Alisa Howlett is an information professional in higher education, currently coordinating projects related to improving library services and student learning experiences. Alisa is an active member of the library and information professional community through her writing and speaking, Rebecca Belov gained undergraduate qualifications in information technology, arts and science and has previously worked in the tertiary education sector providing information technology support for staff and students studying via distance education. After completing a Master of Physiotherapy Studies, Rebecca now works in a musculoskeletal clinic in Brisbane.Universities and public libraries supporting student success: an exploratory study 2 Abstract As universities seek new ways to engage and support students in their learning, in Australia, students from regional and remote areas pose a challenge for universities given their geographical, social and technological isolation compared with their metropolitan counterparts. Much of the literature that address challenges associated with distance learning focus on teaching, course design and ways of accessing learning materials. Little is known about the provision of learning support services.Public libraries are well placed within their communities to assist university students with their learning needs. The aim of this research was to explore the idea of universities and public library services working together to support regional student success. The University of Southern Queensland, provided the context for this study. Semi-structured interviews with representatives from public library services in regional areas of Queensland were conducted to find out what service is currently being provided to students; challenges, opportunities and related issues.Thematic analysis was used to identify themes that told the 'story' within the data. Findings suggest there is an opportunity for universities and public libraries to work together to support regional student success, and that this opportunity is worthy of further discussion and exploration.

No abstract

Objective -This article presents the findings of a project which established an empirical basis for evidence based library and information practice (EBLIP). More specifically, the paper explores what library and information professionals experienced as evidence in the context of their professional practice.Methods -The project consisted of two sub-studies. The public library sub-study was conducted using ethnography. Over a 5-month period, a member of the research team travelled to a regional public library on 15 occasions, staying between 3 and 4 days on each visit. The researcher observed, interacted, and became involved in the day-to-day activities of this library. These activities were recorded in a journal and added to the researcher's insights and thoughts. Additionally, 13 face-to-face interviews with staff in positions ranging from the operational to the executive were conducted. The academic sub-study was conducted using Constructivist Grounded Theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted either in person or via Skype, with 13 librarians from Australian universities. Interviewees were in a diverse array of roles, from liaison librarian to manager and library director.Results -The project found that the Australian academic librarians and the public librarians who participated in the project experienced six elements as evidence: observation, feedback, professional colleagues, research literature, statistics, and intuition. Each of these will be described and highlighted with examples from each of the two studies.Conclusions -The findings of this study revealed many similarities in the way that library professionals from both studies experienced evidence. Evidence was not hierarchical, with evidence from many sources being valued equally. In contextualizing evidence and applying to the local environment, library professionals were able to draw upon more than one source of evidence and apply their professional knowledge and experiences. In this way evidence was more nuanced.

The COVID-19 pandemic required an agile and quick transformation of services in university libraries in the wake of government health directives. As an evidence-based library, engaging in the collection of evidence and reflective practice was a natural extension of the pandemic response. Once the critical response period had passed, staff at the University of Southern Queensland Library set about capturing the Library's pandemic response within the wider context of society, government, and university activities in the form of a timeline. The timeline served to document actions taken in a time of crisis, recognised the staff workload involved, acknowledge the milestones achieved, and identified new performance measures to evaluate the impact of COVID-safe services. This article offers a lived experience of how a university library can apply an evidence-based practice approach during a crisis. The timeline activity was not just about documenting what the library did and when. It generated a source of evidence which has proved to be a useful tool in planning the return to campus activities and informing decision making about "COVID normal" service models.

No abstract.