The balancing act librarians face will be the subject of the Bryant Jackson Lecture.

Megan Oakleaf will present “Connect the Dots & Reach for the Stars: Aligning the Academic Library with Institutional Aspirations” at 1:30 p.m. April 15 in the Bone Student Center Old Main Room. The event, sponsored by Milner Library, is free and open to the public.

The discussion will provide ways to apply concepts of how libraries can successfully serve the needs, advance the missions and achieve the outcomes of their parent institutions. Oakleaf will talk about how libraries and institutions must balance aggregated offerings that make the most impact for large user groups with specialized attention for individual students, faculty and community members.

image of Megan Oakleaf

Megan Oakleaf wil present the Bryant Jackson Lecture.

Oakleaf is an associate professor of library and information science in the iSchool at Syracuse University. She is the author of Value of Academic Libraries Comprehensive Review and Report and Academic Library Value: The Impact Starter Kit. Oakleaf has earned recognition and awards for articles published in top library and information science journals including College and Research Libraries, Portal, Reference and User Services Quarterly and Journal of Documentation.

She has presented at numerous conferences, including the American Library Association, Association of College and Research Libraries, Association of American Colleges and Universities, Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education national conferences, the Association of Research Libraries Library Assessment Conferences, the Texas A&M Assessment Conference and EDUCAUSE. Her research areas include outcomes assessment, evidence-based decision making, information literacy instruction, and academic library impact and value.

The Bryant Jackson Lectureship was established in 2003 by former University Librarian Joe Kraus to honor his associate university librarian. Over a 26-year period, Jackson held numerous positions in Milner Library. The lectureship recognizes his dedication, excellence and leadership. An annual event, the lectureship features prominent speakers and scholars in the field of library and information science.

For special accommodations, contact Jan Johnson at jrjohnson@ilstu.edu or (309) 438-3481.