Media Plan for North Metro Technical College - Library and Media Services

(reviewed by the Library Advisory Committee, April 2007)

 

Scope and Purpose

 

North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Services supports the overall purpose of the institution, which reads:

 

North Metro Technical College is a public two-year postsecondary institution that provides accessible and high quality educational opportunities that prepare individuals for successful employment through state-of-the-art technical education and training. The college offers both traditional and web-based educational options that include individual courses, certificates, diplomas and associate degrees, as well as adult literacy, economic development, and personal enrichment programs. The educational programs of the college focus on the development of technical competence, critical thinking skills, and social and personal skills. North Metro Technical College will continually evolve its programs and services as a result of ongoing communication with the college’s constituents in order to provide the educational opportunities determined to be of value to the communities it serves.

 

The purpose (mission) of the Library/ Media Center is to support and stimulate teaching and learning by providing an environment in which instruction and learning can flourish. The Library/Media Center aims to acquire, provide access to, and disseminate recorded information in a variety of formats. Access will be provided through traditional and electronic means. The Library/Media Center will provide bibliographic, reference, and instructional support to students, faculty, staff, and the community.

.

 

Goals and Objectives

North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Services supports the teaching and learning needs of students, faculty, staff, and community. The following Library/Media Services objectives are designed to help provide that support:

 

Provide access to media materials and services:

 

1. Offer accessibility to the Library/Media Center for day and night students, faculty, staff, as well as members of the community.

 

2. Provide circulation of materials, reference service, and orientation.

 

3. Provide research skills instruction and GALILEO/Internet training, bibliographies, study guides, and other library aids.

 

4. Borrow media materials through interlibrary loan as requested by faculty, administration, and students.

 

5. Encourage use of on-line databases, CD-ROM materials, and other resource materials.

 

6. Provide maintenance as needed of instructional equipment: TV/VCR’s, slide projectors, and overhead projectors.

 

Develop wide range of media resources:

 

1. Purchase materials requested by faculty and staff as funding is available.

 

2. Work through the Technical College System of Georgia's representative participation with GALILEO to provide appropriate electronic resources.

 

3. Seek and encourage gifts of funds, equipment, and materials from business and industry, community groups, and individuals.

 

4. Assist faculty and staff in recommendations for enhancing Library and Media Services by sending them information pertinent to their program of study.

 

5. Develop access to a wider range of library materials through automation of library services and acquisition of new technologies.

 

Encourage capacity for self-directed use:

 

1. Provide orientation for all new students and in-service training for faculty and staff.

 

2. Collaborate with faculty members concerning opportunities for Library/Media Center instruction, including personal guidance and programs for subject oriented bibliographic instruction.

 

3. Continue to develop bibliographic instruction programs.

 

4. As a member institution of GALILEO, encourage students to use the self-paced, computer-assisted instruction in library research skills, information literacy and study skills in the GALILEO Tutorial at www.galileo.usg.edu

 

5. Involve business and industry in the use and support of the Library/Media Center by maintaining a registration system that allows them to utilize all library services, including circulation of materials and research.

 

 

Facilitate media services growth:

1. Annually provide a report to the Vice President for Instruction that updates the resource needs of Library/Media Services to include funds, materials, equipment, and personnel.

 

2. Streamline procedures to reduce administrative workload.

 

3. In conjunction with the Library/Media Services Advisory Committee, annually review short-range and update long-range plans.

 

 

Evaluate media services for improvement:

1. Consult faculty, staff, and students through the annual library surveys concerning needs and responsiveness to those needs.

 

2. Solicit ideas for improvement from students, faculty, and staff through the Library/Media Services Advisory Committee and the annual library surveys.

 

3. Biannually compare Library and Media Services and resources offered for each program of study and number of students enrolled.

 

4. Involve Library/Media Services in instructional program development and changes in curriculum.

 

5. Maintain a Library/Media Services Advisory Committee.

 

6. Develop an annual Assessment Plan and Report to access three-to-five objectives that are determined to be of most importance to the Library and that need to maintain optimum effectiveness or that are identified as needing improvement.

 

 

Description of Library/Media Services Programs and Facilities

 

Library/Media Services Facilities

The Library/Media Center, housed in a centralized location, includes 2,086 square feet of space. The layout and furniture offer limited space for users of the Library/Media Center to read, browse, listen, view, and study materials. Areas are also available for handling circulation, periodical and newspaper display, materials processing and storage, and audio-visual equipment storage and distribution. Computers linking the college's network are available for student, faculty, and public use.

