Download - MWCC Library Outpost
MWCC LIBRARY OUTPOSTProject, Marketing, and Assessment
PROJECT PLAN
OVERVIEW
The American Library Association’s Standards for Distance Learning Library Services (2008) states:
“Every student, faculty member, administrator, staff member, or any other member of an institution of higher education, is entitled to the library services and resources of the institution, including direct communication with appropriate library personnel, regardless of where enrolled or where located in the affiliation with the institution. Academic libraries must, therefore, meet the information and research needs of all these constituents, wherever they may be,”(Association of Colleges and Research Libraries (ACRL), 2008).
THE PLAN
Expand the service hours to provide services to all students including part-time, evening, and weekend.
Establish a collaborative program with local public libraries to allow students to use resources and services, including reference, borrowing, and interlibrary loan.
Collaborate with faculty to provided library instruction services to classes at the satellite campuses.
Enact an aggressive marketing plan.
RELATIONSHIP TO THE LIBRARY’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Aligned with the strategic plan of the college “All campus sites can support interactive learning
and service delivery, afford students high speed computer access, and provide library and learning resource to support student success,” (Mount Wachusett Community College, 2010).
Aligned with the mission and values of the library Outstanding service and comprehensive access to a
broad range of authoritative, up-to-date learning resources in a variety of formats
Instruction in effective ways to seek and evaluate information; an environment in which learning can flourish
Activities and programs that enrich the quality of individual and community life
STAKEHOLDERS
Librarians Library Staff Library Dean College Administration MWCC IT Staff C/W MARS Database Vendors Leominster Public
Library Harvard Public Library
Students Faculty
Internal Stakeholders External Stakeholders
USER NEEDS ASSESSMENT
No formal assessment to-date
Students Nontraditional students Service hours Technology gap ESL
Faculty Educational background Information aptitude Curriculum
requirements
**Photo Retrieved From: http://www.braintrack.com/images/college-and-work-news/colleges-are-luring-non-traditional-students-11021401.jpg
SCALABILITY & LIMITATIONS
Lack of budget
Refusal by the public libraries to collaborate
Control Outpost Services
Committee
Distance
scalability Limitations
GOALS AND OUTCOMES OF SERVICE
Goal 1: Access: Provide access for distance students to face-to-face reference through the creation of a librarian outpost where students are free to ask questions and taught proper information literacy skills. Outcome 1.1: Improve student achievement through
learning proper information literacy skills such as finding, evaluating, and applying scholarly research.
Outcome 1.2: Increased awareness and usage of the library outpost and library resources including the catalog, database, LibGuides, and other print and non-print resources by satellite campus students.
Outcome 1.3: Increased user confidence in the ability to receive face-to-face assistance from a trained librarian.
GOALS AND OUTCOMES OF SERVICE
Goal 2: Collaboration: Establish collaboration and communication between both internal and external stakeholders to promote the usage of the library outpost. Outcome 2.1: Cultivate an environment of
collaboration, in which, Outpost librarians work closely with faculty to provide library assistance to students through library instruction courses and/or curriculum collaboration.
Outcome 2.2: Develop a strategic partnership between MWCC Librarians and local libraries to provide services to MWCC distance students during unstaffed hours.
RESPONSIBLE PARTIESStaff Responsibility Time Commitment Deliverable
Heidi McCannDean of Library and Academic Support Services
Overseeing project implementationOversee hiringContact public libraries to initiate collaboration
A few hours a week during implementation
Project planAssessment statistics
Maria MuellerOutpost/Evening Reference & Instructional Services Librarian
Staff outpost and provide reference servicesImplement marketing planCommunicate with facultyCollaborate with public libraries to provides servicesSchedule and teach library instruction coursesHost outpost events
14hrs/week Marketing planInstructional servicesReference servicesAssessment statistics
Outpost Reference/Instruction LibrarianTBD
Staff outpost and provide reference servicesImplement marketing planCommunicate with faculty about servicesCollaborate with public libraries to provides servicesSchedule and teach library instruction coursesHost outpost event
30hrs/week Marketing planInstructional servicesReference servicesAssessment statistics
Public Librarians Provide reference services to MWCC students as part of outpost collaboration
Provide borrowing services as members of C/W MARS
Varying Reference ServicesBorrowing Services
SWOT ANAYLSIS
TIMELINE
MARKETING PLAN
MARKETING TO-DATE
Little to no marketing has been done to date
MARKETING GOALS AND OUTCOMES
Goal 1: Increase awareness of the library services offered to students and faculty at the MWCC satellite campuses
Host library outpost open house events Create a library orientation packet to go to
new students and faculty Advertise library outposts throughout the
campuses using flyers and posters Advertise library outpost electronically, via
library website, emails, campus listserv, library blog, and social networking.
