Standard IIC

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Standard IIC
Library and Learning Services

Library and other learning support services for students are sufficient to support the institution's instructional programs and intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural activities in whatever format and wherever they are offered. Such services include library services and collections, tutoring, learning centers, computer laboratories, and learning technology development and training. The institution provides access and training to students so that library and other learning support services may be used effectively and efficiently. The institution systematically assesses these services using student learning outcomes, faculty input, and other appropriate measures in order to improve the effectiveness of the services.

1.  The institution supports the quality of its instructional programs by providing library and other learning support services that are sufficient in quantity, currency, depth, and variety to facilitate educational offerings, regardless of location or means of delivery. 1

a. Relying on appropriate expertise of faculty, including librarians and other learning support services professionals, the institution selects and maintains educational equipment and materials to support student learning and enhance the achievement of the mission of the institution.

b. The institution provides ongoing instruction for users of library and other learning support services so that students are able to develop skills in information competency.

c. The institution provides students and personnel responsible for student learning programs and services adequate access to the library and other learning support services, regardless of their location or means of delivery.

d. The institution provides effective maintenance and security for its library and other learning support services.

e. When the institution relies on or collaborates with other institutions or other sources for library and other learning support services for its instructional programs, it documents that formal agreements exist and that such resources and services are adequate for the institution's intended purposes, are easily accessible, and utilized. The performance of these services is evaluated on a regular basis. The institution takes responsibility for and assures the reliability of all services provided either directly or through contractual arrangement.

2. The institution evaluates library and other learning support services to assure their adequacy in meeting identified student needs. Evaluation of these services provides evidence that they contribute to the achievement of student learning outcomes. The institution uses the results of these evaluations as the basis for improvement.

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

1. General Description of Learning Resources at Ventura College

The Library and Learning Resources Center 's mission and goals are consistent with those of Ventura College . The Mission Statement of Ventura College states, in part, that the college provides an "accessible learning environment that is responsive to the needs of students, promotes success, develops students to their full potential, creates lifelong learners, and fosters positive human values for successful living and membership in a global environment."

Similarly, the Ventura College Mission Statement, as stated in the Ventura College Catalog 2003-2004, p. 3, and as adopted by the by the Governing Board in 2004, states that the college is committed to assisting students achieve their goals and develop their potential "by providing support services and co-curricular experiences to educate the whole person" (IIC-1).

The mission of the Ventura College Library and Learning Resources Center, as stated on page 2 of the "Library Policy Manual," is to "serve the faculty, staff and students of the Ventura County Community College District as a reliable source for education, research, information, continuing education, fulfilling intellectual curiosity, and promoting student retention through an effective library program" (IIC-2). The library functions not only as a resource laboratory supporting classroom curriculum, but also as an instructional unit that teaches students proper research methods using print, database, and Internet resources in preparation for their continued educational growth.

Each year, the library establishes goals with input from the library staff and review by the Library Committee. These goals drive the activities for the year, and serve as a touchstone to use in evaluation. The goals for 2003-2004 include the following: 

Library Goals and Objectives for 2003-2004

I. Support instructional programs and cultural activities of the college, both on and off campus, by providing excellent facility, collection, equipment, and staffing service.

A. Develop collection maximizing limited resources to 75,000 volumes by 2009

B. Build and equip new facility

•  Continue working with contractor, architect, and project manager to solve construction problems as they arise

•  Determine furniture and equipment to go into building

•  Work with budget issues as they arise

C. Help students to become information literate

•  Facilitate student access to information

•  Move the library Web site to Library Corp to enhance its capabilities

•  Create a single search engine for all VC library databases

•  Computerize periodicals collection and tie into single search engine, putting entire periodical collection at the service of students

•  Provide same resources to off-campus students as on-campus students

•  Revise Library Orientation Course based on student and faculty evaluations

•  Develop Web-based orientation for off-campus students

•  Establish benchmarks and increase number of students who receive library orientation

