The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with ALA to provide our members with access to their live webinars.  These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar.  Please do not register directly with ALA. Members who register directly with ALA are responsible for paying their registration fee. 

Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel. 

Description

Join us as we explore the technical and political processes of overhauling and streamlining our LibGuides and the A-Z database list. Through case studies, we will describe how we built on existing relationships, created new workflows, and secured buy-in for what is a total overhaul of the ways Georgia Tech Library employees share their expertise with an online audience. In addition to developing a template, rubric, and style guide for content creators, we created a team to redefine database links, update descriptions, remove extraneous icons, ensure title consistency, and conduct thorough subject association reviews. We will provide insights into the strategic decisions and collaborative efforts that drove this transformation, including cognitive load principles, accessibility standards to optimize the user experience, and emphasizing the use of plain language. In an age of information deluge, our approach demonstrates that less is indeed more, and buy-in from all parts of the library organization is essential.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Define best practices for presenting library resources to online users;
• Identify areas for improvement in their library’s subject guides and database lists;
• Imagine workflows that successfully function across different units and position types; and
• Discuss the technical and political processes involved in changing fundamental parts of their library’s website.

Who Should Attend

Library employees who assist users or work on library systems, anyone who supervises employees who do these things, or library leaders and administrators who want to improve their user experience.

Presenters

Marlee Givens (she/her) is Team Lead for Instruction and Scholarly Research at the Georgia Tech Library. She supports teaching, learning and scholarship for faculty and students, and develops and delivers library skills instruction. She served as project manager on the library’s LibGuides Evaluation and Development project and currently leads projects to make library instruction materials more accessible and to streamline the planning, scheduling, and tracking of library workshops. A library professional since 1994, Marlee has an MLS from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in French from the University of Georgia, and a B.A. in French from Washington University in St. Louis. She completed two certificates in learning design from the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

Liz Holdsworth (they/them) is the Head of Academic Engagement at the Georgia Tech Library. They earned an M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina, Asheville. They provide leadership for all aspects of instruction- related policies, procedures, and practices that support student learning and assess programs in relation to student success. They engage as a thought-leader with faculty and colleagues in developing and enhancing strategies for an inclusive library culture.

Heather Jeffcoat (she/her) manages the web and discovery aspects of the Georgia Tech Library. With a Master's degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University and a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of South Carolina, she has been overseeing the Library's web presence since 1998 and representing technology in the Library's Portfolio since 2017. As the Web and Discovery Management Librarian, Heather is in charge of developing strategies, designing, and maintaining all Library websites, including the Library’s discovery system, Primo.

Accessibility Information

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.