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Moderator’s note: This post was written by Anne Marie Gruber, Instruction & Liaison Librarian, University of Northern Iowa

There is increasing interest among academic librarians in supporting community engagement efforts on our campuses, as evidenced by a growing number of publications on this topic. Librarians are discussing how we can leverage our roles on campus to support service-learning and other forms of campus-community partnerships. As discussed previously on this blog, this can take shape through information literacy instruction, providing local collections, and ... Continue reading

If you’re looking for some professional development opportunities related to service learning and its connections to information literacy, look no further.  Our colleagues Jennifer Nutefall and Alex Hodges will present Connecting Pedagogies: Service Learning and Information Literacy via an ACRL Webcast on November 16, 2016.  For more information and to register, please visit:  http://www.ala.org/acrl/connectingpedagogies

Thanks to Jennifer Nutefall, I was recently made aware of this online professional development opportunity hosted by Infopeople, “Community and Civic Engagement: The Library’s Role as Connector.”  It sounds like a great opportunity.

Have you been thinking about submitting a proposal for the first-ever colloquium on libraries & service-learning?  Good news!  The deadline has been extended to February 7. See more details about the conference and follow us on Twitter.

The bad news is that I had to cancel this semester's service-learning information literacy course due to low enrollment. I attribute it to a couple different factors:  miscommunication with the registrar (our course wasn't titled or labeled properly as service-learning) and a very awkward time in our transition to semesters at my institution during which some students are "caught in the middle."  I hope for better enrollment next spring when I teach the course again. I am, however, co-teaching UH2020: Ethics of sustainability in Appalachia.  This is the course for which I ... Continue reading

A few weeks ago, Paul Loeb, author of Soul of a Citizen and a few other civic-related books, visited Wright State.  Since I have taken so long to write about his visit, I think a bulleted list of takeaways will be best.

In 2015, many institutions will be applying or re-applying for the (elective) Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. I'm wondering if other libraries out there are supporting this process on their campus?  One way I'm helping is by reporting my community engagement activities so that they can be counted.

I’m pleased to announce that I’m on the planning committee for a new one-day library colloquium about libraries & service-learning!  Details forthcoming.  For now, save the date!  It will take place on Monday, August 11, 2014 at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California.  Spread the word to your colleagues.  The conference is for those new to service-learning and service-learning veterans.

On Sunday, my co-instructors, Sarah Twill and Hunt Brown and I leave for our week-long service trip to Athens County, Ohio.  It is the "capstone" experience in our Honors course Ethics of Sustainability in Appalachia. While I will try to blog while I'm away, computer access will be limited.  So, another way to keep us with us is to follow our twitter hashtag:  #WSUinApp2013 It's been a great group of students this semester, so we're looking forward to serving with them and with our community partners: Good Works, Green Edge Gardens, Rural Action, Athens County Public Library ... Continue reading

Yesterday afternoon, Harry C. Boyte, civic engagement expert and Senior Fellow at University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, spoke at Wright State University.  He is well-known for promoting public work and citizen professionalism, among other related topics.  His message was loud and clear: each individual has the ability to and SHOULD express their citizenship through their everyday WORK.  In other words, this citizenship should not just be practiced "on the side" through volunteering for a cause for a couple of hours.  He stressed that we live in a ... Continue reading