Charting a New Course: A Case Study on the Impact of Outreach Events at Kent State University Libraries

Abstract

In an effort to market the library as a more inviting, student-friendly place, librarians at the main library of Kent State University have piloted several new events to lure students into the building and keep them coming back. With the transition to more social events hosted by the university libraries, a number of questions arose among librarians and staff regarding the role of the academic library. For example: Do social events violate the mission of the academic library? Do they diminish the credibility of the academic library? Do social events unnecessarily blur the lines between academic and public libraries? Is this social avenue an effective one for promoting traditional library services and resources such as assistance from librarians, interlibrary loan, and access to research databases? Is opening the academic library into a social space something that should be continued? This paper reports the results of a case study focusing on the creation of social events by one academic library at a large, public, midwestern university and gauges the reactions and opinions of librarians and external stake holders regarding the creation of these events and the role of the academic library.