MARKETING GOALS AND OUTCOMES
Goal 2: Increase overall usage of outpost and electronic library services and resources by distance students.
Connect with faculty to work library resources and information literacy skills into course curriculum
Connect with faculty to teach library instruction courses
MARKETING GOALS AND OUTCOMES
Goal 3: Keep MWCC community informed of changes and improvements in services at the satellite campuses.
Create and distribute monthly outpost newsletter
Outpost librarian attend library and campus staff meetings and training sessions
MARKETING GOALS AND OUTCOMES
Goal 4: Create a brand and identity for the library outpost
Connect with graphic design faculty members to develop plan to create library outpost graphic logo
Incorporate library outpost logo into each promotional technique.
TARGET AUDIENCES
Library Faculty, Staff, and Administration
Local Public Librarians
Students
Faculty
Internal AudiencesExternal Audiences
POSITIONING STATEMENT
With the growth of technology and the rapid expansion of online higher education many distance students who still require face-to-face library services are left without accessible resources. Students should be given the resources to succeed. The MWCC Library Outpost Program looks to solve this problem by providing distance students at each of the satellite campuses with face-to-face library services. These services will be provided by a MLS degreed librarian during peak hours to provide the campus population with much needed information literacy services. The librarian will also provide classroom instruction and curriculum collaboration for interested faculty. This outpost will provide face-to-face reference interaction, which will teach students proper research techniques and information literacy skills to succeed in a higher education setting. The skill set taught by the outpost librarian will benefit the MWCC students in both their education and professional careers.
KEY MESSAGE – STUDENTS
The MWCC Library Outposts strives to provide all off-campus students access to library services no matter what their information needs or delivery preferences.
KEY MESSAGE – FACULTY
The MWCC Library Outpost is your partner in providing world class education, offering innovative solutions to your class’s information needs.
BRANDING
Work with the graphic design department to develop a logo/brand for the Library Outpost
Possibly an assignment or competition
MARKETING TOOLS
Flyers
Posters
MARKETING TOOLS
Open House Events
New Student Orientation Packets
Faculty Orientations and Trainings
MARKETING TOOLS
Library Website & Blog
Social Networking
Campus Email
BlackBoard
Faculty Listserv
BUDGET
Library Marketing BudgetAdvertising Cost
Posters 16"x24" (12) 300.00$ 4 Reams of paper (flyers) 17.96$ Ink for printers 60$
Total advertising cost 377.96$
Event Cost
Food for Open House Events 1 eventCupcakes 10.00$ Cookies 7.98$ Apples 9.68$ Juice 8.00$ Napkins 3.27$ Plates 8.57$ Cups 6.00$
Total Per Event 53.50$
4 Events A Year (2 Student, 2 Faculty) 214.00$
Orientation Packets ~250Paper 23.95$ Ink for printers 60.00$ Postage 112.00$
Total for Packets 195.95$
Total marketing cost (annualy) 787.91$
RESPONSIBLE PARTIESStaff Required
CompetenciesTime Commitment Deliverable
Heidi McCannDean of Library and Academic Support Services
EmailListserv
A few hours a week during implementation
Email noticesListserv noticesNew Student Listing
Maria MuellerOutpost/Evening Reference & Instructional Services Librarian
EmailListservMicrosoft PublisherBlog postingSocial Networking
Proficiencies
2-3 hours a week FlyersPostersEmailsNewslettersOpen House EventsSocial Networking PagesLibrary BlogLibrary Orientation Packet
Outpost Reference/Instruction LibrarianTBD
EmailListservMicrosoft PublisherBlog postingSocial Networking
Proficiencies
2-3 hours a week FlyersPostersEmailsNewslettersOpen House EventsSocial Networking PagesLibrary BlogLibrary Orientation Packet
IT Staff Website Design TBD Creating an outpost area on the library webpage
TIMELINE
ASSESSMENT PLAN
METHODS
Performance Statistics
Reference Transaction Statistics
Usage Statistics
Surveys
Formal and Informal Interviews
Focus Groups
STUDENT SURVEY
Satellite campus students Sent out at the end of each semester Compiled and administered through
