other academic support offices, as viewed on the Edith Garland Dupré Library News & Events and Publicity webpages:

· 24-hours during last week of classes and finals

· Writing Center Satellite and Biology Tutoring

· Academic Stress Release Week (massages, therapy wall, games, therapy dogs/Pups & Popsicles)

· Charging Stations/Lockers

· Graduate Computer Lab

· Health & Wellness Fair

· Lactation Room

· Open Mic Poetry Readings

· School supplies vending machine

Assessment

The Library continually assesses and improves its services and facilities. The University Library Committee, a Faculty Senate Committee, meets to discuss library initiatives and awards the annual Jefferson Caffery Research Award, which is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student paper that utilizes materials in the Library’s Special Collections. Library personnel regularly submits grants for new equipment and technology. The Library also uses a variety of methods to determine the adequacy and appropriateness of its services. Statistics for pertinent services during AY2017-18, derived from the Library Annual Report, BlueCloud Analytics, and Library Surveys, follow.

· Hours of operation: 94 hours per week; and 24/7 during the week prior to and during final examination periods

· Circulation: 19,483

· Reserves: 1,520

· Interlibrary Loan: 1,724 borrowed; 1,987 loaned

· Reference inquiries: 8,430 (total of directional, basic, and extended reference questions); 2,342 (total chat, text, and email reference questions)

· Library instruction: 317 sessions; 5,956 students; 353.25 instruction hours

· Gate count: 728,252 (total from both front and rear entrances) University student population 17,297

· Community engagement: 9 events; 736 attendance; Ernest J. Gaines Center: 8 events; 466 attendance

In AY2017-2018, the Library initiated an inventory project, whose goals were to assess usage, age, and condition of the collection. The yearlong project revealed cataloging issues, underuse of certain subject areas, and many duplicates as noted in the Library Annual Report 2017/2018. Circulation staff reported on the project statistics, listed in Table 11.1 – 3.

Table 11.1 — 3: 2017-2018 Inventory Project

Inventory Project 2017/2018
Items Inventoried	311,952
Sent to:
Cataloging	2,047**
Cataloging – Journals/Serials	706
Cataloging to be withdrawn	364
Discarded	2,769
Government Documents	104
Repair	171
Total Items Handled	318,113
**Includes Journals/Serials and Government Documents before separating by item type.

With Library faculty input from departmental librarians and library administrators, this study led to the deselection of materials and consolidation of designated areas. For example, a portion of the Reference Collection moved to the general stacks to provide for a collaborative study area for students, and the Encyclopedia collection was reduced in order to create future quiet spaces for individual study.

Cataloging collaborated with staff from Circulation to discard outdated and obsolete encyclopedias and yearbooks. The total number of volumes discarded was 1,013. During the ongoing inventory project, Circulation staff discovered many materials on the shelf without barcodes or records in Workflows. Cataloging staff worked on adding monograph materials back to the catalog. They added barcodes, loaded the records, and added holdings to OCLC.

The Library Committee on Assessment meets regularly to discuss assessment measures and outcomes as recorded in LiveText. The Library conducted user satisfaction surveys in Fall 2012, Spring 2015, and Fall 2018. The Library responded to comments from the surveys by reclaiming group study rooms previously used for other purposes, purchasing additional mobile white boards, and installing food vending machines. The Library also collaborated with the Student Government Association to supply dry erase markers and Scantron forms, and with the Food Services Department to extend the hours of the Library’s coffee shop. The academic and research faculty’s comments showed a growing demand for electronic resources, including full-text journals. The Library has responded by purchasing more online subscriptions to fully support the curricula and programs of the University.