The University Libraries will host Megan Oakleaf of Syracuse University, on Monday, September 16, for a visit focused on library assessment. Oakleaf will help us learn more about assessing library services so that we can document the value that we provide to our users. All are welcome to attend the activities of the day, which begin at 10 a.m. with her presentation, “The Value of Academic Libraries: Research and Recommendations,” detailing Oakleaf’s findings from a major ACRL-funded research project on assessing the academic library’s impact in light of increased calls for institutional accountability. This presentation, followed by a Q&A period, will be held from 10 – 11:30 a.m. in Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library,  and broadcast live on Mediasite.

In the afternoon, from 1 – 4 p.m., Oakleaf will facilitate “The Value of Academic Libraries: Reframing and Reflecting,” a set of highly interactive workshops in Foster Auditorium. In small groups, attendees will create a library impact map to identify alignment between library services and institutional mission; reflect on needs and goals of various library stakeholders; and discuss potential partnerships to better position the library to meet institutional goals. Following the workshops, an optional wrap-up session with Dr. Oakleaf will be held from 4 – 4:30 p.m. All of these activities will use materials from Dr. Oakleaf’s “Academic Library Value: Impact Starter Kit” (all materials will be provided). The afternoon session will not be broadcast on Mediasite due to the highly participative, small group nature of the activities. Individuals requesting travel funding to and from campuses may indicate this on the RSVP survey arriving in your e-mail.

Oakleaf is an associate professor in the iSchool at Syracuse University where she teaches reference and information literacy services and planning, marketing, and assessing library services. Her research interests include library value and impact, outcomes assessment, evidence-based decision making, information literacy instruction, information services, and digital librarianship. She is the author of “The Value of Academic Libraries Comprehensive Report and Review” and is on the faculty of the ACRL Immersion Program. Oakleaf has presented at numerous conferences, including ALA, ACRL, AAC&U, and AALHE National Conferences, ARL Library Assessment Conferences, the IUPUI Assessment Institute, the NCSU Undergraduate Assessment Symposium, the Texas A&M Assessment Conference, and EDUCAUSE. She has published widely in scholarly journals and received the Ilene F. Rockman Publication of the Year Award in 2011. She serves on the editorial boards of Library and Information Science Research, Library Quarterly and Journal of Academic Librarianship.