 

In addition to the Library/Media Center, some divisions have individual resource centers that house learning resource materials. Materials housed in these areas are cataloged in the on-line library catalog.

 

Stack Areas. The open stack areas for books and periodicals total 636 linear feet; workroom areas total 180 linear feet.

 

Seating Areas. The Library/Media Center can seat up to 52 students at any given time, with a total of 1,636 square feet reserved for seating areas. In addition, across the hall, an auditorium that can seat 250 is available for larger group presentations. Librarians also provide GALILEO/Internet training in classrooms that contain multimedia projection equipment and computers for students.

 

Collection Organization. The Library/Media Center organizes its collections using the Library of Congress classification system and Library of Congress subject headings. Current issues of periodicals are organized alphabetically by title on display shelves. Back issues of periodicals are arranged alphabetically by title and stored in the work room. The Library/Media Center currently keeps the last two years of periodical titles. Shelf guides in the main stack area, periodical areas, and reference area provide convenient access to the Library/Media Center collections. Shelf reading is done to maintain the collection.

 

Library/Media Services Program

Quantitative standards are available to evaluate progress in building a quality Library/Media Services program. The American Library Association's Standards for Two-Year Learning Resource Centers provides benchmarks by which North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Services can be compared.

 

North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Center has been open since Fall 1990. Library resources have increased from about 250 books and 20 serial titles to more than 5,680 print copies of books and 42 print copies of serial titles, as well as more than 45,000 electronic books and more than 1,500 electronic serial titles available through GALILEO. Individual resource centers in some divisions contain materials that support the faculty and staff involved in those programs of study.

 

The Library/Media Center is open 54 hours per week, including four evenings per week, to accommodate the needs of day and evening faculty and students. The Head Librarian plans and coordinates Library and Media Services.

 

The Library/Media Services Program incorporates a variety of services and resources to support and enhance the instructional capabilities of North Metro Technical College. The emphasis for providing materials and services is closely related to the curriculum offered. Faculty and staff are involved as subject specialists in selecting material to be added to the Library/Media Center's collection.

 

Individual Assistance. Library/Media Services personnel work individually with students, faculty, and staff to ensure that they find the specific items they need and to help develop a strategy for effective research.

 

Orientation and Research Classes. Research skills instruction is offered to students at all levels on an individual basis and as a class session. The sessions familiarize students with available print and online resources and how that information can be accessed efficiently and effectively. Subject specific classes are available.

 

Library Computers. Ten computers are available in the Library for searching the online public access library catalog (OPAC), GALILEO Databases, Internet access, and other software loaded on the school server.

 

Interlibrary Loan Services. As a member of SOLINET (Southeastern Library Network) and GOLD (Georgia Online Database), the Library/Media Center provides interlibrary loan privileges for faculty, staff, and students.

 

Faculty and Staff Support. The library staff provides instruction on online information retrieval in support of professional development.

 

Facilitated Lab. A separate lab is open during the week. Staffed by the Student Success Center, this lab allows students to conduct research and keep current with class assignments and promotes computer literacy.

 

Library Online Access. Library support for online and off-campus classes is provided primarily through web-based online sources and services. The Georgia Library Learning Online (GALILEO) databases are provided for all students taking courses through the Georgia Virtual Technical College (GVTC) as well as for other North Metro Technical College students and faculty. GALILEO offers more than 100 citation and full-text-full-image databases for student use. Access to more than 45,000 full-text books is provided through NetLibrary. Links on North Metro Technical College’s web page link students to GALILEO and to email reference access to library staff.

 

 

Library/Media Services Staff Requirements

 

Successful administration of Library/Media Services contributes to the educational effectiveness of the college. A well-qualified staff with the skills, knowledge, and abilities to use and develop media and instructional materials will enhance the Library/Media Services program. There are currently two professional librarians located on the North Metro Technical College campus. Professional librarians possess Master Degrees in the fields of Library Science from an ALA (American Library Association) accredited institution.

 

Standards for community, junior and technical college learning resource programs have been approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT).

 

Library/Media Services Staff Organization

 

The Library/Media Services Organizational Chart (Exhibit 1) includes the Library/Media Services Advisory Committee and staff support. As a component unit in providing learning resources, Library/Media Services has a communication relationship with the Vice President of Instruction in NMTC's organizational chart (Exhibit 2).

 

Library Coordinator. With the support of the Vice President of Instruction at North Metro Technical College, the Head Librarian has the overall responsibility for planning and directing Library/Media Services at North Metro Technical College.

