1. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION LIBRARIAN
THE LIBRARY’S ROLE IN RUNNING A THREE-RING CIRCUS: A WRITER’S RETREAT TO SUPPORT WRITING, RESEARCH, AND PUBLISHING
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION LIBRARIAN
HEATHER JOHNSON, MLIS
BIOMEDICAL LIBRARIES
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

2. What is a writer’s retreat?
A multi-day structured activity where participants have protected time to write, learn, and review one another’s writing

3. Why a writer’s retreat?
Publishing is essential for securing tenure, achieving promotions, and gaining professional visibility
But there are barriers
Time
Lacking the skills necessary to learn how to write

4. The skills gap The writing process
Avoiding grammatical and stylistic errors
Using accessible language
Creating useful figures
Finding literature
Selecting a journal
Retaining authorship rights
Giving peer feedback

5. PARTICIPANTS

6. Clinical and Nonclinical Faculty Graduate students Residents Nurses Research Staff Postdoctoral Fellows
A total of 22 participants

7. Psychological and Brain Sciences Neurology Engineering
Genetics
Psychiatry
Psychological and Brain Sciences
Neurology
Engineering
Community and Family Medicine
Rheumatology
Nursing Informatics
Weight and Wellness Center
Pediatrics
Anesthesiology
The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
Hematology/Oncology
Medicine
General Surgery
A total of 22 participants

8. IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT

9. Advertise and open application process
THREE MONTHS PRIOR
Begin planning!
Identify writing specialist and other partners (e.g. other librarians, sponsors)
Advertise and open application process

10. Select and notify participants
SIX WEEKS PRIOR
Select and notify participants
Request writing sample from participants
Identify vendors and place catering orders
Plan librarian activities

11. Organize participants into small groups Create personalized agendas
THREE WEEKS PRIOR
Organize participants into small groups
Create personalized agendas
Distribute participant writing samples
Participants read group members' writing samples

12. Format Orientation and Goal Setting
Individual Meetings with Librarian & Writing Specialist
Didactic Sessions
Intro to writing a manuscript
Top ten reasons articles get accepted
ORCiD, author rights, NIH compliance
Small Group Sessions
Facilitated peer review
Peer-to-peer feedback
Honing Your Message Parts I / II
Two full days
Goal Setting- SMART goals

13. PARTICIPANT SCHEDULE

16. LIBRARIAN SCHEDULE

19. FEEDBACK

20. “This was an excellent retreat and I have already recommended it to several colleagues.” “Thank you for putting this together. It helps contribute to the academic mission of this institution. It introduced me to resources that I did not know existed.” “Thank you ever so much for having this. It made a big difference for me”
A total of 22 participants

21. NEXT STEPS Third retreat for grant writers, specifically
Identify second writing specialist
Expand our retreats to a campus-wide initiative

22. Upcoming third retreat specific to grant writers
Identify second writing specialist
Expand our retreats to a campus-wide initiative
A total of 22 participants

23. THANK YOU Third retreat for grant writers, specifically
Identify second writing specialist
Expand our retreats to a campus-wide initiative