Successful Campus Outreach for Academic Libraries

Peggy Keeran (MLIS, MA), is a Professor and the Arts and Humanities Librarian at the University of Denver Libraries, and coordinator of the faculty advisory group to the library. She is the co-editor of the Rowman & Littlefield series Literary Research: Strategies and Sources, and has co-authored three of the volumes in the series. She has also co-edited both editions of Research within the Disciplines: Foundations for Reference and Library Instruction and co-authored “Expanding Support for Graduate Students: Library Workshops on Research Funding Opportunities.” Most recently her research interests include collaborations on instruction between Reference and Special Collections, and with her colleagues she co-authored “‘If You Want the History of a White Man, You Go to the Library:’ Critiquing Our Legacy, Addressing Our Library Collections Gaps.”Carrie Forbes (MLS, MA), Associate Professor and Associate Dean, oversees the University of Denver Libraries’ public services including research support, instruction, outreach/programming, and borrowing and lending services. She co-edited, along with Jennifer Bowers, Rethinking Reference for Academic Libraries: Innovative Developments and Future published by Roman & Littlefield in 2014. Other recent publications include a co-authored chapter in Academic Librarianship Today on reference and instruction models and a co-written article in College & Research Libraries on “Expanding Support for Graduate Students: Library Workshops on Research Funding Opportunities.” Her other research interests include critical information literacy, library assessment, and co-teaching partnerships between librarians and faculty.

• PrefaceIntroduction – Elia TrucksPart I: Strategic Vision and PlanningChapter 1: Plan, Prioritize, and Partner: A Model to Create Successful Outreach Programs and Events –Rosan MitolaChapter 2: What Else Do Librarians Know? Reconceptualizing Outreach to Partner with Teaching Faculty and Connect with Students – Rochelle SmithChapter 3: Teaching to Learn and Learning to Teach: Using Theoretical Models to Plan Outreach to Student Peer-Mentoring Programs – Courtney LundriganPart II: From Start to Finish: Developing and Implementing Successful ProgramsChapter 4: Building Boot Camp Success: Graduate Dissertation and Thesis Programs at the University of Notre Dame – Mandy L. HavertChapter 5:Money Smarts: Collaborating for Financial Literacy – Esther GilChapter 6: Library Outreach and Campus Communication Using a Digital Signage Platform: The DIVo Project – Toong Tjiek Liauw (Aditya Nugraha)Part III: Community Outreach: The Academic Library in the Community Chapter 7: Academic Libraries and STEM Outreach Programs: Connecting the Library and the Community – Naomi BishopChapter 8: Academic Library Exhibits and Programs: Outreach through Campus and Community Partnerships – Manju Prasad-RaoChapter 9: Regis University and Arrupe Jesuit High School: Information Literacy Outreach to Help Students Succeed in High School and College – Paul Mascareñas and Janet LeePart IV: Broadening Library Outreach AudiencesChapter 10: “Books are not Enough:” Engaging with Polytechnic Students – Sabrina WongChapter 11: Student Library Advisory Boards: Engaging Students in the Library Experience and Communicating the Library’s Value – Rebecca Barham, Seti Keshmiripour, Lilly Ramin, and Mary Ann VennerChapter 12: Supporting Graduate Education: Leveraging Library Workshops and Campus Partnerships – Deborah Lee

In recent years academic librarians have recognized that they can have a greater impact by connecting with new partners on campus and in the community. Editors Keeran (arts & humanities librarian, Univ. of Denver Libs.) and Forbes (associate dean, Univ. of Denver Libs.) have developed a theoretical overview of outreach and compiled a collection of case studies, mostly by academic librarians, that provide ideas and models for potential activities. Librarians are encouraged to identify service gaps and engage with campus and community colleagues to find solutions. Mandy Havert, digital research and outreach librarian at the University of Notre Dame, offers details on the well-received dissertation and thesis camp that the library cosponsors with the writing center and graduate school to help develop successful scholars. Several case studies focus on community outreach programs that include, for example, STEM programs with underrepresented populations and exhibits that highlight specific ethnic groups, such as exhibits on Islamic art and Jewish songwriters. Librarians are urged to seek opportunities to use their subject knowledge with students, faculty, and the community. VERDICT Outreach librarians will appreciate the variety of institutions represented and the scope of activities described.—Judy Solberg, Sacramento, CA