D. Prepare for move to new facility

•  Develop a self-check-out system for patrons

•  Weed collection

•  Decide what indexes, periodicals, etc. should be added, deleted, or moved to electronic vs. paper

•  Plan for physical move and establish moving priorities

•  Create a print vending plan

•  Revise library card concept vs. ASB cards

E. Create operational East Campus Learning Resources Center

•  Train staff

•  Equip center

•  Identify and move reference materials from campus library

•  Provide online services to center-Smarthinking tutoring, electronic branch library services

•  Create a benchmark to measure effectiveness of services in improving student learning

F. Spearhead cultural activities, including hosting Frankenstein exhibit

G. Stay abreast of technological changes in Learning Resources Areas

•  Research latest technology and complete equipment list for new building and East Campus Learning Resources Center

II. Address budget shortfalls in Learning Resources Area to minimize impact on services

A. Attain outside resources for new facility

•  VC Foundation campaign

•  Book drive

•  Grants and Endowments

B. Review current staffing and make adjustments as required

III. Evaluate library and learning resources services and use results in planning

A. Assess student learning in library

•  Pilot classroom assessment technique after library orientations

•  Do a student survey

B. Increase student satisfaction as measured on Student Perception Survey spring 2006 by 5 percent

C. Complete learning resources accreditation self study

Many of these goals have been accomplished through activities, which will be described throughout this self study.

Ventura College 's learning resources include programs and services that support students and faculty. As described in the "Ventura College Learning Resources Brochure," they include the Library, the Tutoring Center , the Multimedia Resources Center (traditionally called Audio Visual Services), the Learning Center and the Staff Resource Center (IIC-3). The library and learning resources organizationally reside within the Liberal Arts and Learning Resources Division under the administration of the dean. Classified employees working in Learning Resources serve under the supervision of the learning resources supervisor. (Please see IIC-4 for the organizational structure of the college as a whole and IIC-5 for the library and learning resources organizational structure.)

Governance opportunities are defined by the organizational and committee structures of the College. Ventura College is committed to the full participation of students, faculty and staff in the governance of the college. Governance of the Library and Learning Resources reflects this philosophy and, according to the "Library Policy Manual," is executed by "three main entities which serve as an interactive network, working together to promote communication and to oversee operations, review policies, and improve library services and environment" (IIC-6). These include the library executive staff, which meets bi-weekly with the charge of providing leadership, managing daily operations, and initiating, implementing and evaluating policies, projects and procedures; the Library staff, which meets monthly with the charge of reviewing operational procedures, recommending policy, and providing frontline knowledge affecting the services of the library; and the Library Committee, which meets monthly with the charge of supporting and advocating for the library's overall interests and providing input on policies, procedures and services. The Library Committee is composed of faculty representatives from each division, student body representatives, and classified learning resources representatives.

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY: LIBRARY

Access to the library collection and library services is provided to students of Ventura , Moorpark and Oxnard Colleges ; local universities including California State University Channel Islands, California State University at Northridge, and University of Santa Barbara Ventura County Branch ; Ventura College faculty and staff, and the general public. The library is currently open 64 hours/week, serving day and evening students. Students and faculty can electronically access the library on Ventura College 's Web site 24 hours a day from any Internet location. For those students who do not have computers at home, electronic access to the library is available on campus from the Science Building, F Building, Tutoring Center, all campus computer labs that have Internet access, Internet Cafe and the East Campus. These services are publicized to faculty and students through brochures, electronic mail memos, new faculty orientations, classroom orientation tours, student newspaper articles, college schedule, college catalog, library Web site, department/division meetings, and library committee meetings (IIC-7).

