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Since 1997, the University of Saskatchewan Library has used “subject pages” to highlight key library resources. When Springshare announced it was launching LibGuides v2, a project team was assembled to transition a mixture of locally produced guides and guides created with the original LibGuides v1 software. This article synthesizes best practices for LibGuides found in the literature, outlines our best intentions in the migration process, and shares what actually transpired after considering factors such as technical challenges and institutional culture. We hope other academic libraries can learn from our experience and make decisions that suit their institution best. / Pre-print article

The easy-to-use tools in Springshare's LibGuides help you organize web pages, improve students' research experience and learning, and offer an online community of librarians sharing their work and ideas. Editors Dobbs, Sittler, and Cook have recruited expert contributors to address specific applications, creating a one-stop reference. Readers will be able to create subject guides that achieve the full potential of LibGuides with advice on such topics as: Learning from the best—a showcase of 28 LibGuides with exceptional design and pedagogy Collaborating with faculty to embed LibGuides in course management systems Creating a customized look to your LibGuides with design flair and enhanced functionality Getting ready for smart-phone users with a plan for the mobile web Setting up Google Analytics on a LibGuide site Teaching with LibGuides

In 2008, Sherrod Library purchased Springshare’s LibGuides to create research guides for the library’s homepage. We also created LibGuides for individual classes when we taught library instruction sessions. Several of our professors worked closely with librarians to create the LibGuides for their classes, and those guides are heavily used. Inspired by this success, we looked for other ways to use LibGuides to connect with our faculty, students, and community. Our most creative use of LibGuides happened in 2013 when several librarians approached carefully-chosen faculty with an invitation to participate in a pilot project. We chose among the professors who routinely requested library instruction sessions; seemed to be open to trying new ways to engage their students; and whose classes were small and not writing intensive. These three professors were invited to a meeting where we offered them the opportunity to replace their traditional written paper with a LibGuide assignment. We explained that students will still have to do quality research to produce a good LibGuide and suggested that there are a number of benefits from replacing a written paper with a LibGuide assignment, including: • the replacement of an assignment that students don’t look forward to writing and professors don’t look forward to grading with a more engaging assignment; • the ability to engage students by assigning a robust research project using a flexible tool that is easy to use; • the creation of an electronic resource that students can easily include in an electronic portfolio. This presentation describes the pilot project.

Magister Artium - MA / Academic libraries worldwide are using the digital content management and information sharing LibGuides as a platform to provide and promote subject or course orientated information resources, to share knowledge, to provide information literacy education, utilize the Web 2.0 features to communicate with users to support teaching, learning and research. This study explored the use of LibGuides by four departments in the Community and Health Science (CHS) Faculty at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) among students, academics and the faculty librarian. A descriptive case study research design with a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was adopted. As data gathering tools web based questionnaires, face to face interviews and system generated LibGuides page views were employed. Findings revealed that although the CHS librarian spent quality time to create LibGuides and to expose faculty members to them, only a few students and teaching staff actually used the LibGuides and that there was confusion between LibGuides and study or course guides. Those who used LibGuides, found the information resources they contained useful – especially course specific resources. Students and teaching staff being made aware of LibGuides demonstrated willingness to use them, thus librarians should deploy strategies to market, promote and educate users of LibGuides by amongst others, seeking collaboration. The impact of the study was revealed by a teaching staff embedding CHS LibGuides in e-learning courses, teaching staff introducing LibGuides during lectures and students approaching the CHS librarian for training. It is recommended that the CHS librarian incorporate suggested information resources into LibGuides, that LibGuides awareness should be raised, more training be done and that further research to explore the use and benefits of LibGuides at UWC be undertaken. It is recommended that library managers deploy strategies to reach out to faculties to enhance the use of library resources using LibGuides.

Reference librarians at East Tennessee State University's Sherrod Library identified LibGuides as an efficient way to introduce undergraduate students, particularly those in their first two years of college, to the university library. Selecting pertinent library resources based on a course syllabus and creating a LibGuide for the course provides the students with a limited number of relevant materials. Librarians and professors view the use of subject guides attached to a course management system site as an effective educational solution. Librarians facing exponentially expanding resources and first-year students who are used to turning to Google for all their information needs can utilize LibGuides to guide students toward more relevant library resources.

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Devising new ways to collaborate with faculty can be a challenge. In offering professors the opportunity to replace a written paper with a LibGuide assignment, the librarians hoped that the close working relationship necessary to ensure the success of this pilot would allow us to become actively engaged in the classroom. From the perspectives of faculty, a LibGuides assignment can represent an interesting alternative to a research paper that offers flexibility in design and content. For students, a LibGuide assignment can not only be fun but also challenging, since they will have to assess everything they put in the guide.