James E. Shepard Memorial Library

Making the Connection with the Department of Residential Life

July 13, 2012

Presenters:

Hafsa Murad Danielle Colbert-Lewis

Goals for collaborating with Residential Life

• Make students aware of resources and services available to them at the library.

• Create relationships with departments outside of the library.

• Train students and staff on research skills for life long learning.

• Establish the concept that the library is welcoming and a “third place” on campus.

Unconventional and creative approaches are needed to reach millennial learners where they are, both physically, in terms of where reside on campus, and pedagogically, by employing innovative and engaging teaching methods

that they can appreciate and understand.(Riehle & Witt, 2009)

Strategic partnerships among librarians, residence hall staff, faculty fellows, and the students themselves led to effective and well-attended educational sessions that

were conducted in the study lounges of campus residence halls and addressed major concepts pertaining to research, information literacy, and critical thinking.

(Riehle & Witt, 2009)

Citation:Riehle, C., & Witt, M. C. (2009). Librarians in the Hall: Instructional Outreach in Campus Residences. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 16(2/3), 107-121.

Outreach Example at Purdue University:

Making the Connection Timeline: October 2011•Started with a meeting of Shepard Library and Residential Life key staff. •Library instruction session with Associate Director of Residential Life for Resident Advisor class of 46 students titled “Management Theories and Principles”.

October 2011 to January 2012•Trained over 70 Department of Residential Life Community Directors and Resident Assistants (RA).

January 2012•Met with Community Directors to kick off Spring semester.

January to April 2012•Implemented “Shepard Café” outreach program, an idea from Residential Life.

Building Relationships

Shepard Café Outreach

Training Sessions with Residential Life Staff

We covered: •How to navigate the Shepard Library website•How to use the catalog to find books, journals, DVDs, electronic resources •How to access resources off campus•How to find electronic journal articles using Journal Finder•How to find the best databases for your subject/topic/major•How to use Interlibrary Loan services•LibGuides

Shepard Library Homepage: web.nccu.edu/shepardlibrary

Reach out and touch your residence hall students

March 27, 2012 Library Research Session in Eagleson Hall, 8 students from 7-8pm

DEAL – Development for Emerging Ambassadors of Leadership, workshop in the residence halls

Leadership is in the Details: How Communication, Knowledge and Details Impact Your Leadership

Outreach in the Residence Halls Leadership Program

• Communicating is key, learning who to communicate with is important when dealing with many people.

• Stating goals and outcomes from the start is important.

• Be aware of your audience

• Specify what you want each department to provide.

• Understanding the goals of other departments is important.

• Don’t underestimate the value of feedback and assessment.

Lessons Learned from Reflecting on Experience

Future Plans

• Use assessment tool to gather concrete data and feedback

• Create more opportunities for librarians to engage resident hall students i.e. EndNote workshop in residence halls, finals preparation sessions.

• Have “sponsored by” events in the library for residence halls on campus, appealing the different populations in each hall.

• Pre-packaged Bulletin Boards displaying library resources for Resident Assistants (RAs) to use on their floor in the residence halls.

Presenters

Hafsa Murad, MS, MLSInformation Literacy Librarian

hmurad@nccu.edu

Danielle Colbert-Lewis, M.A.Ed.,MLISReference Librariandcolbert@nccu.edu

Any Questions?