Estelle M. Black Library, Rock Valley College
Strategic Plan
2012-2015
Mission
Rock Valley College Library supports the college’s learning and teaching mission by serving the academic
information needs of students, faculty, staff, and general public.
Goals
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Prepare students with the information literacy tools and skills
Provide curriculum-related resources and services to the academic community
Support the educational, research, social and cultural pursuits of students, faculty, and staff
Provide enhanced access to the world of information available through resource sharing and
technology
Provide resources and services to community patrons in support of Rock Valley College’s role of
community leadership
Library’s Roles and Relationship to the College
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A fiscally sound selection and acquisition program resulting in a well-balanced collection of
educational materials – both print and non-print
Reference and information services involving the use, knowledge recommendation, or
interpretation in the use of one or more information sources by a member of the library staff
Instruction leading to lifelong information literacy, delivered in a structured program that offers
customized presentations on the information resources available to students and staff
Access to information resources via circulation of owned items, electronic Web access to digital
resources and cooperative sharing agreements with other libraries
Technological support for research projects, class assignments, and other educational purposes
through up-to-date computers with network connection and print capabilities, open computer
lab, and electronic classroom
A physical environment that supports teaching and learning in a variety of ways.
Goal #1: Prepare students with the information literacy tools and skills
Goal #1 supports the Rock Valley College Academic Plan- 2012-2015 Goal One: The College will increase
access to post-secondary education and training; Goal Two: The College will ensure a quality learning
environment that increases the rates of attainment and completion for RVC students; and Goal Four:
The College will engage in continuous review and improvement.
 Action item #1
Promote the library instruction/information literacy via division and department meetings
Person(s) responsible: All librarians
Timeline: On going
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Measurable outcomes:
Four librarians initiated contacts with the Division of Communication, Social Sciences, Nursing,
and Sciences. They attended three divisional meetings and four departmental meeting on
library instruction in the fiscal year of 2012. Five additional library sessions with 80 plus
students in attendance were generated as the result of the meetings. Again, in 2013 four
librarians initiated four divisional contacts and have made connection with 8 teaching faculty
members for library instruction. As a result, four library instruction sessions with around 83
students were generated. It is an ongoing activity.
Action item #2
Reach out to faculty in different academic subject areas for a few minutes information literacy
introduction in their classrooms
Person(s) responsible: All librarians
Timeline: 2012-2013
Measurable outcomes: One librarian talked to two STU classes on the use of library.
Approximately 50 new students have been acquainted to the library resources.
Action item #3
Develop a library instruction assessment plan and ways to implement the plan
Person(s) responsible: Hung Lee, all librarians
Timeline: Dec. 2012
Measurable outcomes: The library instruction assessment plan has been in place since Sept.
2012. The pre and post quizzes for library instruction assessment were given to three library
instruction classes for the fall 2013. The pre and post quizzes were given again to five classes in
the spring semester, 2014. Analysis of the test results was done and showed the effectiveness
of the library instruction. Please see the attachment for the results. Librarians also worked on
library instruction follow-up with a speech class professor. The response from her was positive.
Goal #2 Provide curriculum-related resources and services to the academic community
Goal #2 supports the Rock Valley College Academic Plan- 2012-2015 Goal One: The College will increase
access to post-secondary education and training; Goal Two: The College will ensure a quality learning
environment that increases the rates of attainment and completion for RVC students.
 Action item #1
Realign the library liaisons with the academic disciplines for better communication
Person(s) responsible: all librarians
Timeline: July 2012
Measurable outcomes: The realignment of the four librarians with the academic disciplines was
completed by August 2012. 25 faculty members have made input on our book purchasing and
the conversion of information from print format to digital.
 Action item #2
Establish connection with department chairs or liaison for collection development, weeding, and
database/journal evaluation
Person(s) responsible: all librarians
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Timeline: Ongoing
Measurable outcomes: The library liaison to the Nursing department has worked with the
nursing faculty to complete the conversion of three critical nursing journals from print format to
digital format. He also worked with Dental Hygiene for the review of two databases. After
working with Fitness Wellness and Sport faculty, we identified 24 books to purchase and a study
guide was thus developed via LibGuide.
Action item #3
Work with nursing faculty for resources selection
Person(s) responsible: Steve Thompson, Brent Eckert
Timeline: Ongoing
Measurable outcomes: The library liaison to the Nursing department has worked with the
nursing faculty to complete the conversion of three critical nursing journals from print format to
digital format. Also after working with the nursing faculty, the library decided to drop the very
expensive journal “Lancet” from our subscription, thus saving us over $900. As a result of that
conversion and the cut of “Lancet”, $1,600 were saved in our subscription budget for other
necessary usage.
Action item #4
Identify new ways for all the library staff to be involved in college wide initiatives
Person(s) responsible: library staff
Timeline: Ongoing
Measurable outcomes: Three library staff members participated in College Day for New
Students events (three times in August, 2012 and 2013), promoting the use of library. One staff
member participated in the college first week greeting new student activities. Four staff
members have started and participated in college book club. The systems library is on the IT
Advisory Committee and participated in the library server upgrade. Three staff members have
been working with student activity committee for library’s involvement in Student Welcome
Week (2012, 2013). As the result of faculty librarians and staff members’ efforts in recruiting
students and conducting student library tour, the number of participants for August 2013 library
increased 69% as compared to the participants of the tour conducted in January 2013.
