Crossing the threshold (literally):
An academic library exchange program between Canada and Australia
Jennifer Thomas - Liaison Librarian
Ryerson University
&
Queensland University of Technology

The major difference!
Burleigh Beach
Gold Coast, Queensland
Christmas Day, 2014
Scenic Caves
Blue Mountains, Ontario
February, 2015

*
Students 38,950 (total enrolments)
Staff 2,480 (FTE)
Library Staff 95 (FTE)
No. of campus libraries 1
Library budget as % of uni budget
3.04%
Print books 462,694
Ebooks 574,314
Online databases almost 400
LMS Millennium / Summon
Faculties Faculty of Arts
Ted Rogers School of Management
Faculty of Communication & Design
Faculty of Community Services
Faculty of Engineering & Architectural Science
Faculty of Science
Yeates School Graduate Studies
Continuing Education
*Based on most recent figures available
Matching colours represent matching courses or faculties
45,575 (total enrolments)
4, 534 (FTE)
153 (FTE)
4
3.64%
352,484
453,069
346
Millennium / Summon
QUT Business School
QUT Graduate School of Business
Creative Industries Faculty (CI)
Faculty of Health
Faculty of Education
Science and Engineering (SEF)
Faculty of Law
Continuing Professional Education

Student Learning Centre
Ryerson, 2015
Science and Technology Precinct
QUT, 2014

1993
1989

As at 7 April 2015

… the same taste in istock photos …

differences
“Be Different in This Forked Up World” by jeffsmallwood on Flickr

• Liaison with faculty is largely individual
• Liaison Librarians have specialisations based on the Library’s organisational areas:
Borrowing and Lending Services
Collections Services
Library Information Technology
Services
Library Learning Services
• A selection of Liaison Librarians take on research support activities
• Library instruction transitioning to reflect the ACRL Threshold Concepts
• Liaison Librarians work in Faculty teams
• Liaison Librarians have one of the following specialisations:
- Research Support
- Teaching and Learning Support
- Information Resource Management
• All Liaison Librarians take on research support activities
• Library instruction based on an
“Integrated Literacies” model, i.e. combination of information literacy and academic skills support.

… transforming the library’s image from that of a place where works are consumed to that of a place where works are created.
Slatter and Howard, 2013.
Slatter, Diane & Zaana Howard. (2013). A place to make, hack, and learn: makerspaces in Australian public libraries.
The Australian Library Journal, 62(4), 272-284, DOI: 10.1080/00049670.2013.853335

The Oculus Rift! Fruit juice machine

“takeoff” by Quika Brockovich on Flickr
Future goals


Jennifer Thomas jenniferthomas@ryerson.ca
My blog https://talkintoronto.wordpress.com/