 

Some specific tasks are:

• implement library/media policies and standards

• manage and ensure accessibility to library/media resources

• coordinate the evaluation of Library/Media Services and make necessary modifications

• communicate library/media plans, budget, programs, and services

• coordinate Library/Media Services Advisory Committee meetings

• maintain awareness of new developments in Library/Media Services field

• conduct annual library surveys and make improvements based on survey results.

• conduct and print bibliography searches

• assist in reference, cataloging, circulation, selection, and evaluation of holdings

• recommend materials for purchase

 

North Metro Technical College Librarian. With the support of the head Librarian, the NMTC Librarian works with administration and faculty in helping to identify, select, and provide the best resources to meet learner needs. Some of the specific tasks are:

 

• participate in curriculum development and implementation

• maintain awareness of new developments in Library/Media Services field

• conduct and print bibliography searches

• coordinate interlibrary loan services

• provide computer systems support for the circulation & cataloging software

• assist in reference, cataloging, circulation, selection, and evaluation of holdings

• recommend materials for purchase

 

 

Library/Media Services Advisory Committee:

 

North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Services Advisory Committee performs the following functions:

 

• assists with developing short-range and long-range planning

• provides input regarding acquisition of new equipment and materials

• promotes library/media services activities

• evaluates library/media services

• makes recommendations for additions or modifications to the program

 

Membership

The Library/Media Services Advisory Committee represents the users of North Metro Technical College’s Library. Members represent North Metro Technical College faculty and include others who provide insight and advice based on various areas of expertise. The members are selected on the basis of their ability to contribute to helping North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Services offer its users a full range of learning resources both now and in the future. (Exhibit 3)

 

Meetings

Formal Library/Media Services Advisory Committee meetings are conducted at least semi-annually. These meetings focus on planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating North Metro Technical College’s Library/Media Services.

 

In terms of meetings, the Committee:

• meets at least two times annually on a scheduled basis

• elects officers, including a chairperson and a secretary

• follows an agenda, which is distributed to members prior to each meeting

• maintains minutes indicating date, agenda, members present, and recommendations

• maintains an open file of minutes and other necessary documents for a minimum of three years

• conducts voting business only when a quorum is present (A quorum is defined as a majority of official members)

 

Support Staff. North Metro Technical College provides a Work Study position for the library for up to 19 hours per week.

 

 

Collection Development Guidelines

 

Guideline Objectives

 

• To prioritize criteria for collection development and maintenance.

• To establish the responsibilities of Library/Media Services staff in the acquisition of materials.

• To present guidelines for selection of materials specific to subject fields and instructional programs.

 

Methods

 

A. Criteria for Selection

 

1. The library will abide by copyright laws in the acquisition of materials both print and non-print.

 

2. The library follows the Library Bill of Rights (see Exhibit 4). The principles of that document are considered an integral part of the collection development guidelines.

 

3. Materials are selected to support programs of study.

 

4. The following items are not purchased:

 

• Workbooks, except those used as reference sources

• Consumable materials

• Teacher’s guides or manuals to textbooks

• Multiple copies, except when demand requires

• Textbooks

 

5. The library supports all of the educational programs of the college. Primary needs consist of those materials based on curricular requirements. General reference works considered standard in most libraries, as well as materials which foster intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, are selected. As programs expand, primary collection needs will expand.

 

6. Gift materials will be evaluated by the same criteria as purchased materials.

 

B. Responsibilities of the Library Coordinator in Collection Development

 

1. The responsibility for coordinating the selection of materials, equipment, and supplies that support the educational programs of the school rests with the Library Coordinator.

 

2. The Head Librarian will supervise ongoing evaluation of the existing collection and selection of new materials by consulting reviews, recommended lists, standard bibliographic guides, special releases, and qualified specialists.

 

Responsibilities of the North Metro Technical College Librarian in Collection Development

 

1. The NMTC Librarian involves faculty in the selection by disseminating book reviews and bibliographies and by surveying their needs.

 

C. Guidelines Specific to Subject Fields and Instructional Areas

 

1. The selection of materials is a collaborative procedure involving faculty, administrators, students and the library staff. Selection is based on the faculty’s specialized knowledge in subject areas. All faculty requests are top priority. The NMTC Librarian will actively solicit recommendations from the faculty and students regarding collection development.

 

2. Duplicate copies of titles held in the library will not generally be purchased.

 

3. Departmental collections will be bought with funds of that program.

 

D. Guidelines Specific to the Weeding Process

 

1. Periodic weeding is a vital part of collection development to insure that the collection continues to meet the criteria of the guidelines. Worn and out-of-date materials will be removed and replaced if necessary.

