Making Archives Matter

Increasing Engagement Through Programmatic Planning

Gary L. Austin – Research & Instruction Librarian

Kirk Mitchell – Manager of Library Operations

Alexandra Vargas-Minor, CA – Curator of University Archives

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USF Libraries, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, St. Petersburg

Outline

3-Year Programmatic Plan at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library

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Goal 2: Develop Archives and Special Collections in Alignment with Campus and Community Priorities

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Execution, Impact & Future of SCUA

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

USF Libraries

• Three Campuses: Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota-Manatee
• Special Collections housed at Tampa & St. Pete
• Digital Commons

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

2022 – Strategic Directions Updated

• Develop Distinct Collections
• Enhance Service Models
• Increase Research Contributions

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Spring 2023 – Programmatic Planning Process Begins

• Planning Committee Formed
• Consultant Hired

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Summer – Idea Surf Sessions

• Focus on Developing Collections and Enhancing Service Models
• Reflect on
• What we do well and can build on
• What makes campus unique
• What should we consider doing

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Fall 2023 – Retreat and Working Groups

• Pre-retreat survey – reflect on ideas from working groups and select most appropriate themes
• October retreat: Staff divided into working groups to discuss and develop ideas for seven goals
• Develop action items, identify resources and needs, how to evaluate success

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Develop Distinctive Collections

• Expand collections for new and distinctive academic programs
• Develop archives and special collections in alignment with campus and community priorities.
• Grow usage of textbook, circulating, and Open Access materials to facilitate course affordability and student success

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Enhance Service Models

• Collaborate with faculty, students, and other campus units to advance research innovation and experiential learning
• Foster deeper partnerships with other units in the library to support faculty
• Develop and implement a sustainable framework to promote holistic student success

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Increase Research Contributions: Foster a culture of research and scholarship (i.e., “publish and flourish”)

Brainstorming Sessions

• Numerous meetings, within our group and including the other groups.
• Action Items:
1. Enhance the discoverability of special collections on library platforms.
2. Raise visibility and use of special collections and archival materials via outreach activities.
3. Establish partnerships for integrating special collections materials into research, instruction, and the community.

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Enhancing Discoverability

• USFSP Special Collections were housed in USF Digital Commons
• Jan 2024-Finding Aids reformatted and stored in Box for migration
• Book collections cataloged on library catalog

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Establishing Partnerships

• Downtown St. Pete
• Surrounded by museums and local community groups
• One USF – Access to USF Tampa's Special Collections

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Raise Visibility

• Social media
• Previous success with social media
• Pride month June 2024
• Women's History Month in March 2024
• Black History Month in Feb 2024
• Other ideas:
• TikTok Shorts, Instagram Reels, Bi Weekly Storytime
• Social Media taken over by USF Tampa, but we are able to work with them and USFSP campus marketing.

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Images:

- Unidentified man with bundles of The Weekly Challenger newspapers

- Winnie Foster’s press pass for The Weekly Challenger

- Portrait of Dean Lowell E. Davis by Jack Barrett

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Challenges

• Staffing and resources
• Finding effective communication avenues and methods
• Qualitative assessment of programming and assessment of potential research impact

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Programmatic Plan Execution Year 1 (2023-24)

• Enhance discoverability: archival collections inventory, Smartsheets implementation, archives internship for ArchivesSpace migration workflow testing
• Raise visibility via outreach: social media campaign, ongoing displays in Library
• Establish partnerships: Florida Studies program, Retired Faculty & Staff Association, Preserve the 'Burg, Creekshed grant, Studio@620

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Programmatic Plan Execution�Year 2 (2024-25)

• Enhance discoverability: phased ArchivesSpace migration, quality control on legacy collections, Public Art on the USF St. Petersburg Campus Walking Trail, cataloging uncataloged books
• Raise visibility via outreach: ongoing exhibits and displays, Coffee with the Curator series, conference and local presentations, Studio@620 digital collection launch
• Establish partnerships: Student Government Association (SGA), Innovative Scholars program, History department, Creekshed, Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF)

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Programmatic Plan Execution �Year 3 (2025-26)

• Enhance discoverability: adding new collections to ArchivesSpace, book inventory internship, moving (more) books into Reading Room
• Raise visibility via outreach: continue exhibit and display activities, continue Coffee with the Curator, assessment of Library exhibits
• Establish partnerships: Communications & Marketing, Driftwood Neighborhood Association, Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research & Education (AWIARE)

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Impact of Programmatic Plan

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

• General interactions with special collections increased (inquiries, event attendance)
• Individual research-oriented usage of SCUA increased in year 1 and then plateaued from years 2-3 (consults, instructions, RR appointments)
• Large-scale events like Coffee with the Curator have become well established
• 54% increase in titles available on library catalog
• 77% increase in collections available on ArchivesSpace (~160 collections total)

Challenges and Future Initiatives

• Finding solutions for staffing problem to increase capacity
• Increasing research usage of collections through outreach and publication
• Library catalog enhancements: location reconfiguration and adding collection information to records
• Enhancing digital holdings new digital collections and digital exhibits
• Rebranding and creating a marketing strategy
• Targeted acquisitions that support student research and curricular needs

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Thank you!

Gary L. Austin – Research & Instruction Librarian – glaustin@usf.edu

Kirk Mitchell – Manager of Library Operations – kmitchell1@usf.edu

Alexandra Vargas-Minor, CA – Curator of University Archives – acv@usf.edu

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USF Libraries, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, St. Petersburg

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA