Sam Houston State University (SHSU) provides adequate and appropriate library and learning/information resources, services, and support for its mission. Students, faculty, and staff have adequate and appropriate access to the library and other learning/information resources and services. To support the institution’s and the library’s missions for “providing high quality education, scholarship and service to qualified students” [1] and developing critically thinking, educated, lifelong learners [2], the library and other student support units provide a variety of learning resources to both face-to-face and online students in both scheduled and on-demand formats.
Library
Physical Resources
Physical library resources and services are available to all users to access during all hours that the Newton Gresham Library building is open, which totals 101.5 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters while courses are in session [3]. Additionally, the library information center at The Woodlands Center (TWC) is open for 57 hours per week [4]. Professional library staff or librarians are available onsite during all hours that the library building is open to facilitate access and provide on-the-spot research assistance at the library’s central information service desk.
Although there has been a continuing effort to focus on obtaining more electronic resources to better support the growing number of online courses and students, the library still holds over 713,000 physical resources comprised of books, print periodicals, and media items. The library building also houses two computer areas with more than 100 student computers, 5 printers, 3 scanners, several computer workstations with adaptive technologies, and laptops for in-building use. There are also three collaboration tables and a number of individual and group study rooms, including spaces designated for veterans, honors students, and graduate students.
The library has two computer classrooms enabling subject librarians to provide, by faculty requests, face-to-face in-class instructional sessions or tours on using library resources [5]. These instructional sessions are customized for the course and assignment needs, and topics range from basic search techniques to in-depth research on an advanced topic using specialized resources and databases. Special instructional topics covering copyright, citation development and management, or thesis and dissertation preparation can also be requested.
Customized assistance is available for students working on theses, dissertations, and other in-depth research projects through the library’s One-to-One program. With the support of a faculty supervisor, any student with a finalized research topic can request a one-to-one librarian, who will work with the student individually to provide personalized research guidance for the duration for the research project [6].
The library also provides access to print books, journal articles, and other print resources to students who are enrolled in online courses and/or reside outside of Walker County through its Distance Learning Services. Scanned copies of print articles will be sent electronically to distance learning students through the Interlibrary Loan system, and print books will be mailed to the student free of charge [7].
Virtual Resources and Services
The vast majority of library resources are available online, which enables all students, faculty, and staff from the institution to access these resources at any time, regardless of their physical location. Moreover, the library also offers virtual chat, text, and call services during the hours that in-person research assistance is available [8].
The library offers more than 800,000 electronic books and streaming videos. Approximately half of these items are purchased, and the rest are made available through a Demand Driven Acquisitions (DDA) model. The DDA model enables more than 400,000 electronic books to be made readily available to users by the vendors, and the library then pays by actual print, download, and viewing usage of these titles. This DDA model enables the library to make more resources available to SHSU users at a lower cost than purchasing all materials outright.
In addition to the electronic books and media items, the library also offers more than 300 databases, which include online, full-text access to approximately 400,000 research resources, including academic journals, professional periodicals, popular magazines, and major news publications. Starting in 2016, in an effort to make scholarship from the SHSU community accessible and available, a digital repository was established. Graduate and honors theses and dissertations are now published online through the repository system “Scholarly Works @ SHSU” [9]. The repository also hosts faculty publications, conference proceedings, and open access journals from the University [10].
Asynchronous, virtual instructions on conducting research and searching library resources are available through Online Tutorial and Instruction Modules on the library’s website, including an information literacy tutorial [11], which was accepted by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) into its PRIMO database as peer-reviewed quality instructional material in 2010. This tutorial, which includes a quiz, a certificate of completion, and the interactive Goblin Threat! Game on copyright, citation, and plagiarism, is regularly adopted by first-year English composition instructors as a course assignment [12].
For library instruction tailored to online courses and programs, librarians can be “embedded” into Blackboard, the institution’s learning management system, to provide both synchronous and asynchronous instructional sessions, videos, research guides, and other content as requested by the teaching faculty [13]. Moreover, the library offers a growing collection of subject- and topic-specific online research guides [14], a YouTube instructional video channel [15], and short guides covering Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [16]. The library tour is also available online through a virtual photo format [17].
In addition to the virtual library and learning/information resources provided by the library, support technology is also provided by the Division of Information Technology (IT@Sam) and the Office of Academic Instructional Technology and Distance Learning (SHSU Online). These resources and services include internet connectivity, computing networks, classroom-based technologies, software applications, general-use computer labs, and an online course management system. More detailed information about student and faculty access to these services is provided within Standard 11.3.
