The document discusses extending the academic library's social responsibility through information literacy programs and partnerships with local schools. It aims to raise educational aspirations, support attainment, and promote public access to university facilities. Previously, information literacy activities for schools were piecemeal and did not include key widening participation schools. The library now collaborates with widening participation staff, academics, and beyond the university to provide consistent visits involving both library and academic staff. It aims to further engage local primary schools and students.

1. Extending the academic library:
social responsibility, information
literacy and schools
Carol Hollier
Annike Dase
Neil Smyth

2. Funding environment
“We are living through a
period of remarkable
turbulence, triggered by the
global financial crisis and
sustained by its aftershocks.”
Professor David Greenaway
Vice-Chancellor
University of Nottingham

3. Social responsibility
We believe in embedding
community engagement and
social responsibility in our
planning, people, resources and
strategic infrastructure across
all academic schools and
professional services.

4. Social responsibility
Aim:
To contribute to regional efforts
to raise aspirations to
university study and to support
rising educational
attainment, by maintaining the
level of activities delivered in
partnership with local schools
and colleges.

5. Social responsibility
Aim:
To open up our physical
environment and resources
for greater use by the public, to
engage, inspire and educate.

6. Social responsibility
Aim:
To promote public access to our
campuses and support
appropriate use of our facilities
by schools.

7. Widening participation
Our widening participation programme helps to
raise aspirations and educational attainment in
primary and secondary schools and colleges.
We have made information literacy part of
this widening participation agenda.

8. Information Literacy Activities
Visits before
Visits, but piecemeal •Piecemeal activity
•No consistency in offering
•No inclusion of local widening
participation target schools
Photo: KEN: Wikimedia Commons

9. Collaboration within the University
• Librarians
• Widening
participation staff
• Academic staff

10. Collaboration beyond the University

16. Visits

17. Library Staff Only
Library and Academic
Staff

19. Academic Staff Involvement
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
individuals delivering sessions
2
0 sessions delivered by
School/Department

21. Future
• Primary school visits to the
libraries
• Work placements for local
students
• Outreach visits to “Into
University” centres

22. Future
Community engaged research

23. Questions?
Reflections?
Comments?