SPEC Kit 312: Public Engagement · 63
Challenge 1
N=39
Challenge 2
N=31
Challenge 3
N=19
Awareness at the campus and
community level of the libraries’
capacity to engage in and support
public engagement activities.
Limited resources sometimes lead to
competition from a variety of groups
for the same pot of money, so there is
a need to work hard to be seen as a
partner, rather than a competitor.
A lack of central coordination of public
engagement activity at the campus
level.
Challenges in working with community-
based organizations include the lack of
understanding (not unexpected) of the
requirements and constraints of staging
events on campus. It has also been a
perennial challenge to garner much
press coverage.
Competing demands for limited
resources, both financial and human
resources.
Aligning priorities for library/IKBLC
public engagement activities with the
priorities of the new UBC Strategic
Plan.
Ensuring that activities align with the
priorities of the community and do
not duplicate or conflict with services
offered by other community groups.
Competing needs for finite resources:
particularly staff time, facilities
space. Balancing public engagement
(secondary clientele) priorities with
academic support (primary clientele)
priorities.
Return on Investment: lack of
consistent and comprehensive
assessment mechanisms.
Expensive to create and publicize.
Competing resources and priorities
Coordination with other campus
departments, colleges, and individuals
to pool resources for programs. Seems
to be much competition for time slots,
space and funding.
Getting information to students about
programs. A variety of communication
methods are being tried, including
e-mail, iPod, blogs, etc., to attract more
students to programs.
Challenge of attracting community
to programs is hampered by lack
of parking/ convenient parking on
campus.
Decentralized nature of these activities
on our campus would be hard to
identify any one group with which to
partner.
Resources to support these activities,
both funding and staff.
Developing consistent funding
resources for annual public
engagement activities and the creation
of a specific endowed fund devoted
exclusively to public engagement.
Incorporating public engagement into
the University’s tenure and promotion
process.
Challenge 1
N=39
Challenge 2
N=31
Challenge 3
N=19
Awareness at the campus and
community level of the libraries’
capacity to engage in and support
public engagement activities.
Limited resources sometimes lead to
competition from a variety of groups
for the same pot of money, so there is
a need to work hard to be seen as a
partner, rather than a competitor.
A lack of central coordination of public
engagement activity at the campus
level.
Challenges in working with community-
based organizations include the lack of
understanding (not unexpected) of the
requirements and constraints of staging
events on campus. It has also been a
perennial challenge to garner much
press coverage.
Competing demands for limited
resources, both financial and human
resources.
Aligning priorities for library/IKBLC
public engagement activities with the
priorities of the new UBC Strategic
Plan.
Ensuring that activities align with the
priorities of the community and do
not duplicate or conflict with services
offered by other community groups.
Competing needs for finite resources:
particularly staff time, facilities
space. Balancing public engagement
(secondary clientele) priorities with
academic support (primary clientele)
priorities.
Return on Investment: lack of
consistent and comprehensive
assessment mechanisms.
Expensive to create and publicize.
Competing resources and priorities
Coordination with other campus
departments, colleges, and individuals
to pool resources for programs. Seems
to be much competition for time slots,
space and funding.
Getting information to students about
programs. A variety of communication
methods are being tried, including
e-mail, iPod, blogs, etc., to attract more
students to programs.
Challenge of attracting community
to programs is hampered by lack
of parking/ convenient parking on
campus.
Decentralized nature of these activities
on our campus would be hard to
identify any one group with which to
partner.
Resources to support these activities,
both funding and staff.
Developing consistent funding
resources for annual public
engagement activities and the creation
of a specific endowed fund devoted
exclusively to public engagement.
Incorporating public engagement into
the University’s tenure and promotion
process.
