What is our value and who values us?

Citation: Goetsch, Lori A. “What is our value and who values us?: The 2009–10 ACRL President’s focus,” College and Research Libraries News October 2009 70:502-503.As an academic librarian for nearly 30 years, I have experienced many of the challenges that we face at our home institutions. Today, the current economic climate has created a particularly daunting challenge and a sense of vulnerability. Staff are furloughed, service hours are cut, positions go unfilled, and the acquisition of materials cannot keep up with user needs

Into the Great Unknown: crisis communications and fundraising after a disaster

After a fire devastated our main campus library on May 22, 2018, we are turning our misfortune into opportunity. While most libraries plan for years for a full renovation, we had mere months. And without our insurance settlement finalized our timelines for architectural planning, insurance negotiations and fundraising have been running simultaneously. As you can imagine, we’ve had endless challenges to overcome. Our presentation will focus on our fundraising and communication strategies. And while our situation is unique, we believe there are take-aways for any library

Creating a Culture of Security in the University of Maryland Libraries

Citation: Lowry, Charles B. and Lori A. Goetsch, “Creating a Culture of Security in the University of Maryland Libraries,” portal: Libraries and the Academy, 1(4):455-464, October 2001.A critical part of building a shared culture of mutual responsibility for security and safety is a thorough understanding of all the elements of a library’s security environment. To address the need for a more coherent approach to library safety and security that reinforces a philosophy of shared responsibility among all staff, the University of Maryland Libraries embarked upon an assessment of policies, procedures, and facilities in partnership with the Association of Research Libraries. Begun in the fall of 1997, the security study and subsequent development of practice and policy were implemented over a two-year period and serve as a model comprehensive approach for a large academic library system

The Evolving Research Library: Responsive Organizational Change

Citation: Goetsch, L., Haddock, M., & Stockham, M. (2017). The Evolving Research Library: Responsive Organizational Change. Library Leadership & Management, 31(2).Because of the pace of change in library environments, the organization is continuously evolving and the days of having a structure etched in stone are gone. Kansas State University Libraries engaged in a major organizational restructuring in 2009-2010 and, based on studies and assessments, two smaller but significant changes again in 2015. To assess and redesign the organization, analysis of new and emerging work, staff resources, budget, and space were critical, but the important constant was library users and meeting their needs. This article outlines development of the structural reorganizations, issues encountered during the changes, examples of task force work, lessons learned about process and outcomes, and resulting changes that were made

Funding Community Controlled Open Infrastructure for Scholarly Communication: The 2.5% Commitment Initiative

This paper describes the 2.5% Commitment Initiative and the work it has done to encourage contributions to shared digital infrastructure. It suggests a path forward and encourages libraries to participate and invest in open scholarly infrastructure

Creating a Culture of Security in the University of Maryland Libraries

A critical part of building a shared culture of mutual responsibility for security and safety is a thorough understanding of all the elements of a library’s security environment. To address the need for a more coherent approach to library safety and security that reinforces a philosophy of shared responsibility among all staff, the University of Maryland Libraries embarked upon an assessment of policies, procedures, and facilities in partnership with the Association of Research Libraries. Begun in the fall of 1997, the security study and subsequent development of practice and policy were implemented over a two-year period and serve as a model comprehensive approach for a large academic library system

Standards for Libraries in Higher Education

The Standards for Libraries in Higher Education are designed to guide academic libraries in advancing and sustaining their role as partners in educating students, achieving their institutions’ missions, and positioning libraries as leaders in assessment and continuous improvement on their campuses. Libraries must demonstrate their value and document their contributions to overall institutional effectiveness and be prepared to address changes in higher education. These Standards were developed through study and consideration of new and emerging issues and trends in libraries, higher education, and accrediting practices. These Standards differ from previous versions by articulating expectations for library contributions to institutional effectiveness. These Standards differ structurally by providing a comprehensive framework using an outcomes-based approach, with evidence collected in ways most appropriate for each institution

Public Engagement

This study explores public and community engagement programs in large, research libraries in North America