1. Susan James
EWU Libraries Outreach Strategies

2. EWU Libraries Outreach
Who are we trying to reach?
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Prospective students
Current students
Faculty
Community-at-large
Alumni

3. EWU Libraries Outreach
What are our objectives?
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Smoothing transitions from high schools and colleges
Improving information literacy & research skills
Increasing retention and matriculation
Promoting awareness of library services
Creating connections between EWU, students, and the
community

4. EWU Libraries Outreach
What must we consider?
• Strategic planning to maintain primary library services
(reference & instruction)
• Workload
• Funding/Budgeting for outreach efforts
• Examination of mission* and target audiences (external &
internal)
*EWU’s 2013 action plan has four clearly defined goals, or themes: Student
Success, Institution of Innovation, Community Engagement and Visibility.

5. EWU Libraries Outreach
How do we assess outreach needs?
Surveys and formal assessment
• Campus self-study reports
• Institutional research data
• Re-accreditation reports
Personal contacts and other
anecdotal evidence
• Department meetings
• Service on campus committees
• Questions received at service
desks
• Suggestion “box”
Methods for post-outreach assessment
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Evaluation tools
 Surveys
 Skills tests
 Statistics on library use
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Collect and analyze data
Revise outreach plan
Close the loop

6. Current Outreach
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Student Research and Creative Works Symposium
Get Lit!
Library Student Advisory Committee – Library Student Liaison
Read-to-Lead Students
National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
EWU Libraries Awards
• EWU Libraries Oktoberfest and Student Star Search
• Outreach via technology (social networks)

7. Current Outreach
Office of Community Engagement
• Providing students with opportunities to engage in meaningful service
both in and out of the classroom
• Supporting faculty practice in service-learning, community-based
research, and community-engaged scholarship and creative activities
• Developing mutually beneficial partnerships to strengthen our
local, regional and global communities

8. LC FaceBook page.
Outreach Strategy #1 - Faculty
Faculty Assessment of Learning Commons Survey
Jan-Feb, 2013
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“The majority of our respondents (73.5%) are aware of the learning Commons, but
do not use it.”
“When we asked our respondents if any of their students used the Learning
Commons….50.8% indicated they didn’t know.”
“When asked if they noticed an improvement in student performance on
assignments requiring the use of the Learning Commons, 58.3% didn’t know.”
Respondents suggested the library consider “services for learning impaired
students or those with other handicaps.” (ShareScan Station, Universal Access IT
Enhanced Computer, etc.)
EWU Learning Commons FaceBook Page

9. Outreach Strategy #1 - Faculty
Increase Librarian-Instructor Collaboration
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Department Liaisons
Attend department meetings
Involvement in committee work
Faculty professional development sessions (brown bag lunch sessions)
Department Listservs
Faculty one-on-one appointments
Email communication (new resources, etc).

10. Outreach Strategy #2 –
Personal Librarian Program
The library contacts
incoming students with a
personalized letter and a
business card from a
specific
librarian, introducing them
to the library.
• University of Chicago (1993)
• University of Richmond
(1993)
• Stetson University (2006)
• Yale (2008)
• Washburn University*
• Drexel*
• Barnard*
• Wesleyan University*
*Started a PL program in the past 3 years

11. Outreach Strategy #2 –
Personal Librarian Program
What does a personal librarian do?
• Sends periodic messages highlighting new resources and programs as well
as notices and timely reminders, such as extended Library hours.
• Answers questions about Library policies, procedures and services.
• Assists with finding information, research assignments, identifying the
best sources and formulating search strategies.

12. Outreach Strategy #3 –
Outreach Students
Common Reading Program
What is a Common Reading Program?
“Topics from a single, carefully selected book for freshmen are featured in
first-year and other classes in disciplines across the university, and in
special events and presentations. Having a shared source for such topics
provides a common ground for students and their professors, and
stimulates discussions and learning…”
Common Reading programs also lend themselves to
lectures, presentations, and to discussions between students, faculty, and
the greater community.
WSU Common Reading Program. http://universitycollege.wsu.edu/units/CommonReading/

13. Outreach Strategy #3 –
Outreach Students
Common Reading Program
A Common Reading Programs creates a shared academic
ground and dialogue for all participants—new
students, faculty, staff, and the community around them.
The common reading introduces freshmen to the value of
research, the power of ideas, and the various but related ways
in which disciplines across the institution approach similar
problems.
WSU Common Reading Program. http://universitycollege.wsu.edu/units/CommonReading/overview/

14. Evaluating Resources
ENGL 100: Fundamentals of English Composition
“Research is formalized curiosity.
It is poking and prying with a purpose.”
Zora Neale Hurston

15. The CRAAP Test
Acronym of evaluation criteria
Currency
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose

16. Evaluating Resources
Currency
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How do you know if the timeliness of your information is appropriate?
When was the information published or last updated?
Have newer articles been published on your topic?
Are links or references to other sources up to date?
Is your topic in an area that changes rapidly, like technology or popular
culture?

17. Evaluating Resources
Relevance
• Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or
advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you
will use?
• Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?

18. Evaluating Resources
Authority
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• What are the author's credentials?
• Is the author affiliated with an educational institution or prominent
organization?
• Can you find information about the author from reference books or the
Internet?
• Do other books or articles cite the author? Who is the
author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? (examples:
.com .edu .gov .org .net)

19. Evaluating Resources
Accuracy
• Are there errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar?
• Was the information reviewed by editors or subject experts before it was
published?
• What citations or references support the author’s claims?
• Where does the information come from?
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal
knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?

20. Evaluating Resources
Purpose
• Why did the author or publisher make this information available? (To
inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?)
• Are alternative points of view presented?
• Does the author omit important facts or data that might disprove a claim?
• Does the author use strong or emotional language?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal
biases?

21. Example Topic
According to radio talk show host Bryan Fischer, Hillary Clinton will
not become president because voters don't want to "elect an old
woman to the Oval Office ... She's just going to be too old, going to
be too saggy, gravity will have done too much of its mojo on her…."
Example research topic: Is there gender bias
towards political candidates and does the
media contribute to it?