Open session on Library support for online learning to be held on April 30.

April 9, 2013—The Library recently formed two groups to focus on meeting the needs of HarvardX faculty and students by leveraging Harvard Library resources and expertise: the Library Online Learning Steering Committee (LOLSC) and the Library/HarvardX Core Planning Team (LibX Team).

The Library Online Learning Steering Committee, which provides guidance to the LibX Team, is a cross-organizational leadership team with the charge:

• To position, review and support the Library for success in contributing to online course development and delivery, and student learning at Harvard University
• First, to provide the knowledge and assistance needed for the LibX Team to successfully establish a sustainable library practice in open online learning
• Subsequently, to provide the knowledge and assistance needed for the Library to successfully establish a sustainable library practice in residential and extended online learning 

LOLSC members include:

Samantha Earp, Managing Director, Academic Technology Services, HUIT

Susan Fliss, Associate Librarian of Harvard College for Research, Teaching and Learning; Interim Librarian of Harvard College, FAS

Michael Hemment, Director, Information Products and Innovation, Knowledge and Library Services, HBS

Johnathan Hulbert, University Attorney, Office of the General Counsel

Mary Lee Kennedy, Senior Associate Provost for the Harvard Library (Initial Chair)

Katie Vale, Director of the Academic Technology Group, HUIT

Deb Wallace, Executive Director, Knowledge and Library Services, HBS

The LibX Team, which makes recommendations to the LOLSC, is currently focusing on identifying resources to support upcoming HarvardX courses, developing a preliminary framework for managing copyright/fair use questions related to HarvardX teaching material and reviewing a draft guide for Harvard faculty developing HarvardX courses. Upcoming projects include helping to develop a prototype library research module for HarvardX, developing an interactive website designed to help guide and coordinate library support during every stage of HarvardX course development and designing a lightweight assessment framework for gauging the quality of Harvard Library services for online instruction.

Library staff members interested in online learning are welcome to join an Open Session for the Libraries on Tuesday, April 30. Following this discussion, the LibX team plans to organize a series of open discussions on topics like finding and delivering open-access content, digitizing materials for online instruction, research services for “virtual” and non-Harvard students, etc. Ideas from these sessions will inform the ongoing LibX work. 

LibX Core Planning Team members include:

Mary Frances Angelini, Librarian, DCE

Kyle Courtney, Manager of Faculty Research and Scholarly Support, HLS

Michael Hemment, Director of Information Products & Innovation, HBS; Team Lead

Ramona Islam, Curricular Design and Research Librarian, HCL

Sue Kriegsman, Program Manager, OSC

Katie Vale, Content Development Coordinator, HarvardX

Please send any questions to Michael Hemment, LibX Team lead.