Action Plan 7.1.2 Library Engagement and Outreach Working Group.
Description: The Library Engagement Working Group is an internal group that will coordinate outreach and engagement efforts across the library. It will report back to and solicit ideas from the monthly library staff meeting.
Measurable Outcomes: Identification of specific initiatives; Creation of a library event calendar; Establishment of a regular budget for outreach and engagement.
Responsibility: Working Group made up of Tom Raffensperger (Chair), Amber Monroe, Suz Tiranno, Lori Carrier, Corinne Ebbs, Andrea Puglisi, Anna Boutin-Cooper, Beth Gamble, and Oliver Zeff.
Timeline: The working group will establish a timeline for meetings and benchmarks.
Resources: Time of library staff and an established budget.
Agenda:
Assignments
Strategic Priority 5.3 Outreach and Engagement
Librarians and staff have had significant successes in outreach, with library liaisons interacting with academic departments, Librarians teaching with faculty members, Access Services programming such as Faculty Authors and Read posters, and securing additional funding for student-employee scholarships and resources. This has happened in a fragmented way, however, and the effect of these efforts could be magnified through an intentional, pro-active, and coordinated approach. This has also been true in collaborating with other departments such as the CARE Center and IT. Staff and Librarians also expressed the need to identify specific user groups and build services to meet user needs in an equitable manner, with specific attention to underserved populations. We are mindful that outreach means not only maximizing the use of library services through user education, but also listening to our users and determining their needs to inform decision-making. A Library Advisory Board could serve as a basis for in-depth and ongoing discussions of library-user needs to inform our decision-making. The revision of the General Education program creates a rare opportunity to imbed information literacy and fluency throughout the Gen Ed curriculum. Outreach in this area is critical to our instruction program. Outreach to other units is also critical for providing students with comprehensive support and ensuring the quality of the user experience in the library (see “Technology” section below). This strategic priority area is in alignment with the DHE’s Equity Agenda for closing the achievement gap and the University Strategic Plan in the areas of Student Engagement, Resources, and Campus Culture
