Partners

When organizing a large-scale library event such as orientation, the importance of forming strategic partnerships cannot be overstated. Partnerships extend beyond mere task delegation; they represent an opportunity to leverage the distinctive strengths and resources present on your campus and within the surrounding community. By harnessing the collective capabilities of diverse partners, you have the potential to elevate an ordinary event to an extraordinary one.

Local businesses, student organizations, academic departments, and other groups are often eager to engage in this type of collaborative endeavor. This page provides insights into some of the partnerships we have utilized beyond the library. These examples serve as inspiration for potential partnerships you might establish in your own context.

Larger - New Student Orientation

Our collaboration with the larger campus-side new student orientation activities has been instrumental in ensuring the success and reach of our library orientation event. While we are just one among many activities during the orientation, the continued support and partnership of the organizers have been invaluable.

One significant aspect of this collaboration is that the campus-wide orientation activities make our library event a requirement for all new students. At the very least, students are encouraged to stop by, and many do participate. This ensures that we have the opportunity to engage with a broad and diverse range of new students, providing them with an introduction to our library resources, services, and spaces.

The support from the campus-wide orientation team extends beyond participation numbers. They generously provide us with orientation leaders and student helpers who play a crucial role in scanning students into our event. This enables us to maintain an accurate count of participants and ensures a smooth flow as adventuring parties enter the library. The collaboration allows us to stagger entries, optimizing the experience for both students and our event team.

Moreover, the campus-wide orientation team has consistently demonstrated their commitment to the library's mission. Their support and partnership have allowed us to reach as many students as possible, contributing to the overall success of our library orientation. We highly recommend working closely with the committee or team responsible for planning the larger student orientation activities on your campus. Securing a prominent spot on the schedule of events can be a game-changer, enhancing the library's role in welcoming and supporting new students as they begin their academic journey.

Fredonia Video Game Orchestra

The Fredonia Video Game Orchestra (VGO) is a student-run performance group that seeks to promote the underrepresented medium of video game music. Due to the heavy fantasy elements of our orientation, performances by the VGO were a natural fit. We chose to position the VGO in the Garden area, where the reception was being held. This allowed the sound of the group to carry throughout the main floor of the library while concealing the performers until the end of the "adventure."

Collaboration with the VGO began several months before the orientation was set to take place. After confirming the group's availability with their president, we began to solidify the logistics of the performance. Due to the large size of the ensemble, we chose to divide available members into several chamber/solo groups. Members of the VGO worked to organize a performance schedule and arrange repertoire to fit the scope of available performers. As the event got closer, the Public Relations Chair of the group met with us to go over seating arrangements and equipment needs. Chairs, music stands, and a microphone stand were borrowed from the university's School of Music prior to the event. The VGO supplied their own keyboard, while the library supplied a microphone.

The collaboration between the library and VGO was mutually beneficial: participants enjoyed having a "soundtrack" to accompany their journey throughout the library. In addition, the VGO was able to market themselves to new students, ultimately recruiting more than 50 new members!

Tutoring Services

This year marked a significant milestone as we welcomed the Tutoring Center to our library orientation event for the very first time. Although the Tutoring Center technically operates as a distinct and essential department, as we transition to a commons model in the near future, they will be one of our key partners in providing comprehensive support to our students.

Notably, the Tutoring Center went above and beyond by embracing the event's theme and decorating its space to align with our adventure-based orientation. Their creative decorations not only enhanced the atmosphere within the Tutoring Center but also provided fun and engaging elements that we could utilize in other spaces throughout the library.

During our event, we introduced a unique "side quest" that not only engaged students but also served as an opportunity to highlight tutoring services. In the "Chambers of Knowledge: The Tri-Room Challenge," participants were guided to our three bookable study rooms. Once they successfully solved a riddle, they received directions to the elevators/stairs and led them up to the Tutoring Center. This ensured that all incoming students were familiarized with the location of the Tutoring Center, especially given that it is somewhat hidden on the 4th floor of the library (Carnahan-Jackson Center.)

