(via ACRL)
ACRL is accepting applications from prospective curriculum designer/presenters to contribute to creating two (and possibly more) new learning opportunities on assessing library impact, building on the work of the ACRL program Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success (AiA). First, a day-long workshop is being designed to provide professional development support to librarians who wish to know more about creating a plan to assess one particular program or service in their library. The focus is on understanding library contributions to institutional priorities for student learning and success and any aspect of the library can be the focus of inquiry. Second, the selected designer/presenters will work on a new approach that aims to support library leaders–deans and directors–in communicating about library impact with campus decision makers through a half-day guided discussion format. Both of these new events will be piloted in conjunction with the ACRL 2017 conference. Online content will be created to complement these two in person events and may include stand-alone webinars as well.
The selected designer/presenters will join the team of continuing facilitators from the AiA program, which is the foundation of these new learning opportunities. Continuing AiA facilitators are Karen Brown, Professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University, IL; Eric Resnis, who serves in a dual appointment as Assessment Coordinator in the Center for Teaching, Learning, and University Assessment and as Organizational Effectiveness Specialist in the Libraries at Miami University in Oxford, OH; Debra Gilchrist, Vice President for Learning and Student Success, Pierce College, WA; and Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Coordinator for Information Literacy and Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The designer/presenters will rely on a group of member leaders from the ACRL Value of Academic Libraries Committee as reflector/consultants to the curriculum during the design process.
The day long in-person workshop is intended to be offered upon request on a licensed basis, as with the existing ACRL workshops Planning, Assessing, and Communicating Library Impact: Putting the Standards for Libraries in Higher Education into Action and Scholarly Communication: From Understanding to Engagement. The half-day guided discussion for library administrators will likely take a different approach. Online offerings would be part of ACRL’s regular eLearning program and could include a multi-week asynchronous course and one or more topical webcasts of 60-90 minutes each in an interactive online classroom.
Required Qualifications The successful curriculum designer/presenters must be conversant with issues and challenges of libraries in higher education. They must possess the following qualifications.
- membership in ACRL
- experience working in academic or research libraries
- experience serving as conveners and facilitators of educational activities
- demonstrated ability to design and deliver events, activities, and modules that are experiential, support action learning, and foster reflection among learners
- an ability to foster connections and create learning environments in which participants can exchange ideas and share experiences and information
- strong interpersonal skills, ability to work with diverse group members, and commitment to developing strong, collegial relationships with members of the curriculum design team and the participants
- rich knowledge of the dynamic nature of higher education assessment, including a keen awareness of the forces outside the sector driving for greater accountability
- working knowledge of the issues and challenges of libraries in higher education, including dynamic relationships of campus units and their interactions
Candidates should highlight additional qualifications in the following areas.
- demonstrated knowledge of multiple assessment methods, both quantitative and qualitative, data collection strategies, and analytical techniques
- experience analyzing existing administrative data which emanates from different campus units (i.e., libraries and office of institutional research).
- experience designing protocols and gathering new data through questionnaires, semi structured interviews, and focus groups.
- adeptness at communicating and presenting assessment project results.
We encourage applications from individuals representing the full array of professional areas and services in academic and research librarianship.
Preferred Qualification Participation as a team leader or team member in the ACRL program Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success is preferred. The success of the applicant’s own AiA project is not a determining factor in the selection. We seek colleagues who learned from their project, analyzed results for cultural, strategic, and assessment challenges, and are helping their library move forward with assessment.
Expectations The content for both events is dynamic and evolving, and the new designer/presenters will participate in shaping the curriculum as collegial partners with the continuing AiA facilitators.
Successful curriculum designer/presenters must be able to meet the following requirements.
- available to participate in design and planning during monthly one hour conference calls.
- available to work on curriculum design from August of 2016 to February of 2017.
- available to participate in the pilot events in March of 2017 and deliver a minimum of two in-person events per year, thereafter, in the field.
- able to participate in a training session, currently being created, for presenters of all ACRL professional development licensed workshops
In addition to the above, serving as a curriculum designer/presenter involves participating in all segments of the new learning opportunities and development of materials, exercises and presentations. Additionally, it will involve coaching and training new presenters to deliver the curriculum, once it is developed. This may include presenting the revision and future development of materials, exercises and presentations.
Designer/facilitators will receive a small stipend for this planning work and pilot delivery. ACRL reimburses presenters of all its licensed workshops for travel costs associated with the workshop (flights, hotel, ground transportation, and per diem for meals) and provides a modest honorarium.
Apply To apply, please prepare the following materials. Applications must be submitted electronically as a single PDF document that includes:
- a statement addressing the aforementioned qualifications, as well as the following questions (two pages max.)
- Why do you want to be a developer and presenter for this workshop and guided discussion?
- What experience do you have designing professional development ?
- Are there any additional relevant experiences of which you would like us to be aware?
- Are there videos or other materials that demonstrate your talents as an educator/trainer?
- your resume
- the names and contact information for 2 references who have direct knowledge of your educator/training experience
- The single PDF application must submitted via email by 4:00 PM CST on Thursday, July 14, to Jaime Hammond, Vice-Chair of the ACRL Value of Academic Libraries Committee, at JHammond@nvcc.commnet.edu.
The ACRL Value of Academic Libraries Committee has formed a small review team, separate from the continuing AiA facilitators, to consider applications. The process includes checking references and a telephone (or Skype) interview. The group will select the designer/presenters and notify all applicants by Thursday, August 11.
If you have questions of any kind, don’t hesitate to contact Jaime Hammond at JHammond@nvcc.commnet.edu.