2018 Charleston Library Conference

Two academic librarians (one from Kobe University, Japan; the other from the University of Central Florida) will discuss visits to each other’s libraries in 2016-2017 to share information about their respective Learning Commons models and outreach strategies. The goal of this session will be to illustrate the positive learning outcomes of such an exchange and to provide nuts and bolts information for libraries who might be considering a similar exchange.

The Japan Assoc. of National University Libraries (JANUL) invited Barbara Tierney (UCF Head of Research Services) to make a presentation on “The Learning Commons Service Model in North America” at their JANUL winter symposium (Univ. of Tokyo, Jan. 2016) and to travel to Kobe University to make a presentation on the Subject Librarian service model within a Learning Commons environment.

After Barbara delivered her presentations in Tokyo and Kobe, JANUL officials asked if one of their librarians, Yuka Taniguchi (from Kobe University Libraries) could visit the University of Central Florida in Sept. 2017 for a two-week internship with UCF Libraries financed by a JANUL Travel Grant.

While at UCF, Yuka worked within the main library Knowledge Commons, spent time within each library department, sat in on library management and departmental meetings, and visited the UCF Health Sciences and Curriculum Materials Libraries. In return, Yuka gave a presentation at UCF on “Japanese Academic Libraries.” After Yuka returned to Japan she gave presentations about her UCF experiences at JANUL events.

Program attendees will be encouraged to ask questions about the learning objectives of academic library foreign exchanges and what the pros and cons of such an exchange might be from their own institutional perspectives. After participating in this program, attendees will be able to develop strategies to support a similar foreign exchange at their own institutions.