Staff Engagement with Digital Learning Objects

In November 2024, the UX Team interviewed nine library staff members to uncover their needs for Digital Learning Objects (DLOs) and to determine if the process of creating and managing DLOs is effective.

Research Questions:

• What are library staff’s current needs for DLOs?  
• What might explain the apparent disconnect between identifying DLOs as a growth area, yet few new DLOs have been proposed?
• Is the current process of creating and managing DLOs effective?  

Method:

• Interviews

What did we learn?

• Library staff do see a need for DLOs, but their understanding of the DLO process is uneven.
• Library staff are not aware of what (if any) strategy exists for DLOs at present.
• Library staff don’t have the time to make DLOs so they are unable to fulfill the expectation that this would be a growth area.
• The current process is excellent and doesn’t require any change.

Recommendations

• Staff need more dedicated time to work on DLOs, especially if this is a library priority.
• Consider providing regular updates to staff on DLOs’ usage statistics.
• Assure library staff, especially those who have not had recent experiences with creating DLOs, that the creation process has been streamlined.
• Greater communication is required on the current strategy for all digital platforms (e.g. LibGuides and the Digital Learning Commons) and how these fit in with the website’s guidelines, specifically.