INSTITUTE EVALUATION RESULTS

Thirty-two CUNY librarians and thirty-six non-CUNY librarians who attended the May 19, 2000, LACUNY Institute were kind enough to complete evaluation surveys about the Institute. The results are compiled below.

Average responses of CUNY librarians 1. Did the program offer what you expected?--4.69
2. Did the program increase your understanding of information literacy?--4.22
3. Was the format of the program (simultaneous panels, discussion groups, poster sessions, and vendor demonstrations) suitable?--3.84
4. Were the facilities suitable?--4.72
5. Was it easy to find your way to Baruch?--4.66
Total average response--4.43

Average responses of non-CUNY librarians 1. Did the program offer what you expected?--4.33
2. Did the program increase your understanding of information literacy?--4.36
3. Was the format of the program (simultaneous panels, discussion groups, poster sessions, and vendor demonstrations) suitable?--3.83
4. Were the facilities suitable?--4.72
5. Was it easy to find your way to Baruch?--4.53
Total average response--4.36

Average responses of all attendees 1. Did the program offer what you expected?--4.50
2. Did the program increase your understanding of information literacy?--4.29
3. Was the format of the program (simultaneous panels, discussion groups, poster sessions, and vendor demonstrations) suitable?--3.84
4. Were the facilities suitable?--4.72
5. Was it easy to find your way to Baruch?--4.59
Total average response--4.39

Attendees were also asked to respond to the following four questions.

A. What was the most interesting or helpful part of the program?

Responses by CUNY librarians

"High-quality content."

"The variety of approaches and viewpoints presented." "First-rate speakers."
"The knowledge of the speakers. They knew their topics, had experience, and could verbalize it."
"I learned so much I can’t begin to say. The horror stories about tutorials were very important to hear."
"Meeting the authors of articles on information literacy and hearing the experiences of those in the field."
"Having speakers making great inroads in information literacy."
"Patricia Iannuzzi’s insights and enthusiasm."
"Ms. Iannuzzi is an excellent speaker."
"Iannuzzi’s great organization."
"Panels, with time for questions."
"Various discussions on assessment."
"Partnerships with faculty panel."
"Kyzyl Fenno-Smith [partnerships panel] presented a fresh, original point of view."
"Terry Mech [assessment panel]: "A very good example of what sounds like a good college with an established, successful program."
"Interactive panel discussions and poster sessions."
"The discussion groups were by far the best part of the Institute and provided good, practical information."
"Blackboard demonstration."
"Sharon Bonk’s wrapup."
"Poster sessions."
"Moderators were very effective and schedule was adhered to."
"Handouts."
"Bibliography."
"Talking to other librarians."
"Tie-in with education associations/experts."
"Using the Web as an informational tool has been very beneficial."

Responses by non-CUNY librarians "The combination of presentation formats (keynote, group discussions, panels, poster sessions) which evoked a good exchange of ideas."
"Throughout the sessions, a variety of models were highlighted. The dialogue that resulted from the comparisons of approaches was thoughtprovoking."
"Overview of information literacy and assessment."
"The concrete examples of how information literacy courses have been built or progressed at different schools."
"Patricia Iannuzzi was the best speaker I have heard on the topic of information literacy in a long time. She covered all the bases."
"Patricia Iannuzzi is a gold mine of information on information literacy and assessment and a great speaker."
"Particularly impressed by the keynote address. Very informative and thoughtful."
"Keynote speaker was excellent and easy to understand. Having her PowerPoint presentation on the Web so that we can get it ourselves. Practical yet scholarly."
"Keynote address: interesting ideas raised; wasn’t ‘same old, same old.’"
"Patricia Iannuzzi and poster sessions."
"Both panel discussions had excellent presenters."
"Panel on assessment: received some good ideas."
"Kyzyl Fenno-Smith’s talk."
"Web-based tutorials discussion group."
"Found it all excellent."

B. What was the least effective part of the program?

Responses by CUNY librarians "The format of the program. I would have preferred to be able to go to all the sessions."
"So much going on simultaneously, it was hard to choose."
"Wish that I could have attended more sessions. I hope other colleagues will share their experiences."
"Too much overlap with some of the presentations."
"Poster sessions at the same time as panel presentations."
"Overly theoretical treatment of assessment. Librarians seem to have accepted the rationale for assessment. We need more help on how to do it and long-range studies of its effectiveness in improving learning."
"Discussions theoretical. Concrete examples would be helpful."
"Would like more communication or follow up with participants/attendees."
"More handouts needed. Too bad lights had to be dimmed for PowerPoint presentations."
"Long lunch hour. You should hand out sandwiches and feed us in a half hour and do more program."
"There was no ‘least effective’ part for me. There is always the regret of not being able to attend something being held concurrently."
"Nothing can be called ‘least effective.’ Program was totally on target."

