The focus of this study was to identify: 1) usage of library e-resources by faculty and staff affiliation and status to identify research and teaching needs; 2) usage of library e-resources by student major, status, gender, registered disability and registered veteran to establish best outreach practices and areas that need service improvement and collection development in support of student learning; and 3) the correlation between use of library e-resources and student attainment as defined by grade point average (GPA). Demographic data was collected for these users based on their university NetID logins. The findings in this study conclusively document that students and faculty use library e-resources to a statistically significant extent and that a statistical relationship exists between student GPA and their use of e-resources. This information confirms the value of library resources to institutional teaching and research needs and can be used to document library value to the institutional mission.

PurposeThis study aims to establish a set of best practices that reflect the spirit of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and comply with the new 2010 Department of Justice regulations.Design/methodology/approachAt each of eight academic libraries in four Rocky Mountain states, the librarian most directly responsible for library services to students with disabilities was interviewed, comprehensive criteria to physical facilities, services, management practices, and investments were used, access leading to and within the library was considered, and data and observations to place each library in the framework of the diametrically opposed reactive or universal access service models were analyzed.FindingsSelf‐reporting students with disabilities were the largest minority group at three campuses and the second largest minority group at another three campuses. Five libraries based their services primarily on reaction to complaints, and three libraries incorporated most elements of universal access. No consistent approach or set of best practices to serve students with disabilities existed across the eight participating libraries.Practical implicationsThe best practices identified in this research provide academic libraries the resources to meet the spirit of the ADA and comply with the new Department of Justice regulations to be implemented in 2012.Originality/valueNo other recent study documents the broad spectrum of service needs that can be proactively addressed by academic libraries for students and faculty with disabilities. This study underscores the value of universal access to information as a civil right of this user group while also improving services for all.

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An assessment project was conducted by the Mansfield Library to evaluate the teaching and content of a research module embedded into a popular undergraduate course, Introduction to Public Speaking, part of the University of Montana's General Education Requirement. The project aimed to develop internal benchmarks and improve the curricula, as needed. Pre- and post-surveys were developed to assess student research confidence, perceptions of information tools, Web evaluation abilities, and assistance-seeking attitudes. Data from 426 student responses were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. The process, results, and analysis of the project are discussed.

In tandem, tiered instruction and assessment offer the opportunity to analyze the outcomes of specific levels of information literacy. Tiered library instruction establishes a framework to meet the instructional needs of students at all levels of enrollment. Assessment offers a value‐added dimension to a library instruction program. It provides a beginning point to ascertain the program’s effectiveness and to guide direction for future instruction. Although assessment is considered essential to program development, a review of the literature found little information on the use of a Web‐based evaluation tool. This paper describes the development of a curriculum‐integrated and tiered instruction program over the course of five years and the implementation of a Web‐based assessment tool as a mechanism for establishing levels of information literacy.