Campus Library Scholar in Residence Program

Description

 David Bilyeu, College Librarian

 Outline

Under the direction of the College, the Library offers the use of an office space in the COCC Barber Library without charge to a Scholar in Residence. In return, the scholar offers a mix of services, such as those suggested below, to benefit the instructional programs on campus and add to the life and culture of the campus. Whenever appropriate, events should be open to the public. The lease agreement with the College specifies the terms and dates. The lease may be up to one calendar year in length and can begin in August or September. The Scholar agrees to allow publicity about his/her work and the Scholar in Residence Program. The agreement may include the overall contact hours; however, the particulars of the work offered by the Scholar in Residence may be negotiated term by term over the time period of the agreement, thus allowing some flexibility to address new opportunities and the changing needs of the College. The terms of work with the Scholar in Residence will be submitted to the Vice-President of Instruction for final approval.

The Scholar in Residence Program Committee consists of the Director of the Barber Library, the Vice-President for Instruction or a representative of the Deans, and additional faculty or administrators as needed. 

Possible Services Offered to the Campus by a Scholar in Residence

The goal of this program is to offer direct benefits to the students and faculty of this campus. In addition, some aspect of the agreement with the Scholar will include some type of opportunity for members of the general community to benefit from the Scholar’s presence on campus. It is expected that the Scholar will be creative and proactive in the design of what he or she desires to offer the campus.

• The Scholar may be a guest lecturer for an appropriate class or classes on campus.
• Teach a mini-course or offer workshops for campus faculty and students.
• Agree to consult with some individual faculty and/or students in their scholarly, scientific or literary pursuits, or related special projects.
• Take a leadership role in setting up some type of public event. This might feature the Scholar’s own work, and/or the work of campus students, faculty, and regional experts. An event might take the form of a fund raiser for the Friends of the College Library.
• Other possibilities such as a college hour talk and additional ideas can be entertained for each term.
• A mix of these options could be considered.

Benefits to the Library and the Campus

• The Scholar in Residence Program supports the vision of the Library as a learning commons and the Library’s mission to expand its role in encouraging learning outside the classroom and in linking the work of the library more directly to the instructional content of the course offerings on campus.
• The College will benefit in developing stronger academic and community relationships.
• Students and faculty will benefit from contact and interaction with a recognized scholar.
• The program will fit in with the Board’s Ends/Goals Statement to provide the community with “wide-ranging opportunities to enhance learning, wellness, quality of life, and cultural appreciation.”

Office and Arrangements

• Library Office Room 226, COCC provides an office equipped with desk, chair, bookcase, filing cabinet, and telephone. Any charges on that line will be the responsibility of the Scholar in Residence if they are not directly related to the role this person has on campus. A parking sticker will be provided. The Library will provide reasonable office supplies and printing. The Library Administrative Assistant will provide some support for event planning related to the program should that be necessary.
• Basic desktop computer hardware and software including full network and internet access common to faculty will also be available.

While the Scholar in Residence Program excludes any form of salary or stipend to the Scholar from the College general fund, it does not preclude other arrangements the Scholar might have with COCC or its partners. For example, it is possible that the Scholar might also accept some level of part-time instructional assignment at the College or with one of its partners. It also does not preclude the possibility of some special arrangement with the College Foundation or a part of the Foundation, such as the Friends of the College Library, from making separate agreements with the Scholar.

Program Evaluation

The Scholar will keep a record of his/her involvement in activities benefiting the campus. He or she will meet at least once each term with the Committee Chair to discuss progress, modify ideas as necessary, and prepare for the next term.