The Neil Hellman Library
Strategic Plan, 2011 - 2016
I. 2011 – 2016 Strategic Plan:
Overview: Building Library Value Within the Institutional Context
This strategic planning process, at its most fundamental level, should help the library[1] answer these questions:
How does the library help to advance the mission of the College? How can the library better help the College advance its mission over the next five years?
As such, this plan seeks to identify and build strategies that enhance the value of the library within the larger institutional (College-level) context. Any planning that is done without keeping this context firmly in mind is likely to be incomplete and lacking in the proper justification.
As detailed in Section III (Process Overview), library staff engaged in regular strategic planning over the period September 2010 – May 2011. This planning process included a comprehensive internal look at the library’s operation; a study of the larger environments of higher education, academic libraries, and technology; and an ongoing effort to integrate the future strategic efforts of the library with those of the College. As a result of these efforts, the planning team identified three major themes that unite many of the streams of discussion and allow for a more unified approach to strategic planning. These major themes are:
Change
The library must be ready to reposition, redesign, and rethink. From the shape of collections, to the work of staff, to its physical and virtual presence – the library must be fully invested in Ranganathan’s[2] fifth law (“the library is a growing organism”).
Outreach
To be an effective partner in fulfilling the College’s goals, the library must become more active and be more proactive in seeking opportunities to influence College-level planning and in partnering with groups and individuals across campus and the larger community to fully utilize the library and its resources.
Communication and Promotion
Internal planning and improvements to library collections and services are not by themselves sufficient to make the library fully relevant to its users. A comprehensive strategy must be developed and implemented that will result in ongoing and multifaceted efforts to reach out and connect with potential users.
II. Review of Mission*
Before developing goals and objectives that would direct library planning over the next five years, the Library strategic planning team felt it was important to review the library’s mission statement with the following goals: 1) determine if the mission statement is properly aligned with the mission statement of the College; 2) establish points within the College’s mission statement that provide a direct connection to the work of the library; 3) critique the current Library mission statement for freshness and appropriate breadth; 4) if appropriate develop a new mission statement in advance of the development of goals and objectives for the new strategic plan.
Mission of the College of Saint Rose Libraries (est. 2002)
The Neil Hellman Library and the Patricia Standish Education & Curriculum Library provide facilities, staff, services, and collections that support the mission of The College and help fulfill the academic vision. As an integral part of Academic Affairs, the libraries participate in creating an academic experience for students that includes the use of information resources to assist in the development of professional competence, personal knowledge, and information literacy; and to instill in students an appreciation for the lifelong pursuit of learning.
The strategic planning team determined that a new mission statement was necessary. We agreed that our mission statement should capture the essence of our core values, be meaningful to all, and reflect how those values are integrated in all library services and functions while reflecting the greater goals of the College. To this end, we recognized that a succinct statement could do this and more. The ability to easily include a mission statement in all communication vehicles and branding opportunities will not only educate others to our mission, but always keep the mission in our focus when designing and delivering instruction and services to others.
Therefore, the revised mission statement of the libraries is:
We empower curious minds
* The Saint Rose Archives is housed in the Neil Hellman Library and is dedicated to supporting the libraries' mission. In addition, the Archives holds its own mission:
"The College of Saint Rose Archives and Special Collections appraises, collects, describes, preserves, and makes available the non-current, official records of the College and materials by and about persons affiliated with the College which have legal, administrative, or historical value."
III. Process Overview
September 2010
v Librarians Planning Group developed weekly schedule for fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters devoted to strategic planning.
v Reviewed current strategic plan and identified elements that should be carried into the next plan.
v Participated in first of series of video teleconferences titled “Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve 2011.” September teleconference was “Libraries & the Mobile Technology Landscape”
v Developed a Blackboard community site to house all planning documents and be available to all library staff and others, as appropriate.
October 2010
v SWOT Analysis
v Began to solicit student feedback through the use of notepads in the library asking for student input on strengths and weaknesses of both the main and curriculum libraries.
November 2010
v Held full library staff meeting and ran a modified SWOT analysis with this group.
v Second teleconference in the “Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve 2011” series, “Redesigning Today’s Public Services: Reference.”
December 2010
v Departmental presentations and topical discussions.
January 2011
v Departmental presentations and topical discussions.
February 2011
v Departmental presentations and topical discussions.
