2022 Annual Conference of the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO)

Tipping Point: Initiating Change in Academic Libraries

November 3-4, 2022

The Library Third Space serves as the inclusive hub of faculty-student-industry collaborations, with flexible learning and dining spaces, and our next-century digital collection. We will share all the steps it took to shift library services from a traditional library setting to an inclusive third space seamlessly. Reference services transitioned to a model that includes a physical desk and adds a barrier-free roving research service. The predominantly print library collection converted to all electronic, including a new ILS that further supported the digital transition. Library stacks closed and service moved to a request-driven booking system for physical materials, with patron delivery of items via a smart locker system. A focus was placed on the accessibility and discoverability of resources and services through improvement of the library website, FAQ’s, LibGuides, and also increased marketing and outreach to the campus community. The results of a best practices survey of our colleagues across the nation also helped prepare us to serve our patrons in a significantly different way. We have continued to provide essential services while building a sense of community amidst a major location and digital shift.

Learning Outcomes:

Tag:  SCIG, TEDSIG, STEMIG, CMIG

Presenters: Dawn Winans, Meagan Brown, Courtney Cooney, and Stephanie Ruddock (Kettering University)