1. Building a Physical Library in the Digital Age
Presented by Jennifer Joe, M.L.S., M.A.
KLA Academic Joint Spring Conference 2015

2. Introduction About the Owensboro Campus Library Opened in 2009
740 square feet – Size of a classroom
Started with a small non-circulating collection
19 laptops and 11 desktops
Serving students and Masters students

3. 6 Years Later New Librarian, New Status
Expanded to circulating collection
1700 books
expands by 50 or so books a year
Still in the same classroom
Patron Population Shift

4. Purpose of Academic Libraries
“The iconographic power of a college or university library expresses a purpose not just to collect, but to organize, preserve, and make knowledge accessible (ALA, 2007).”

5. Collection Effective collection development
Focusing on core programs
Knowing what is available elsewhere
Communication with liaison librarians
Exploring low-cost solutions

6. Accessibility Of the collection Of the library staff
Facilitating exchange of materials with other campuses
Emphasizing digital resources
Of the library staff
Being available.
Being flexible.
Emphasizing expertise of faculty/staff

7. Challenges Justifying Space Multi-tasking
Skepticism over need for physical books (admin)
Skepticism over need for librarian (faculty)
Multi-tasking
Incorporating other services
Drawing boundaries

8. Solutions Compromise Effective communication
Alternatives to traditional instruction
Tegrity
Telecourse technologies
Adobe Connect Pro
Cooperation, not competition

9. Risks Wasted Resources Spreading ourselves too thin
Materials aren’t used
Library isn’t visited
Spreading ourselves too thin
Unable to meet monetary demands
Lack of qualified staff

10. Rewards Getting to Build It Surprise and relief of students
Biggest Challenge also biggest reward.
Easy to see the faculty/staff impact in collection
Surprise and relief of students
Constant “make-do” solutions in other areas
Getting to know the students better

11. Where Do We Go From Here? Bigger space Branching out New emphasis
Room to expand collection
Dedicated lab for instruction
Branching out
Makers’ spaces.
Lending technologies/providing technology access
New emphasis
Expertise of faculty/staff
Curation of collection rather than content

12. References
"Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries", American Library Association, April 18, 2007.
Questions or Comments?