Brooks-Tatum, Shanesha R. F.

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Shanesha R. F. Brooks-Tatum

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Against the Grain

Savannah State University Innovates to Ensure Excellent Customer Service

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Against the GrainVolume 24 | Issue 1 Article 9February 2012Savannah State University Innovates to EnsureExcellent Customer ServiceShanesha R. F. Brooks-TatumHBCU Library Alliance, sbrooks-tatum@hbculibraries.orgFollow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/atgPart of the Library and Information Science CommonsThis document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact epubs@purdue.edu foradditional information.Recommended CitationBrooks-Tatum, Shanesha R. F. (2012) "Savannah State University Innovates to Ensure Excellent Customer Service," Against the Grain:Vol. 24: Iss. 1, Article 9.DOI: https://doi.org/10.7771/2380-176X.607922 Against the Grain / February 2012 <http://www.against-the-grain.com>Scrapbooks were processed by Backstage Library Works and microfilmed.  The digitized images of the pages were placed on DVDs and are currently being transferred to the Website.  Eighteen photographs were sent to the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts for repair.Library staff engaged faculty members in a project centering on the archives.  Each year the Chesnutt Fellows Program pays ten Faculty Fellows stipends to participate in a yearlong program that assists them in in-corporating ACRL standards for information literacy into their syllabi.  “Collaboration is key,” shared Wynn.  “We also evaluate how faculty are teaching with and without ACRL standards to gauge outcomes,” he added.Fayetteville State University ...from page 20“Through this program we are able to make faculty and students aware of the rich archival materials housed at the Library, and the diverse ways that the materials can be used in teaching and research,” Tuttle remarked.  Library staff encourage faculty fellows to assign activities that teach stu-dents to use the archives.  “Since collec-tions are digitized, students do not have to visit the Library to use the materials, but we do want to ensure that they are aware of what we have as well as the history of the institution that they are now part of,” Amerson shared.This collaborative effort between fac-ulty members and librarians is part of the University’s SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) Quality Enhance-ment Project.  Additionally, librarians began a multimedia oral history project called the Broadell Project, in which they collected oral histories and subsequently cataloged presen-tations. “This garnered even more attention for the archival collections.  Ultimately, the project not only improved archives but also served as training for faculty and staff,” Wynn stated. “The Library is growing and expand-ing.  Our focus is on working closely with faculty members so that through every point of contact, awareness of the Library’s di-verse and valuable collections reaches even more faculty members and students,” added Wynn.  The digitization efforts increase national and worldwide awareness of the unique collections at Fayetteville State University.To learn more about Fayetteville State University’s Library, visit http://library.uncfsu.edu.  continued on page 24Savannah State University Innovates to Ensure Excellent Customer Serviceby Shanesha R. F. Brooks-Tatum  (Project Coordinator/Writer, HBCU Library Alliance)  <sbrooks-tatum@hbculibraries.org>Savannah State University is the oldest public HBCU in the state of Georgia and the oldest institution of higher education in the city of Savannah.  Founded in 1890, the campus serves 4,300 students and an increas-ingly diverse population.  The Asa H. gordon Library is the main library on campus, where Mary Jo Fayoyin has been the Library Director for ten years.  In 2007, Fayoyin and her staff implemented an en-hanced strategic plan that positioned the library to spearhead innovations that have garnered institutional, local, and national press coverage. Transformations in these areas were prompted by the library staff’s self-assessment, which made clear their need to holistically examine and rethink their approach to customer service.“The questions that we reflected on were ‘Why we do what we do?’ and ‘How can we improve what we do?’” stated Fayoyin. Following the initial assessment, the library implemented a strategic plan addressing key areas that surfaced from patrons’ feedback. Asa H. gordon Library’s innovations are primarily in three areas: cutting-edge technol-ogy, information literacy and assessment, and library accessibility.Although technological advances were made, assessment tools were strengthened, and library accessibility was substantially im-proved, the library’s core strategy continues to be improved customer service.  “Our library is innovative for the sake of customer service.  We are forward-thinking and customer-oriented be-cause we value our patrons,” Fayoyin added. The HBCU Library Alliance was espe-cially helpful in providing the leadership train-ing Savannah State library staff and faculty needed to create a strong and clearly-defined strategic plan.  While the HBCU Library Alliance identified the library’s strengths and weaknesses, implementing the enhanced stra-tegic plan required the commitment and efforts of the entire library staff. James Stevens, Systems, Databases, and Periodicals Librarian and COST (College of Science and Technology) Liaison, wrote script for most of the programs and helped lead technological advancements at the li-brary.  He spearheaded the development of the library’s text messaging reference service, which received “trend setter status” recognition in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the HBCU Digest.  However, technology is useless without training for the end-user, so Stevens developed programming to train students. He developed a strong relationship with the Student Body President and Cabinet through giveaways and other incentives for students.Louise Wyche, a librarian at the gordon Library for over ten years, focused on improv-ing customer service.  Wyche and Librarian, Ivy Brannen developed a training program for library assistants and student assistants.  