Linking course Web sites to library collections and services

A five-month research study at Cornell University Library (CUL) confirmed the strategic importance of a library presence in faculty-created course Web sites. It sparked specific recommendations to support the seamless integration of the CUL digital library within the virtual learning environments created by faculty.

Available online 10 May 2004

PROBLEM STATEMENT

We have been witnessing the rapid expansion of course Web sites at university environments. A majority of these sites reside on BlackBoard or WebCT course management software (CMS). In addition, there are also independently maintained pages on various course servers throughout campuses. A clear trend has emerged, one characterized by the creation of virtual learning spaces as single points of entry to a variety of course supporting materials. For example, there are more than 1600 BlackBoard sites at Cornell, of which 700-800 were estimated to be active during the Spring 2002 semester.

CMS incorporates several different teaching and learning tools into a Web-based interface. CourseInfo, for example, has an easy-to-use template to input information; this template could be used by anyone who lacks an extensive 'knowledge of Web mark-up languages such as HTML. The CMS offers a suite of features to facilitate some key administrative processes such as communication and assessment. They usually include course syllabi, outlines, supporting materials, lectures, assignments, etc. They also offer electronic discussion lists and other e-communication tools to facilitate online communication with the faculty and to promote the exchange of ideas among students.

As shown in Figure 1, our challenge is to bring the library to learners in a seamless and convenient fashion. Some CMS vendors, such as BlackBoard, provide their own resource centers to assist students and faculty find appropriate digital resources. These are vast collections of Web sites that compete with our library homepages and gateways of restricted resources; vendor-supplied information portals may discourage the use of our valuable aggregated resources. Unless we create convenient ways to select and integrate resources, it is un-likely that faculty members will expend the time to figure out how to do it by themselves. In an age where a growing number of students do not see a difference between what is offered by library resources and Web search engines, seamless linking of course Web sites and libraries becomes even more crucially important.

LITERATURE REVIEW

In September 2001, Cohen made the argument that library resources have been sorely underrepresented in CMS by asking, "Where does the academic library fit into the emerging enterprise framework for higher education?"(n1) He hypothesized that as a result of being left out of strategic partnerships with higher education software companies, there may be serious implications for libraries. Cohen said, "They may find their role as bibliographers, selectors, and collection builders diminished. Collections will less likely be reflections of local needs. Perhaps even more important, academic librarians may be losing new opportunities to contribute to improving student learning and faculty research on their campuses."(n2)

In 1996, the Association of Research Libraries surveyed 119 member libraries to determine the extent to which they were involved in distance education and distance learning.(n3) Based upon 62 percent of the responses, results showed that very few of the libraries were involved with the technical aspects of distance learning, but that approximately half of the respondents were involved in instructional support for faculty. These results are consistent with Cohen's perspective in which libraries report interest in instructional support but are ignored in the technical development of course management systems.

One apparently unique exception was reported in 2001, when Cullen(n4) offered a solution independent of course management systems. He described how Colorado State University Library had created its own customized learning system. These authored learning systems use software applications such as Macromedia's Authorware™ to integrate resources that highlight the library's print and electronic collections. For example, using the Authorware™, Colorado State University created a media-rich library skills tutorial, However, in conclusion, Cullen suggested that organizations might wish to investigate more prevalent and mainstream Web courseware products such as WebCT and BlackBoard.

Even more radically, Browning and Lowndes asked, "Who needs course management systems?"(n5) and compared the features of content management systems to the content management work that is carried out by librarians. They argued that because librarians have embraced environments like the open archives initiative or virtual and/or managed learning environments, they "would do well to maintain a watching brief on the CMS space so that they are in a position to cherry pick the most appropriate features in the future."(n6)

A keyword literature search using OCLC's FirstSearch™ database confirms that much of the literature on course management systems and libraries retrieves articles on the topics of information literacy and developing instructional resources. While much has been written about the case for content management systems in general, little in the way of solutions exists beyond that which questions the role of the academic library. With this deficit in mind, Cornell University Library (CUL) set out to determine .how library services could be integrated into Black-Board 5, our campus CMS.

METHODOLOGY

Our study was designed to explore the variety of attitudes and practices of Cornell University faculty with respect to use of the CourseInfo CMS and the integration of electronically accessible library collections and services.