Upon reaching the Tutoring Center, our students were greeted by dedicated student peer tutors who provided an informative introduction to the wide range of services they offer. This inaugural collaboration, complete with themed decorations, not only facilitated a smooth transition for new students but also laid the foundation for a strong collaborative relationship as we move forward in our commitment to enhancing the student experience within our evolving Commons model.

Heart of the Game

Our collaboration with a local board game business marked a significant highlight in this year's library orientation event. This partnership was a win-win, as it not only enhanced our event but also provided invaluable exposure to a local small business.

This marked the first year we teamed up with this business, and it proved to be a rewarding endeavor. Their generosity was on full display as they donated a variety of Dungeons & Dragons set pieces and a treasure trove of other prizes, all contributing to our large raffle at the end of our event. To ensure our participants knew the source of these fantastic prizes, we prominently displayed signage recognizing the local business's contributions.

In addition to these giveaways, the board game shop went the extra mile by providing us with some fantastic D&D props that helped set the mood for our event. These included a large goblin and mimic chest, which served as focal points upon entering the library and during our introductions. These props, which are usually showcased in the game shop's front window, not only added to the immersive experience but also allowed our students to connect with elements typically on display in the local community

Beyond the material contributions, this partnership was an opportunity for the business to reach an audience of 650-700+ new college students in the area. We also purchased gift certificates from the shop to include as raffle prizes.

This partnership showcased the power of local businesses and how they might enhance your programming. We are excited about the prospects of future collaborations and the positive impact they can bring to our library orientation events.

Additional Partnership Ideas

As we reflect on the success of this year's library orientation event, we're already envisioning an even more exciting experience for the next academic year. Our goal is to forge new partnerships and collaborations that will not only amplify the event's excitement but also spotlight additional essential student services and resources. Some of these departments may already be organizing their own activities for orientation, but it might not hurt to check.

Here are some additional partnership ideas that you might want to consider:

Academic Advising: Collaborate with academic advising offices to provide information about academic planning, course selection, and academic advising services within the library orientation.
Academic Departments: Collaborate with various academic departments to showcase the resources and opportunities specific to their disciplines. For example, partner with the English department to host a literature-themed quest or the science department for a science-themed knowledge check.
Campus Radio or Podcasting Clubs: Incorporate live broadcasts or podcast recordings during the event to engage with media-focused students and highlight library resources related to media production.
Student Organizations: Engage student organizations that align with your event's theme or share an interest in libraries and academia. They can provide volunteers, host themed booths, or offer interactive experiences related to their organization's focus. Next year, we might bring in students from our Reed Library Student Advisory Council, for example.
Cultural and Diversity Centers: Partner with cultural centers to highlight diverse perspectives and resources available at the library. Consider themed quests or knowledge checks that promote cultural awareness and inclusion.
Career Services: Collaborate with career services to showcase how the library supports students' professional development, including resume-building workshops, job search resources, and networking opportunities.
Student Health and Wellness: Promote student well-being by partnering with health and wellness services to offer stress-relief activities or mental health resources as part of your event.
Art and Music Departments: Incorporate the arts into your event by partnering with art and music departments. They can provide live performances, art exhibitions, or interactive music-related activities. Like our fantastic Video Game Orchestra. :)
Local Businesses: Explore partnerships with local businesses that align with your event's theme. They can provide prizes, sponsorships, or unique experiences for participants.
Alumni Associations: Collaborate with your college/university's alumni association to showcase the library's lifelong learning resources and the benefits of staying engaged with the institution beyond graduation.
Student Publications: Partner with student newspapers, magazines, or creative writing groups to promote the importance of research, writing, and literary resources available at the library.
Technology Services: Collaborate with the university's IT department or technology services to highlight the library's digital resources, software, and technology-related workshops.
Residence Life: Work with residence life staff to incorporate aspects of the library orientation into residential life activities, ensuring that students receive consistent messaging and support.

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