Bran-nen, who earned her Master’s degree in Library Science while working as a Library Assistant at Savannah State, now heads the Circulation Department, which helps students have easy access to resources.  “We received funding to hire additional librarians, and we were happy to support Ms. Brannen as she earned her library degree,” Fayoyin remarked.Caren Agata heads the library’s Informa-tion Literacy Program, which was implemented with grant funding in 2008.  The information literacy program ensures that students leave Pictured above is the Asa H. Gordon Library.  Photo is courtesy of  Asa H. Gordon Library, Savannah State University.24 Against the Grain / February 2012 <http://www.against-the-grain.com>continued on page 29Savannah State as information literate and civically engaged citizens of the world.  Li-brarians are recognized as fellow teachers on campus, assigned to colleges, academic depart-ments, and/or programs on campus through the Library Liaison Program. Savannah State faculty members were paid a stipend with an understanding that they would incorporate information literacy into their courses.  Lauren MacMillan, Collection Development Librarian and Liaison for the Social Sciences, particularly helped spearhead this effort through the assessment of programs. As illustrated in Table 1, the Information Lit-eracy Program has grown tremendously.Savannah State University ...from page 22Shown below is Ms. Mary Jo Fayoyin as she leads a library instruction session.  Photo courtesy of Asa H. Gordon Library, Savannah State University.Data on user satisfaction are collected through the suggestion board, the comment section of the library Website, surveys, and LibQual, a survey tool created for academic li-braries.  User satisfaction surveys run continu-ously, not just at set times during the semester or academic year, and replies are posted to the suggestion board and library Website.  “When patrons know that you are honestly interested in what they think and how they feel, and that you are open to receiving their feedback at any time, this builds open, genuine relationships that lead to more innovative transformations,” Fayoyin remarked. Some of these transformations include building a café in the library, designing a pre-sentation/collaboration area, providing space for the ReWrite Center, creating a Gallery to celebrate African art, and maintaining up-to-date technology in the library’s computer lab, which is open longer than any other lab on campus.  To ensure that the technology re-mains in working order, three staff members — James Scott, James Stephens, and Hunt Luker — agreed to take on the added responsibility of maintaining lab computers.  While the library is not able to meet every single need, library staff do their best to compromise by understanding the circumstances informing each request and deciding on what will benefit the most patrons. This helps ensure the delivery of excellent customer service.Now, librarians at Savannah State sit on several campus committees, and Fayoyin sits on the Deans’ Council.  “We have a say in the University’s strategic planning and budgeting committees.  We’re able to affect change in a greater way,” said Fayoyin.In this age of swift technological changes and austere economic cuts, libraries cannot con-tinue to do things “the same old way,” Fayoyin further explained.  “We need to continuously critically examine what we are doing and change the ways that we practice librarianship in order to meet the needs of our patrons.”To learn more, visit http://library.savan-nahstate.edu.  The Asa H. gordon Library applied for a two-year grant as a part of the university’s Title III award to implement the program. But first, library staff had to secure univer-sity support to apply for the grant.  “Think outside of the box when it comes to funding programs,” Fayoyin suggests.  “Everyone is asking for funds.  Find seed money to prove that your program is important and needed, and to ensure that it will be successful,” she adds.  Because of its success, the Information Literacy Program has become institutional-ized and is funded out of the university’s state budget allocation.In order to determine the degree of success achieved, library staff engage in continuous multilevel assessment of all programming, initiatives, and special activities at the library. Student learning outcomes are assessed using the Project SAILS (Standard Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) exam.  Pre- and post-testing documents students’ information literacy skills and proficiency levels and pin-points areas needing improvement.in April for a new position as Head of Collec-tions & Systems at Rollins College (Florida). See his Star of the Week profile on the ATG NewsChannel.  http://www.against-the-grain.com/2011/08/atg-star-of-the-week-jonathan-harwell-georgia-southern-university/Just got a copy of Information Today (Janu-ary 2012, v.29, issue 1 which I think I am going to subscribe to finally).  There is a full page report on the 2011 Charleston Conference by Rumorsfrom page 18the smart-as-a-whip Donald Hawkins (truly, I wish I had written this report).  Check it out. And also Don’s Conference Circuit blog! http://www.theconferencecircuit.comAnd speaking of Charleston, got a note from the on-top-of-it Roula Harb!  She had read the article that george Machovec and I wrote for Searcher — In the Company of Librarians: The Charleston Story which was published in the latest issue.  http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/default.aspAnd while we are speaking of Roula Harb, be sure to read her profile in this issue of ATG, p.66.The magnificent Digby Sales (University of Cape Town) wrote that he already has the okay to attend the 32nd Charleston Confer-ence, November 7-10, 2012!  Do you?  Digby says that he had a great Christmas holiday with all of his siblings and most of his nieces and nephews.  And since then he has been very busy!  There is a new UCT Executive Director, Ms gwenda Thomas who started work at the beginning of November.  As one of two acting deputy directors, Digby has helped as much as possible in both advising as well as taking on new responsibilities without giving up the old ones! http://www.lib.uct.ac.za/

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Savannah State University Innovates to Ensure Excellent Customer Service

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