The document discusses Joyce Meldrem's experience collaborating with others at Loras College Library to develop a presentation on the value of the library for administrators in order to seek additional funding. It describes how the library staff came together to research articles, gather data, and create a compelling presentation over several years, dealing with changes and delays. Their collaboration allowed them to develop a thorough presentation emphasizing the library's positive impact on students through resources, instruction, and spaces. The presentation was ultimately successful, and Meldrem discusses lessons learned about collaboration and sharing the results to further communicate the library's value to the college community.

1. The Value of Collaboration
in Demonstrating Your
Library’s Value
Joyce A. Meldrem
Library Director
Loras College
Dubuque, IA
Brick & Click 2014

2. How many of you
experienced this
group dynamic
when working on
a project in
college?

3. Strategic Plan
1. Shape the Library’s collection to support all the informational needs of
Loras College’s faculty, staff, and students
2. Seek new and increased funding for the Library
3. Ensure the library space is inviting, adaptable, and configured to
enhance learning, research, and collegial interaction.
4. Promote awareness of the value of the Library in the lives of the Loras
community through our marketing efforts
5. Maintain and develop services and relationships that enhance faculty
teaching, research, and student learning

4. Seek new & increased funding
• Objective 1: Seek additional funding from administration
for the library
• Activity 1: Educate and appeal to administration
• Conduct research
• Apply findings to our Library
• Describe the cost and necessary infrastructure for essential Library
service
• Create a visually engaging presentation
• Activity 2: Present the above report at a strategic planning meeting
• Identify appropriate meetings and get on the agenda

5. Strategic Plan - Next Steps
The President’s current priorities:
• Retention
• Recruitment
• Philanthropy
• Alumni relations
• Online Learning
• Student Achievement*

6. How would you
choose what types of
information would
you share with
administrators if you
were going to ask for
more funding?

7. Strategic Plan – Timing
• Fall 2011
• Started research
• Summer 2012
• Original presentation date
• Spring 2015
• New presentation date
• Fall 2013
• A wrinkle in our plan
• Spring 2014
• Actual presentation date

8. Timing – September 2013
The wrinkle in our plan…
Current
Classroom

9. Timing – December 2013
An even bigger wrinkle!

10. Research
We began to gather, read, and highlight articles.
We eventually ended up reading 55 articles and
citing 27 of them.

11. Collaboration
Reading & highlighting articles
Making digital copies
Gathering quotes
Gathering outside statistics
Gathering internal data
Writing a synopsis
Working with the data
Creating a bibliography
Gathering testimonials
Creating the presentation
Editing the presentation

12. Collaboration
Interns
Librarians
Staff members
Registrar
Student employees

13. Collaboration
Looked for
studies we
could easily
replicate and
we found this
one
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Library Materials Checked Out
Correlated with GPA
3.5-4 3.0-3.49 2.5-2.99 2.0-2.49 0-1.99
Total First Year Sophomores Juniors Seniors

14. Presentation - Practice

15. Presentation - Critique

16. Lesson Learned

17. Changes made

18. Added section divider quotes

19. Created a guide slide

20. Emphasized data

21. Added a new section

22. Added a “next steps”/conclusion

23. What do YOU think is
the most important
information from this
slide to include?
What title would you
give the slide?
2002 2012
% Expended on Books 53.3% 2.7%
% Expended on Databases 12.3% 46.2%
Total Library Budget $710,488* $568,851*
Total Materials Budget $468,099* $304,644*
Enrich Iowa Program
We receive approximately $1,000-$1,400 per year.
Iowa College Foundation Grant
In 2013 we received $4,573 – however, this isn’t an annual amount.
Thomas Gifford Grant
In 2013 we received $1,000 grant to organize and provide access to
the Thomas Gifford (Dubuque author) papers.

24. Point of view

25. Organization

26. Ease of reading

27. Created interest

28. Gave some titles more “punch”
We know that students who attend
library instruction sessions are
positively affected by the
experience.
Librarians teach information
literacy skills.
Library skills persist past
graduation.
Why does library instruction
matter?
Information literacy instruction:
A core library function
Library instruction teaches
workforce-ready skills.

29. Outline - Original
5 sections with the greatest concentration on today’s library
then current students
Today’s Library
• Mission Statement
• Library Collections
• Library Spaces
• Library Services
• Library PR/Outreach
• Library Finances
• Library Personnel
Current Students
• Partnerships with faculty
• Acquisitions Budget
• Library Usage
• Benefits for students
• Library Instruction
Prospective Students
Alumni
Future of the Library

30. Outline - 2.0
5 sections with the greatest concentration on current students
then prospective students
Prospective Students
• Campus facility in college selection
• Resources
• Study Spaces
Current Students (continued)
• Spaces
• Hours open
• Why students come to the library
• Why it’s important to study in the
library
• Services
• Information Literacy
• Research Help Center
• Library Staff
• Partnerships with faculty
• Building Community
• Events & Promotions
Current Students
• Database Use
• Books checked out
• Money spent – peer comparison & Loras
comparison 2002/2012
• Why those things matter
• Materials checked out
• Expenditure effects on retention
& graduation
Alumni
• Enduring value of the library
• Work-force ready skills
Library Spaces
• Requests from students
• Library as 3rd space
Conclusion
• Value of the Library
• Why it’s important

31. Outline - Comparison
Original Outline Outline 2.0
Today’s Library
7 subheadings
Prospective Students
0 subheadings
Current Students
5 subheadings
Alumni
0 subheadings
Future of the Library
0 subheadings
Prospective Students
3 subheadings
Current Students
7 subheadings
Alumni
2 subheadings
Library Spaces
3 subheadings
Conclusion
2 subheadings

32. I can do things you cannot.
You can do things I cannot.
Together we can do great things.
Mother Teresa

33. Another Lesson Learned

34. Walk the talk?

35. Re-using the End Results to
Communicate our Value
Administrators Faculty & Students @
Loras Legacy Symposium
Colleagues @
Iowa Private Libraries
Conference
Library Displays, Parent Newsletter, Personal Librarian E-mail,
Bathroom Advertisements, Staff Development Workshop, Brick & Click

36. Thank You!
Joyce A. Meldrem
Library Director
Loras College Library
Dubuque, IA
joyce.meldrem@loras.edu
http://libguides.loras.edu/libraryvalue