Goal #3: Support the educational, research, social, and cultural pursuits of students, faculty, and staff
Goal #3 supports the Rock Valley College Academic Plan- 2012-2015 Goal One: The College will increase
access to post-secondary education and training; Goal Two: The College will ensure a quality learning
environment that increases the rates of attainment and completion for RVC students; and Goal Four:
The College will engage in continuous review and improvement.
 Action item #1
Identify webinars and workshops for staff development to better support the College’s
educational mission
Person(s) responsible: Hung Lee works with all staff to identify needs and resources
Timeline: On going
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Measurable outcomes: 4 librarians attended webinars provided by Ex Libris, Ebsco, OCLC. One
staff member participated in a DRA training session. Three staff members participated in ILL
new standard training webinar. The systems librarian has attended 3 Ex Libris online technical
sessions. Two librarians attended ALA Annual Conference in Chicago for library assessment.
One librarian participated in Information Literacy Summit held in Moraine Valley College in April
2014.
Action item #2
Provide in-house training on access services for better services to academic and local
community
Person(s) responsible: Becky Whitlow
Timeline: Ongoing
Measurable outcomes: Becky did access services training in April and June 2013. 7 staff
members attended. She did an in-house training again in Nov. 2013. 6 staff members and 5
student workers attended.
Action item #3
Survey and promote the use of Ebooks
Person(s) responsible:
Timeline:
Measurable outcomes: Steve Thompson did Ebook usage survey in March 2012. 45 people
participated in survey. As the result of our survey, we have brought in the model of Patron
Driven Acquisition for ebooks collection.
Action item #4
Work with Student Activities for the library events during the Student Welcome Week
Person(s) responsible: library staff
Timeline: On going
Measurable outcomes: On August 27 and 28, 2013, 83 students joined the library tours and
participated in the library quiz as a result of the tour. The correct rate for answering the library
questions is 77%
On Jan. 22 and 23, the library worked with developmental English faculty to bring students for
participation in the library tours. 88 students participated, 6% increase compared to Jan. 2013.
The correct rate for answering the library quizzes is 66%.
Action item #5
Promote the on campus Book Club activities
Person(s) responsible: Vicki Klaas, Maria Figiel-Krueger
Timeline: Ongoing
Measurable outcomes: five Book Club discussions were held in 2012-2014. 12 faculty and staff
members attended.
Action item #6
Library Book Display for various events
Person(s) responsible: Diane Weber
Timeline: On going
Measurable outcomes:
1) Welcome Week (Aug. 23-Sept. 5, 2013) Theme: All About the 1960! (Books on 1960s
people, things, and events for check out; 33 items with 2 items checked out from display
bookcase.
2) National Library Week (April 13-19, 2014) Theme: Lives Change @ Your Library (children
and young adult award-winning books). 42 books were on display and 25 bookmarks were
taken.
Goal #4: Provide enhanced access to the world of information available through resource sharing and
technology
Goal #4 supports the Rock Valley College Academic Plan- 2012-2015 Goal Two: The College will ensure a
quality learning environment that increases the rates of attainment and completion for RVC students
and Goal Three: Utilize technology to advance and support teaching and learning.
 Action item #1
Create tutorial for enhanced One Search
Person(s) responsible: Yiluo Song
Timeline: Jan. 2013
Measurable outcomes: Online tutorial was made available in Jan. 2013. The tutorial explains
“What am I searching?”, “What else can I access from OneSearch+?”, and search results.
 Action item #2
Work on study guides revisions on the current ones due to upgrade
Person(s) responsible: all librarians
Timeline: Ongoing
Measurable outcomes: The following study guides have been updated:
User Guide to TomCat
User Guide to Business Source Elite
User Guide to Academic Search Premier
User Guide to CINAHL with Full Text
The following study guides have been created for the following subject areas:
Fitness, Wellness, and Sport
Practical Nursing
Library 100
Dental Hygiene
Goal #5: Provide resources and services to community patrons in support of Rock Valley College’s role
of community leadership
Goal #5 supports the Rock Valley College Academic Plan- 2012-2015 Goal Six: Provide cultural
enrichment to the community.
 Action item #1
Work with the Friends of Library for Oct. Library Event planning
Person(s) responsible: Hung Lee, Steve Thompson
Timeline: Oct. 2012
Measurable outcomes: Three events have been planned and implemented:
1. Barnes and Noble fund raising event were held in April 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Approximately, over $4000 were raised in support of the library collection.
2. A guest lecture was given on Oct. 23, 2013 on “Art as Healing” by Miranda Best, Professor of
Nursing, Rock Valley College. The lecture of “Art as Healing” has attracted 54 attendees. At
that event, we have recruited one new member of Friends of Library.
3. A presentation on volunteer work in an Indian Reservation, Lending a Hand to Lakota People
by Al Softley was given on Feb. 12, 2014 with 42 attendees.