Bridging the Gap: Connecting the University of Maryland Extension Community with Library Resources

Abstract

In conjunction with Isabella Baxter, UMD’s Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) Librarian, I have enhanced the Library’s AGNR Research Guide to include robust resources specifically curated for University of Maryland Extension (UME) staff and community members. UME is a non-formal education system within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Maryland Eastern Shore campus. Through an analysis of Ref Analytics on LibInsights, I identified three needs of the UME community that UMD Libraries can support: accessing library resources off-campus, professional development, and research tools. UMD’s AGNR program is headquartered at the College Park campus, but UME operates at UMES, since the UME community is connecting to the libraries remotely, the LibGuide serves as an asynchronous learning tool that will answer many of their frequently asked questions and bridge the gap between their programming and UMD Libraries. My poster presentation will include information about how the libraries can continue to identify and support the needs of UME and off-campus user groups more broadly through asynchronous instruction.