March 2011
v Review of Mission.
v Discussion of Themes.
April 2011
v Third teleconference in the “Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve 2011” series, “Cataloging: New Perspectives.”
v Creation of goals and tasks.
v Review copy of strategic plan.
May 2011
v Staff meeting to review plan and solicit final input.
v Final copy of plan.
June 2011
v Creation of operational plan, FY12.
IV. Identifying Value
The key to the success of the library’s strategic plan lies in how well we translate our understanding of library value to the College into tangible goals and objectives. It thus becomes incumbent on the planning team to identify and better understand those areas where the library adds value to the larger enterprise of the College. Below are six expressions of library value that represent key areas in which the library helps the College advance its mission.
Library Value: Librarians are Uniquely Positioned to Serve as Educators for All Students
Through library instruction, reference service, and individual mentoring, librarians teach critical information literacy skills to students. By working with students as they search for and discover resources, librarians help build critical thinking skills in students within the context of the research process.
Connections to College’s Strategic Plan
v Theme 2: Program Development
v Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs…
v Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Library Value: Library Staff Improve Student Retention and Support Teaching and Learning Across Campus
One of the strongest values provided by the library is its staff. Tireless advocates for the College’s students, librarians and paraprofessional staff offer expertise and a caring ethos to all physical and virtual users of the library and its services. The staff positively impact teaching and learning activities across the curriculum, as well as creating a support system outside of the classroom that positively impacts retention.
Connections to College’s Strategic Plan
v Theme 2: Program Development
v Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs…
v Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Library Value: The Library builds and preserves a printed collection of materials that will continue to hold value even as information continues to move into networked and electronic formats.
The Library is uniquely positioned to maintain and build a print collection that represents nearly a century of effort and that will hold both historical and ongoing value.
Connections to College’s Strategic Plan
v Theme 2: Program Development
v Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs…
v Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Library Value: The Library is the Primary Provider of Resources in Support of Academic Programs
The library selects, purchases, catalogs, and holds physical collections that include books, journals, films, recorded music, standardized tests, educational kits and other materials. It also devotes an increasingly larger portion of its materials budget to the purchase and lease of online content, including e-books, online journals, streaming music and streaming video.
Connections to College’s Strategic Plan
v Theme 2: Program Development
v Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs…
Library Value: Library Systems Facilitate Access to Students Remotely and Supports Distance Learning
Through its web site, online catalog, electronic subscriptions and purchases, text-message and email reference service, and its web-based interlibrary loan service, library resources and services are available to students 24/7.
Connections to College’s Strategic Plan
v Theme 2: Program Development
v Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs…
v Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Library Value: The Library is the Primary Neutral Space on Campus for Students
The library serves as the primary “neutral” space on campus for students to conduct research, meet in groups, study quietly, or engage information sources for personal enjoyment. Studies indicate that the academic library ranks second in importance to prospective students in selecting colleges[3].
Connections to College’s Strategic Plan
v Theme 1: Community Building
v Theme 2: Program Development
v Theme 3: Realizing Enrollment Potential
v Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs…
v Goal 6: Promote an exemplary academic and social experience by the continued enhancement of the campus’ physical environment.
v Goal 7: Diversify, expand, and prudently manage the shape of enrollment…
V. Creating Value: Goals and Objectives
The Library clearly has a wide range of ongoing goals that help sustain the operation and address core and continuing collections and services. While some of these continuing, operational goals appear below, the focus of the goals presented in this section is on key strategic initiatives that will help steer the library through a rapidly changing environment, characterized by a new relationship between library users and the library collections and services.
These goals have been created and are structured around three completed planning processes:
· The Strategic Plan of The College of Saint Rose, 2010-2015
· Major themes identified during the 2010-2011 library planning discussions
· Expressions of library value, as outlined above
Goal One
Develop internal strategies to better understand the library’s users; and rethink and redesign -- where appropriate -- collections, services and facilities to best meet the needs of actual and potential users.
Connection to College’s Goals
Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs to further distinguish The College of Saint Rose as one of the region’s outstanding Liberal Arts and Sciences colleges with widely recognized professional programs.
Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Goal 6: Promote an exemplary academic and social experience by the continued enhancement of the campus’ physical environment.
