As this is new to us, questions arise. What will this reporting look like? How will it play out on our campuses? Who should our partners be? What will be useful to report and what might not? This session is designed to begin a conversation across institutions to encourage each other to be creative as we explore useful ways to tell the information literacy story at our campuses.

It is important for everyone responding to SCHEV to remember, the reporting requirement is simply that, a mandate. Assessment mandates, from all types of entities, should not be feared but embraced. It isn’t that we work to meet mandates, it’s that we use mandates to intentionally investigate what can make our programs better such that student learning improves. How can librarians help our campuses embrace this mandate such that the focus of our efforts is on improved student learning and better information literacy skills?

Librarians are born collaborators and this begs other questions. How can Virginia academic librarians work together such that we can share best practices, collectively brainstorm, share our output, and help each other? Are existing entities doing that for us, or should we consider a more intentional partnership with the Virginia Assessment Group? Or something else altogether?

Furthermore, what role do librarians play in the other mandated reporting areas (writing, critical thinking and civic engagement)? Do we have a defined role to play on our campuses and with other partners? What role are Virginia’s librarians currently playing in these areas and where else might we look to provide expertise?