Just Keep Cataloging: How One Cataloging Unit Changed Their Workflows to Fit the Pandemic Remote, Hybrid, and In-library Work

At Utah State University, a pilot project is under development to evaluate the benefits of tracking data sets and faculty publications using the online catalog and the Library’s institutional repository. With federal mandates to make publications and data open, universities look for solutions to track compliance. At Utah State University, the Sponsored Programs Office follows up with researchers to determine where data has been or will be deposited, per the terms of their grant. Interested in making this publicly discoverable, the Library, Sponsored Programs, and Research Office are working together to pilot a project that enables the creation of publicly accessible MARC and Dublin Core records for data deposited by USU faculty. This project aims to make data sets, as well as publications, visible in research portals such as WorldCat, as well through Google searches. This presentation will describe the project and anticipated benefits, as well as outline the roles of the cataloging staff and data librarian, and the involvement of the Research Office.

This document describes workflows developed by Utah State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to streamline metadata creation between special collections and digital initiatives departments. The workflows allow for converting finding aid information into Dublin Core for uploading item records to a digital repository, and batch linking digitized content to finding aids. The processes are designed to be taught easily and performed by various staff levels to automate metadata work and make it more flexible.

 Payant, A., Rozum, B., Woolcott, L. (2016). Mitigating the Risk: Identifying Strategic University Partnerships for Compliance Tracking of Research Data and Publications. International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Satellite Conference: Data in Libraries: The Big Picture

USU launched a program in 2016 to connect researchers seeking federal funding with librarians to assist them with data management. This program assisted over 100 researchers, but was it successful? Our presentation will discuss how we evaluated the success of this program using online asynchronous focus groups (OAFG) in conjunction with a traditional survey. Our cross-institutional research team will share our findings as well as the challenges and successes of using OAFGs to assess library services.

A survey and demonstration of open source, freely available tools to help technical services units assess their work, collect and analyze data, create infographics, and visually demonstrate their impact on the library and their patrons.

The document discusses research data management at Utah State University (USU). It provides a history of USU's data management efforts beginning in 2013 with the creation of a campus committee and the hiring of a Data Librarian in 2015. The librarians developed a compliance program to meet federal requirements for data sharing and launched it in 2016. They now provide standard resources like a website and consultations, as well as non-standard services like annual communication with researchers regarding data deposit requirements. The document concludes with suggestions for backing up data using the "Rule of 3," describing data adequately, and organizing data files and directories.

USU was selected to host a unique collection of oral histories from Grant Bulltail, Crow Storyteller and 2019 NEA National Heritage Fellow, representing the stories and knowledge of the Crow Nation as passed down by his ancestors. The collection spans 20+ years of field work and collaboration across library departments and regional partners.

USU Libraries’ Cataloging and Metadata Unit has successfully investigated several methods to engage the public to involve them in the creation of metadata for USU’s Digital History Collections. Most, if not all the techniques we have tested have yielded positive results and have improved the relevancy and accuracy of our descriptive metadata.

The document summarizes a research project conducted by the Cataloging and Metadata Services unit at Utah State University to analyze user search behavior and the performance of MARC records in search results. The project involved analyzing web logs of searches, scraping search results pages, and coding records and fields in Airtable. Key findings included that MARC records make up around 20% of search results on average, vendor records appear more often than locally created records, and the 245 and 505 fields were most important for retrieving records while the 505, 520 and 650 fields had the greatest impact if missing from records. Guidelines for cataloging practice were proposed based on the findings.

Outlines the development of the two single-service point and education initiatives, describes feedback gathered from a survey, and discusses how the Cataloging and Metadata Services unit plans to adapt services based on findings

The document summarizes a study conducted by Becky Skeen, Liz Woolcott, and Andrea Payant at Utah State University on assessing communication patterns within their cataloging and metadata services department. They used interaction logs filled out by staff weekly and an anonymous survey distributed to other library departments. The study found lower than expected interaction with other technical services units and higher interaction with special collections. It also contradicted stereotypes of catalogers being withdrawn by finding most interactions were social. The data analysis tools used included Excel, Qualtrics, Tableau and OpenRefine. Conducting this assessment on a regular basis and expanding the research was recommended to provide more useful insights into communication over time.

Folklorists and librarians have long championed social justice and advocacy issues. Today, the skills garnered through principled academic discourse, community based ethnographic fieldwork, and ethical librarianship are being utilized to collect, preserve, present, and educate around social themes and issues. USU folklorists and librarians are working to create robust digital collections that focus on timely social issues with informed and ethical metadata.

A process to include standardized funder and author identifiers into institutional repository and ILS records which are associated with funded research data

Clair Canfield's VOCAB model provides a framework for effective collaboration through vulnerability, ownership, communication, acceptance, and boundaries. The document discusses each element of the model and provides tips for incorporating them into teamwork. It suggests taking time for reflection, setting group agreements, embracing different communication styles, taking accountability, and accepting realities outside of one's control. Practicing these concepts can help teams work through challenges, utilize individual strengths, and adapt to change.

This document discusses Utah State University's process for handling patron requests to digitize materials from the archives. It outlines the evolution from self-serve scanning to a mediated scanning service with a charge. The main challenges are lack of consistency, turnaround time, and documentation. The solution was to create an online digitization request form and standardized workflow. Initial results showed around 90 requests since implementation, with most being made available online. Next steps include linking digital items to finding aids and expanding the process to more complex requests within collections.