Specialized Collections and Resources
The library’s special collections are housed in the John W. Thomason Room, a walnut-paneled room of more than 6,000 square feet on the library's fourth floor [18]. The library’s special collections contain primarily printed books (ca. 12,000 titles) and manuscript collections. Additionally, the Thomason Room houses biographical research on thousands of Texans and display cases featuring examples of manuscript items, original art work, and ephemera (e.g., broadsheets, newspapers, and pamphlets). The library’s special collections are used for instructional purposes and as a resource for scholars, both on and off campus. The University’s Archives, an area of approximately 2,200 square feet, is located on the fourth floor adjacent to the Thomason Room. The collection contains materials related to the University’s history. Both areas have a separate heating/cooling system designed to help maintain a proper environment for these materials [19].
State and federal government documents are housed on the first floor of the library in an area of approximately 6,000 square feet. The Government Documents Room is open to the public and is available 100 hours per week. This collection provides information from both state and federal agencies that supports the research needs of the SHSU community and the citizens of the 8th Congressional District of Texas [20]. Three public workstations are available, allowing users to download and manage the data available on CDs and DVDs. Study tables are located throughout the room.
The Music Listening Room is located on the first floor of the library [21]. This area houses the music monographs and serials as well as the CD/DVD and phonograph collection. The library’s audio-visual collection is housed in the Music Listening Room and serves as an aid for classroom instruction and student research. Seven listening stations and a study area are also available. The materials in this area support the teaching and research needs of students and faculty in the School of Music and other SHSU community members.
Lastly, all SHSU students, faculty, and staff can request books, articles, and other library materials not available from the library through the Interlibrary Loan system. The Newton Gresham Library is a member of Amigos Library Services and participates in TexShare, the State’s resource-sharing program [22]. The Interlibrary Loan system uses these two library programs, as well as reciprocal agreements, to provide access to material not available on campus [23]. Most articles and chapters are delivered electronically to the requester, and physical books and other print items are available to pick up during building hours.
Adequacy of Library Holdings
In order to provide information resources that support both the research and curricular needs of the University, the library uses a variety of methods to identify and acquire the needed resources. In addition to faculty requests, subject librarians use standard selection tools, including scholarly journals and library review resources (e.g., Choice, Library Journal, and Books in Print), to identify the best information resources for the campus. The library’s profile for the new title notification approval plan with YBP Library Services reflects the curricular and research interests of the University. The library’s Collection Development Policy [24] defines the characteristics of each subject area and the criteria for adding material to support undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as research. Both the Collection Development Policy and the YBP slip approval plan are updated annually to reflect curriculum changes, as well as reviewed and revised every ten years. The policy was last revised extensively in 2008 and will undergo in-depth review again in 2018.
Moreover, efforts to maintain and develop the library collection is an ongoing, collaborative effort, with librarians serving as subject liaisons to every academic department and college and working directly with faculty to address their research and teaching needs. The subject librarians also review every new course and program proposal and provide an analysis of the adequacy of library resources in supporting the research and learning needs for the proposed curriculum [25] [26]. Confirmation of this effort to balance the library’s collection development efforts with the demands of research and curriculum needs of the University is reflected in the annual faculty campus perception survey conducted by the Faculty Senate, where faculty assessment of the library efforts in meeting faculty’s research needs and the needs of their departmental curriculum has consistently received high satisfaction scores [27].
Figure 1 – Annual Campus Perception Survey of Faculty, conducted by the SHSU Faculty Senate
| Annual Survey by the SHSU Faculty Senate | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | 2013-14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Satisfaction Score (out of 5) | |||||
| Library services meet faculty needs | 4.21 | 4.31 | 4.16 | 4.17 | 4.17 |
| The library meets the needs of department’s curriculum | 4.21 | 4.30 | 4.14 | 4.14 | 4.15 |
| By Relative Ranking of Satisfaction Score (out of 70 items for assessment) | |||||
| Library services meet faculty needs | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| The library meets the needs of department’s curriculum | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
As part of the academic support services, subject librarians are active participants in most academic program accreditation reviews, which provides another opportunity to reassess the collection for curriculum support. Recent participation in accreditation efforts in the past three years included documentation or reviewer presentations for programs in forensic science, nursing, music, project management, and computer science. In addition, to anticipate and address changes in research and curriculum needs over time, there is funding specifically allocated in the library collection development budget for acquiring materials to support research needs for new faculty members and new programs.
