2. Workshop
outline
• Introduction
• Alumni Library Services in the UK
• Case study
• Group activity
• Report back and discussion
• Resources and templates
3. Why are we
here
today?
• We don’t have all the answers!
• Lack of published material
“Alumni engagement is a high, if not the highest, priority of any law school …. The
literature is, in fact, almost devoid of any commentary focused on alumni services.”
Kim Clarke, University of Calgary, 2010.
• How are we actually adding to the (ex-)student
experience?
• Are we really giving alumni what they want?
• What opportunities are we missing?
4. Quick show
of hands…
Round the room - who’s doing what for alumni
• Does your university have an alumni association?
If so, do you ever meet with them to discuss
alumni needs?
• Does your library have a specific service
developed for alumni?
5. from Desk-
Top survey
conducted
April-June
2012
Based on OU survey (Smith, Street and Wales) in 2006
•Communication between Alumni Office and Library
•Visitor / External Users approach
•Book-based on-site. Limited online access – a few more now offer
‘walk-in’
•Fee-based services – what benefits are alumni getting back?
•“Historically the preoccupation with library services for alumni has been
in offering access to book stock, but this does not set the alumni apart
as a privileged and ‘special’ customer group in the same way that
remote access to online resources does. It also sets an unwelcome
divide between those who live within easy reach of the library…and
those further afield – the majority in the case of Cranfield alumni.”
Helen Wetherill, 2008.
7. Case Study:
Background
• Cranfield University
• Postgraduate education and short course
executive education
• Schools in Management, Health, Applied
Sciences, Engineering, and Defence & Security
• 3,800 students from 100 countries enrol annually
• Active alumni membership of 15,000
8. Service
Models
• University Alumni Library Online Service
• Two Tier Service (2006-2011)
• £49 – access to subscription databases
• Free – access to free resources
• One Tier Service (2011- onwards)
• Free – includes access to fewer subscription
databases
• School of Management – Knowledge Interchange
• £250 per annum – premium business databases,
guides, book summaries and faculty podcasts
10. Range of Alumni
Database
Suppliers
Used in Other Alumni
Used at Cranfield Services
• Business Source Alumni • Factiva
Edition • OECD
• ABI for Alumni • Web of Science
• Emerald Extra/ • JSTOR
Management First (KI) • Net Library
• Refworks • Ebrary
• Datamonitor 360 (KI) • Xreferplus
• Get Abstract (KI) • Perfect Filings
• One Source (KI) • Business Insights
11. Challenges
• University • Conflict in library priorities
• Strategy
• Commitment
• Staff resources
• Definition of Alumni • Designing a survey
• Budget Cuts/Funding
• Resources
12. Successes
• Membership tripled • Survey of Alumni
• Cultivation of alumni staff • Marketing activities
relationships
• Setting up regular
• Revamping the website communications with
Alumni
13. Lessons
Learned
• Easy authentication systems and a good website
design are important to Alumni
• Regular contact with Alumni is necessary for
encouraging use and engagement
• Good relationships with Alumni Staff are critical for
promoting the service
• Budget cuts can be partially offset by sourcing free
content that would be of interest to Alumni
14. Identifying and
Managing
Alumni Needs
Matching or Managing
Identifying Needs alumni needs
• Track alumni inquiries • Decide what your service
• Survey alumni can and cannot support
• Run a focus group • Be specific in your
• Talk to your university communications and
alumni services website
• Ask alumni to accept
terms and conditions of
use
15. Future
Developmen
t
• Blanket Enrolment - (opt out, not in)
• Funding Proposal
• One off funding for E books
• Website location
• Staying up to date for Alumni
• Journal Ranking Lists
• Reading Lists
• Promoting journals in alumni resources
• Quarterly newsletter
17. Group
Activity
• Split into groups – each to consider a different alumni
theme
• In your group, reflect on your own or your institution’s
alumni experience
19. Group
Activity:
Group One
Topic: Value
You have 10 minutes to discuss the following questions. Please prepare a flip
chart sheet and nominate one of your group to present the feedback.
1. What is the value of alumni to your
• Institution
• Library
2. What library services could you offer to alumni that
they would value?
20. Group
Activity:
Group Two
Topic: Strategy
You have 10 minutes to discuss the following questions. Please prepare a flip
chart sheet and nominate one of your group to present the feedback.
1. What factors will you need to consider to develop
your alumni strategy?
2. What strategy could we employ to negotiate with our
suppliers for alumni resources / services?
21. Group
Activity:
Group
Three
Topic: Measuring Impact
You have 10 minutes to discuss the following questions. Please prepare a flip
chart sheet and nominate one of your group to present the feedback.
1. Do you know what your alumni want? How do you
find out?
2. How could you measure the benefit of your library
service to alumni?
22. National
Dialogue
• Amongst Librarians
• Any interest in an alumni library service listserv or
group?
• With Suppliers
• JISC/Eduserve – Consortium level
• One to one
23. Moving
Forward…
• Can you identify one idea from this session that you
can explore at your institution?
24. Summary
• What do Alumni want?
• Value and to be valued
• How do we manage expectations?
• Be clear what we can and cannot offer
• Why should we stay connected with Alumni?
• Benefits everyone
• Why end a good relationship?!!
25. What next?
• What next......
• Fill in the contact form if you want us to email you
the group comments and updated survey
• Review the list of resources in your delegate pack
• Please email us or talk to us if you have any comments or
questions
• s.t.griffiths@cranfield.ac.uk
• r.j.daniels@cranfield.ac.uk
Editor's Notes
We are NOT experts! Just want to get Alumni back on the agenda. We’ve been considering these issues Scant information published – Why? Are we stagnating? We have supplied you with reading list!
If not, don’t panic as you are probably no worse off than any other university library!! In the workshop 10/10 had an Alumni Association, 2/10 discussed alumni needs with them, 0/10 had specific alumni library service
Very little apart from URLs! What message does it give to alumni? Easier to not permit online access due to all the licence restrictions. Show of hands – how many of us still live within easy reach of our university? Wells’ survey in 2008 of 102 top US schools showed that only 18 currently offered alumni remote access to databases.