The library currently possesses approximately 52,000 volumes, which include both reference items and circulating material. In addition, Ventura College subscribes to various online database resources, including Gale's Literature Resource Center, Biography Resource Center and Opposing Viewpoints; Proquest's Research Library Complete, National Library Complete, CINAHL and Ethnic Newswatch; Grove's Art Online and Music Online; Wilson's General Science Index and Book Review Digest; Encyclopaedia Britannica; Enciclopedia Universal en Espanol; CQ Researcher; and Title Source II for staff use only. Ventura College holds an extensive microfilm library for research. The library also possesses a collection of rare books. The librarians use, as a benchmark for electronic resource development, the California Community College League Consortium's recommendations as well as those of the Council of Chief Librarians (IIC-8).

The Association of College and Research Libraries' standards, found below, serve as one benchmark for planning the book and periodical collection.

Standards for Community, Junior, and Technical College Learning Resource Programs
The final version approved by ACRL , ALA , and AECT in 1994.

TABLE E

Size of Collection for a Single Campus
Minimum Collection
FTE Students	Volumes	Current Serials Subs	Video & Film	Other Items*	Total Collection
under 1,000 1,000-2,999 3,000-4,999 5,000-6,999 7,000-8,999 9,000-10,999 11,000-12,999 13,000-14,999 15,000-16,999 17,000-19,000	30,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 95,000 110,000 125,000 140,000 155,000 170,000	230 300 500 700 850 900 1,000 1,200 1,500 1,800	140 400 750 1,250 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400 2,600	2,500 5,100 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,800 17,400 19,800 22,000 24,000	32,870 45,800 69,250 91,950 109,450 127,500 145,400 163,200 180,900 198,400
Excellent Collection
FTE Students	Volumes	Current Serials Subs	Video & Film	Other Items*	Total Collection
under 1,000 1,000-2,999 3,000-4,999 5,000-6,999 7,000-8,999 9,000-10,999 11,000-12,999 13,000-14,999 15,000-16,999 17,000-19,000	45,000 60,000 85,000 112,000 136,000 166,000 200,000 240,000 285,000 320,000	400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,100 2,400	560 800 1,300 2,250 3,000 3,300 4,000 4,500 5,000 5,600	5,000 8,000 11,600 18,000 21,000 26,000 31,000 35,000 41,000 50,000	50,960 69,400 98,700 133,250 161,200 196,700 236,600 281,300 333,100 378,000
*Includes microforms, cartographic, graphic, audio, and machine-readable materials

The library is 43,000 volumes below the ACRL guideline of 95,000 volumes recommended for a college of 8,800 full-time equivalent students. It should be noted that the faculty and librarians, in anticipation of the move to the new library, have heavily weeded the collection. It also should be noted that the librarians believe this guideline of 95,000 volumes is not imperative to provide excellent resources to the students of Ventura College-rather, it is a long-term goal, which can be accommodated with the additional potential stack space in the new library. Also impacting the size of the collection is the state of the campus budget; the librarians do not look forward to an increase in the book budget in the near future and will look closely at how the library can maximize the budget. The library has also turned to the faculty and the community at large for help in the form of book donations. Using both of these vehicles, the librarians expect to increase the size of the book collection by 2,500 volumes per year for the next six years. This increase will leave the library under the ACRL expectation by 27,000 volumes. However, the librarians believe a goal of 75,000 volumes is realistic and will easily accommodate the research demands of the students of Ventura College . With this goal in mind, the college would be under its target by only 7,000 volumes. The additional donation of approximately 1,000 e-books by ABC-Clio will also help to build the library's book collection. (See page 26 for details regarding the collection development process.)

The new second floor library facility will provide students with 46 public access computer stations, two wireless access areas for personal laptops, and Internet accessibility in the eight group study rooms and the library orientation classroom.

In meeting the goal of supporting the college's cultural activities, the library routinely displays student art and sculpture, maintains a standing faculty art exhibit, and spearheads special exhibits for cultural and literary events, such as the annual "One Book, One Campus" program, the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit: "Before Freedom Came.African American Life in the Antebellum South," and the "Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature" exhibit from the National Library of Medicine and American Library Association (IIC-9). Special exhibits are chosen to encourage multidisciplinary participation. For example, the Frankenstein exhibit involved the English, biotechnology, multimedia, and journalism classes as well as surrounding community and schools. These cultural activities are communicated through press releases, banners, television programs, college newspaper articles, fliers, the "President's Report" and the college Web site (IIC-10).

