Just 24 hours after arriving in Champaign-Urbana, I found myself in a room with 12 strangers from around the world, imagining what the next few weeks together would bring. My questions were answered immediately. As soon as introductions were over, we began dissecting this year’s program themes and connecting these thoughts to our learning goals. It was comforting to see that we shared many concerns and hopes for the future, despite coming from different types of institutions and being at very different points in our careers.

Reading the Room

To figure out how we would tackle these challenges together, we started by looking inward. We took the DiSC assessment, a behavioral profiling tool originally based on the work of psychologist William Moulton Marston in the 1920s. The test results indicate one’s work priorities through a combination of four main traits: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (C). My results leaned strongly towards C.

Let me be honest here: I usually take these assessments with a grain of salt. I’ve never liked branding myself with a rigid label. With that said, I did find value in this exercise. Even with my skepticism, I found that DiSC still served as a framework to discuss how I usually approach my work. My profile highlighted areas of my job that tend to trigger a higher stress response. DiSC profiles also gave our group a shared vocabulary for describing where we are likely to thrive or struggle and for building empathy for each other.

Ultimately, this isn’t about trying to fit into a neat category. It’s about examining ourselves and our roles through a variety of perspectives. It’s about being open-minded in our pursuit of better communication and effective teamwork.

Assessing Information Literacy Programs

After looking at how we function as individuals, we shifted to thinking about how we measure the value of our institutions. We attended a fantastic session on how UIUC librarians assessed their information literacy instruction.

Administrators and funders always want to see results in hard numbers, but translating the impact of teaching into quantitative data can get tricky. To address this, the UIUC librarians integrated a survey into their students’ final information literacy lesson, asking how confident they felt in specific skills after completing the course. By aggregating qualitative responses, they transformed subjective feedback into insightful quantitative data.

This was a much-needed reminder for me about how to collect meaningful feedback. UIUC used this data to successfully advocate for hiring all the course instructors they needed to serve their massive student population. Learning how these librarians structured their assessments, analyzed data, and used the results for advocacy gave me a clearer blueprint for a task that I may be asked to do in the future.

Expanding the Library Ecosystem

Over the next two days, we hit the road to see more large-scale library networks in action. The OCLC team in Dublin, Ohio gave us a unique experience by allowing us to visit their data center. I’d never been inside one before, and I’m not sure that I ever thought about the infrastructure required to keep so many library systems functioning. We also discussed the breadth of international networks that make their products and services like WorldCat possible.

Next, we visited Ohio State University (OSU), touring the Thompson Library and the 18th Avenue Library. Coming from a library that serves fewer than 1,000 students a year, the sheer scale of campuses like the University of Illinois and Ohio State is staggering to me. However, the real highlight for me was a presentation at OSU’s Research Commons. I loved learning about their research data management services, particularly their work in helping researchers understand and comply with institutional and federal guidelines. It’s an impactful, highly appreciated service that I found fascinating.

We then stopped at the Westerville Public Library before heading back to Illinois. Public libraries are always a delight because they have so many opportunities to get creative and reach a varied audience. Westerville leans into whimsical experiences like a drive-through window where patrons not only borrow and return books, but also receive treats for their pets. Strong community spirit amongst the librarians and patrons really stood out to me in this library.

Summary

One common thread in many of our sessions so far has been collaboration. From communicating more effectively within a department to cooperating with wider networks, librarians succeed when they work together.

My first week here has been a whirlwind of new places, faces, and information. Everyone involved in this program has shown such enthusiasm and love for their work that it’s renewed my sense of belonging in this profession. At the same time, I have felt out of my depth in a few conversations and had moments of self-doubt. It’s an uncomfortable but good sign that I am in the right place. I wouldn’t need to be here if I had nothing to learn. On to Week 2.