Major Planning Theme Addressed
The library must be ready to reposition, redesign, and rethink. From the shape of collections, to the work of staff, to its physical and virtual presence – the library must be fully invested in Ranganathan’s fifth law (“the library is a growing organism”).
Implicit Library Values
v Primary Provider of Resources in Support of Academic Programs
v Library Systems Facilitate Access to Students Remotely and Supports Distance Learning
v Primary Neutral Space on Campus for Students
Tasks
v Form task force to recommend strategies that can help develop a better understanding of the needs of library users and potential library users.
v Develop a coordinated effort to implement video in library instruction and library promotion.
v Regularly test new technologies to better understand the various tools patrons use to interact with library systems.
v Create and implement an action plan for patron driven acquisitions.
v Develop a method for providing information on new materials via the web site or catalog.
Goal Two
Coordinate and expand collaborative and outreach efforts both across campus and into the larger community to provide a stronger library voice in campus-level planning and to better position the library to assist in fulfilling the College’s strategic initiatives.
Connection to College’s Goals
Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs to further distinguish The College of Saint Rose as one of the region’s outstanding Liberal Arts and Sciences colleges with widely recognized professional programs.
Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Goal 3: The College will continue to live its Mission and heritage by being a vitally engaged urban campus.
Major Planning Theme Addressed
To be an effective partner in fulfilling the College’s goals, the library must become more active and be more proactive in seeking opportunities to influence College-level planning and in partnering with groups and individuals across campus and the larger community to fully utilize the library and its resources.
Implicit Library Values
v Library Systems Facilitate Access to Students Remotely and Supports Distance Learning
v Librarians Support Teaching and Learning Across Campus
Tasks
v Create an internal survey of current collaborative and outreach activities.
v Identify additional individuals and groups that would be natural partners for the library.
v Develop an outreach program with identified individuals and groups.
v Identify specific initiatives that will benefit from interdepartmental collaboration (e.g., partner with The Office of Diversity to better realize the College’s Goal 5 objective of recruiting and retaining a more diverse workforce).
Goal Three
Enhance communication and promotional efforts to all potential library users and improve interlibrary communication among staff and between library departments.
Connection to College’s Goals
Goal 1: Expand, enhance and create high quality academic practices and programs to further distinguish The College of Saint Rose as one of the region’s outstanding Liberal Arts and Sciences colleges with widely recognized professional programs.
Goal 2: Create, expand and enhance high quality student services that support students’ academic achievement and lifelong development.
Major Planning Theme Addressed
Internal planning and service/collections-improvement are not by themselves sufficient to make the library fully relevant to its users. A comprehensive strategy must be developed and implemented that will result in ongoing and multifaceted efforts to reach out and connect with potential users.
Implicit Library Values
v Library Systems Facilitate Access to Students Remotely and Supports Distance Learning
v Librarians Support Teaching and Learning Across Campus
Tasks
v Establish a planning group to develop communication and promotional strategies for the library.
v Develop a plan for placing library branding in all appropriate virtual locations.
v Enhance the web site with an additional focus on promotion and regular communication with users.
v Plan for and develop physical and digital signage as a promotional and communication tool.
v Develop a more robust schedule of meetings for full staff participation in planning and develop strategies that will improve communication among library departments and across all staff.
Appendix 1
Operating Assumptions
A. Internal Assumptions
1. The library’s planning process seeks to link its work – and its priorities and objectives – directly to the mission and strategic plan of the College. (See Overview, p.3)
2. To better connect with the College’s priorities and to provide library input into College-level planning, librarians and library staff will need to seek increased representation on institutional planning groups.
3. Academic and recreational content will increasingly be accessible in networked environments. The demand for computers/technology within the library will continue to increase.
4. Faculty librarians will continue to serve a unique and important role in the education of our students.
5. We anticipate the level of use of the Curriculum Library (CL) to increase due to several factors: continued promotion by School of Education fulltime faculty and adjuncts, services provided by CL librarians and staff tailored to the needs of students, a strong collection that is shaped by the Curriculum Library Director in conjunction with faculty in the School of Education, and a steady/increasing enrollment in the School of Education (more transfer students, graduate students, and students preferring “immediate career gratification from the investment of college.”)
6. The Curriculum Library will continue to be challenged by the space limitations of its facility.
7. Increased emphasis on service learning within the Saint Rose community may increase community use of the Saint Rose libraries by the larger community (both individuals and organizations).