Learning resources participates in the annual budget building process, including making presentations, as requested, to the Campus Resource Council and the Administrative Council regarding its needs for the ensuing year. Within the unit, the executive library staff oversees the budget, making recommendations to the dean for resource allocations and expenditures.

The campus has developed a branch Library and Learning Center at the East Campus to support the off-campus instructional program. The East Campus Learning Resource Center is currently open 45 hours per week with plans for expansion as the center grows. It includes a small branch reference library, a tutoring center, a learning center and audio-visual services (IIC-11).

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY: TUTORING CENTER

The Tutoring Center is currently open 44 hours per week, providing group, drop-in, and individual tutoring services in such disciplines as accounting, chemistry, English, foreign language, history, math, nursing, and political science to an average of 625 day and evening students each year. The Tutoring Center 's goals and objectives include the following:

Goals and Objectives for 2003-2004
Objectives:

• To guide and assist students in understanding and learning course subject matter
• To assist students in achieving their academic goals and to help prepare them for their future educational experiences
• To help students learn good study habits and become independent learners
• To help students make their educational experience at Ventura College a successful one

Goals:

Provide a facility that creates a positive environment for tutorial services

1. Build and equip new facility
   •  Continue with building and planning process involving construction and architectural firms
   •  Develop furniture and equipment needs, and work with designer in selection process
   •  Develop resource, signage and set-up needs
2. Prepare staff, including tutors, for move to new facility
   •  Introduce tutors to new facility through routine tours
   •  Develop a moving plan with staff
3. Assure maintenance and staffing of current facility
   •  Hire one part-time faculty position to assist with coordination activities
   •  Continue ongoing tutor selection, hiring and training process
   •  Continue ongoing tutee appointment process
   •  Continue classroom orientation process

Provide the Tutoring Center with technology to improve and enhance services for students

1. Continue troubleshooting the all-encompassing appointment, scheduling, and payroll software program
   •  Evaluate software to determine feasibility of use
   •  Work with software vendor to determine if modifications can be made.
2. Continue with Web site development
   •  Add Smarthinking information and instruction
   •  Develop a referral page
   •  Add drop-in hours and group information
   •  List tutors with subject areas
3. Implement online tutorial services called Smarthinking
   •  Inform and train center staff, tutors and faculty about Smarthinking
   •  Publicize product
   •  Introduce and orient the product to faculty
   •  Assess usage and report to Title 5 oversight coordinators

Minimize budgetary effects on services

1. Develop a plan to effectively deal with the loss of the Tutorial Specialist position
   •  Hire part-time faculty position for assistance in running the day-to-day operation
   •  Hire more student assistants
2. Develop a working relationship with tutors and assure positive work environment
3. Work with dean and campus administration to fill the full-time position
4. Work with dean to gain backfill of funds taken mid-year
5. Determine what will have to be done next year to mitigate any loss of funds

Evaluate services and use results for planning and improving

1. Survey tutors accessing work environment, facilities, orientation, and training processes
2. Survey tutees to evaluate their rate of satisfaction with the tutoring program and use results as a benchmark for future surveys
   • Improve the student satisfaction survey response by three percent within
   three years

The center has been in transition this year due to the layoff of the Tutorial Specialist and transfer of many students who were tutors. To minimize the effects of these losses, a part-time faculty position was added to assist the learning resources supervisor, and the process of hiring replacement tutors was implemented. The district also established new rules regarding the hiring of student and provisional employees, creating a situation where tutors were unable to begin work for several weeks. It took the center two months into the fall 2003 term before services could begin enforce. Services were also cut by eleven hours per week, causing a decline in student usage. As the fall term progressed, usage slowly increased; however, compared to the past, there was a strong decline (IIC-12). Due to this decline, the center sustained an additional mid-year cut of $10,000 in tutor positions. No indication has been given whether the cut will be permanent.

