CARLI Instruction Committee Webinar: Primo VE in Practice- Life After Going Live, 12/2/2020

In this CARLI Instruction Committee planned webinar, presenters focused on instruction and the Primo VE user experience. Each presenter delivered a brief 10-15 minute presentation focused on their practical experiences instructing patrons on how to use Primo VE, whether at a reference desk, in a classroom, or other setting.

Recording

Agenda and presenter's materials

Section One Presenters:

• Derrick Casey, Lincoln College
  [Starts at 0:58]
  "Comparing Primo expanded results to Google Scholar"
  • Primo VE is the first discovery service for small libraries like the Lincoln College Library, and so we primarily emphasize the all-in-one keyword searching experience to our undergraduates.  However, in working with upper-level courses ready to go beyond the basics, we explain advanced features by comparing them to other systems known to most student researchers.  In this presentation we will explain how we try to simplify advanced Primo VE search functions such as comparing “expand my results” to Google Scholar, a similarly expansive search.
• Lindsey Skaggs, Illinois State University
  [Starts at 10:50]
  "Positioning Primo VE: Making Connections Between Resources"
  • Will discuss how to engage students in thinking critically about what is/isn't in Primo VE and how the discovery platform mirrors the structure of other databases, so that students know to look for features like "citation trails" or reviews. For the switch to Primo VE, Lindsey created a "5 Tips for Success" sheet and a 7-minute video to share.
• Caitlin Stewart and Allison Rand, Illinois State University
  [Starts at 22:00]
  "Meeting in the Middle: Creating a Socially Distanced Virtual Browsing Experience Using Primo VE and ThingLink"
  • This presentation will discuss practices for enabling users to browse for materials without physically entering the library. One method to alleviate the disconnect between library physical and virtual collections is by connecting a ThingLink virtual interactive map with the Primo VE virtual browse feature. This strategy promotes a sense of space within the library, even without being physically onsite, and fosters an immersive user experience even when access to the opportunity to browse physical materials is temporarily restricted. A pilot application of this method has recently been launched for the Teaching Materials Center at Illinois State University, as an attempt to introduce the physical collection to students in a fully virtual space.

Section Two Presenters:

• Elizabeth Kamper and Mitchell Haas, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
  [Starts at 45:12]
  "Search Everything at SIUE: A Primo VE Tutorial Video Series"
  • After the Primo VE go-live date, the Instruction Librarian at SIUE, with support from a Senior Library Specialist, created a video tutorial series about navigating the new library interface. This series, titled Search Everything @ SIUE, included five videos: The Basics, Finding Articles, Books and Media, I-Share, and Citations. These videos were embedded into research and tutorial LibGuides, used in synchronous and asynchronous library instruction, as well as utilized to facilitate quick reference interactions at our combined Circulation and Information Desk. Overall, this video series streamlined the discovery transition and provided guidance to students, faculty, and staff.
• Kimberly Shotick, Northern Illinois University
  [Starts at 56:34]
  "Flexible Instruction Modules: Lessons for the Spring"
  • The virtual environment has led to an increase in the use of library orientation learning modules in courses across different departments. These modules incorporate how-to instructions for Primo VE along with information literacy concepts. This approach has had it's challenges, as the user experience in ALMA has changed throughout the semester, but allows us to scale library instruction for students learning online.
• David Stern, Saint Xavier University
  [Starts at 1:10:22]
  "Central Index – Description of the included resources, Advanced Search Tips, and video tutorials"
  • Will discuss videos included on this page: https://lib.sxu.edu/multi