Before we began our efforts, we became more familiar with the underlying issues in integrating library resources into online CMS by conducting a literature review. An advisory group comprised of several library and campus computer information and technology services staff also advised us as to these underlying issues, in addition to other CUL groups responsible for various electronic library resources and services. Using the expertise of our advisory group, we identified CUL services, resources, and collections that could potentially be offered through the course Web sites. Using this knowledge, for example, we were able to emulate a CourseInfo Web site with sample readings from the CUL resources to better understand the technical and other challenges related to integrating library resources.

Once we were familiar with the issues involved in integration, we felt that in order to accomplish our goals, there was a need to focus particularly on faculty who were early adopters of technology as evidenced by their use of the CourseInfo system. Therefore, we took a twofold approach: first, by sampling a subset of 250 CourseInfo courses to assess current usage of the CMS; and second, with the assistance of the Cornell University Academic Technology Center (ATC),(n7) identifying faculty who were maintaining courses in the CourseInfo system.

Figure. 2 represents a sample CourseInfo Web site. Those faculty members (including teaching staff) sampled were questioned on a variety of issues regarding the use of library resources and services and the degree to which they expressed a desire to learn more about how library resources and services might be better integrated into their CourseInfo courses. We developed a Web-accessible survey, submitted it to ATC's CourseInfo user listserv, to which eighty-two (5.5 percent) faculty and other teaching staff who maintain CourseInfo Web sites responded. Although this number was not large, we were nevertheless pleased with even this degree of response rate and feel it was sufficient to achieve our goal of getting a general sense of faculty attitude.

To supplement our online survey effort, we coordinated an effort to gather anecdotal input from faculty through unit library instruction coordinators. And, as a short-term solution to providing awareness about the library in CourseInfo, we made arrangements with the ATC to include the CUL homepage icon on every course Web site on BlackBoard at Cornell University. As a result of these combined inputs, we were able to explore the current impediments for tighter integration between CUL and CourseInfo.

KEY FINDINGS OF THE FACULTY SURVEY

It is important to note that our survey included only those faculty and other instructional staff who already have CourseInfo Web sites. Appendix A includes the survey questions. The online survey was conducted through ATC's CourseInfo discussion list and received eighty-two responses (5.5 percent) out of nearly 1500 subscribers to the list. These eighty-two respondents may or may not have included those responsible for the 250 course sites we sampled in our review of the types of materials faculty are including on their course sites. Key themes uncovered in the survey were as follows:

• Thirty-seven respondents (45 percent) indicated that they include library resources in their CourseInfo site. An additional twenty-eight (34 percent) would like to.

• Top choices for library information to include are e-reserves (thirty-five responses, 42 percent) and subject databases (twenty-four responses, 30 percent).

• In general, faculty are unclear about ways to access and process e-reserves (eighteen responses, 22 percent).

• Not all faculty are aware of the applicability of library resources to their classes. Thirteen respondents (6.5 percent) indicated that they were unaware of how the library might further their teaching.

• Lack of faculty awareness that distance and on-campus students share the same access right*s to library resources (nine responses, 11 percent).

RECOMMENDATIONS

Our study resulted in nine recommendations to the Library Management Team, the library's senior administrative decision makers.

Understand the Strategic Importance of Course Web Sites for CUL

Use of technologies in teaching, and specifically reliance on course Web sites, will continue to increase. Students will expect to find library resources and services readily available for them at these virtual classroom points. In addition, faculty will require easy-to-use, intuitive methods to select and include resources from CUL into their course Web sites. Currently, inclusion of CUL in a course Web site depends on a faculty member's own judgment and incentive. In addition, there are no ready technological tools, guides, or promotional vehicles to systematically facilitate this process. If these learning spaces do not have links to CUL, there is a chance that students may underutilize the library during their studies. Course Web sites represent effective channels for presenting students with selected Library resources, e-reserve readings, and online tutorials about various aspects of library research pertinent to the course offered. We need to consider these new, powerful avenues for CUL resources as we select, catalog new electronic resources, create new digital collections, and develop new reference and access services.

Partner with ATC in Developing Integration Strategies

The library needs to actively advocate for the integration of library resources into course Web sites and train library staff on effective ways of presenting these resources to faculty.

To achieve this goal, we will need to collaborate with the Cornell ATC, the group responsible for CourseInfo implementation and training across campus. They regularly teach faculty how to use CourseInfo as a virtual learning environment and provide support as needed.

Our library outreach, publicity, and instruction sessions play a key role in disseminating information about CUL and CourseInfo. Ideally, ATC workshops and training manuals will include a library component that explicitly indicates how to integrate library services and resources within CourseInfo. This would be a very effective strategy rather than requiring faculty to attend additional CourseInfo sessions for library training. We also need to establish a formal relationship with the ATC to contribute to the evaluation and development of the future versions of BlackBoard.