8. The majority of school districts will continue to deal with budget shortfalls and be challenged to provide state-of-the-art resource for teachers and students. To support the College’s teacher training programs, the Curriculum Library will need to continue to build and maintain a collection that is primarily printed books and other physical resources.
B. External Assumptions
1. The needs, habits, and preferences of students will continue to evolve and their relationship with the physical and virtual library will continue to challenge planners to design spaces and systems to satisfy their users’ demands.
2. The use of print resources will continue to experience a significant decline over this planning period and new technologies to support online access (including mobile access) to information resources will continue to be introduced and adopted by students.
3. Students will be more dependent on hand held devices and libraries will need to devote more staff and budget resources to supporting access via these devices.
4. The information needs of students will continue to reflect and parallel the needs of scholars and professionals in the many disciplines of study.
5. Students will increasingly obtain information through various audio and visual media, and will create projects in multiple media.
6. Students coming to campuses are now “digital natives.” They will have been immersed in networked technologies from their formative years, and they are not as likely to turn to print resources, even when these will be the most appropriate resources for a particular need. They will often use tools such as Google as the first resource sought when conducting research. It is important for libraries to structure systems and tools to help drive traffic from Google, and the open web in general, toward institutional resources where appropriate.
7. Students will continue to use the physical library for a variety of reasons. These uses, which may hold conflicting needs, will require thoughtful layout and design to deal with issues such as continued need for quiet space, need for groups to meet and talk, need for space that facilitates the use of technology.
8. Students will need increasing support in evaluating resources that are available through the libraries, the Web, and electronic resources.
9. Economic and social trends will likely make demands on students to work while attending college. Convenient online access to library resources and flexible hours of libraries will be important to this group of students.
A recent OECD report, The Evolution of News and the Internet, makes the picture clear.[*] Between 2004 and 2009, the US newspaper industry lost 34 per cent of its readers;
C. The Neil Hellman Library Facility
In developing a strategic plan for the Saint Rose libraries, the condition of the Neil Hellman Library presents a significant challenge to success. Over the current planning period, the main library has become the source of regular complaints from both students and staff. These complaints stem from both the College’s decision to defer maintenance in the building in favor of a larger renovation project and the design of the building itself, which predates the idea of technology in higher education and which works against the ways students work in libraries today.
Student complaints about the facility (and the closing time, which is at least partially a facilities issue) dominate student responses to surveys and attempts for constructive feedback on a broader range of planning issues.
The condition of the facility limits the scope of this strategic plan. Certainly, our approach is to work with the facility that we have and to build upon its strengths and work around its weaknesses. Given the history of the planning for renovation, the current economic climate and that predicted for the next five years, and the certainty that renovation will not happen in the next three years, we have attempted in this plan to develop a number of facilities-specific recommendations that include significant budget components.
As much as possible, we have sought to highlight plans whose costs will not be stranded when the library is renovated. In this sense, the costs can be seen as being stretched over a number of years, lessening some of the hit that will come with renovation.
Possible plans to include:
Ø Furniture, including smarter layout to accommodate various needs (quiet study, group study, computer use)
Ø Computers and other technologies
Ø Service desk areas
Ø Repurpose of reference room
Additional assumptions have been mentioned by the planning team, but additional research and discussion is needed before including on the above lists:
v Impact of teaching/learning efforts of librarians on academic success and retention.
v Pricing trends of print and online resources.
v Trends, merits, disadvantages regarding bundled resource packages (ebooks, ejournals) v. title-level purchasing.
v Trends in user-initiated purchase models/systems.
Changes in higher education will require that librarians possess diverse skill sets. As technological changes continue to impact not only the way libraries are used but also the nature of collections, librarians need to broaden their portfolio of skills to provide services to users. Academic librarians will need ongoing formal training to continue in the profession. We may see an increasing number of non-MLS professionals in academic libraries with the skills needed to work in this changing environment. Graduate LIS programs and professional organizations will be challenged to provide new and relevant professional development while individual librarians and their institutions will struggle to fund such development. The profession may need to consider whether the terminal degree required for librarians should be changed or broadened.
