Enhancing the Quality Review Process in Maynooth University Library

Bernadette Gardiner & Emma Boyce

The blog as a showcasing tool

Library first Department to undergo a Quality Review as part of the third cycle of QR

Deputy Librarian decided to use the blog as a visual aid to enhance the Quality Review Process

ANLTC (CONUL Staff Training & Development)Blog Competition Winners 2014

Background

Methodology

• Brain Storming Session• How to capture a wide

remit of activities?• Helped to focus the aim

of the blog

Know your audience

• Internal Quality Reviewers• External Quality Reviewers• University Quality

Promotion Sub-Committee• Library Staff

Planning Strategy

• Be concise

• Chronological if appropriate

• Easy to navigate

• Easy to understand

Collective Headings A-Z

• Collections• Community Engagement• Events• Exhibitions• Staff Development• Student Experience

Using Existing Resources

• Archives• Facebook• Flickr• Infographics• Journal Articles• Websites

Creativity

Choosing a Design ThemeInclusion of University Logo

Good design elementsComposition – Fonts – Colour Palette

What images to use?

Modern

Classic

Journey of

Library development

Library Activities

Local

Regional

National

International

Mathaeus Seutter, Atlas Minor, 1744

Journey of Self Development Increased our skills set

Animoto – cloud based video creator

Movie MakerYouTubeAudacity – free audio editor and recorder

As a reviewer entering a new organisation for the first time, knowing almost nothing, your blog performed the wonderful job of showcasing all the

wonderful things that are going on at Maynooth and without the leg-work! You helped us to hit the ground running last Tuesday, by focusing our attention on the things that

you, the staff, wanted us to know about and to see. Without it, it would be impossible to gain so many insights into the breadth

and depth of your impressive Library in just the two days we had. We could see at a glance, all the things you are rightly proud of

Jan Wilkinson, Librarian and Director of John Rylands Library, University of Manchester

"Fluent communication is central to effective team building and collective action towards an end goal. The MU Library's blog

is an excellent and pioneering example of how a complex organisational unit can harness social media to further awareness at all levels of ongoing events and activities. It also played a key role in helping the library

prepare so thoroughly for the review process. It is a simple but most impressive initiative and is to be commended to other units in Maynooth”

Professor Mark Boyle, NIRSA/Geography Department, Maynooth University

Maynooth University Library Quality Review 2015

Bernie Gardiner & Emma Boyce