Assist Faculty in Selecting Resources and Develop Tools for Convenient Integration

Our simulated course Web site has proven that faculty will require assistance from library staff to include library links. It currently is a challenging and frustrating process; one we must mediate. Properly marketed, faculty and students will gain a greater appreciation for the use of electronic library resources within CourseInfo. Perhaps a more in-depth analysis can help determine how they would like to see these resources packaged.

In addition to incorporating related CUL workshops, online tutorials, outreach activities, and consultancy sessions, we should be ready for one-on-one consultancies between faculty (or TAs) and library specialists. As suggested above, training will be particularly effective if it is achieved through a partnership with ATC, which has periodic faculty workshops and user manuals. We need to assist faculty with the mechanics of integrating materials into their sites in addition to collaborating in the selection of resources appropriate to particular courses. There is a significant role for the library staff to play, including creating customized bibliographies, providing article-level access directly from course sites, exporting faculty bookmarks to BlackBoard, adding CourseInfo into bibliographic instruction sessions, and integrating virtual reference services and e-reserve systems.

Until we have more convenient tools, we may need to identify other means such as ProQuest's SiteBuilder option to create durable links to articles in ProQuest. SiteBuilder allows faculty to develop HTML templates that can be produced quickly. Another area that needs further exploration is the role of metadata in facilitating the discovery and use of course-supporting materials on Web sites.

Input from reference, instruction, and access services librarians will be key to developing guides for integration. CLS's "How to Create Canned Searches"(n8) guide describes how to provide a dynamic link to a title from the CUL catalog. We need similar guides to cover bibliographic databases. An example would be Northumbria University's Guidelines for Integrating Electronic Library Resources and BlackBoard.(n9) The new CUL page that describes services in support of technology-mediated instruction has a short section on CourseInfo that needs to be further developed with reference to new tools and methods.

Table 1 lists the ways in which the library can provide guidance on integrating resources.

Become Actively Involved in the ENCompass-BlackBoard Development Partnership

Recently, Endeavor Information Systems and Blackboard Inc. announced their partnership to leverage the potential of both systems by providing interoperability between them.(n10) This joint project will enable single log-on access and allow instructors to easily search the library's digital content for relevant course material, instantly "collecting" this information within their CourseInfo site. Faculty will be able to create predefined enhanced library catalog searches (via Endeavor's ENCompass product) for students and select documents, images, and other digital information to be used as course content. Although this is a very promising development, the companies have not yet set an implementation timeline and we need to develop strategies for this intermediary stage. In addition, we need to work with other vendors to encourage them to provide PURLs for full-text articles and retrieved records.

Explore the Potential of uPortal in Making the Connection between CUL and CourseInfo

The university's uPortal implementation includes a CUL channel, and it is envisioned that a suite of CUL channels could be developed to offer the richest slice of library resources and services. As Cornell Information Technologies (CIT) continues to explore uPortal's potential as the first choice for university information, it is imperative that we explore the possibility to more fully integrate CUL into other channels, including those reserved for course information. uPortal's intuitive, personalized interface could potentially become the homepage of choice for members of the Cornell community. Therefore, the Library must remain involved in the collaborative activities on campus to further develop uPortal.

Identify New Personalized Electronic Services Required for Virtual Learning Environments

CUL has successfully implemented and marketed personalized electronic services to the Cornell community for several years. In particular, the MyLibrary suite of services has attracted more and more users since its first service, MyLinks, was launched in 2000. Cornell's MyLibrary system was developed by a cross-functional team of librarians and information technologists and provides each member of the Cornell community with four distinct but related services: MyLinks is a personal bookmark manager; MyUpdates sends twice monthly e-mails of new items added to the library system that match a user's research and personal interests; MyContents is an electronic table of contents (TOC) service that provides TOC in a variety of formats; and MyCatalog is a link to the personalized preferences in our library catalog, an Endeavor product.

Patrons have responded favorably to personalized research tools; for example, usage for MyContents has increased steadily since its August 2002 launch and numbers more than 1580 Cornellians. As digital options increase, both locally and in the online environment in total, it is anticipated that users will become increasingly interested in personalized options to help mediate their electronic experiences.

To facilitate this process, it is imperative that the library investigates how personalized electronic services can be integrated into the CourseInfo page creation process. At present, external links are entered laboriously into BlackBoard using unsophisticated cut-and-paste techniques. The goal should be to make it as easy as possible for an instructor to exploit intuitive, personalized electronic tools to identify, capture, and present links pertaining to his/her courses within CourseInfo.