The coordinator promotes the center by reaching out to students and faculty, orienting them to services by attending department meetings, and providing one-on-one contact. Tutors include Ventura College students, past and present, who are recommended by their instructors, as well as volunteer tutors, many of whom are retired faculty or community members. Tutors visit classrooms within their subject areas, creating study groups and alerting students to services. Besides helping students with course content, tutors clarify instructions for an assignment, help brainstorm ideas for papers and projects, and teach strategies for effective study and exam preparation (IIC-13).

The learning resources supervisor and faculty coordinator work together to create a positive environment for both tutors and students receiving services in the center. The tutors participate in a mandatory two hour orientation session that reviews the following: procedures and responsibilities relating to scheduling appointments with tutees, cancellations, no-shows, preparing and submitting voucher and time sheets, the use of center resources, and emergency contact information. The orientation session also includes guidelines on appropriate behavior as a college employee, the role of the tutor as a coach, and how to work with a diverse student population. Tutors also participate in a one-hour training session provided by an instructor of the Educational Assistance Center who informs tutors about EAC eligibility factors and how to identify and assist students with special needs; the instructor also covers differing learning styles, and strategies and techniques for tutoring students with learning disabilities. Tutors also meet with a panel of students who have various learning disabilities; these students describe personal struggles and suggest how tutors could be more effective (IIC-14).

Smarthinking, a Web-based tutorial service, became available to all students during the fall 2003 term. This service is accessible from any Internet connection. Students have access to real-time online tutoring and homework assistance for core courses such as math (basic math through calculus), economics (macro & micro), statistics, accounting, chemistry, English, and Spanish. Smarthinking's offers a "Live Writing Center" for real-time assistance in organizing concepts, as well as developing an idea, thesis, and content; the "Essay Center," where students can submit drafts of essays any time of the day and receive a review and feedback within 24 hours; and a live math tutor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or through pre-scheduled tutoring sessions (IIC-15). In addition, all students, including those who are taking classes in other off-campus locations and/or online, have individual tutoring available through Smarthinking.

To prepare for the move to the new building, tutors toured the facility as construction progressed to generate excitement for the project and provide a sense of ownership (IIC-16).

Tutoring Center services are publicized to faculty and students through flyers, electronic mail memos, faculty orientation, classroom orientation, student newspaper articles, college schedule, college catalog, tutoring Web site, department/division meetings, and bookmarks distributed in the library.

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY: MEDIA SERVICE CENTER

The Media Service Center provides audio visual equipment and programs to support student learning in classrooms as well as the Learning Center . The Multimedia Services Center , staffed 54 hours per week with one media service specialist II and student assistants, serves day and evening classes. Classrooms come equipped with a podium, VCR, television, and overhead projector. Other equipment (such as LCD projectors, laptops, and DVD players) is available upon request. Some classrooms have LCD projectors permanently installed. Two large lecture classrooms have specialized equipment for showing films and videos on a large screen (UV-1 and 2). With the advent of the new Learning Resource Center , ten classrooms across the campus have new instructor stations with an Internet connection, a computer, monitor, DVD and VCR player, receiver, LDC projector and overhead projector.

The Media Service Center serves as a reliable resource, providing faculty and students with technology and media that enhance their teaching and learning environment by providing media technology, properly functioning equipment, a diverse media library, and assistance in media production. The media collection includes 1,589 videos that are catalogued for ease of faculty use to support the academic curriculum (IIC-17). The center also obtains films and videos from other consortia such as the County Schools Film Library. The specialist and faculty collaborate in media collection development. The media library is often supplemented through donations and grants. The specialist lists most requested titles, and discusses these needs with faculty. The staff has worked closely with the Educational Assistance Center to be sure that all materials are captioned and accessible for students with disabilities. The new building has provided the opportunity to add new equipment and greatly enhance the film collection.