A recent OCLC report calls for academic libraries to “reassess all library job descriptions and qualifications to ensure that training and hiring encompass the skills, education, and experience needed to support new modes of research.”5 The impending retirement of many library directors will also create changes. Are associate deans/directors ready for new roles? What about the middle managers who might step into higher-level administrative roles? Leadership training and mentoring, both formal and informal, are critical to a smooth transition. Survey respondents fear that positions will be eliminated as individuals retire and that widespread retirements will result in a leadership gap and loss of institutional memory. They also worry that older librarians are delaying retirement for economic reasons, thereby reducing opportunities for newer librarians.
http://crln.acrl.org/content/71/6/286.full
ACRL: Top Ten Trends in Academic Libraries
Appendix 2
Over three meetings in October/November, 2010 the Library Strategic Planning Team engaged in SWOT analysis. Below are bulleted lists of the items uncovered through this process:
Strengths
❖ There is a librarian at the reference desk during
all open hours
❖ Quality of reference service
❖ One-on-one appointments
❖ Friendly staff
❖ Individualized tours
❖ Archives
❖ Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery
Service
❖ Curriculum Library resources
❖ Low turnover of staff
❖ Staff/work-study students become staff or
go on to become librarians
❖ Good relationships with faculty
❖ Laptop program
❖ Physical location on campus
|
Weaknesses
❖ Communication with faculty
❖ Faculty input on acquisitions
❖ Students want more open hours
❖ Facilities
❖ Security
❖ Communication with administrative offices
❖ Adequate space at the Curriculum Library for staff and
materials
❖ Laptop program
❖ Technology - more computers are needed
❖ IT support at point of need
❖ Marketing our services
❖ Internal communication (within the library)
❖ Size of cataloging backlog
❖ Lack of institutional support*
❖ Lack of alignment with support service hours and our
hours
❖ Signage
❖ 24/7 space
❖ Print collection
❖ Unused print reference collection
❖ Lack of workshop/library instruction space at the
Curriculum Library
❖ Lack of group study space
❖ Inadequate silent study space
❖ Curriculum Library - too much reliance on workstudy
students, need permanent staff
❖ Age of print collection
❖ We don't market ourselves well
|
Opportunities
❖ Package deals for online resources
❖ Collaboration with faculty
❖ Technology (mobile computing, discovery
services)
❖ There is lots of room from improvement
(facilities, collection)
❖ Involve students with collection development
via Interlibrary Loan
❖ Move toward an information commons
❖ Meeting space potential
❖ Use Blackboard and MediaSite
❖ Resources for distance learners
❖ Personal website editor
❖ Professional development funds -- report on
events we have attended
❖ Perceived as a good meeting spot
❖ Data collection and reporting
❖ Impact to enrollment and retention
❖ Make connections between us and the college
❖ Faculty training lab workshops
❖ IDS project to improve Interlibrary Loan
❖ Change processes
❖ Change responsibilities
❖ Grants/funding
❖ Library Instruction evaluation by students
❖ Collaborate with Institutional Research and
other departments
❖ Preserve tradition
|
Threats
❖ Perception of library by administration
❖ Workstudy funding
❖ Facilities
❖ Demographic trends and reliance on tuition
❖ Rising cost of resources
❖ Lack of money to improve print collection
❖ Internet - google, wikipedia
❖ Our role can be invisible online
❖ Complexity of technology and integration of resources
❖ Copyright
❖ Student learning styles are different today
❖ Security
❖ Books are disappearing off the shelves (theft?)
❖ Resistance to change
❖ Ebook readers
❖ Expectations we cannot meet (staffing, resources,
textbooks)
❖ Budget crisis in state/federal governments
❖ End of education gravy train (college education doesn't
guarantee employment)
❖ Perceived value of a liberal arts education
❖ Student time is limited -- work fulltime, etc.
❖ Caliber of high school graduates seems lower
❖ Federal regulations
❖ Decline of neighborhood
|
Appendix 3
On November 2, 2010, a library staff meeting was held to get broader input into the SWOT analysis begun by planning team. Toward that end, four questions were presented to staff. They were split into four groups to discuss the questions, and then everyone came together to summarize and present their thoughts. Below is a listing of the responses to these questions:
1. What are the best things about the library? Include thoughts on both the NHL and the CL, but please
indicate which your answers refer to.