To encourage input from the general University community of students, employees, and faculty, the library also provides online purchase recommendation forms [28] and solicits regular feedback from the Newton Gresham Library Committee [29]. Subject librarians are also able to regularly gauge student and faculty curriculum needs when teaching instructional sessions on using library collections for research projects. In addition, graduate students’ unique research needs are identified through their engagement in the library’s One-to-One program for thesis and dissertation guidance with a designated subject librarian.
Lastly, to utilize existing usage patterns and statistics for collection development purchases, the library’s Interlibrary Loan system is set to purchase automatically new books (published during the past two years) requested by faculty for Interlibrary Loan borrowing, and the rest of the Interlibrary Loan request statistics for older books and journal articles are also reviewed each semester by the subject librarians to identify potential research and curriculum needs not adequately met by the existing collection. Usage statistics for the library’s e-book collection are also reviewed regularly to identify demands for unique subjects and topics for collection development considerations.
Academic Success Center (ASC)
To provide an array of academic support services in the key foundation areas, the University provides the ASC, whose mission is to assist and empower students to succeed academically, persist through graduation, prepare for graduate and professional endeavors, and develop an appreciation for lifelong learning.
The ASC supports student learning and success in a University that enrolls a diverse student population. Programs and services are available to all SHSU students, although particular attention is given to first-year students, new transfers, nontraditional students, and students who come from families that traditionally have not had the resources to pursue an advanced education.
The professional staff at the ASC mentor student employees, whose leadership is an integral component in delivering programs and services. Staff members, who collaborate with University and community constituents, are strongly committed to ongoing assessment and evaluation in order to enhance current programs and to develop new initiatives that increase student success, persistence at the University, and graduation rates. Within the ASC are the Reading and Writing Center [30], the Mathematics Center [31], a Supplemental Instruction program [32], and the Bearkat Bridge program [33]. The ASC is located on both the main campus in Huntsville as well as at the Woodlands Center and offers support to online students through email, phone, and video/voice over IP (VOIP) software.
The mission of the Mathematics Center is to provide an environment that fosters growth in mathematics functionality through development of fundamentals, peer-to-peer concept exploration, and the application of mathematics concepts and theorems. Tutees are encouraged to bring class notes, textbooks, and past exams to expedite the flow of sessions. The center complements these resources through its library of current classroom textbooks, formula sheets, and technological resources for tutee use. Feedback from faculty assists in the center’s acquisition of relevant material that may support tutees’ development. The center works interdependently with other on-campus student services departments to continuously update and implement innovative resources in an effort to maintain consistency in University resources.
The Writing Center at the ASC at SHSU is available to help all University students, staff, and faculty. The Writing Center was created to help individuals become better writers and develop more confidence in their writing abilities. The Writing Center tutors provide one-on-one, small group, and workshop writing instruction. The Writing Center also provides tutoring services to students attending off-campus and/or online classes: Papers are emailed to the center, and students meet synchronously with their tutors using a professional video/VOIP software. Workshops on various topics relating to writing are offered throughout the school year. Students may seek assistance for any type of writing needs, including English composition essays, science lab reports, résumés, scholarship applications, job application letters, theses, and dissertations. Writing Center tutors do not merely correct a student’s writing: They help students learn prewriting, revising, and editing skills.
The mission of the Supplemental Instruction Program is to improve student retention and academic achievement by organizing dynamic and interactive peer-facilitated study sessions paired with traditionally difficult courses. Supplemental Instruction is an opportunity for students to take an active role in their learning experience by collaborating with peers and strengthening their study skills in historically difficult SHSU courses.
Bearkat Bridge is an online refresher program that helps identify concepts in math, reading, and writing that students have forgotten and need to review. Bearkat Bridge is online, but personal support is available online and in-person. Tutors and teachers are available Monday through Thursday at the main campus in Huntsville and online in the evenings and weekends.
Student Advising and Mentoring (SAM) Center
Opened in 2002, the SAM Center [34] is housed in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building (CHSS) with approximately 4,134 usable square feet. The SAM Center is dedicated to helping students adjust to academic life at SHSU. Services available include academic advising, an early alert system, at-risk student aid, and proactive peer mentoring.