2015 Conference Archive

Moving Back into a Dorm: Tales of a Traveling Librarian

Type of Presentation

Poster Session (45 minutes)

Target Audience

Higher Education

Copyright

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Proposal

While academic libraries are still a cornerstone of the social and scholastic life of universities and colleges, there is an increasing awareness of the need to expand our reach beyond our pre-defined physical spaces to wherever students might need our services. At The University of Alabama, reference & instruction librarians in Gorgas Information Services (GIS) have addressed this need by instituting the Traveling Librarian program. Traveling Librarian is a reference and outreach program that attempts to meet the research needs of our students by moving beyond the stacks and the information desk to help students at a point of need. While the program has had several iterations over the past few years, GIS librarians have now established a permanent presence at the Ridgecrest Residential Complex on the campus of The University of Alabama. At Ridgecrest, GIS librarians have instituted a program which includes monthly topical workshops and drop-in research help every Sunday night from 6-8 PM. The development of this program has emphasized the need for outreach with campus officials, and the importance of (and opportunity for) developing information literacy skills in non-traditional venues.

Short Description

This poster presentation details the Traveling Librarian initiative created by reference & instruction librarians at The University of Alabama. Librarians from Gorgas Information Services have established a program at the Ridgecrest Residential Complex that includes three workshops per semester as well as drop-in research help every Sunday night from 6-8. The poster will highlight the opportunity for developing information literacy skills in non-traditional venues.

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Sep 25th, 12:30 PM Sep 25th, 1:45 PM

Moving Back into a Dorm: Tales of a Traveling Librarian

While academic libraries are still a cornerstone of the social and scholastic life of universities and colleges, there is an increasing awareness of the need to expand our reach beyond our pre-defined physical spaces to wherever students might need our services. At The University of Alabama, reference & instruction librarians in Gorgas Information Services (GIS) have addressed this need by instituting the Traveling Librarian program. Traveling Librarian is a reference and outreach program that attempts to meet the research needs of our students by moving beyond the stacks and the information desk to help students at a point of need. While the program has had several iterations over the past few years, GIS librarians have now established a permanent presence at the Ridgecrest Residential Complex on the campus of The University of Alabama. At Ridgecrest, GIS librarians have instituted a program which includes monthly topical workshops and drop-in research help every Sunday night from 6-8 PM. The development of this program has emphasized the need for outreach with campus officials, and the importance of (and opportunity for) developing information literacy skills in non-traditional venues.