2. What really needs improvement and/or change?
3. What are three things that you would recommend the library do if money were no object.
4. What worries or fears do you have regarding the future of the library?
Ql: Best Things
Neil Hellman Library
❖ Staff are friendly and available throughout the day
❖ Interlibrary loan
❖ Reference service
❖ Document delivery service
❖ Presence of Christine Paige and her lab in the library
❖ Study Rooms on 3rd floor
❖ Reading Room
❖ BI Room with SmartBoard
❖ Communication
❖ Selection of online databases
❖ Reference staff available all open hours
❖ Physical location on campus
❖ Window in reference room
Curriculum Library
❖ Resources
❖ Tours tailored to courses
❖ Location
❖ Staff
Q2: Needs Improvement
Neil Hellman Library
❖ HVAC
❖ Bathrooms
❖ Facility in general
❖ Book collection out of date
❖ Journal collection
❖ Communication between library groups/teams (e.g. communicate to everyone pertinent discussions at librarians
meetings)
❖ Computers for students
❖ Faculty input into collection development
❖ Security presence lacking
❖ ITS presence lacking
❖ Furniture
❖ Circulation Area
❖ Communication with other college departments
❖ Music scores need to be cataloged
❖ Materials needed for new programs
❖ Study space for groups
❖ Instruction Room
Q3: Recommendations
Neil Hellman Library
❖ New building
❖ Music library materials should be cataloged
❖ Increase size of collection (books, electronic resources, streaming videos)
❖ ITS help desk presence
❖ Tunnels
❖ Longer hours/more staff
❖ Portable ebook readers/iPads
❖ Refurbish marble stairs
❖ Replace floor and ceiling tiles
❖ Reach out to community (seminars, workshops)
❖ Better security presence
Curriculum Library
❖ Add to Touhey collection
Q4: Worries/Fears
Neil Hellman Library
❖ Signage inside library is nonexistent
❖ Renovation will never happen
❖ Falling behind in areas such as social networking
❖ Respect of the library across campus is low
❖ Work study money may decrease or disappear
❖ Budget cuts
❖ Needs of library change
❖ Preparation for disasters
❖ Staff turnover
❖ Perception that Google making library irrelevant
❖ Enrollment will fall
❖ Students use of digital resources leading to under-appreciation/lack of knowledge regarding older print resources
Appendix 4
In October and November, 2010 easels with poster-size paper were placed in public areas of the Neil Hellman Library and the Patricia Standish Curriculum Library. Students were asked to respond in two columns to these questions:
v What do you like best about the library?
v What needs improvement?
What do you like best about the library?
v Everything you need is easily accessible
v Multiple ways to contact a reference librarian with questions (i.e. in person, phone, text, e-mail)
v Printers actually work
v Really good movie selection
v The staff
v Neil Hellman
v ILL
v Study rooms available
v Quiet basement
v The writing on the basement desks
v Gilligan’s signs
v Everything
v Staff
v The staff are very helpful and pleasant. They are always willing to give a hand when needed or answer questions
v Everything
v The smell of the library makes me go to sleep
What needs improvement?
v People need to get off Facebook when others are waiting for a computer
v Working laptops
v No more laptops, desktops instead (x2)
v New desk chairs (x2)
v Book selection is really lacking, did you know there’s only one copy of 1984?
v Need more movies
v Books that are not being used, get rid of them, then put in new ones
v Bathrooms smell funky
v More high-tech
v Repaint
v Security cameras
v Security with random people coming in, things getting stolen
v Do not have TVs in every study room
v Newer books! It’s sad that some are copywrited [sic] 1800’s
v Its too freakin HOT in here
v TOO HOT Get air!!
v 24 hours! I don’t just stop doing work at 11 p.m.
v More outlets at tables and desks
v Allow food
v Macs please
v Turn off lights at night to save energy
v It needs to be painted
v Need later hours
v Later hours [someone added YES!!]
v Space computers out around the reference desk so we are not on top of each other
v Later hours
v Books, new books
v More computers
v Vending machines, water, bottled beverages
v More couches and chairs for reading
v New headphones
v Later hours
v Later hours
v Is it me or does the basement smell funky? [someone added “it’s food leftovers in the garbage cans”]
v New sharpies
v The bathroom on the 3rd floor needs to be less creepy [YES!]
v It is much too warm [YES!]
v Girls’ bathroom [YES!]
v Later hours!!!
