Library & Open Learning Services Strategic Plan 2021 Framework
06/2021–06/2025
University Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 1 – Academic Distinction
Establish regionally distinctive academic programs by integrating the tenets of open education, inclusion, comprehensive, and polytechnic while sustaining the prominence of a liberal education as the foundation of exceptional student learning and success.
Goal 2 – Strategic Enrollment Growth
Increase university enrollment to 16,000 headcount through strategic, innovative, and data-informed initiatives and marketing focused on inclusive and affordable life-long learning opportunities, with a special emphasis on student retention, academic success, and completion by identifying and lowering critical economics, technological, geographical, and institutional barriers.
Goal 3 – Institutional Capacity and Effectiveness
Establish a culture of evidence-based performance management to optimize financial, facility, human, and information technology capital to elevate capacity and effectiveness.
Goal 4 – Community as University
Partner with Washington County and Kane County cities to blend the University main campus with regional public and private spaces, human networks, organizations, and resources to formally designate and operate “Dixie State UniverCity,” and open, integrated and vibrant southern Utah learning ecosystem providing exceptional learning opportunities and catalyzing the economic and social development of southern Utah.
Goal 5 – Faculty and Staff Life
Establish policies, systems, and practices to ensure the success of diverse and ambitious people from across the nation who bring new ideas and whose values and career aspirations align with the Mission and Vision and are inspired to build a premier open, inclusive, comprehensive, polytechnic university.
Design Characteristics of 2020–2025 DSU Strategic Plan
- Open
- Inclusive
- Comprehensive
- Polytechnic
Open L&OLS strategic initiatives
- Establishing systems and frameworks for open education, promoting sharing of content, processes, and resources.
| Objective | Outcomes/Indicators | Timeline | Assessment Method | Goal Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build expertise and institutional capacity to offer OER/OEP | All librarians gain knowledge on OER/OEP and how it relates to their subject liaison areas. | By August 2022 | All librarians have attended one professional development opportunity related to OER/OEP. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| Deploy IR and editing software. | August 2022 | L&OLS & G1, S1 committee feedback and review. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| With departments, identify interested faculty or courses to integrate OER or affordable course materials as pilot projects. | December 2021 | Create focus groups of faculty in pilot. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| Implement and manage incentive structure. | 2025 | Faculty feedback is obtained and incentive structure is regularly reviewed. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| Join MERLOT consortium as a partner institution |
Work with MERLOT to establish priorities, strategic initiatives, and outreach to campus. Work with MERLOT to create custom DSU portal. |
October 2021 |
MERLOT provided review of OER strategic plan. One professional development activity planned in partnership with MERLOT. Draft of custom portal completed by Fall 2021. |
Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| Provide ongoing project management for OER/OEP. | Make adjustments to management, quality assurance, policies, and procedures needed based on feedback and learning from the pilot process. | September 2022 - Ongoing |
Assess impact of OER on student learning and success.
|
Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| OER and subject liaison librarians consult with faculty to adopt, adapt, and create OER materials. | Fall 2021 - Ongoing | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | ||
| Hold trainings/workshops. | Fall 2022–Spring 2025 | Assess knowledge gaps for instructors and others. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| Explore Z degree | Fall 2023 | Assess feasibility of Z-degree or implement in coordination with the curriculum office and advising. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
Inclusive L&OLS strategic initiatives
- Equitable access and opportunity for diverse individuals to work, learn and succeed.
- Recruit and retain diverse faculty/staff/students.
- Employ inclusive pedagogy/andragogy.
- Enabling institutional support services.
- Engagement with community services and human networks.
