Basic computer help refers to the assistance the library staff provides students and community patrons when it comes to printing, copying or completing a basic computer task. These numbers tend to remain rather high since each semester comes with a set of new students who have never printed or made a copy in the library before.
Directional questions and answers refer to questions we field from students and community patrons regarding how to find a specific location on campus. Not surprisingly, we receive many directional questions throughout the year since we are one of the main buildings on campus. As you can tell by the graph to the left our directional questions continue to remain high.
The library's security gate has the ability to keep track of the number of people that come in and out of the library each day. We track these numbers every year to see just how much foot traffic (and hopefully use) we receive throughout the year. Unfortunately, as is demonstrated by the graph to the left, our gate count numbers have been on a consistent decline from 2009 to the present.
The Library works with other institutions for information resource needs. This service (I.L.L.) helps the college community patrons obtain materials(s) which are not readily available in our library collection. As you can see by the graph to our left, we are supplying more resources than we are receiving and this has been on a dramatic increase since 2013. This indicates that our collection has depth and breadth and is very relevant in addressing the needs of our students as well as the needs of patrons in institutions who know they can borrow our resources.
In the 2011/2012 school year the library began proctoring tests for students, given the tests are for a Columbia College class and the faculty member teaching the class has made prior arrangements with the library. So far this program has been a success and is greatly appreciated by both students and faculty. As the graph to the left demonstrates we proctor a steady amount of tests each year.
Reference refers to questions we field from students and community patrons throughout the year. We categorize them into one of two groups, either more than five minutes or less than five minutes. A typical more than five minute question would be a research question, while a less than five minute question might be regarding how to get a library card or find a specific book on the shelf. As the graph to the left demonstrates we have had a steady decline in the number of reference questions we have received in recent years.
Technical computer help refers to the assistance the library staff offers students and community patrons when it comes to more technical computer issues such as downloading a computer application or signing on to blackboard or canvas. As the graph to the left demonstrates the number of requests for technical computer help have been on the decline since the 2013/2014 school year.
Wifi refers to the number of times a year that students will ask for assistance in logging on to the library's free wifi. As the graph to the left demonstrates, the number of students who have been asking for help connecting to the wifi has greatly diminished in the last couple of years thanks to the ready made wifi assistance cards we keep at the circulation desk.