Kim Fournier

Librarian, Associate Professor

Library Liaison to: Liberal Arts Division

Phone: 847-925-6882

Office: F150

As Coordinator of Library Collections, it is my role to ensure that the collections support the curriculum and by extension encourage student success. On a daily basis I work toward building ties with faculty and promoting faculty participation in collection building. Collaboration between classroom faculty and librarians is an essential aspect of the teaching and learning process. A strong collection, paired with a librarian’s reference assistance and instruction, encourages student achievement.

Several new initiatives illustrate the innovative realtionship the Harper librarains have with classroom faculty. Specifically the ebook pilot, embedded librarian program and workshops on Digial Library Resourcs for Online Course Design. The Harper librarians have a significant and essential role in teaching, learning and curricular support.

The Library has several goals that focus explicitly on collection development and collection enhancement.

To acquire, provide, and preserve access to books, periodicals, and non-print material that best support and enrich the curriculum.
To assist faculty in ordering materials that will enhance classroom performance.
To cooperate with other libraries and consortia in sharing resources to provide optimal access to information.
To encourage the use of the Library by building awareness of our collections, resources, and services.

Together the librarians set the vision for a collection that supports teaching and learning. We support the Library's Mission of, "responding to our patron's informational needs by developing, maintaining and providing access to a balanced collection of materials and services that reflects the full range of diversity of the college community."

As a Harper faculty member I am involved in College wide efforts, as well as several aspects of librarianship including: reference, instruction, collection development, copyright, marketing and archives. I have facilitated workshops for Harper faculty on copyright, intellectual property, digital library resources for online and blended course design and Millennial students. Currently I serve on the:

Harper College Faculty Senate
Harper College Teaching & Learning Committee; chair the minigrants subcommittee
Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) Collections Working Group

I have been Library Dept. Chair and have chaired the Library's 5-year Program Review process. My experience on shared governance committees includes: Institutional Planning, Intellectual Property, Diversity, Graduation and Teaching & Learning. I have also served on numerous Library committees: Higher Learning Commission, Facilities, Web Team, Marketing, Promotions, Evaluations and Search committees. I have participated in the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) by serving on the Serials and Acquisitions Team, and currently serve on the CARLI Collections Working Group.

That said, working with students is the most rewarding aspect of my job. There is nothing like helping a student achieve, whether in the form of reference research, collection development or library instruction. A librarian’s work spans the entire curriculum; it requires broad and in-depth knowledge (the capacity to know something about everything!) computer savvy, honed interpersonal skills and a strong customer service philosophy.

I have a C.A.S. in Library Science from the University of IL Urbana-Champaign (2008), an M.S. in Library Science from UIUC (1999), a B.A. in English Literature and Spanish Language from UIUC (1997), and an A.A. from Harper College (1994).