SurveyMonkey.com Sent via campus email Created and analyzed by Outpost Librarian(s)
& Dean of Library and Academic Support Services
FACULTY SURVEY
Satellite campus faculty Sent out at the end of each semester Compiled and administered through
SurveyMonkey.com Sent via campus email Created and analyzed by Outpost Librarian(s)
& Dean of Library and Academic Support Services
SURVEYMONKEY.COM
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Outcome 1.1: Improve student achievement through learning proper information literacy skills such as finding, evaluating, and applying scholarly research
Target Audiences Students Faculty
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Methods Performance Statistics Faculty Survey Student Survey
Outcome Indicator Higher Student Achievement
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Outcome 1.2: Increased awareness and usage of the library outpost and library resources including the catalog, database, LibGuides, and other print and non-print resources by satellite campus students.
Target Audiences Students Faculty
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Methods Reference Transaction Log: Informal Interviews Student Survey Faculty Survey
Outcome Indicator Growth in Outpost usage
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Outcome 1.3: Increased user confidence in the ability to receive face-to-face assistance from a trained librarian.
Target Audiences Nontraditional Students ESL Students
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Methods Reference Transaction Log Student Survey Focus Group (optional)
Outcome Indicator Growth in Outpost usage Survey results
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Outcome 2.1: Cultivate an environment of collaboration, in which, Outpost librarians work closely with faculty to provide library assistance to students through library instruction courses and/or curriculum collaboration.
Target Audiences Faculty
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Outcome 2.2: Develop a strategic partnership between MWCC Librarians and local libraries to provide services to MWCC distance students during unstaffed hours.
Target Audiences Local Public Librarians Students
ASSESSMENT PLANS FOR OUTCOMES
Methods MWCC student usage of public libraries statistics Student Survey
Outcome Indicator Positive growth in student using local public
libraries and library services
PILOT TESTING
Test the survey with a small population Faculty & Students
Analyze survey questions
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPORTING
MWCC Library Outpost Assessment Report
Round table to discuss results at Outpost Services Committee Meeting
Published on MWCC library webpage
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
Continually assess the assessment
TIMELINE FOR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
Description Personnel TimelineWrite survey questions Outpost Librarians Summer
Approve survey questions Heidi McCann Summer Compile surveys using SurveyMonkey.com Outpost Librarians Summer
Collecting usage data of public libraries by MWCC students Public Library Staff Continually
Gather Library Instruction/Collaboration Statistics using Excel Spreadsheet Outpost Librarian Continually
Conduct informal faculty interviews Outpost Librarian Continually
Conduct informal student interviews Outpost Librarian Continually
Conduct Focus Groups Outpost Librarian As needed
Contact an library staff or faculty for a test pilot Outpost Librarians Fall
Run test pilot of surveys (faculty only) Outpost Librarian Fall
Analyze test pilot Heidi McCann, Outpost Librarians
November
Make necessary changes to survey questions Outpost Librarians November
Send out surveys to students Outpost Librarians Late December & Mid May
Analyze data including the data from the public libraries Heidi McCann, Outpost Librarians
January & June
Compile Library Outpost Assessment Report Heidi McCann, Outpost Librarians
June
Disseminate Library Outpost Assessment Report Heidi McCann July Reassess Survey and continue again
OVERALL
The Library Outposts are vital to satellite campuses, and with aggressive marketing and continuous assessment the project should be a great success.