Notes: Lightning Talks, Round 1

This year, we're trying something new at Scholars Portal Day: shared session notes. An official note-taker will take notes throughout the session. If you have a spotdocs account, you can feel free to add your own notes to the page as well! If you don't have an account, contribute by leaving a comment below.

•Open + Affordable = Inclusivity at UofG
 Ali Versluis & Heather Martin, University of Guelph

-Presentation covers several initiatives at Guelph to provide a more inclusive environment 

-Student Textbook Surveys - find out what students on campus felt about textbooks (rising costs)

Questions include: Are students buying textbooks? If not, why not? How are they managing without them? What are the negative impacts?

-4200 responses (21% response rate for undergrads) and more written comments

-led to formation of open and affordable course content task force

-Ran survey again, will continue on ongoing basis

-Findings: 54% spent more than $250 on textbooks, 56% did not buy all required textbooks, 37% used library's copy instead of purchasing, 69% were concerned about decision not to purchase, 49% dropped a course or didn't register in a course due to textbook cost, 83% reported at least one negative impact

-Wrote report 

-Course Reserve Changes - launched textbook purchasing project for course reserves (proactive purchasing), implementing reserve policy changes, self-service reserves model further improves student access (no staff mediation)

-Started open conversations: deliberately reached out to high -impact courses (consider using open materials), facilitated opportunity for major adaptation in microbiology (course buy-out for $250 textbook for 300 students) - big wins for student access and success

-Supported open pedagogy - integrated teaching approach for Human Physiology I/II - students involved with finding learning objects to support learning of concepts in physiology, also involved research, writing, and creation of OER

-Open practices increase inclusivity and diversity of course content

•What is RDM? Why should I care?
 Jane Fry, Carleton University

-Facing challenge of explaining RDM to researchers at different levels

-Portage TEG training materials levels playing field for librarians and researchers - accessible and bilingual

-First steps: translation of terms in RDM (RDM equivalence in French and English), research data dictionary from CASRAI, excellent resources

-Next steps: "Good enough" series, aka the "busy bee" series, 1-pager, very popular with researchers for concepts at a glance

-RDM primer series - more text, important concepts like research data lifecycle, space for local contacts to add their information

-Training modules coming soon, see also CIHR RDM training modules

-DMP Assistant at Portage - 4 easy steps, make a data management plan (anyone!)

-Why should I care? - libraries still hub of the campus, researchers come to librarians/library for help, level the field for researchers and librarians,

•The Robarts Library Family Study Space: creating equitable library access for students with children
 Kyla Everall & Jesse Carliner, University of Toronto

-working to welcome students with families into the library

-equity issue, particularly a gender equity issue

-student parents are more likely to be women, issues with daycare on costs/spaces available

-family obligations are an obstacle for student success - extra costs on top of educational expenses, demanding roles, 1/2 reported obligations as a barrier for success

-survey found that students need a family friendly space at the library (Robarts 9th floor) - capacity for 20 adults and children

-room on first come first serve basis, need access fob 

-What can you do? Consider policy, create space, find partners on campus, advocate (only 4 OCUL schools have policies that include children)

-Ryerson provides kids' activity kits on loan. York also has a family room at Scott Library.

-Evidence drives funding, collect data and advocate for them