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G2S Project Code: 2019-PR-84536
State: Puerto Rico
Fiscal Year: 2019

Grantee
Biblioteca Francisco Oller - Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico

Project Director
Director Name: Estrella Vázquez
Director Phone: 787-725-8120 Ext. 321
Director Email: evazquez@biblioteca.eap.edu

General Information
Title: Inclusión de nuevas tecnologías y espacios colaborativos al proceso de aprendizaje y métodos de enseñanza en el arte
State Project Code: BIBLIO19-081
Start Date: 08/29/2019
End Date: 03/30/2021
Abstract: The library developed a work plan in order to adapt to the new needs of users who want to find in the library a comfortable place for interaction, collaboration and group study. This trend known as Learning Commons adapts to the mission, objectives and goals of the library specialized in different facets of art. This is demonstrated by the needs expressed by users who see in the transformation of spaces a transition to non-traditional learning environments and who adapt to new technological changes. With this, the library was able to expand its services to the community, sharing its resources and spaces for research, group and collaborative study and generated new spaces for individual reading and study. In the same way, collaborative environments integrate the entire population as they bring technological tools together with educational materials with the purpose of generating new learning experiences and expanding the teaching methods of teachers. In order to meet these goals, the project “Inclusion of new technologies and collaborative spaces to the learning process and teaching methods in art” was carried out to strengthen and expand library services that focused on expanding new spaces for reading and providing inclusive and educational tools that allowed increasing technological competencies and developing new information skills.

State Goal: GOAL 2: Provide, support, improve and expand library programs and services to the people of Puerto Rico

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$19,476.99

$0.00

$19,476.99

Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.
Curriculum support
Digital Literacy

Activities
Activity Details
Title: Acquisition of equipment and furniture for the group study room
Narrative:

In order to adapt to the new needs of users who want to find in the information center a comfortable place for interaction, collaboration and group study, the Library acquired equipment and furniture that provides a non-traditional learning environment and that adapts to new technological changes. In turn, the acquisition of the following inclusive and educational tools provided an increase in technological equipment that facilitates group learning and study in a collaborative environment and allows increasing technological competencies and developing of new information skills:1 computer, electronic equipment, furniture complementary to the computer equipment, cubicles for individual study and/or use of laptop and group study table.

Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Acquisition
Format: Combined physical & digital

Quantity
Number of hardware acquired: 3
Number of software acquired: 0
Number of licensed databases acquired: 1
Number of print materials (books & government documents) acquired: 0
Number of electronic materials acquired: 0
Number of audio/visual units (audio discs, talking books, other recordings) acquired: 0

Partner Information

Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No

Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
For what age groups: 18-25 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: Yes: Academic and student community

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Biblioteca Francisco Oller - Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico
Address: Calle Beneficiencia, Viejo San Juan
City: San Juan
State: PR
Zip: 00902-1112

Activity Details
Title: Group Study Room Orientation
Narrative:

This activity was aimed at promoting the new services of the library in order to show users a new and comfortable place for interaction, collaboration and group study. The general rules of use, expansion of its services to the community, presentation of its resources and spaces for research, group or individual and collaborative study that promotes a space for reading in order to adapt to the mission, objectives and goals of the specialized library in different facets of art were presented.

Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: In-person

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 30
Number of presentations/performances administered: 1
Average number in attendance per session: 5

Partner Information

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
For what age groups: 18-25 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: Yes: Academic and student community

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Biblioteca Francisco Oller - Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico
Address: Calle Beneficiencia, Viejo San Juan
City: San Juan
State: PR
Zip: 00902-1112

Activity Details
Title: Guidance on Resources and Services of the Francisco Oller Library
Narrative:

Coordinated virtual orientation for three groups from thePainting Department; this orientation was requested by their professor so that thestudents could learn about the resources, services and new learning spaces thatcan be integrated into the different facets of art. The purpose of thisactivity was to demonstrate how the Library has managed to integratetechnological equipment and inclusive and educational tools that allowincreasing technological competencies and developing of new information skills.

Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: Virtual

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 60
Number of presentations/performances administered: 3
Average number in attendance per session: 7

Partner Information

Activity Details
Title: Presentation and Tutorial on Use, Resources and Services of the Group Study Room of the Francisco Oller Library
Narrative: The Library staff recorded two videos that were uploaded on the YouTube channel of the School of Plastic Arts and Design of Puerto Rico and the library tab within the educational institution's page. The presentation serves as a means of promoting the new services and resources of the group study room and as a virtual platform that gives IMLS credit for the grant that made possible the Francisco Oller Library project. On the other hand, the tutorials offers a visual and narrative guide, in order to train the university community on the use of the interactive whiteboard, projector and computer to facilitate classroom learning, increase technology skills and mastery of information skills. The tutorial covers the basic functions and general and advanced aspects of Notebook.

