Willie Miller

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1805/35559

Methodology for Evaluating Library Space

Willie Miller is responsible for coordinating cohesive and targeted public and internal facing messaging and outreach plans in connection with all units and individuals already participating in this work. He leads the library's Campus Outreach Group, which creates library programming aimed at students, and Willie is the library's go-to person for campus communication initiatives.

He is also responsible for overseeing the library’s 3D/VR Initiative, digitization, digital user experience, client support, and operations teams. Together with the leaders of these groups, Willie bolsters cohesiveness among the library's prolific technology experts and ensures that these groups work together to effectively support the teaching, learning and research goals of University Library.

In 2017, a mixed-method assessment program was implemented before a major renovation project for IUPUI University Library. A significant portion of space occupied by book stacks was to be converted to informal learning and study spaces for students. Willie and a colleague named Paul Moffett, sought to gather student input to determine their preferences for environmental features before renovation began.

Willie Miller's translation of an assessment program that has since been used by other librarians across the country to similarly transform their library spaces and repurpose existing space for informal learning or other mixed-use purposes is another example of how IUPUI's faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 30

The Efficient Provision of Information Resources in Academic Libraries: Theory and Practice
(Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022) Lewis, David W.; Baich, Tina; Palmer, Kristi L.; Miller, Willie
Due to the increasing availability of digital content and systems improvements that have accelerated physical delivery, academic libraries are afforded opportunities to more efficiently provide users access to library materials. A theory for efficient provision of information resources, and thus more efficient use of financial resources, was proposed by one of the co-authors in the 2015 paper, “The Future of Academic Library Materials Expenditures: A Thought Experiment” (Lewis 2015a). The strategies on which the theory is based include purchase on demand, library publishing, and improved open access discovery. This article will detail the theory, and then examine IUPUI University Library’s experience of implementing strategies based on this theory. In doing so, the authors will analyze the effectiveness of the theory and offer guidance for libraries considering a similar path.
Virtual Cohorts: Peer Support and Problem-Solving at a Distance
(ACRL, 2020-05) Tureen, Amy; Lemon, Erick; Martin, Joyce; Hoffman, Starr; Thuna, Mindy; Miller, Willie; University Library
A common challenge for administrative leaders in academic libraries is that we often have few peers within our organizations, and those that we do have may not be able to provide the dispassionate, unbiased feedback we need. The authors of this article, library leaders from across the United States and Canada, formed a virtual cohort for peer leader support and have found it to be transformative in approaching leadership challenges at our home institutions.
Thought Experiment Model for "The Efficient Provision of Information Resources in Academic Libraries: Theory and Practice"
(2021-01) Lewis, David W.; Baich, Tina; Palmer, Kristi L.; Miller, Willie M.
This spreadsheet contains the model used in the thought experiment in the article "The Efficient Provision of Information Resources in Academic Libraries: Theory and Practice," by David W. Lewis, Tina Baich, Kristi L. Palmer, and Willie M. Miller. The article is forthcoming in Library Trends.
Boolean Redux: Performance of Advanced versus Simple Boolean Searches and Implications for Upper-Level Instruction
(2020) Lowe, M. Sara; Stone, Sean M.; Maxson, Bronwen K.; Snajdr, Eric; Miller, Willie
Building off an earlier study, which examined whether or not it was beneficial to teach Boolean logic to introductory students, the present study examines the efficacy of Boolean OR searching in more advanced search strategies, for example, capstone projects and graduate theses and dissertations. Results show that both simple and advanced Boolean searches yield relevant results. Based on relevance, there is no compelling evidence that either search is superior. To capture all the literature on a topic, however, it is important that upper-level students know the relevant databases for their discipline and perform multiple searches. Results can help inform whether teaching Boolean search skills to upper-division students in disciplinary contexts is time well spent.
Shifting Course, Managing Change: Transitioning to a New Resource Acquisition Model
(2020-03-10) Baich, Tina; Macy, Katharine V.; Miller, Willie
Do you need to shift course in your collection strategies? Come learn how one academic library is transitioning to a new resource acquisition model and managing change using the tools of communication and assessment.
The Power of Peers: Approaches from Writing and Libraries
(2019) Maxson, Bronwen K.; Neely, Michelle; Roberts, Lindsay M.; Stone, Sean M.; Lowe, M. Sara; Macy, Katharine V.; Miller, Willie
This case study discusses different strategies for implementing peer teaching as well as different roles for peer teachers in both academic libraries and writing-intensive courses. It explores connections to critical pedagogy, sociocultural theory, open educational practices (OEP), and high-impact practices (HIPs). Design/methodology/approach - The methodologies for implementing the three scenarios discussed in the paper differ widely. All approaches include some form of student feedback through focus groups, exit surveys, or end-of-class assessments. Findings - In both library and writing program settings, students have experience with and a favorable opinion of peer-assisted learning strategies. Practical implications - These case studies provide concrete examples of how to develop different types of peer teaching interventions. The cases also detail benefits as well as challenges to implementation. Social implications - Providing opportunities for peers to lead through teaching others has the potential to boost an individual’s sense of confidence, leadership, and improve their own learning, as well as giving students experiences to build upon and apply to their everyday lives and future careers. Originality/value - While peer teaching is widely implemented in many disciplines, such as STEM, its adoption in academic libraries has sometimes been viewed as controversial. This case study adds to the body of literature demonstrating that peer teaching is possible and desirable.
Defining the Value of Libraries: Trends in Academic Library Assessment
(2019-10-14) Miller, Willie; Hoffman, Starr; Lowe, Sara; Huisman, Rhonda; Moffett, Paul
Just like other academic areas on campus, academic libraries frequently engage in assessment. In this panel, a group of esteemed leaders of library assessment will discuss ways in which libraries are assessing their impact on higher education. Librarians have a long history of evaluating their collections. Yet in the face of seismic change in the technological and educational landscapes, assessment trends in libraries now extend to robust programs of evaluating student learning, assessing the impact of library services and spaces, and demonstrating how libraries are a vital part of achieving institutional goals. Attendees will gain an understanding of assessing beyond direct academic outcomes, learn how library initiatives may be an opportunity to collaborate on common goals, and how libraries demonstrate their value in a campus-wide context.
Preparing a Next Generation 2.0 Capstone
(2018-12-07) Miller, Willie
Based on the capstone completed as a requirement for completion of the IUPUI Next Generation 2.0 leadership program, this presentation walks through my process of developing my capstone project from a seed of an idea to fully grown product yielding fruit beyond the program. This presentation was given as a part of the curriculum of the 2018-19 Next Generation program on December 7, 2018. The full session was co-presented with Mary Price, Director of Faculty Development, IUPUI Center for Service & Learning.
IUPUI University Library Peer Teaching Curriculum
(2019) Lowe, M. Sara; Macy, Katharine V.; Maxson, Bronwen K.; Miller, Willie; Stone, Sean M.
Texts From Last Night: Student Perceptions of Research and Study Space on Campus
(2018-10-23) Lee, Yoo Young; Lowe, M. Sara; Miller, Willie
In Fall 2017, librarians undertook a sequential needs assessment in research and space to improve learning objects and library space. A collaborative assessment project identified gaps in those areas throughout the semester. We piloted our methodology, adapted from ethnographic research and user experience, with a small sample size. With SMS technology, however, we were able to collect quantitative and qualitative data. In this presentation, we will discuss methodology, technology, and study results. We will explore challenges, lessons learned, and next steps of how we are applying the results to inform instruction, learning objects, and library space redesign.

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