A prototype workshop for chief academic officers, library directors, faculty members, and information technology directors focused on changes in libraries that enhance student success in learning.
    Fifty participants from 17 CIC member institutions attended the workshop, held September 19-21, 2002 at the Columbia Inn, in Baltimore, MD. The event was part of an initiative CIC launched last fall in cooperation with the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), to strengthen the contribution of libraries to teaching and learning. Funded by a $75,000 planning grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, $10,000 from CLIR, and $10,500 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the workshop is assisting libraries in addressing the implications of information literacy, technological developments, cost issues, renovation and construction of library space, fostering active learning through the library, and governance. The hope is to create opportunities for provosts, IT directors, library directors, and faculty members at independent colleges and universities to stay in step with the rapid change occurring in the world of academic libraries.

Judy Muyskens, academic vice president and dean of faculty, Colby-Sawyer College (NH), flanked by her colleagues Linda Ryder, academic technology coordinator, and Carrie Thomas, college librarian, work on a plan to improve information literacy on campus.

    “The changes that should be occurring in the libraries at small and mid-sized liberal arts colleges are significant, even potentially transformative in nature,” said CIC President Richard Ekman during the workshop.
    Among the issues explored during the workshop were: the library as an instrument in teaching and learning; information literacy as an element of a liberal arts education; institutional priorities: where do libraries fit; planning a comprehensive program in information literacy; strategies for implementation of a successful information literacy program; the library physical space as a place for learning; and measures of impact and success of change.
    Speakers included Steve Stoan, library director at Drury University (MO), who presented a paper on “The Library as an Instrument for Teaching and Learning”; Susan Perry, former library director at Mount Holyoke College (MA) and current Andrew W. Mellon Foundation senior advisor, who discussed “Thinking Strategically about Information Literacy;” and Susanne Woods, provost at Wheaton College (MA) who presented on “Information Literacy and the Liberal Arts Education.” These papers are now available on the CIC website at www.cic.edu/projects_services/grants/library.asp.
    A team from Marywood University (PA) discussed “Ten Steps to Move Toward the 21st Century Information Commons,” including Patricia Matthews, I.H.M., vice president for academic affairs, Michael Mirabito, assistant to the vice president of academic affairs, and Cathy Schappert, director of library services. In addition, Geoffrey Freeman, an architect from the firm of Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson, and Abbott, who has made a specialty of academic libraries; and Susan Stroyan, library director at Illinois Wesleyan University presented a case study in thinking about student learning space on a campus-wide basis. Finally, Richard Detweiler, president of Hartwick College (NY) discussed how to implement institutional change and ways to work with presidents and boards.
    Discussion groups during the conference devised an institution-wide program to foster information fluency that participants will take back to their campuses to implement. They focused on program objectives, obstacles to action, specific planning factors related to institutional type, needed competencies, funding issues, space-related needs, governance issues, and measures of success, among other issues.
    The workshop was led by Rita Gulstad, dean of extended studies and learning resources, and director of computing at Central Methodist College (MO), and Scott Bennett, university librarian emeritus, Yale University. Both serve as CIC’s senior advisors for the program.