The activity served as the basis for modeling the use and management of the smart board following different information needs that could be presented by the faculty and the students when constructing lessons or doing reviews, drawings or demonstrations using the smart board and the Notebook program. Therefore, these virtual media serve as online tools to increase mastery of technology skills in the use of computers, technological and audiovisual equipment and mastery of technological skills for educational and recreational uses.

Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: Virtual

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 21
Number of presentations/performances administered: 2
Average number in attendance per session: 14

Partner Information

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: For what age groups: 18-25 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: Yes: Academic and student community

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Biblioteca Francisco Oller - Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico
Address: Calle Beneficiencia, Viejo San Juan
City: San Juan
State: PR
Zip: 00902-1112

Activity Details
Title: Interactive Solutions for Classrooms with Smart Boards
Narrative:

This activity was directed and focused for the library workforce in order to train staff in the use of the interactive whiteboard to facilitate classroom instruction, increase technology skills and mastery of library information skills. It was composed of two parts: First part (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) focused on the installation and Basic Notebook functions and Part Two: (1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.) focused on general and advanced aspects of Notebook. The activity served as a basis to provide and offer advice to teachers in the use and management of Notebook 18.0, serve as a facilitator to model the use and management of the smart board and investigate and analyze future needs that could be identified in the faculty at the time of building lessons using the smart board and the Notebook program.

Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: Virtual

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 360
Number of presentations/performances administered: 2
Average number in attendance per session: 14

Partner Information

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Biblioteca Francisco Oller - Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico
Address: Calle Beneficiencia, Viejo San Juan
City: San Juan
State: PR
Zip: 00902-1112

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
The Library workforce was able to see the weaknesses of the work plan to promote the project. The Library staff was able to develop an alternative plan for the creation of new virtual services. Precisely, the digital whiteboard allowed the library's workforce to create a space to discuss, analyze and provide feedback immediately to know if its users understand the material being discussed. The technological equipment acquired through the project allows the visualization of ideas that is essential for a library specialized in art, collaboration with remote teams from anywhere and generating content to share. The evaluation of library services, as well as the tutorials, were integrated into the new virtual scenarios for the first time as part of the future benefits that the library should reinforce.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
The results or findings found will make it easier for the Library to expand its virtual services as part of its service plan. This plan focuses not only on the library's workforce so that they are trained in novel techniques to develop develop orientations or virtual workshops and thus increase the technological skills of the students, it also focuses on raising awareness of the multiple alternatives the audiovisual equipment (that the faculty does not have available in their homes) offers and that it could facilitate teaching as a plan B in an emergency similar to that experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
The most significant lesson learned in the execution of this project is the need to create new trainings that promote in the faculty the possibilities presented by the inclusion of physical spaces for collaborative study in educational environments in distance education. Although the original plan of the project was focused on the creation of a group study room so that both teachers and students could physically meet in collaborative spaces that facilitate teaching and learning, the creation of virtual activities so that teachers could explore the possibilities of offering a virtual class from physical spaces of the library was not contemplated. Therefore, another great lesson derived from this process is having discovered other information needs that deserve to be addressed in order to expand the services of the library. In other words, it is essential to contemplate the expansion of virtual services as part of the library's collaborative environments, even when it is to promote physical spaces for active collaborative learning. To run a project that involves the concept of Learning Commons, the promotion of virtual services should also be considered to face extreme circumstances so that the attendance and participation of users is not affected. This lesson deserves to be explored as a measure to expand this project and thus be able to offer other virtual and dynamic learning platforms through new virtual workshops and tutorials as part of the information skills that every library must take into account to face a lock-down by an emergency.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
Yes
Explain:
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the results and expectations of the project, but, above all, the assistance of users to the library. Past disasters or emergencies such as Hurricane María or earthquakes caused users to get used to the library being closed. The current physical lock-down of the library because of the health emergency caused students to get used to satisfying their information needs mainly through searching in the Internet. Since our project was aimed at the in-person use of a group study room, it is necessary to increase the number of face-to-face activities that are planned to be offered during the new school year in order to promote the services and equipment the library has. The virtual activities did not generate the interest that was expected, since the utility of the room was focused in the use that students and teachers could give it physically; a detail that was brought up by those surveyed before starting the project. Consequently, the library needs to develop attractive orientations and trainings that generate interest in the faculty and students in the virtual alternatives of the different platforms that can facilitate learning beyond a collaborative physical study space. A continuation project with the help of LSTA funds would help address this need to approach library users and show them that the library evolves according to the new technological needs that arise. Awareness of physical scenarios that could facilitate virtual teaching needs should be promoted among the faculty. Precisely, this would entail a greater effort to plan both physical and virtual orientations focused on this specific population.
Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
Yes
Explain:
Include other activities, such as lending of audiovisual equipment as a measure to evaluate its circulation and thus increase the attendance of library users again.
Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:

Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative

Project Tags: Learning environments, collaborative study, new teaching/learning experience