Consortium Library and Core Competencies

The knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective communication in diverse contexts and formats.

• We acquire and provide information resources on how to build oral and written communication skills
• We acquire and provide access to resources that exist in many different formats including online, hard copy, video, etc.
• Effective communication requires supporting evidence: we acquire and provide resources that can serve in that role and teach students how to find them and use them
• We engage with students in order to help them to develop their knowledge and understanding in a variety of disciplines and subject areas

The knowledge and skills necessary to promote effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts, particularly in terms of the diverse populations of Alaska.

• Librarians and archivists create guides to highlight library resources in relation to intercultural fluency. 
• We have book displays that spotlight multicultural and intercultural resources
• Library instruction teaches students how to do research within a global context
• Our Archives collections and Alaskana print collections focus on Alaska, and reflect the diversity of life in Alaska
• We are participating in the Alaska Native Subject Headings Project (AKNSH) in order to develop a controlled vocabulary for describing materials related to Indigenous Peoples of Alaska, through consulting with Alaska Native communities. Terms will be implemented in the Alaska Library Catalog and Alaska's Digital Archives. AKNSH is participating in the University of the Arctic DALAM (Decolonization of Library and Archives Metadata) thematic network
• We are an essential part of the UAA Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

The knowledge and skills necessary for the critical exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events in order to creatively design, evaluate, and implement a strategy to answer complex questions or achieve a desired goal.

• We acquire and provide access to resources that reflect a variety of perspectives
• Library instruction focuses on providing students with the capacity to critically evaluate primary and secondary sources, whether through classroom-based or one-on-one instruction and consultations
• We sponsor the Consortium Library Award for Undergraduate Research
• We host events and provide space for students and faculty to share their research and creative activity with the campus community and broader audiences
• We provide research support through the various library information points (virtual and in-person), liaison librarians, and curricular integration of library materials

The knowledge and skills necessary to promote personal flourishing, professional excellence, and community engagement. 

• Librarians and archivists teach research skills that are valuable in a variety of professional contexts, allowing them to carry their academic research skills beyond their academic careers and into their personal and professional lives in the Alaska workforce
• Our instruction teaches students to think critically about information, an essential skill for functioning in modern society
• We actively engage in many public outreach events highlighting Library resources, such as STEM Day and student orientation events
• We provide mentoring and advising to students seeking careers as information professionals and early career professionals through one-on-one interactions and sponsoring the Future Librarians and Information Professionals group
• We provide on-the-job mentoring and advising to Library student workers
• The library building provides a space on campus for student, faculty, and public study, gathering, and community engagement