Value of Academic Libraries

Update, Summer 2013VALE Assessment Committee

Mark Thompson

Updates

• Our last meeting was July 2012• ACRL Conference in April 2013 focused on

value, assessment, and innovative new approaches

• ACRL has taken next steps in Value of Academic & Research Libraries project.

• Much in the way of strategic planning for libraries now underway in NJ

ACRL Update2010 – 2012 ACRL Values report widely disseminated and discussed.

2011 – 2012 Summits held to coalesce views and come up with plans.Report: Connect, Collaborate, and Communicate (see next slide)

2013 - 2015 Learning Communities project, designed for action: professional training, collaboration, & assessment projects.

Environmental Scan 2013 (April 2013 report)

AiA Learning Communities: Years 1,2,3 (underway)

ACRL UpdateReport from Library Summits: Connect, Collaborate, and Communicate

1- Increase our librarians’ understanding of “library value & impact” in relation to various dimensions of student learning and success.

2- Articulate and promote the importance of assessment competencies necessary for documenting and communicating library impact on student learning and success.

3- Create professional development opportunities for librarians to learn how to initiate and design assessment that….

4- Expand partnerships for assessment activities with higher education constituent groups and related stakeholders.

5- Integrate the use of existing ACRL resources with library value initiatives.

FindingsEnvironmental Scan 2013 report from ACRL, pt.1

Our parent institutions are being redefined:a. Watchword is cost

b. Accrediting bodies scrutinize all efforts

c. Use of online instruction greatly expands

d. Skepticism in significant return on investment for college degrees

e. Unbundling of higher education: students skip around

f. More unprepared & non-traditional students

FindingsEnvironmental Scan 2013 report from ACRL, pt.2

Library profession changesa. Shift from status quo to finding new opportunities to serve unmet needs

b. Rapid prototyping of services.

c. Not just incrementally better; whole new services and service modelsa. Advanced skills in searching, data visualization ,and data miningb. New models for publication and content creationc. Offer collaborative and problem-solving user sspacesd. Radical collaboration: technical services; collection sharing…

ACRL UpdateEnvironmental Scan 2013 report from ACRL, pt.3

Technology drives changes

a. Tablets will take over in the classroom.b. “Bring Your Own Device” will impact all decisions.c. Mobile apps impacts College: multimedia production, project management,

and university services.d. Library must develop significant mobile presence.e. Growth in variety of devices affects execution.f. Consideration of mobile functions are imperative in selecting library resources

and products . g. Potential in Big Data analysis for services and offerings.

ACRL ConferenceExcellent, Innovative Conference --

•20% of attendees are first-timers

•Conference proceedings available.See attached list of key reports

•Updates from Project Information Literacy (keynote)

•New emphasis on assessment for info lit

•New topics on emotional intelligence and info lit.

NJ Strategic Planning

•Strategic Planning Efforts in NJ• State Library plan ready in 2 weeks• NJLA is about to begin• VALE is about to begin

•Other reports, research, ideas?

• Next actions and date for next meeting.