This document discusses strategies for engaging the community at a university library. It notes that the library has dedicated teams for learning and teaching support and research liaison. These teams work to ensure resources meet the needs of students and researchers. The library relies on developing relationships with academic staff to build relevant collections and integrate library resources into academic work. Representatives from each academic department also help facilitate communication between the library and different subject areas. While engaging with students directly as well through surveys and publications, developing connections across the university community is an ongoing challenge that requires flexibility.

1. Engaging the Community @ “ We are dedicated to delivering high quality, innovative information services, which contribute to the successful learning, teaching and research of the University and the community.” Library Strategic Plan, 2006-09 Cath Morgan, Head of Information Services [email_address] Career Development Group Conference, 30 April 2007

2. Engaging the Community @ The community- key facts and figures 6 Schools 36 Departments 10,500 students - 70% undergraduate; 30% postgraduate 850 academic staff 525 teaching faculty; 325 research faculty 1300 ‘other’ staff the Public

3. Engaging the Community @ Library resources budget 06-07 - £1.5million. No subject librarians. Instead, two dedicated teams focusing on the very different, and often conflicting activities of the University:- Learning and Teaching Support Research Liaison

4. Engaging the Community @ Learning & Teaching Support: liaise with teaching staff to ensure provision of resources for taught courses develop online information literacy tutorials teach groups of students to use electronic resources explore alternative methods of providing resources for large groups -e.g. eBooks, digital reserve. design subject web pages to signpost important resources. participate in campus wide initiatives e.g e-learning, plagiarism, teaching quality assessment and lots more.....

5. Engaging the Community @ Research Liaison: liaise with researchers to develop the library’s journal and monograph collection evaluate e-resources to ensure value for money and comprehensive coverage provide bespoke sessions for individual researchers or research students in exploiting the range of resources available - print and electronic design web pages to inform researchers of national initiatives participate in National initiatives relating to research support organise research seminars - Electronic Publishing, Open Access Publishing. and lots more....

6. Engaging the Community @ Academic staff are the key. Developing and maintaining good relationships with academic staff ensures that: collections are fit for purpose - researchers and students resources are exploited fully the Library becomes integral to the academic effort, not an ‘add on’ we avoid the ‘them/us’ scenario Using the right language is vital - we have to learn to use their language not ‘library speak.’

7. Engaging the Community @ Library representatives - named academics in each department- first point of most consultation processes conduit for information flow between library and dept. library ‘experts’ in department subject experts for collection development/management liaison focus for budget expenditure

8. Engaging the Community @ So what about students? staff/student groups and meetings Students Union President and Education Officer surveys - local and national publications- guides, newsletters, web pages suggestions scheme library staff enquiries service

9. Engaging the Community @ It’s not easy.... takes a lot of time - there’s a lot of them and few of us lot of urban myths to dispel about ‘The Library’ our community is always changing, as are their expectations we need to be flexible and ready to take on new ideas and challenges ...and it can be frustrating, but (most of the time anyway) it’s fun:-)