Enhance Learning by Identifying and Promoting CUL Collections and Services within Course Web sites

The course Web page for each class taught at the University would benefit from hyperlinks to those selected library resources, collections, and services that are most pertinent to the course's subject matter. Faculty would choose from any of the following library resources:

• CUL homepage, Find Articles/Find Databases(n11), e-Journal Title List(n12), CUL Catalog

• Reference services: LiveHelp(n13), e-mail reference, and consultations

• Help information for using the catalog or the overall library

• Library homepage(s)

• Library hours

• Personalized electronic services (e.g., MyContents, one service within the MyLibrary suite of personalized services)

• e-Reserves (including canned searches that link directly to readings rather than requiring an on-the-fly search of the catalog)

• Digital collections pertinent to the class (e.g., Making of America, Fiske Icelandic Collection, etc.)

• Information on library specialists (e.g., subject specialists)

• Instruction program information

• Direct links to restricted databases (or their description pages).

Joint CUL-ATC promotional strategies to market the diversity of library resources and services will have a high chance for success as CourseInfo is maintained by CIT. This is an especially effective way to target new faculty and alert them of the library's place within CourseInfo.

Define the CUL Services and Resources in Support of "Distance Students"

Course Web sites also serve distance students. One of the important findings of our survey was finding out about faculty's ambivalence about the rights of their distance students (e.g., use of reserve materials by distance students). Some did not include any CUL resources on their Web sites because they were not sure about the access privileges of their students. The prominence of this issue spurs us to strongly recommend the appointment of a small task force with representation from various CUL functional groups to better define "distance student" and articulate their library privileges. Such a document will also be very useful for the School of Continuing Education.

Explore Alternatives to NetID

The CourseInfo system is based on an authentication process separate from CIT's use of SideCar/Kerberos (NetID), resulting in nested security systems. A CourseInfo user first needs to use his/her BlackBoard user ID and password and then NetID if there is need to access any of our networked resources. Voyager's requirement of a student ID in order to access e-reserves is a further complication. This is a very discouraging factor in linking library resources to BlackBoard; additionally, faculty are frustrated by the difficulties involved in off-campus access to library resources due to personal firewalls, etc. Ideally, faculty and students should be able to connect to CourseInfo using one user ID and password that would enable them to use all components, regardless of the individual's location.

CONCLUSIONS

The investigation was instrumental to raise the staff awareness of the issues surrounding the library's presence in course Web sites and prompted the library management to look closely at the recommendations. In Fall 2002, the Library Management Team formed a new group, Personalized Library Services (PLS) Committee, to investigate a variety of topics, including how to devise an effective means of incorporating into CMS personalized library services and access to library information. The PLS Committee's charge also includes investigation of the adaptability of higher education portals, such as uPortal, for the delivery of PLS, including distributed learning applications and services for alumni. The committee is in the process of evaluating the usability and functionality of current PLS, to identify additional services of this type, and to serve as a clearinghouse for PLS within CUL.

The PLS Committee's CourseInfo-related activities included:

Working with the ATC CourseInfo managers to develop a strategy in fostering better integration of library resources and services.

Development of a workshop to increase the staff awareness of CMS. This class provided a detailed overview of how to use CourseInfo and encouraged library staff to use the tool for their own instructional needs. The workshop participants also developed an understanding of how course Web sites are being used to support instruction at Cornell and learned about opportunities to link library resources and services within these sites.

Following ATC's preparations to migrate to from CourseInfo 4 to BlackBoard 6.0 in 2004. The new server will be ready for faculty in early 2004. Version 6.0 of BlackBoard contains "building blocks," the APIs that let you create the software code for various tools and new features.

The chair of the PLS Committee joined ATC's BlackBoard 6.0 Planning Group as the library liaison.

The committee will continue its awareness activities and is considering planning a workshop series to create opportunities for library staff to understand the changing landscape of learning and teaching.

In addition to the PLS Committee, other working groups such as the Unified Services Working Group (USWG) aim to develop strategies for bringing library resources into the new learning environments. The USWG is a campuswide group with representation from CIT, CUL, Office of Information Technology, Center for Learning and Teaching, School for Continuing Education, Communication and Marketing Services, and eCornell. It explores how to rationalize service access for faculty interested in using various distributed learning technologies. The ultimate goal is to provide faculty with systematic assistance in identifying relevant resources and services in support of their distributed learning projects. The group develops events and programs to help faculty understand what kind of services/assistance they can expect from the major central campus players to get support in integrating technologies into their teaching. We believe that leveraging the scholarly collections and associated services in the e-learning environment requires a holistic approach, beyond focusing only issues related to a specific software such as BlackBoard.

