Joint WCM-Q and UC Davis workshop wins “Best Interactive Workshop” award

The Health Sciences Library (HSL) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, in collaboration with the UC Davis Library at the University of California, Davis, received the “Best Interactive Workshop” award at the 2024 European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) conference in Riga, Latvia.

The workshop, titled “Lift Off to Leadership: Elevate Your Impact by Cultivating Skills and Mindset for Working with Senior Leaders,” was co-presented by Jamie Gray, director of the HSL at WCM-Q, and Nicole Capdarest-Arest, associate university librarian for research and learning & deputy university librarian at UC Davis Library.

The session aimed to support librarians and information professionals in enhancing their communication skills in today’s information-rich environment. Participants learned proven communication frameworks for crafting compelling messages that resonate with diverse stakeholders, business basics for articulating the library’s value proposition and impact, and engagement strategies for key stakeholders.

The workshop also included various activities, from facilitator-led discussions to individual and group exercises, covering topics such as shared values, business basics, return on investment (ROI) calculation, and crafting compelling pitches.

Ms. Capdarest-Arest notes: “Library leaders must continue to work collaboratively with campus and community partners to align strategies, secure vital funding, and integrate library services into institutional and community efforts. By enhancing strategic communication skills, library and information professionals can build and sustain these partnerships, achieving a broader impact in advancing information fluency and representing diverse information perspectives to meet evolving information needs.”

Commenting on the evolving role of libraries, Ms. Gray said: “In today’s dynamic information landscape, librarians and information professionals play crucial roles as information experts. Learning how to effectively work across organizational groups, identify gaps, frame what we do in a way that resonates, and tangibly demonstrate the impact we have on our community are vital skills leaders need to develop in order to position the library as a strategic partner. We are delighted to have received this award, especially since our communities are central to our mission.”

Held annually, this year’s EAHIL conference theme, “Small Step and a Giant Leap: Reorienting Towards a New Environment,” focused on the need for libraries to adapt and thrive in an evolving landscape by embracing both incremental changes and significant advancements.