The library directors at Colorado Christian University and Naropa University discussed how their libraries have used campus and library events to broaden their libraries’ reach and impact. In 2009, Colorado Christian University hosted a special exhibit about Abraham Lincoln that presented many opportunities to collaborate with students, faculty, the President, and with folks outside the community. Also in 2009, Naropa University’s Library participated in a visit to their campus by Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. This presentation aimed to help academic librarians seek “natural collaborations” on campus that are relatively easy to do and have great impact.

1. M inimal E ffort for M aximum O utreach to broaden your library’s impact! Gayle Gunderson, Colorado Christian University Mark Kille, Naropa University May 21, 2010

2. (Gayle Gunderson did a great job in the first part of the presentation, where she talked about a series of collaborations with faculty, students and staff that arose naturally out of her library’s exhibition of “Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Times” in 2009. You should consider contacting her to find out more about it. I did the second part of the presentation, which follows here.)

3. Two smaller collaborations… Dead Man Walking Theater Project (April 2010) Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi Keynote Lecture and Symposium (October 2009)

4. Naropa University a Buddhist-inspired, non-sectarian, private liberal arts institution in Boulder, CO 2009 undergraduate enrollment: 464 2009 graduate enrollment: 592 2009 student-faculty ratio: 12:1 Total number of permanent professional positions in the University Library and Archives: 1 Images of the Allen Ginsberg Library

5. Know your goal and target audience.

6. Be flexible.

7. Don’t stress the metrics.

8. “ Any topic, any audience, anywhere, anytime.”