Academic Libraries: Community Roles &

ResponsibilitiesBrooke AndradePaul Mascareñas

Mary WalshAdams State College

April 30, 2008

Outline

• Grant overview• Mobile Learning Center (MLC)

• Laptop Loan Program (LLP)

• Partnering w/ community• Successful collaboration• Other models

Grant Overview

• Mobile Learning Center •10 Dell laptops w/

backpacks

•Community outreach through teaching and technology exposure

• Laptop Loan Program• In library-use only, for

ASC students, faculty and staff

•Stored in locked laptop cart

Grant Overview Why did we want to do this?

•Mirroring other academic libraries

•Increase our relevance to the community•ASC Mission Statement, to “…provide

educational access and opportunity for success.”

•Needed service at public libraries

•Wanted a laptop program for our library

Grant Overview Beginning the project

• Literature Review• Advantages of using a laptop computer

•93% of the country’s teenagers use the Internet (Rainie 2007)

•“…students must learn 21st-century skills, such as how to be responsible leaders in online communities, and how to construct effective digital portfolios” (Borja 2006)

Grant Overview Literature review

•Technology in rural settings• Statistics support the disparity between

rural communities and their urban counterparts in connectivity. We found that “rural Americans are lagging behind their rural competitors in Canada, Europe, and the industrial nations of Asia” (Lloyd, 2007)

Grant Overview Literature review

•Defining community:“A group of people with diverse characteristics

who are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in joint action in geographical locations or settings” (Westney 2006).

Grant Overview Community conversations

•Dialog with local librarians

•Collaboratively designed lesson plans for computer classes

Map of el Valle

Map of el Valle

Grant Overview Community needs assessment SLV community profile

•San Luis Valley Population: ~49,000

•5 County region – Alamosa County largest – has average income $15K (20% below national poverty line)

•Student demographic reflect the community demographic

•Community Partnerships program

Grant Overview

College / community profile•High rate of first generation students

•40% of high school graduates attend ASC

•Multi-generational Valley students

•20% of 1st year students are developmental learners

•ASC generates $70 million for the SLV

•Hispanic Serving Institution

Grant Overview Program implementation LLP - Allow college students, faculty, and

staff to check out laptops to use in the library

MLC – Provide information literacy sessions in public libraries & schools•Technology and information literacy skills – including:

•Microsoft Word, Basic Internet skills, Advanced Internet research, Consumer Health, Email, Microsoft Excel and more.

•Designed user guide (insert link)

Grant Overview

•Accomplishments•Created a new way to talk with the

community

•Expanded educational opportunities

•Influenced student recruitment & retention•ASC has endeavored to recruit and retain

minority students.

•From 2002 to 2005, the Hispanic graduation rate jumped from 15.5% to 51.9%.

•Increased college presence with other libraries

Grant Overview Sessions in San Luis, Ft.

Garland/Blanca, Alamosa, Conejos County & Center

Contacted other communities for future sessions: La Jara, Del Norte, South Fork, Antonito

~400 community members served

Grant Overview Helped students in a way beyond

information literacy classes in our computer lab•Used classed for advertising

Laptops usage slowly increasing•Has yet to fully take off, but suggestions were

made and we plan to make this program more aware through advertising around campus better

Over 100 hours of laptop use-not including renewals

Partnering with the Community

Conditions necessary for success•Need must exist in the community

•Community organizations must be willing to cooperate

•Resources must be available

•Administration must support the effort

Partnering with the Community

Adams State College Nielsen Library Mission Statement•“…acquire, maintain, and provide

access to print materials, electronic resources, instruction, and facilities that serve ASC students, faculty, and staff; and residents of the San Luis Valley.”

Partnering with the Community

Why partner with the community? To create a dialog with the

community.•“The perception of non-affiliated

community members is important, and it is wise for regional campus libraries to promote actively a positive image in the local community.” (Schneider 2001)

To stimulate intellectual and economic growth in the community.

Partnering with the Community

Why partner with the community?•To educate the future students of

Adams State College by providing technology and information literacy skills to teachers and parents.

Partnering with the Community

Why partner with the community?•To lure potential donors to the academic

library

•To support the institutional mission•“Participation in engagement and outreach

programs helps address community needs but also provides career development incentives.” (Malanchuck & Ochoa 2005)

Partnering with the Community

Why partner with the community?•“…engages students, faculty members,

university staff, and community partners in a process which combines community service and academic learning in order to promote civic participation, build community capacity, and enhance the educational process”

Partnering with the Community

Other models•University of Buffalo & Community Art

Gallery partnered•Library exhibits, books talks, teaching

assistant workshops, & multi-media kiosks

•ALOUD, The Academic Library Outreach Discussion Group•Literacy programs designed to “reach

beyond their academic community”

Partnering with the Community

Other models on ASC campus•Dr. John Taylor-Theater Professor applied

for a grant through Endowment of the Arts-The Big Read

•Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was the book read by the whole community, book groups were implemented, theater productions, 1st Amendment panel, guest speakers, and live telephone conference with the author.

Successful Collaboration Steps for community partnerships

1.Perform a needs assessment 2.Focused dialog with the community3.Gain support from administration4.Obtain necessary resources5.Set boundaries

ReferencesCommunity Partnerships

Borja, R. (2006). Researchers weigh benefits of one computer per lap: Studies aim to determine the impact the technology has on student learning. Education Week, 25(36), 10. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Bahr, A., & Bolton, N. (2002). Share the experience: Academic library, public library, and community partnerships. The Southeastern Librarian, 50(2), 26-32.

Fabian, C., D’Aniello, C., Tysick, C., & Morin, M. (2003). Multiple models for library outreach initiatives. The Reference Librarian, 82, 39-55.

ReferencesCommunity Partnerships

Malanchuk, I., & Ochoa, M. (2005). Academic librarians and outreach beyond the college campus. The Southeastern Librarian, 53(3), 23-29.

Schneider, T. (2001). The regional campus library and service to the public. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 27(2), 122-127.

Villano, M. (2006). Teaming up to go 1-to-1: Districts are discovering that the secret to implementing a good laptop program is finding a good partner. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons in Education), 33(14) 48-54. Retrieved from Academic OneFile database.

References Community Partnerships

Wambach, C. (2006). From revolutionary to evolutionary: 10 years of 1-to-1 computing: laptop initiatives are now a decade old. Once a point of controversy, they have become the cornerstone of every district’s technology hopes. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons in Education), 33(14), 58-60. Retrieved from Academic OneFile database.

Westney, L. (2006). Conspicuous by their absence: Academic librarians in the engaged university. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(3), 200-203.

Wojtowicz, R. (2005). Academic librarians and outreach beyond the college campus. Southeastern Librarian, 53(3), 35-36.