Library Lights Out

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of Library Lights Out, an annual collaboration between the library and Housing & Residential Life at Eastern Washington University (EWU). This creative outreach program features collaborative educational and recreational activities, is a cost-sharing partnership and serves to further the organizational goals of both the library and Housing & Residential Life. Design/methodology/approach The John F. Kennedy Library at EWU was initially approached by Housing & Residential Life with the idea for an overnight event in the library, which became Library Lights Out. Student participants in this event spend the night in the library and participate in a variety of educational, team-building and fun programs, such as a library resources scavenger hunt and “capture the flag” in the library stacks. Library Lights Out has become an annual event funded primarily by Housing & Residential Life, facilitated by the library and driven by students. Findings Library Lights Out has been a successful partnership that benefits the library, students and Housing & Residential Life. Originality/value This paper adds to the limited body of literature on academic library outreach to residence halls by highlighting three unique aspects of Library Lights Out. First, it is a cost-sharing partnership which was initiated by Housing & Residential Life and not by the library. Second, it occurs in the library and not in the residence halls, unlike most library outreach to residence halls. Finally, it is an overnight sleepover event with a combination of an educational program and recreational activities and games.

Sharing the value and impact of outreach: Taking a multifaceted approach to outreach assessment

“…Another common method of assessing the impact of outreach events is by surveying outreach event participants, which can be helpful for programmatic improvement, as it provides participants with the opportunity to comment directly on the outreach event (Jalongo & Devitt, 2015;Lannon & Harrison, 2015;Nicholas et al, 2015;Oravet, 2014). Other librarians have implemented regular Plus/Delta meetings where those who staffed the event have an opportunity to reflect on the event and share their ideas for future changes (Otto, Meade, Stafford, & Wahler, 2016). Still others have collected reference or circulation statistics as a measure of impact of outreach programming (Aguilar & Keating, 2009;Maloney, 2012;Torrence, 2015).…”