- The design of inclusive teaching and learning aims to eliminate equity gaps based on gender, age, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, neuro-cognitive-physical ability level, and other unique circumstances.
| Objective | Outcomes/Indicators | Timeline | Assessment Method | Goal Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve student learning and academic success through effective information literacy instruction. | Expand research consultation service. |
Year 1: Expand outreach to faculty. Year 2: Design research study comparing mandatory research consultation versus student initiated only. |
Increase consultations by 10% including online consultations. Assess impact on student success and retention. |
Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| Track user interactions at reference and research assistance desk tied to class success. | Year 2: Fully implement EAB barcode scanner for interactions at the reference desk. |
Assess impact of reference interactions with student success and retention. Determine if equity gaps exist in obtaining reference and research assistance. |
Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| Remove barriers to accessing library materials. | Evaluate discovery layer addition to library catalog. Prepare a recommendation report for Dean and L&OLS committee. | Fall 2021 | Focus groups with faculty, staff and students. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| Remove barriers to accessing tutoring services. | Embed tutors in extended locations and departments. | Place tutors in Browning building to provide enhanced support for structured enrollment and multicultural students. | Success measures will depend on funding from Title III versus institutionally funded. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| Create a culture of inclusivity in L&OLS referencing the 2021 Equity Scorecard for Libraries | Explore DEI model programs such as Iowa State’s |
2023 Participate in campus program faculty fellows program for inclusivity if available. |
50% of library staff contribute/participate and partner with campus community in DEI programs. 1 librarian participates in faculty fellows program. |
Goal 5 - Faculty and Staff Life |
|
Explore options to update subject headings to be inclusive. Perform collection review of materials using those headings. |
Use OrbisCascade Alliance and others as models. Recommend headings for removal by 2022 and complete by 2023. Pull materials with the identified subject headings for possible weeding. |
Report on changes to subject headings. Report number of discards and number of titles ordered for replacement. |
Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| Increase outreach to groups and individuals on campus to create inclusive displays and balanced collections. |
Identify five areas where collection needs to be diversified in 2021. Reach out to identified groups as applicable. Improve intentional collection of diverse materials across formats from 2022–2025. |
With feedback from representatives of under-represented groups as applicable, build or replace collections in identified areas by 10%–30%. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | |
| Build partnerships and collaborations in support of DEI. | Find opportunities for informal or formal interactions, programs, projects, or agreements with under-represented groups on campus or in the community. | 2–5 partnership or collaborations. | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
Comprehensive/Polytechnic L&OLS strategic initiatives
- Characterized by active and applied learning, career development and success, authentic learning through industry partnerships.
- Academic programs featuring science, technology, engineering, mathematics and management integrated with liberal arts and sciences.
| Objective | Outcomes/Indicators | Timeline | Assessment Methods | Goal Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build or maintain collections to adequately support curricular offerings. | Develop a plan and workflows for a Collection Management Cycle for library materials. |
Year 1: Develop plan and workflows. Year 2: Pilot and assess. |
Assess current collecting levels for curricular areas using LOC’s “Collecting Levels” and Lantzy, Tricia, Talitha Matlin, and Judy Opdahl. “Creating a Library-Wide Collection Management Cycle: One Academic Library’s Approach to Continuous Collection Assessment.” Journal of Library Administration, vol. 20, no. 2, 2020. | Goal 3 - Institutional Capacity and Effectiveness |
| Continue pursuing USPTO designation. Organize training and professional development opportunities for campus and community. |
Year 1: Host at least one virtual training. Year 2: Attend annual PTRC training. |
Goal 1 - Academic Distinction | ||
| Optimize Library & Open Learning Service’s spaces to best meet student needs. |
Create a plan to convert space in curriculum area to student study space. FY 21–22. Implement FY 22–23. Explore options to expand tutoring in remote locations. |
Analyze use and traffic statistics. | Goal 3 - Institutional Capacity and Effectiveness | |
| Offer hands-on, experiential learning. | Students create digital exhibits on Omeka. |
Year 1–2: Build Omeka out to accommodate exhibits. Year 2–3: Pilot with 1 or 2 class projects. |
Report on statistics and class involvement (Hits, searches, use, etc.) | Goal 1 - Academic Distinction |
| Expand library internships for career exploration and job skills. | Offer at least one career focused internship per year. | Reports on coordinating of internships and faculty advisor position. | Goal 2 - Strategic Enrollment Growth | |
| Expand Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction to all for more student access. | Upper Division embedded tutoring | Title III or other funding secured or identified. | Goal 2 - Strategic Enrollment Growth | |
| Enhanced supplemental instruction | Title III or other funding secured. | Goal 2 - Strategic Enrollment Growth |