Let the right ones in: Supporting patrons as content creators with LibGuides and LibGuides CMS

Abstract

With flexible access and permission features, LibGuides and LibGuides CMS offer an adaptable platform for hosting patron-created content. This paper highlights how librarians at Georgia Southern University opened their LibGuides CMS platform to host faculty and student projects and portfolios. Employing similar techniques, libraries can host a wide range of patron-created content while protecting library-managed guides and assets, controlling access to patron-created content, and protecting patron privacy. This paper provides a detailed overview of access and permission features available in LibGuides and LibGuides CMS, presents two case studies, and offers considerations and best practices for hosting patron-created content.

Keywords:

• LibGuides
• patron-created content
• authentic learning experiences
• access
• privacy

Notes

1 Figures 4, 5, and 6 are anonymized pursuant to study-related privacy restrictions under Georgia Southern University IRB Protocol H18060, approved September 6, 2017.

2 For one of many useful definitions of Web 2.0, see https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4922/web-20. Also, for a heuristic timeline of Web 2.0, see https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/history-of-web-20.

3 Search engine indexing may be disabled for all groups and guides at the system level.

4 Authentic learning and experiences and improving digital literacy were key challenges identified in the 2018 NMC Horizon Report (Becker et al., 2018).