One of our greatest joys at WiLS is hearing our members tell the stories of the big and important work they are doing – interesting new projects or initiatives, or even interesting and new approaches to old projects. And, in addition to hearing about it, it makes us even happier when we can share those stories with other members. Each month, WiLS is proud to feature an interview with one of our library members. This month, we interview Jennifer Chamberlain, Executive Director of the University of Wisconsin Colleges Libraries.
Why did you, personally, choose to work in libraries?
I used to describe my entry into librarianship as “accidental,” but the more experienced (a.k.a. older) I have become I now see that serendipity was more likely the force at play. Sixteen years ago my husband and I moved to the Wisconsin Northwoods in pursuit of his dream to manage a YMCA camp. Trading in a car for snowshoes as a daily commuting vehicle is an adventure that I’ll always cherish. If it were not for that bold move, I might not have become a librarian. At the time I was working as a fundraiser which was feeling less and less like the right career fit. As I searched for a job in Vilas County (if only I knew how to fish…), the posting for director of the Boulder Junction Public Library caught my attention. Within my first week as BJPL director, I knew I had found my calling. Four months later I enrolled in the burgeoning MLIS distance education program through UW-Milwaukee. I have worked in both public and academic libraries for 16 years and I still find myself eager to see what each day brings. There is nothing more rewarding than helping someone find the resources they need. My “patrons” are now my esteemed library colleagues, but I still get to use my ninja librarian skills of helping match people with the right information and that brings me joy.
What is unique about the culture of your library? How do you influence it?
The UW Colleges Libraries’ culture stems from our unique institutional structure and mission. We are one of the larger UW System institutions, serving over 12,000 students. Yet we do our work spread over 13 campuses (14 if you include our Online program). Our campus libraries have a welcoming, friendly atmosphere like that of a smaller public library; however, our resource access is unparalleled for the average two-year college student in part because of our UW System relationship. As an institution of access, the Colleges specialize in helping underprepared students excel in the college environment and our Libraries play a significant role in providing that high level of support. We recently integrated our learning support services within our campus libraries to help improve student access to tutoring and proctoring services – creating a one-stop shop for student success. As director of libraries, I have the pleasure of promoting and supporting a group of dedicated, kind, and hilarious librarians and staff.
What do you think is important to know about the patrons or community you work with? What helps you understand those needs?
Our student body has diverse needs. Over 25% of our students are considered non-traditional with ages ranging from 22 to 82. Many of our students never considered themselves college-bound. At the same time, we serve a top-notch teaching faculty who prioritize pedagogy while also actively researching within their own fields. Our librarians need to be nimble and skilled to work with a community on a broad spectrum of information needs. The common denominator among this diverse population is the need for relationship-building. The UW Colleges Libraries’ staff excels in building meaningful relationships with all of our library users. It is through these authentic relationships that we better serve our community, from student to community member to faculty.
What big ideas are being worked on at your library? What problems are being solved?
We have experienced a great deal of shifting and change in the UW Colleges’ Libraries within the past year. Along with consolidating our leadership structure in response to the largest state cut in our institution’s history, we recently consolidated our collections budgets from 13 local campus budgets to one large institutional collections budget. By leveraging our dollars, we can take better advantage of our collective size and provide even more robust digital collections for our communities. One initiative I am particularly excited about is our pilot of PDA (patron-driven acquisitions) streamed media and e-book collections designed to meet patron requests at the moment of need. Like most other libraries, we need to continually explore ways we can make our collection dollars stretch further while still allowing us to offer new exciting resources. Thankfully with the best library staff in the state, we are ready to tackle this challenge!
Do you have anything else you’d like to share here?
Thanks for the opportunity to share my story and to highlight the important work happening in the UW Colleges’ Libraries. We are grateful to WiLS for your support and partnership.
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These interviews are part of a series of interviews with both WiLS library and vendor partners. Your feedback is appreciated. If you have any to offer on this article, or suggestions for upcoming interviews, contact Andrea Coffin at acoffin@wils.org.