Going Green for Academics

When constructing a library of the future, minor changes to the interior can have a major effect on the atmosphere. Adjusting wall colors and seating arrangements can help boost productivity, but there is another option less frequently considered in university libraries. This is integrating plant life into the interior of the building.

Studies conducted on the effect of plants on learning and work environments have shown a positive correlation between the presence of natural elements and the productivity of students and workers. A study at a Taiwanese junior high school in 2008 showed plants affecting the work environment through subtle plant placement. Students in the work areas containing plants showed stronger feelings of comfort and friendliness as opposed to when no plants were present. This resulted in fewer reports of sick leave and more positive behavior patterns.

According to an additional study on a Texas university campus in 2009, “interior plants can reduce eye irritation and stress, motivate employees, improve concentration, and even reduce air impurities.” It also proved plants could be a reasonable alternative to windows in some cases.

The University of Cambridge has recently taken this plant life discovery into consideration and placed plants in their library in 2016 to assist students with idea generation, problem-solving skills and overall wellness. The plants placed in Cambridge’s Betty & Gordon Moore Library are shown below.

As demonstrated by the Home and Garden TV network, there are many low-maintenance plants that are perfect for indoors. Large plants, such as the Rubber Plant and Snake Plant, could be placed in pots in areas where exterior windows are not visible to students. For example, they could live in the Math Learning & Success Center on the fifth floor and by Quiet Study tables on the third floor. Smaller selections like Umbrella Trees and Philodendrons could live near areas with higher traffic like the computer stations on the first floor.

While the addition of plants would take space that would otherwise be clear, it could provide health and wellness benefits to OSU students while simultaneously boosting morale and productivity in the OSU Library. When students are feeling overwhelmed with schoolwork, a bit of green may be exactly what they need in order to flourish.

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-Communications intern for OSU Library Communications

Let's Get Social!

It may come as a surprise to some that the OSU Library, as well as other university libraries, are on social media. You may ask “What could a library tweet/post/share that is interesting to followers?”

The answer is more complex than you’d think. Because the young people of today would rather search for information online than approach a help desk, it is essential for institutions of higher education to maintain a helpful and informative online presence.

OSU Library implements social media in its everyday communications by producing content and engaging with followers on multiple platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Let's discuss how other university libraries are doing the same.

Harvard University Library works splendidly as an ambassador for other university accounts. Retweets and shares on social platforms, like Twitter, show endorsement of others and provide the author and sharer with a public partnership. This is a way to create long-term supporters within the university community. OSU Library is regularly endorsed by Oklahoma State University, the OSU Alumni Association and Pete’s Pet Posse, which provides opportunities for library content to reach social media users beyond its own followers.

The University of Illinois Library is swift with student engagement, responding to #AskALibrarian inquiries with answers and suggestions as well as requesting student opinion through online polls. This gives users a way to reach out to knowledgeable library staff for information they may not know how to find. OSU Library also works to respond to questions swiftly to provide students with necessary information and suggestions for finding resources in the future.

Kansas University Library regularly uses YouTube to share helpful videos with its followers. These mainly include coverage of events and how-tos, which use motion and info graphics to apply knowledge more quickly than traditional means. This is vital when publishing for a young audience who is less likely to spend time watching a video. Studies on viewership show that 20% of viewers will click away after just 10 seconds, and 45% will be long gone by the one minute mark. Therefore, short, informative clips are most effective for gaining and holding attention. OSU Library uses this tactic when publishing content geared toward students.

In keeping with the digital age, OSU Library strives to reach, interest and engage the students of OSU through the means discussed as well as others. By answering student inquiries, posting about library services and promoting events on multiple platforms, OSU Library is working to attract followers to the building as well as create brand ambassadors for the future.

See how OSU library is using social media to reach our audience. Find us through the links above or search for our accounts listed below:

Facebook: Edmon Low Library
Twitter: @OkstateLibrary
Instagram: @OkstateLibrary
YouTube: @OkstateLibrary

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-Communications intern for OSU Library Communications

Library Creativity Award

This month, the OSU Library will be selecting five individuals as winners of the 2017 Library Creativity Awards. This is the second year the library has offered the competition, so the process is still relatively new to all. In short, students submit creative projects they have completed within the last school year to be judged by a panel. The projects are sorted into designated categories, and winners are chosen.

The five creative categories are Two Dimensional, Three Dimensional, Motion Animation, Wild Card and Best in Show. The grand prize winner, Best in Show, receives $1000 for their creative efforts; the category winners each take home $300.

Fortunately, the OSU Library’s technologies have made many forms of creativity possible for students who may not have access to certain programs on their own. For example, the OSU Library computers are loaded with popular Adobe programs that allow students creative freedom without having to pay for a subscription.

