Making the Library a Partner in Research by

Leveraging the Strategic Plan

Brian C. Gray

Case Western Reserve University

Kelvin Smith Library

Presentation: http://slideshare.net/bcg8

4 Year Journey & Still Going

• College-Based Librarian• PR/Marketing• Relationships• Strategic Plan• Energy Initiative• Beyond the Campus

The Energy Collaborative Platform is a Kelvin Smith Library initiative committed to partnership in the exploration of sustainability and alternative energy through providing world class collections, maintaining a Virtual Knowledge Center for Energy, cultivating researchers and students with educational opportunities, and capturing and disseminating the research of Case Western Reserve University and its partners.

New in 2009: News alerting service focused on energy & environment

Over 100 New Books

Other Projects• Partnered on a grant for an internship• Partner in writing a NSF grant• Teaching faculty to use collaboration tools

such as Google Apps, Google Sites, Adobe Connect, and other tools

• Consult on the GLEI website, including using web 2.0 tools and library resources

• Leveraging OhioLINK and other consortium• Hosting speakers and helping with K-12

outreach

Coming Soon• Various energy current awareness tools• Boiler plate materials for grant proposals• Research Guides• Class about using DOE materials• IEEE 125th birthday celebration• Exploring: Data curation• Considering: Research services &

document delivery for the growing Ohio energy community

• Next library practicum student will have an energy focus

• Developing: Business Plan

What is different fromprevious actions?

• PACKAGING• Multiple services & tools• Partnership/collaboration• Proactive• “Librarian in the Laboratory”• No longer looked as just a “place

for answers” but as a home to help develop answers

• Processes transferable to other disciplines

Other Projects that Developed Because of Our Approach

Case Western Reserve is one of five campuses nationwide that will pilot Amazon.com's Kindle DX, an update of the company's wireless reader device.

Brian C. Gray• Head of Reference• Librarian - Engineering, Math, &

Statistics• Case Western Reserve University• Kelvin Smith Library• Email: bcg8@case.edu• Blog: http://blog.case.edu/bcg8/• Presentation:

http://slideshare.net/bcg8