Just in Time: Rapidly Developing Your Library’s Self-Guided Help for Immediate Impact is a poster in the 2020 PNLA Virtual Poster Session. We encourage you to engage in discussion by leaving a comment on the page. The author of the poster will respond to comments the week of August 4-7, 2020.
Presenters: D’Arcy Hutchings, Anna Bjartmarsdottir, Daria O. Carle, Ruth D. Terry, & Jennifer McKay
Track: Academic, Public, School, & Special Libraries
Abstract: During this pandemic environment, the uncertainty of in-person access to the library makes providing some kind of 24/7 help even more critical. In an ongoing project begun several years ago, librarians at the University of Alaska Anchorage created a series of self-help guides, tutorials, and FAQs to serve students with their most basic research needs. As the project developed, we gained a better understanding of how to create and improve self-help content, organizing it into an easily accessible format for our users, whether or not the library building is open.
The project was initially developed when we had more time and the ability to meet in person, but when the pandemic hit, we realized our long term project could be distilled down to the essential elements and shared with others in a modified, rapid version. We have compiled our best practices so that you too can learn how to create or improve help content efficiently and effectively. With so many universities and K-12 schools still undecided as to their status in the fall, this is a timely opportunity for you to present your library’s self-help content in an easily accessible 24/7 format to meet your user needs.
Poster:
About the Presenters:
D’Arcy Hutchings is the Instructional Design Librarian at the UAA/APU Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She holds an MLIS from University of Alabama and a Master’s of Education from University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Anna Bjartmarsdottir is an Instruction and Research Librarian and liaison to English, Writing, Creative Writing, and Theater at the UAA/APU Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She holds an MLS from the State University of New York at Albany, and an MA in Theater and Film Studies from the University of British Columbia.
Daria O. Carle is the Science Librarian at the UAA/APU Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage and serves as liaison to engineering, mathematics, and the natural sciences. Her MLIS is from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
Ruth D. Terry is the Business and Government Information Librarian at the UAA/APU Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Her MLS is from Texas Woman’s University.
Jennifer McKay is the Nursing and Education Librarian with the Alaska Medical Library at the UAA/APU Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She holds an MLIS from San Jose State University.