v Needs books/resources
v Need a new library—too hot, too old
v Seriously though—later hours
v Really………….the hours
v You need a chess board
v The only 1 dude bathroom
v Books that are updated & bathrooms that aren’t so gross
v More DVDs
v No NEED for later hours, 11 is more then enough…If anything maybe 9:30 p.m. [someone crossed this comment out]
v Yes, needs improvement, everything needs it
v Get more computers
v More comfortable chairs in study area [Really!!]
v Graphic novel selection
v I agree with the needing of more computers x2000
v We wouldn’t need more computers (raising tuition) if people would let those needing to do papers and assignments first, as opposed to surfing their Facebook pages. As if….
v Needs new furniture
v Needs to be much quieter [Hmm, maybe group study areas that are separate from individual study areas?]
v Nothing—it’s Love
v It’s hot
v The Third Floor quiet policy is rarely enforced, unfair to people trying to do their work in peace
v More computers
v Later closing time (please) [Agreed]
v Everything
v I vote no more bells, I can tell time.
v Quieter stapler
Appendix 5
College of Saint Rose Liberal Education Goals Statement
Education liberates the mind, freeing it from the constraints of unexamined convention and habit. Our faculty envisions a liberating education that develops students' skills, knowledge, and perspectives in many contexts, empowering them to critically evaluate and appreciate the full range of human experience.
The program of liberal education at The College of Saint Rose is intended to achieve this goal through a broad introduction to knowledge and ways of thinking in the arts, humanities, behavioral and physical sciences and mathematics. Students work individually and collaboratively to achieve proficiency in written and oral communication, critical thinking, and information literacy in challenging courses that involve problem-based inquiry and analysis of diverse points of view. Our students learn how to be environmentally knowledgeable and socially responsible citizens who make ethical decisions based on mutual respect. Students gain a global perspective through knowledge of other cultures and engagement with the diversity in our own society, including our local urban community. We envision that this process will lead our students to integrate their learning and reflect on how their liberal education enriches their lives and enhances their role in society.
Approved by the Faculty, January 31, 2008
Appendix 6
Participants’ Notes from May 26, 2011 Staff Meeting
At this meeting, staff were broken into three groups and asked to identify tasks that can help support one of the strategic plan’s goals. Below are notes provided by participants after this meeting.
Goal One: Develop internal strategies to better understand the library’s users; and rethink and redesign -- where appropriate -- collections, services and facilities to best meet the needs of actual and potential users.
The Curriculum Library is forever expanding, but we have limited space. We move collections constantly in addition to keeping some materials in storage. We need more space – specifically more shelving units to keep our materials together for the patrons. We know this can’t be immediate because we need money for it, but it is something to consider as we move forward.
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24x7 space
Tech support
More attention to Facebook page
Surveys using Campus Guides to better understand what students want
Comprehensive study of circulation of books, print journals, reference traffic
Re-tool liaison program
Use display cases and vestibule area to promote library services
Signage
Chronicle
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Encourage feedback
Find fun, creative ways to reach students
Reach out to new faculty
Be open to parents’ feedback
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Goal Two: Coordinate and expand collaborative and outreach efforts both across campus and into the larger community to provide a stronger library voice in campus-level planning and to better position the library to assist in fulfilling the College’s strategic initiatives.
Some decisions (Glyph, Userwood) are made at a level that we are not given access to. To petition for inclusion is a good idea – but if our request for inclusion is ignored, it’s hard to think of how we can create tasks to change that?
Having a librarian as a member of UAC and GAC is helpful, especially when thinking of academic issues (such as planning for new academic programs).
Friends group?
Promote Luna to all departments – not just Art Department.
Use Voyager to catalog collections of professors/departments.
Use Campus Guides to partner with Learning Center or Career Center.
Partner with public libraries in area and supports (Irish American Library)
Chronicle (student newspaper)… paid ads.
Freshman orientation/transfer advisement day.
Open forum for students.
How to connect with Public Relations?
On demand reference.
Archives/Institutional Repository/Admissions/Res Life.
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Embedded librarians – staff time, outreach to faculty and students.
Web 2.0 – wiki, blogs, Facebook – staff time.
Increased participation in college activities (groups and committees)
Expanding catalog to include smaller collections (i.e., Career Center books)
More input from students – faculty (focus groups, surveys – participation with school and department meetings)
PR – Luna
Outreach to local public libraries
Anonymous electronic suggestion box
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Identify college level planning groups already on campus that we would like to be included in – how would it be appropriate for us to be included?
