Technology on demand

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the implementation process one academic library used to create a loanable technology program to address student needs for multiple technologies that support and facilitate assignments and other projects, including an increasing number that are multimodal. Design/methodology/approach -This is a case study utilizing focus groups and management data to detail best practices for implementing and maintaining a loanable technology program. Findings -Preliminary results indicate that this program provides value to students and coursework, as well as justifying creating a budget line to support further program development. Implementing a loanable technology program requires additional strategies for policies and procedures related to acquisition, budget allocation, processing, cataloging, check-out, replacement, and security of the equipment, as well as marketing the service. Findability and equitable student access to loanable technology are also discussed. Research limitations/implications -An extensive programmatic evaluation method has yet to be put into place to assess the impact of this program. Suggestions for improvements in the program are included. Practical implications -The process and strategies described in this paper can be replicated by other institutions that are interested in creating a loanable technology program. Originality/value -Although many institutions provide some loanable technology, there is little written that documents decisions made that lead to a successful, robust, and sustainable program.

Technology Lending in the Time of Covid-19: Meeting Curricular Needs

“…As the technology lending expands, so does student responsibility. Accountability for laptops has been in place since lending programs have started, mainly through students signing forms acknowledging that the lent technology needs to be returned undamaged (Hahn et al, 2011;Summey & Gutierrez, 2012). The signing of forms was dropped by the University of Houston who instead opted for verbally informing students of potential fines and reasoned that the "same system of trust" (p.340) as students checking out books could be applied (Sharpe, 2009).…”

Creating a Virtuous Circle of Student Engagement with the Tech Corner

“…Catalogs facilitate exploration and discovery across disciplinary boundaries, leisure reading collections are being added and marketed in academic libraries in response to users' requests and to encourage the continued use of academic libraries (Dewan, 2010), and academic libraries' computer use policies often do not limit what patrons view or use within Internet browsers ("Libraries and the Internet Toolkit," n.d.). Some libraries with media collections and other technology devices have also taken a broader view of the potential user base and the utility of the items (Hahn, Mestre, Ward, & Avery, 2011). Providing opportunities for students to learn or explore beyond their currently enrolled courses can be consistent with the mission of academic libraries.…”

“…While some academic libraries have established student advisory boards (Deuink & Seiler, 2009) that could be consulted, there are several other commonly used forms of direct student input such as surveys, focus groups, and the collection of data about requested items at service points. For design of an expanded media-device collection to support a learning commons, one academic library enlisted focus groups drawn from a variety of student groups on campus and an email survey to the undergraduate students (Hahn et al, 2011). This type of direct request for recommendations on new collection items, instead of the all-too-familiar request for feedback on existing materials, has the potential to more deeply involve students with their library.…”

Implementing a tablet circulation program on a shoestring

“…We also wanted to examine how health sciences librarians add value to multidisciplinary teams engaged in health literacy activities. Building upon previous work reported elsewhere [7], our team of faculty, clinical staff, and librarians identified the opportunity for a health literacy intervention at Drexel University's 11th Street Health Services Center, a federally qualified health center that is located in a public housing development and serves a low-income, predominantly minority population.…”

“…To help support such efforts and to keep up with the increasing interest in accessing health-related information and resources via mobile devices such as tablet computers like iPads, academic health sciences center libraries have also been investigating interest in or piloting the development of tablet circulation programs [4]. There is also literature mentioning circulating tablet computers in an academic library setting [5,6] and literature specific to academic health sciences libraries on circulating other technological devices [7], including e-readers [8] and personal digital assistants [9]. This brief communication addresses the planning, implementation, experiences, and preliminary outcomes of the Arizona Health Sciences Library (AHSL) in starting a program to circulate tablet computers in order to support the increasingly mobile information-seeking behavior of its users.…”