The Edmon Low Creative Studios are a hub for these services. Inside Room 105, there is a 3D studio with modelling software and printers; Mac and Windows suites with design programs and recording devices; and a presentation studio with a green screen. The Tech to Go desk offers several types of digital cameras, microphones and corresponding audio/video editing programs as well as subscriptions to Lynda.com, where students can find tutorials on all things inventive.

Last year’s “Best in Show” winner Christian Coletti, aerospace and mechanical engineering major, wanted to learn more about minimal surfaces, so he found relevant research materials in the basement. He then created designs using Blender software and built prototypes of his designs using the library’s 3D printers.

As in Christian’s case, this competition gives students the opportunity to show off their abilities and be recognized for their work. It also allows the OSU Library to indirectly promote helpful library services; however, applicants are not required to use library resources in their works. Submissions can be projects the students completed for a class or simply for their own entertainment.

By offering prizes to students who produce innovative and fascinating work, the Library Creativity Award acts as an incentive for students to use the products and services made available by the OSU Library. The winners show other students what is possible with the library. The OSU Library's technologies make it possible for students like Coletti to put their creativity to work. This brings new ideas to life and maximizes potential in students throughout their time at Oklahoma State.

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-Communications intern for OSU Library Communications

Amplified Oklahoma

This year, we have delved into technologies that can produce new learning and research experiences for the future-focused library, but we haven’t yet included the integration of history in this innovation dialogue.

A prime example of how the OSU Library is taking on the task of combining past and future is the "Amplified Oklahoma" podcast.

"Amplified Oklahoma", which was launched in May 2016, is an academic podcast produced by students and faculty members in the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program. It tells stories of Oklahoma people, places and cultures. The production of interviews and videos over these topics is an innovative way of spreading information about Oklahoma history using modern methods of distribution.

"Amplified Oklahoma" is largely student-involved in its operations. The library interns develop content for the podcasts based on what the OOHRP collections have to offer on the designated topic. Once a topic has been selected, they audit related interviews, write the script and edit the audio selections to make the final podcast.

Themes for the podcast generally follow topics that are prominent at the time they are published. For instance, a podcast about tornadoes and their effect on Oklahoma was sent out in May, the month when the state’s most notable storms have taken place. This method allows the library to participate in pertinent dialogue and present interesting, relevant material that will pull the audience back to the OSU Library collections.

By making material interactive and digestible, the OSU Library aspires to increase student engagement in the OOHRP department. They have found the most successful way to connect students with historic information is to place it in front of them and make it easily accessible through digital collections.

It is important for libraries of the future to have a program like the "Amplified Oklahoma" podcast because historians have the difficult task of keeping historical topics relevant in the fast-paced, futuristic conversations of the 21st century. It is uncommon for today’s students to actively search for history, so "Amplified Oklahoma" makes learning easier by allowing effortless listening of podcasts on interesting topics.

"Amplified Oklahoma" podcasts can currently be found on SoundCloud, Itunes and Stitcher.

Secrets of the Century

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Oklahoma A&M College, a time capsule was created that would hold the Secrets of the Century. Messages and University documents from 1941 were placed in a secure location and rediscovered at OSU’s centennial celebration.

The Secrets of the Century were gathered during a weekend jubilee lasting from Dec.13-15, which was less than a week after the tragic events at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. A large portion of the capsule’s contents were notes, letters and memorabilia that related to the times; 527 note cards were written by those who attended the 50th anniversary dinner hosted by OAMC President Henry G, Bennett.

Many of the hand-written submissions reflect the air of uneasiness in which the country stood. With World War II looming overhead, there was not much hope for students to cling to.

Velma Ellene Henricks wrote, “none of us know what the future holds in store for us, and in the crisis of a war-torn world, we only hope and pray that God Almighty will carry us through.”

However, David Peters, assistant professor of the University Archives, felt that despite the disparaging mood of that time, some notes held a positive light.

“It's nice because people wrote these notes with the belief that the world would go on, and they would be read, despite the uncertainty of that time,” David said.

Heartfelt notes, like the one from Eleanore Kieffer, wish their successors well and display their hope of a more steady future for the country.

“Dear Aggies, I have no idea to whom this will be. May you have as much fun and as many troubles as we are. I hope one of your troubles isn’t a war as we have just entered our second world war. Wishing you the best of luck. Eleanore Kieffer, Stillwater, 131 N Husband,” she wrote.

The time capsule containing the stories of the '40s was implanted into the south wall of Edmon Low Library. Fifty years later, the class of 1991 would have the pleasure of opening the capsule and finding what their predecessors left for the world of the future.