 

2. The following criteria are used in making decisions on collection weeding:

 

• Poor physical condition

• Information that is no longer accurate

• Replacement by new edition

• Excess duplicate copies of seldom-used titles

• Lack of value to collection

• Adequacy of similar information

• Lack of use

 

3. Faculty members will be asked to examine collections in their program areas on a regular basis to determine which titles are no longer useful or which are out of date, worn, or superseded by a later edition.

 

4. Weeding is not used to bias the collection in favor of any viewpoint.

 

5. Materials withdrawn are replaced if available and appropriate.

 

 

Budget Process

 

In the Spring of each year, the NMTC Librarian submits to the Vice President of Instruction an Annual Operational Plan and Budget Request. The Vice President of Instruction assesses the needs of Instructional Services, including those of the faculty and the Library/Media Center, and conducts meetings with faculty and staff involved to determine the appropriate level of need for each area. The Vice President of Instruction then submits an overall Instructional Services budget, which includes the Library/Media Center, to the Vice President of Administrative Services.

 

Budget hearings are conducted by the Administrative Council to provide department staff the opportunity to defend and answer questions pertaining to their budget requests. The Administrative Council discusses the requests and makes suggestions for the budget based on projected total fund availability for the coming year. The President approves the final budget and presents it to the local Board of Directors for adoption.

 

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Library/Media Services

 

Annual Assessment Plan and Report

An annual Assessment Plan is developed by each Administrative and Educational Support Unit of the college, including the Library, to access the quality and effectiveness of the services that they provide. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the administration and staff in each functional unit identify between three and five objectives to be assessed during the coming year that they determine to be of most importance to the unit or that they wish to improve. They determine the means of assessment and the criteria that would determine success in meeting the objectives. Copies of these Assessment Plans are given to the Director of Institutional Planning and Assessment.

 

After the assessments are conducted during the year and the data is collected and analyzed, the units determine changes to be made for improvement and implement those changes. At the end of the fiscal year, the library completes an Assessment Report that summarizes the assessment data collected and the use of the results to improve the unit. A copy of the Assessment Report is stored in the Institutional Planning and Assessment Office as well as in the library. The units are then ready to develop next year’s plan, determining which objectives to re-assess for another year and which objectives to add to the assessment plan.

 

The library uses point-of-contact surveys in the library, as well as school-wide surveys, such as the Graduating Student Survey, Current Student Survey, and the Colleague Survey, in collecting data for the Assessment Plan. The Library/Media Services Advisory Committee also provides input with the planning and evaluation process and makes recommendations for improvements.

(Exhibit 1)

Library services Organizational chart

 

(Exhibit 2)

NMTC Organization Chart

(Exhibit 3)

Library advisory board as of July 2008

 

Jeff Fisher, NMTC Librarian

5198 Ross Road

Acworth, GA 30102

Office: 770-975-4134

jfisher (at) northmetrotech.edu

 

Adam Hart, NMTC faculty

5198 Ross Road

Acworth, GA 30102

Office: 770-529-2349

ahart (at) northmetrotech.edu

 

Ron Newcomb

VP of Instruction, NMTC

5198 Ross Road

Acworth, GA 30102

Office: 770-975-4009

rnewcomb (at) northmetrotech.edu

 

Maureen Norris

North Cobb HS Media Specialist

3400 Highway 293 North

Kennesaw, Georgia 30144

Office: 770-975-6685

Maureen.norris (at) cobbk12.org

 

W. Scott Rule, VP of Student Services

5198 Ross Road

Acworth, Georgia 30102

Office : 770-975-4046

WRule (at) northmetrotech.edu

 

Carmen Sims

Bartow County Public Library

429 West Main Street

Cartersville, GA 30120

Office: 770-382-4203 Ext.123

carmen (at) bartowlibrary.org

 

Kate Stirk, NMTC Librarian

5198 Ross Road

Acworth, GA 30102

Office: 770-975-4054

kstirk (at)northmetrotech.edu

 

Brenda White, Dean for Instructional Services

5198 Ross Road

Acworth, Georgia 30102

Office : 770-975-4108

bwhite (at) northmetrotech.edu

 

 

 

(Exhibit 4)

 

Library Bill of Rights

 

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for

information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide

their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

 

Adopted June 18, 1948.

 

 

Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980,

inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996,

by the ALA Council.