Presented by Matthew LaBrake at Internet Librarian International: The Library Innovation Conference (London, 2019). With more than one in three learners taking at least one online course, and one in six taking all of their courses at a distance, how do academic libraries expand services to meet evolving digital preferences? Berkeley College offers a robust embedded librarian program, an array of virtual reference services, mobile-friendly collections available at point-of-need in the learning management system, and a variety of virtual co-curricular events and programs. Discover strategies for engaging your distance learners in and out of the online classroom. Explore tactics for leveraging existing and emerging technology infrastructure in preparation for a virtual library of the future.

2. 33% of
students
taking one or
more online
courses
National Center for Education Statistics
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2019/2019021REV.pdf

3. 1 in 6
students
enrolled
exclusively
online
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2019/2019021REV.pdf

5. Chat with a librarian!
Danny: I’m having trouble with
my business research paper
Librarian: Good morning. I can
help you with that. Tell me
more about your assignment
Danny: Perhaps it would be
easier to show you?
Librarian: Great. Send me the
assignment as an attachment
Danny: I’m actually in the
library right now…

7. How do we
engage our distance
learners in and out of
the online classroom?
How do we ensure
online library resources
are accessible, and
available at
point-of-need?
How can we be confident
that our online students are
getting the same level of
services and support as
their campus-based peers?
How do we
create a library
community
online?

8. http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/
guidelinesdistancelearning

9. Senior ​Director,
Online Library
& Tech Services
Associate Director,
Online Library
Online Research &
Instruction Librarian
Online Librarian Online Librarian

10. Virtual
Reference
Electronic
Collections
Embedded
Instruction
Online
Community
Preparing for a future-ready online library

11. Virtual
Reference
Electronic
Collections
Embedded
Instruction
Online
Community
Preparing for a future-ready online library
Virtual
Reference
ensuring online students globally can obtain effective library support
no matter their location or time zone…

12. Text “London” to
(973)-947-8988
to download a
copy of this
presentation

16. Spring 2018 semester
The library responded to 441 chats
Spring 2019 semester
The library responded to 930 chats

20. Artificial Intelligence - ChatBots
Voice-enabled virtual assistants
(Alexa, Siri, Google Home)
How can I help you?

21. Virtual
Reference
Electronic
Collections
Embedded
Instruction
Online
Community
Preparing for a future-ready online library
Electronic
Collections
ensuring mobile-friendly eResources are available
at point-of-need in the learning management system…

25. 42% of traffic to our
Library Website comes
from the learning
management system

28. Virtual
Reference
Electronic
Collections
Embedded
Instruction
Online
Community
Preparing for a future-ready online library
Embedded
Instruction
collaborating with online faculty to ensure learning-outcome-aligned
information literacy instruction is occurring in the online environment…

29. “Ask a librarian” discussion boards

30. Online information literacy instruction in the context of course learning outcomes

31. Taking faculty collaborations to the next level

37. Virtual
Reference
Electronic
Collections
Embedded
Instruction
Online
Community
Preparing for a future-ready online library
Online
Community
ensuring distance learners are able to engage with a community of fellow students
by developing virtual programs, events, and clubs…

38. “Traditional, on-campus students can take advantage
of a wide variety of social and extracurricular
opportunities, but online students may feel isolated
and disconnected from their peers and from their
college or university - and risk losing the engagement
so crucial to student success.”
Eisele-Dyrli, K. (2015, October). Keeping remote college students connected. http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/keeping-
remote-college-students-connected.
“For several decades now, evidence collected
by higher education scholars indicates that
student involvement in purposeful out-of-
class or “co-curricular” activities has positive
effects on students’ academic success,
retention, and persistence to graduation.”
White, Caroline. (2018, January). Tracking Co-Curricular Contributions to Student Success at MSU.
https://hub.msu.edu/tracking-co-curricular-contributions-to-student-success-at-msu.

45. “Thanks for publishing my photo. It’s really
awesome to be participating in this Art
Show even though I don’t live nearby.
Please have more events like this one!”
-Berkeley College Online Student

46. “We think this could be a
great opportunity to cultivate
critically engaged learning
communities beyond the
classroom, so we do hope
you will encourage your
students to join.”
-Associate Chair, English Department
“I see this as a nice way for our
faculty to encourage their
students to do some additional
critical thinking and reading
outside of their course activities
while also experiencing
membership in a virtual club.”
-Dean, Liberal Arts

53. Text “London” to
(973)-947-8988
to download a
copy of this
presentation