veteran outreach presentation at iacrl 2016
TRANSCRIPT
Veteran Outreach at Governors State University
Josh SopiarzSocial Sciences and Government Information Librarian
GSU
Institutional Profile (GSU)
• 5,500 FTE• Approximately 450 student
veterans• 1 library staff member currently
involved in outreach efforts (me)• Informal relationship with the
Veterans Resource Center on campus—working toward formalizing the partnership
• 2015 U.S. Veterans Magazine “Best of the Best” veteran-friendly university
GSU
Partnership
• Veterans Resource Center (under the auspices of the office of the Dean of Students)
• Kevin Smith, Coordinator for Veterans and Military Personnel
• Attend veterans events, participate where possible, collaborate/propose
• Meet with Kevin often to check in and develop various initiatives
GSU
Veterans Resource Collection (VRC)
Back to Books Grant (2013)• Personal Motivation • Application• Research • Implementation• Promotion• Evolution
GSU
Veterans Day 2015—VRC on the Move
• Proposed idea to Kevin Smith• Coordinated with Kevin, the UL
Dean, Technical Services, and Circulation supervisors
• Relocated sizable percentage of collection to the Hall of Governors for a Veterans Day Fair event
• Checked out books on the spot• Made connections with student
veterans• Have been invited back for next
year’s event—which promises to be even “bigger and better!”
GSU
Happening Now
• Library of Congress—Veterans History Project
www.loc.gov/vets/
GSU
Looking Ahead
• Increase participation in LOC Veterans History Project
• Develop oral history project for GSU veterans
• Advise veterans affairs on archival practices, etc.
• Increase opportunities for student involvement
• Remain active with veterans affairs via committee work and (in)formal partnerships
• Be open to pretty much anything
GSU
Collection Development
• Money???• Investigating relocating items from Main Stacks
and interfiling Gov Docs• GrantForward institutional account• Supplemental
• PCA/ACA Noverr Grant for Collections Development
GSU
Opportunities
• Faculty Development and Advisory Council• Planned workshop for faculty
• Graduate Student Veterans• Park Forest Historical Society
• www.parkforesthistory.org
Challenges• Funding• Cooperation• Space
GSU
Veteran Outreach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
ChampaignJJ Pionke
Applied Health Sciences [email protected]
UIUC
Institutional Profile (UIUC)
• 44,087 FTE• ~350 veterans on campus• 1 librarian (me!) out of 75 does
outreach to veterans as part of their assigned job duties
• Work closely with the Vet Center and with the Veteran Student Support Services
UIUC
Partnership
• Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education via the College of Applied Health Sciences
• Veteran Student Support Services via Student Affairs
• Work closely with Nick Osborne of the Vet Center and Jason Sakowski of the VSSS
• Attend social events at the Center as part of outreach
• Meet with Nick and Jason often to check in and develop various initiatives
UIUC
Information Literacyand Training
• Extensive Veterans LibGuide: http://illinois.v1.libguides.com/veterans• Provide after hours tours for veterans and others in need to get
comfortable with surroundings• Disability training for staff now includes discussion of veterans
UIUC
Veterans Day Exhibit
• November 2015• Built on materials created by
another person who left the University somewhat unexpectedly
• Worked closely with Nick to solicit materials and stories from his troopers
• Assembled exhibit together• Exhibit garnered a lot of positive
feedback and was used for promotional purposes by the Vet Center
UIUC
Future Veterans Exhibit
• November 2016• Oral History project involving
veterans and their tattoos• Trying to get oral histories from
each war going back to WWII• Posters will be of oral histories• Display cases will contain books
and memorabilia
UIUC
Future Veterans Exhibit
• November 2017• Uniforms• General History of• Oral histories of uniform pieces
from current vets with pieces to be displayed alongside narratives
UIUC
Collection Development
• Work with Nick and Jason to determine titles and topics that are of interest
• Readjusted Gobi slip profile to include veterans• Assess current state of the collection in this topic area (current)• Purchase popular films and books that pertain to coming home and
readjustment
UIUC
Educate Myself
• Student Veterans group offered a “Vets 101” seminar which I attended
• Casual conversations with Nick and Jason about needs of returning veterans
• Reading library literature on veterans• Reflecting on own experience with PTSD and comparing it to combat
PTSD to better understand point of view
UIUC
Veteran Outreach at College of DuPage
Christine KickelsReference Librarian
Faculty Liaison for Business, Careers, and Philanthropy Collections [email protected]
COD
Institutional Profile (COD)
• 16,130 FTE• 600 veterans on campus• No librarian does outreach to
veterans as part of their assigned job duties
• ILMS Grant facilitated a dedicated relationship with Veterans Services office, 2013-15
COD
IMLS Grant“to increase veterans’ information literacy, research skills and
awareness of library resources”
VISA: Veterans Information Services Assistance Grant
COD
Whatdid we do?
COD
We went to them…
COD
Offered free laptops…
COD
We found out…
COD
COD
Reading and discussion
Vacchi, David T. “Considering student veterans on the twenty-first century college campus”, About Campus, May/Jun 2012.
We will soon be seeing more student veterans enrolling in institutions of higher education than since WWII. David T. Vacchi provides guidance on how to serve this important population of students
COD
Reading and discussion
Rumann, Corey, Rivera, Marisa, and Ignacio Hernandez. “Student Veterans and Community Colleges”, New Directions for Community Colleges, Fall 2011.
This chapter will identify ways in which community colleges are well positioned to support student veterans, discuss the need for heightened awareness concerning student veterans' experiences, and make recommendations to assist staff, faculty, and administrators to better serve student veterans at their institutions
Reading and discussion
Helton, Rae. “Diversity dispatch: Libraries- an important campus partner for student veterans”, Kentucky Libraries, Summer 2010.
Suggestions to make library space and library services veteran-friendly
Discussion
• What projects are you planning or working on?• What challenges are you facing?• What kind of assessment has been done to indicate success with your
initiatives/projects?• What kind of succession planning or cross training happens in your
library to provide continuity for the veterans?• If given a million dollars tomorrow to support veterans on your
campus, how would you spend it?• What advice would you offer to anyone looking to create or enhance
library services for student veterans?
http://tinyurl.com/VeteransIACRL