Traditionally “back of the house” staff are working exclusively behind the scenes to grow and support the collections of the library. Even the term itself indicates “back of the house” staff should remain behind the scenes, working on tasks that while important, are not easily identifiable to library users. Procuring and describing content for discoverability is as important now as it ever has been, but we suggest that a successful organization should expect more from these faculty and staff members. As technical skill sets become more in demand campus wide, the “back of the house” staff need to step to the front. This presentation will explore how two GVSU library departments typically considered “back of the house” have partnered with other entities on campus, providing services that otherwise be unavailable. The objective of the session is to demonstrate a growing need for “back of the house” staff to contribute to outreach initiatives. Getting more widely involved has re-energized the staff, raised the libraries’ profile, and contributed to the libraries’ overall success. Attendees can expect to hear multiple examples, strategies on collaboration, and what ultimately is a call to action.