They could discover the secrets from people of the past and determine the accuracy of their predictions for the future, such as those of Olan H. Hamilton.

He wrote, “To Mr. Walter Clark Hamilton, I hope you have had a nice half century. I predict you have made a success in some branch of science. I also predict 1. The present war ended in 1943. 2. A world state organized after the war has prevented any war since 1943! 3. Atomic energy has not been released in large quantities ever. 4. No one has been to the moon.”

In the coming year, Spears School of Business will be creating a 50-year time capsule for the dedication of its new Business Building. In 2067, Oklahoma State University will be able to see how the world looks through the eyes of current students. They may even discover the secrets of our century.

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-Communications intern for OSU Library Communications

Data Management Research

In 2016, the Research & Learning Services department took on a campuswide research project. The goal of this project was to determine how new, tenure-track faculty manage their data. We recently spoke with Cinthya Ippoliti, Associate Dean for Research & Learning Services, about this research into data management and how to better the management process across the Oklahoma State campus.

For this research, the group interviewed 31 faculty across campus. They were pleased to receive feedback from 12 percent of those who received an invitation.

Participants were asked questions like:

• Do any of your funding sources require you to draft a management plan?
• What type of data do you generate?
• How often and how do you share your data with others?
• What happens to your data after the research project has concluded?

Once all the feedback was collected, the faculty responses were divided among RLS librarians, examined and condensed to a spreadsheet for ease of access. Upon its completion, the group met to discuss the results that surfaced during the interview process. They found that most of the participants did not have a data management plan in place and mainly stored their data on hard drives.

From this, the group discovered several needs. These included data storage solutions for smaller data sets; training on creating data management plans, file naming conventions and file organization schemas; and answers to questions about data sharing and re-purposing methods and tools.

Using a design-thinking process, the group developed ideas to better the Research Data Services program and provide data management solutions for researchers. There is now an outlet of resources for managing data and developing the skills necessary to increase impact of research findings.

The services offered by the Research Data Services are data information literacy, data storage and management support; metadata & documentation, institutional repository and data visualization; research impact, workshops and consultations.

Cinthya Ippoliti specializes in the workshops, consultations and data management plans, and Nicole Sump-Crethar works with metadata, institutional repository and data curation. Both can be contacted through Research Data Services.

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-Communications Intern for OSU Library Communications

Artificial Intelligence: The Future

We have now discussed the possibilities of virtual reality, augmented reality and data visualization in the library of the future, but wait, there’s more. Artificial intelligence is quickly gaining ground in the technological community and could be the most important advancement yet.

AI refers to the display of human-like cognitive functions by machines. The all-knowing nature of new computer programs often gives the impression of cognizant awareness; however, the intelligence is artificial because it is not original. The computer or device doesn’t create its own knowledge; it simply reflects the program it possesses.

In regards to this developing technology, Amazon Echo is the next big thing. You may have heard it referred to as Alexa, which is the voice service that operates Echo, similar to Siri for Apple. Echo can currently perform simple actions by request.

Upon hearing its name, Echo goes live and sends input to the cloud for interpretation. This process allows it to answer questions and complete routine functions by communicating to connected devices. The most prevalent uses at this time are adjustment of thermostat, lighting and speakers. Echo can also make lists, keep time and operate security services.

The program is customizable with skills, which are interactive applications activated by voice. Skills can be simple, like Message Presenter, MySpellBuddy and PaperBoy, which read notes, correct spelling and deliver news. They can also be complex and personalized, like A Compliment Please, which as you can imagine, gives you a compliment.

This program has successfully begun the process of integrating artificial intelligence into everyday life. We are now seeing programs like Alexa in the private homes of people across the world, so it seems clear that AI could soon become a staple in libraries and other higher education institutions.

As for the OSU Library, these beginning AI functions could mean a lot of things for our students. We could implement self-controlled systems in our study rooms. With this, they could take notes by telling an AI assistant their ideas or play learning games and quizzes to prepare for exams. They could even use applications, like the Echo’s skills, to learn about the library’s services.

Individuals using the new event room could use an AI program like Echo to give a presentation hands free. They could also dim lights or even change bulb color to reflect the content or mood of the meeting.

Librarians could use AI to create a book location system that would ease the task of finding books and materials. With such a program, one could simply request a certain book and a virtual assistant could give you directions to its exact location.

The potential uses of AI are limitless in an institution of education. By integrating the worlds of work, school and play, this technology could simplify many aspects of university life with one smart system. Discover other uses for AI in higher education, and comment your ideas for the OSU Library below.

Post by Jennifer Barnett, E-Communications Intern for OSU Library Communications