Seek out partnerships with campus groups, but also to initiatives on campus that might include include groups/institutions off campus. (ex. service learning grant)
Look for models/inspiration from partnerships of colleagues on other campuses.
Using Voyager to collaborate and let them check out books, Hubbard
PR is that libraries aren’t needed/project better image – collaborate with promoters of the library.
Irish American Museum / would they like to coordinate with us?
Use the Chronicle more for promotion
How to grab students during orientation or at beginning of school year
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Work with Admissions/Advisement and Retention offices and groups to do introductory tours for incoming freshmen/transfers. (I’m always surprised by the number of students who haven’t used the library, don’t know there are 2 libraries, etc.)
Staff time and planning would be needed.
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Outreach -- what other departments (aside from art) would benefit from our digital image database (not just still image database – can hold video and sound).
Sciences
Communication
Foreign Language – have already contacted Spanish professor via direct email
Music
Education/Curriculum Library
History
I have read from student responses in an Appendix to the current draft that the music library holdings aren’t cataloged? Perhaps reaching out to music department/program to better develop our holdings/organization.
Send regular email updates or post updates via LibGuides to let people know what is happening, being developed in Visual Resources (may speak to Goal 3).
Meeting/training library staff how to utilize LUNA so it can be mentioned during presentations or showing them in their presentations?
Has been discussion about outreach to admissions/orientation – Also Residence Life. I used to be an RA and we were required to create programming for our residents – perhaps we could advertise with Res Life saying we’d help in a workshop for your programming.
Some institutions have First Year Experience programs – getting in on these classes.
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Podcasts/Internet Radio – develop and bring programs into the community.
Consider the entire patron – think more broadly about who they are and what they may need – those dealing with chronic conditions, caregiving – adult parents and children, singles as well as families, juveniles info etc.
Some handled by providing one stop information like books, etc. (common human needs)
More partnering with Reach Out Saint Rose organizations serviced/
Library open house.
Have someone meet the tours and say a bit about the library.
Cultivating funding – development
Friends group
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How do students use our space? Change their image.
Administration needs to understand how we can be useful to them.
Important to build liaison with Public Relations
Outreach to RA’s
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Work with student groups (e.g. Chronicle) to put library enhancements, goals, services out to students.
Additional Staff Feedback
After the meeting, I received additional email comments on the strategic plan:
Since we are trying to tie in our strategic plan with the college’s plan, I wonder if we might take a look at Goal 5, objective 3? “Continue efforts aggressively to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce.”
How can we, the Library, work towards that objective? I would like to see the Library reflect the diversity that is found in the City of Albany.
I think Shai Butler could be helpful to us in this regard. Maybe we can make some objectives in our plan to ask Shai to help us connect with more diverse applicants when we have staff openings. We could ask her to come speak at one of our Librarian’s meetings to talk about the work she does on campus. We could also ask if she might be able to provide, or point us in the direction of someone who provides diversity training? Certainly if we have a librarian opening we should strive to attract and interview minority applicants.
Goal Three: Enhance communication and promotional efforts to all potential library users.
Library Director’s Blog
Use display cases
More presence on Blackboard
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Links to catalog, ILL, etc. on Blackboard.
More promotion of library outside of library – those who use the library generally know the resources available.
Have professors know various services library has to offer – they can refer their students to the library.
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Better placement of library page on strose.edu (other colleges list libraries on home screen without need to go through Academics)
Campus-wide emails to faculty advertising acquisitions, etc.
On demand BI (10 minutes per class to answer specific questions & advertise reference)
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Library Director’s blog
Add displays – underutilized, change more frequently – different subjects, movable, smaller, posters, cutouts, more visible
Emails campuswide, directed to different communities – newsletters, pamphlets
strose.edu “find lib?” Blackboard presence
Keep staff and prof orientation
On demand reference/learning center
Fill bulletin boards across campus
More full staff meetings
Interdepartment meetings & email reports
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Department staff meetings
Inform staff of procedural changes
Send general email about library to staff, faculty and students
Send newsletters
Display case – welcome back, mayor, mag
Involve staff and professors in each meeting
Appen
Appendix 6
Library Strategic Planning Team