1. WHAT DO TEXTBOOK RESERVES, DOGS ROAMING AROUND THE LIBRARY, COLORED PENCILS EVERYWHERE, AND THE PEANUTS MOVIE HAVE IN COMMON?
Just ask RMU Students!
Tim Schlak, Ph.D.
Director
University Library, Robert Morris University
Bruce Johnston, M.L.S.
Associate Director,

2. Student Engagement One of six core values at RMU
…“is an important means by which students develop feelings about their peers, professors, and institutions that give them a sense of connectedness, affiliation, and belonging, while simultaneously offering rich opportunities for learning and development.” (Bensimon, 2009)

3. Student Engagement Classifications & intersections
Transactional engagement (Leach & Zepke, 2011)
Institutional support (Leach & Zepke, 2011)
Sociocultural perspective (Kahu, 2013)

4. ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY
Context
New director & new vision
“ intellectual heart of campus”
Reconfiguration
Pursuing ways to engage and participate
Bootstrapping engagement

5. TEXTBOOK RESERVES Launched in Fall, 2012.
Collaboration among RMU Student Retention Committee, Library, Office of Student Life, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers.
Conceived as a way to improve college affordability and student success.
Required textbooks for 30+ RMU Core courses.
Over 24,000 circulations to date (none lost).
3 hours / in library use only / retain ID card as collateral.
Faculty-provided textbooks for upper level course increased dramatically.

6. TEXTBOOK RESERVES

7. SURVEY RESULTS – Spring, 2016
TEXTBOOK RESERVES
SURVEY RESULTS – Spring, 2016
93% agreed service was convenient
91% felt the service contributed to academic success.
82% realized a cost saving benefit.

8. PET THERAPY SESSIONS
Collaboration with RMU Counseling Center and Animals Friends.
Library hosted 4 scheduled sessions during past year with 25+ dogs and owners onsite (with zero “accidents”!)
Over 400 students interacted with dogs of all sizes, breeds, and personalities.
Hosted one unscheduled extended event for a week to comfort students/faculty/staff dealing with sudden passing of a student.
CAVEAT: check legal/insurance liability issues in advance!
Each event provided hours of therapeutic benefit at no cost.

9. THERAPY DOGS IN ACTION

10. HE DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING!

11. I LOVE GETTING PETTED!

12. COLORING KIOSKS
Winter, 2016, RMU Library created a central kiosk on-site and four branch locations across campus for stress-relieving coloring activities.
Office of Student Life provided funding for colored pencils and paper. RMU Counseling Center involved in publicity and support.
Library personnel provided templates and took care of weekly replenishing of supplies.
Bulletin boards supplied by the Library for student to display their work(s)

13. COLORING KIOSK IN LIBRARY

14. CURRENT POPULAR DVDs Dynamic collection of 1,000+ DVDs.
Collaboration between RMU Library and Office of Student Life.
Allocation of $1, per year from Student Life. Library staff selects, purchases with p-card online, and “rush”process items.
Current DVDs are available for check-out within one week of public release.

15. POPULAR/CURRENT DVD COLLECTION

16. Sources
Bensimon, E.M. (2009) Foreword. In: Harper, S.R. and Quaye, S.J. (eds.) Student Engagement in Higher Education. New York and London: Routledge.
Kahu, E.R. (2013). Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5),
Leach, L. & Zepke, N. (2011). Engaging students in learning: A review of a conceptual organiser. Higher Education Research & Development, 30(2),

17. QUESTIONS?