Challenging the persistent assumption that college students don’t read, two teams in our libraries have joined forces to counter that narrative and to expand underrepresented voices through community-driven collections. Collaboration between our Student Learning and Engagement team and the Acquisitions team has been integral to the success of our curated collections. Powered by student employees, faculty, and staff, we will share examples of our collaborative approach, bringing together expertise in outreach, instruction and collections-related work. Through careful selection, strategic marketing, and data analytics, we’ll demonstrate how we have managed and grown these collections to ensure relevant and meaningful content. Using intentional collaboration as the backbone of our successful initiatives, learn how these partnerships have led to improvements in collection visibility and usage. In addition, we will highlight the contributions of our student employees and how this work benefits not only the libraries but helps to prepare future library professionals.
Learning Objectives:
- Discover how cross-departmental collaboration can foster better relationships and innovative solutions.
- Learn how to leverage student knowledge to improve community-driven collections and services.
- Explore ideas for promoting growth, collaboration and maintaining long-term partnerships for library projects.
Presenters:
Cindy Elliott is the Collection Management librarian and Unit Lead at the University of Arizona for Collection Services. Our team manages the acquisition of library materials, renewal of ongoing resources, assessment and day-to-day budget operations. My research interests include collection development and management, acquisitions, electronic resources management and licensing.
Cheryl Gerken is the Course Content Initiatives Manager at University of Arizona Libraries, she works with a team that supports students, instructors, and departments to promote and support course materials affordability on campus. As an avid reader and with a background in bilingual education and school librarianship, she recognizes the importance of reading to mental wellness and personal growth.
Shelley Peper is a Library Services Professional at the University of Arizona, where she supports student engagement through outreach, instruction, and programming. She works closely with graduate student employees to create inclusive, student-centered library experiences. Shelley is passionate about mentorship, cross-departmental collaboration, and challenging assumptions about how students engage with reading and academic libraries. When she's not in the library, she enjoys crafting, exploring the desert with her husband, and hanging out with her two bunnies, Pineapple and Barley.
Beth Reese is a Library Services Professional, working with the Library Peer Information Consultants at the University of Arizona Libraries. Her own non-traditional path through higher education fuels her commitment to meeting students exactly where they are—and helping them get to where they want to go. When she's not busy demystifying databases or celebrating student successes, you'll likely find Beth and her husband exploring trails, discovering that the best adventures often come from simply paying attention to the world around you.
