AcadEmi

I haven’t visited Macalester College’s library website since I graduated six years ago, so I thought it might be interesting to reevaluate the site through my experience as a student of library science. During my years at Macalester, I devoted many hours to wading confusedly through electronic journal lists. In retrospect, I recognize that my difficulties had less to do with an inherently confusing approach to journal lists than with my own unpolished research skills. It is interesting, however, to note some developments that might have enriched the experience for me.

The site is clear and easily navigable, if not especially eye-catching. A navigation bar at the top offers links to basic library information, the library’s blog, LESTER (for accessing materials from off-campus), and MOODLE (for online course information). The left side of the page includes the subtopics Resources and Collections, Research Guides and Help, and About the Library and Services. The right side represents the most prominent change since my last visit: a library blog.

As I checked out various aspects of the website, it became clear that the fundamental research options have not changed dramatically since 2001. The library’s catalog is available through CLICnet, a resource sharing consortium of eight private colleges and universities in Minnesota. Students can request interlibrary loan materials through ILLiad, and can also browse the collections of the University of Minnesota, local public libraries, and the Library of Congress from the DeWitt Wallace website. I also found descriptions of the archival and special book collections, the latter of which focuses on 20th century American authors, and Midwestern authors like Cather, Hemingway, and Sinclair Lewis in particular. Unfortunately, no links or scanned passages are available.

There are a number of new features, even in familiar programs like CLICnet: many of the participating libraries now offer live reference chats, or at least online reference appointments. One new program, RefWorks, allows students to import references from online databases to create personal citation lists. Lists can then be automatically formatted into research papers.

The library, in conjunction with the archival & media services departments, has also undertaken an oral history interview project. This project began in January of 2007, and so far there are only three interviews, all by professors. These interviews, which apparently constitute the website’s only audio resources, are available through one of the most intriguing recent additions to the library’s online offerings: the Digital Commons. The Commons are devoted to organizing and sharing creative and scholarly works produced at Macalester. While most of DeWitt Wallace’s resources are accessible only to current students and faculty, the Digital Commons allows anyone to download essays and articles. It currently focuses on student publications, but will be expanding over the next year. Had it been around when I was in school, I might have submitted my honors project to it, thus rendering said project slightly less pointless. I found more information about Digital Commons in a discussion on MIT’s website, in which the debate raged between those who view information as a public good and those who consider it a commodity.

It is difficult to evaluate LESTER: I was able to sign in as an alum, but found only links that require an active student password. The Information Fluency Project is an endeavor that seems to have not yet lived up to its potential. It emphasizes the need for students to recognize the legal and ethical implications of information, and is certainly topical for students of library science. But while its goals are admirable, I found little to suggest that practical results had followed the implementation of a task force and statement of purpose.

Overall, the website is an admirable platform for students to access scholarly resources. It seems to be geared towards students who already possess good research skills and an appreciation for the library; it offers few bells and whistles to draw in reluctant undergrads. On the other hand, it is well-designed, logical, and uses technology to provide students with an enhanced learning environment.