The goals and objectives of the Tutoring Center are as follows:

2003-2004 Goals and Objectives
Objectives:

• To serve as a reliable resource in providing faculty and students with technology to enhance teaching and learning
• To provide faculty and students with state-of-the-art technology
• To assist faculty in achieving their instructional goals

Goals:

Provide classrooms with permanent stationary equipment, creating "smart" classrooms

1. Build and equip new facility
   •  Continue with building and planning process involving construction and architectural firms
   •  Work with Information Technology staff in the relocation of the satellite to the new building
   •  Develop Media Services office equipment needs
   •  Develop classroom equipment needs
   •  Develop instructor stations in designated classrooms
   •  Develop film purchase list with faculty
2. Plan for move into new building
   •  Develop a moving plan
   •  Develop a plan to implement "smart" classrooms

Budget Process

1. Establish a systematic process for replacing worn equipment
2. Establish a budget line item for collection development
3. Work to enhance maintenance and repair budget
4. Evaluate services and use results for planning and improving
5. Survey faculty to assess usage and satisfaction; survey will be incorporated in Library Committee survey
6. Use survey for planning and improving services

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY: LEARNING CENTER

The Learning Center encompasses what used to be several computer labs, providing instructional software and Internet access to support student learning lab activities in reading, writing, study skills, foreign languages, nutrition, and astronomy. It also serves as the drop-in computer center for the college, offering software to assist students in completing assignments, including developing their research and term papers. Instructors can also reserve videos for students to review in the Learning Center (IIC-18).

The Learning Center has expanded to include a 350-station computer lab incorporating stations with technology for faculty and students to support classes in English, reading, psychology, nursing, statistics and several foreign languages. The technology incorporates video streaming, online resources, and subject specific laboratory resources. The center's hours have been expanded with the move into the new building from 54 to 62 hours per week. The center is staffed with two full-time lab technicians, student assistants and a computer specialist. The new building has also allowed expanded assistive technology. The open lab area includes 19 adaptive stations for student use. Also, the Assistive Technology Training Center has been relocated to the building, allowing the campus to expand and highlight this excellent program.

Two pull-out classrooms have been incorporated into the center to allow faculty an area to group their classes. Services are publicized through the LRC brochure, and the technicians provide faculty and their classes with orientations highlighting center services (IIC-19).

The Learning Center 's goals and objectives are as follows:

2003-2004 Goals and Objectives
Objectives:

• To provide students with an open access computer lab using up-to-date technology to complete their studies
• To assist students in achieving their academic goals and to help prepare them for their future educational experiences
• To increase retention in reading, study skills, English, foreign language, nursing, psychology and other academic classes by providing a lab where instructors can make use of the many programs and materials to match instruction to student learning styles
• To help make a student's educational experience at Ventura College a successful one

Goals:

Provide a facility that creates a positive environment for Learning Center services.

1. 1. Build and equip new facility
   1. Continue with building and planning process involving construction andarchitectural firms
   2. Develop furniture and equipment needs and work with designer in selection process
   3. Develop technology needs, including both software and hardware.
2. Prepare for move to new facility
   •  Develop a moving plan
3. Assure appropriate maintenance and staffing of current facility
   •  Continue ongoing maintenance process with technicians
   •  Continue hiring of student assistant staff
   •  Reinstate hours as employee hours are increased
4. Hire two Instructional Lab Technicians II/Learning Resources positions.

Provide the Learning Center with technology to improve and enhance services for students

1. Work with faculty to develop technology needs
2. Determine what will have to be done next year to mitigate any loss of funds
3. Evaluate services and use results for planning and improving
4. Survey students and faculty to assess usage and satisfaction; incorporated in Library Committee survey
5. Use survey for planning and improving services
6. Improve the student satisfaction survey response by three percent within three years

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