Table 1 Linking Collections and Services to CourseInfo Sections Legend for Chart: A - CourseInfo Section B - Library Resource or Services A B Course Add files for online documents tutorials, workshops, or other documents External Add URLs for electronic links articles, links to records from the catalog Course Link library announcements calendar about workshops Assignments Download library workshop materials and online tutorials, obtain copyright clearance for proprietary materials Books Add links to records from the catalog Control Present faculty with a chart panel that describes how different resources can be added to various sections of CourseInfo (n1.) David Cohen, "Course Management Software: The Case for Integrating Libraries," Council on Library and Information Resources. Available http://www.clir.org/pubs/issues/issues23.html (accessed July 2, 2003). (n2.) Ibid. (n3.)Carolyn A. Snyder, et al., Role of Libraries in Distance Education. SPEC Kit 216 (Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, 1996), pp. 3-142. (n4.) Kevin F. Cullen, "Using Macromedia Authorware for Web-based Instruction," Information Technology and Libraries 20(3): 154-158. Available http://dois.mimas.ac.uk/DoIS/data/Articles/jultmthpgy:2001: v:20:i:3:p:154-158.html (accessed November 19, 2003). (n5.) Paul Browning & Mike Lowndes, "Content Management Systems: Who Needs Them?" Ariadne 30. Available http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue30/techwatch/(accessed July 2, 2003). (n6.) Ibid. (n7.) ATC, the Academic Technology Center, supports faculty projects through the use of technology. It is a division within the Cornell Information Technology department, which is part of the Office of Information Technologies. (n8.) Canned Searches guide at http://campusgw. library.cornell.edu/newhelp/res_tools/ catalog/cannedsearch.html (accessed September 15, 2003). (n9.) http://www.unn.ac.uk/central/isd/bbguide1. htm (accessed November 19, 2003). (n10.) The press release is available at http://www. endinfosys.com/news/blackboardfinal.htm (accessed July 14, 2003), http://www.unn. ac.uk/central/isd/bbguide1.htm (accessed September 14, 2003). (n11.) Find Articles/Find Databases is a new feature of the CUL Gateway. The new system allows for simultaneous article-level searching and seamless linking to full text articles. Endeavor's ENCompass product is the Find Articles/Find Databases system platform. (n12.) The e-Journal Title List provides a searchable interface to the more than 20,000 ejournals within the Cornell collection. (n13.) LiveHelp is Cornell's library-wide chat reference service.

DIAGRAM: Figure 1; Virtual Learning Environment

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Figure 2; Sample CourseInfo Web site

APPENDIX A Survey Questions for Faculty

1. Do you currently, or would you like to include in your CourseInfo site(s) links or information about Cornell library resources or services? (Please select one)

Yes

No

Would like to

Other comments:

2. If you answered no, are there specific reasons why not? (Check all that apply)

Don't know how

Don't know whom to ask

It isn't necessary

Have never thought to do so Other comments:

3. If you answered yes, what sorts of information do you include? (Check all that apply)

E-Reserves

Specific subject databases

Departmental library Web sites

The Library Gateway

The Library Catalog

E-Reference Collection Web page

Other comments:

4. What could the Library do to help enrich the information component of your CourseInfo sites? (Check all that apply)

Short training session with you or your TA

Provide a Web page with suggested links

Provide a link to the library research workshop schedules

Other suggestions:

5. What would be the best way for the Library to inform you of ways we can help select the most appropriate resources for your CourseInfo sites?

Web page

Paper brochure

Library instruction sessions on integrating library resources during ATC CourseInfo training calendar

Other comments:

6. Please indicate:

Your position (select one):

Professor

Class TA

Administrative assistant/faculty support aide

Other

7. Who usually creates/maintains your CourseInfo site(s) (please check all that apply): Professor

Class TA

Administrative assistant/faculty support aide

Other:

8. May we contact you for a short 5-10 minute interview about your use of CourseInfo?

Yes

No

Please supply your name:

Last First

9. Additional comments, questions, or suggestions: ( )

By Oya Y. Rieger; Angela K. Horne and Ira Revels

Oya Y. Rieger, Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY, USA

Angela K. Horne, Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY, USA

Ira Revels, Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY, USA .