Responses by non-CUNY librarians "Should have had presentation on the actual design of an information literacy course. What would the course content look like?"
"It was difficult to choose which program to attend. More time!"
"Too many activities running simultaneously."
"Panel moderators’ introductions could have been shorter."
"Question-and-answer sessions."
"Poster sessions and vendors only because there was not enough time to spend in that area."
"The posters were interesting, but the area was crowded, making them difficult to see."
"Hard to see the poster sessions."
"The exhibits were not pertinent to my discipline: business."
"It was all effective."
"All were good."

C. What should LACUNY do to improve future programs?

Responses of CUNY librarians "Only two things at once. More free time for casual discussions."
"Don’t have panels at the same time as discussion sessions. We should all be able to attend the sessions."
"Invite faculty members (chairpersons), especially if the topic involves curriculum enhancement for students."
"More workshops for faculty development, including non-librarians."
"Make more realistic, concrete for CUNY librarians. Nothing in keynote or panels dealt with the woefully unprepared CUNY students. No concrete information on how to make them literate."
"Tape all simultaneous sessions for those who haven’t mastered the art of being in two places at the same time."
"Microphone in audience for question-and-answer sessions."
"Note paper in the program packet."
"Start later. End earlier. Provide lunch with only half-hour break."
"Shorten the day. It was very difficult to sit still and be attentive from nine till 4:15."
"Having the poster sessions was wonderful. Participants were able to share what they are doing and create a dialogue with others."
"Keep building on past Institutes and involve, like this Institute, new staff who have technological skills."
"Continue to offer relevant, timely programs like this one."
"This was one of the best."
"I believe that this was well coordinated. I am not sure that it’s so simple. It probably depends on the Institute topic."
"Program great boost to CUNY image. Well run, facilities great, program on major topic."
"The programs get better every year. Last year’s and this year’s have been excellent."
"This was an excellent program. Just keep doing what you are doing."
"Over the past few years, you have done very well indeed. Keep these planning people."

Responses of non-CUNY librarians "More practical. More activities. Why do we sit and listen and sit? Let’s put it into practice if it really is transferable."
"Keep the talks shorter. Some speakers gave too much historical information."
"Require handouts. Leave more time between sessions."
"More time for poster sessions and vendors."
"Offer fewer simultaneous events. Schedule a separate time for poster sessions and vendors that doesn’t conflict with other events."
"Cut down the long lunch break. It was a waste of time."
"Publicize it more outside New York City."
"Very well orchestrated."
"Keep it going."
"You are doing just fine."
"CUNY did an excellent job with this Institute. Keep up the good work."
"Give us sunshine at lunchtime."

D. Do you have any suggestions for future Institute topics?

Responses of CUNY librarians "Library services for diverse users. Can CUNY libraries meet all the subject needs of its students and faculty? What is our responsibility to meet faculty needs for their resources?"
"Social issues and libraries: what is our role in handling topics that are controversial?"
"Management structure in academic libraries and how faculty status works within this."
"The librarian as researcher/scholar. Is the subject bibliographer still the most desirable to hire? Do librarians study library issues?"
"Following up on today, visual information."
"Distance learning or panels of employers/special librarians on what skills people need on their first jobs, what they find lacking, and what training their companies offer."
"How to involve teaching faculty in library."
"Librarian-faculty relationship."
"Library funding: what to do when you have no budget."
"Quality of research published by librarians, how to make it better, and what topics are underresearched."
"Migration issues related to change in online catalog."
"Simply stress the Internet and new computer-based technologies at every Institute."
"Information literacy and distance education."
"Philosophy of reference service."
"Have an information literacy II. This is a topic that needs more exploration and discussion."
"If we’re serious about information literacy, we’ll be working on this for at least another year. Perhaps the senior colleges can work on defining higher level competencies and how they’re taught or how the competencies are taught in different disciplines. I’d like to see some sessions on the wide variety of learning styles and strategies which work with each."

Responses of non-CUNY librarians "Learning theory. What is the current thinking about how people learn and how does it apply to library programs? Effective assessment techniques of student learning."
"Integration of evidence-based methodology into the curriculum (as opposed to research) through collaboration of librarians and faculty."
"Conducting research on students/patrons/end-users. Research without a surfboard. Research without books."
"Faculty development."
"Multiculturalism."
"Technology and librarianship."
"Distance education."
"The future of the physical library."
"Global education via the Web."
"Leadership, supervision, and accreditation."
"Document delivery/interlibrary loan issues."
"Time-management techniques."
"The future of information."
"More in-depth examination of information literacy."