Overview
Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library isn’t a typical academic library. In fact, Engagement and Partnership Librarian Susan Berkman has a simpler way to describe it: “We’re a unicorn.”
Located on NSU’s campus in South Florida, the Alvin Sherman Library is a unique joint-use facility created through a partnership between Nova Southeastern University and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. It serves NSU students, faculty and staff while also providing library services to Broward County residents.
The result is a library serving an unusually broad community. The first floor provides public library services, including programming for children, teens and adults, while the library’s academic resources on the upper levels support the university community. Public patrons can also access many of those academic resources, creating an environment where the needs of college students, faculty, families, children and lifelong learners come together.
That diverse mission makes a versatile collection essential, and digital magazines available through Flipster have become one way the library serves interests ranging from academic coursework to current events, hobbies and recreational reading.
Extending the Magazine Collection Beyond Print
The Alvin Sherman Library has subscribed to Flipster for 12 years, during a period when its approach to magazine collections has increasingly shifted toward digital access. Flipster provides patrons with access to more magazines while giving the library greater flexibility to manage physical space and back issues.
For Berkman, one of the advantages is simple: Flipster allows the library to offer a magazine collection that would be difficult to replicate in print.
With a collection of 272 Flipster titles, “We have access to far more in Flipster than we ever could have had in print,” she explained.
That breadth is particularly important for a library serving such a varied population. Flipster provides magazines that can support academic interests as well as general-interest reading for the university and public communities.
There are so many business magazines out there that are supplemental to what they’re studying but also help students stay on top of what’s actually happening in the world.
There are so many business magazines out there that are supplemental to what they’re studying but also help students stay on top of what’s actually happening in the world.
Connecting Coursework With the World Beyond the Classroom
For college students, magazines can complement traditional scholarly resources with accessible perspectives on industries, trends and current developments.
Berkman saw that firsthand during her time as a business subject specialist. Publications such as Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, Fortune and Entrepreneur could supplement what students were learning in their courses while helping them stay aware of developments beyond the classroom.
“There are so many business magazines out there that are supplemental to what they’re studying but also help students stay on top of what’s actually happening in the world,” Berkman stressed.
The potential extends beyond business. Berkman points to disciplines such as science and technology, graphic design and other areas where the complete magazine experience -including photography, design, advertising and other content outside individual research articles - can provide additional value.
Flipster also gives users a different way to interact with magazine content. Rather than encountering an individual article through a database search, readers can browse an issue, explore a topic or simply see what catches their attention.
Supporting the Whole Student and the Whole Community
At the Alvin Sherman Library, the value of magazines goes well beyond coursework.
Students can turn to Flipster to follow their interests in sports, hobbies, culture and other topics outside their academic programs. Berkman sees that as an important part of what the library can offer.
“I believe it serves a purpose, not only academically, but also in the non-academic sphere or for their leisure time,” she said. “If you’re interested in sports or you have a hobby or some other interest, we support that as well.”
That breadth is particularly well suited to the Sherman Library’s joint academic-public mission. Families can find children’s magazines and activities to enjoy together, while adult and lifelong learners can browse publications aligned with their own interests. The library, for example, has an active lifelong learning community that Berkman sees as another potential audience for Flipster.
From college students completing assignments to parents looking for activities to share with their children, the same digital collection can meet very different needs.
Everyone likes the convenience of accessing [Flipster] from home or wherever they are. If you’re traveling, you can put it on a mobile device.
Everyone likes the convenience of accessing [Flipster] from home or wherever they are. If you’re traveling, you can put it on a mobile device.
Reaching Students Wherever They Learn
Digital access is also important because NSU’s community extends far beyond the physical library.
Berkman noted that NSU has a significant remote student population and a history of supporting distance education. The university also has campuses beyond its main South Florida location, making access to electronic resources an important part of the library’s approach to serving students.
Flipster gives users the flexibility to access magazines on their devices without needing to visit the physical collection.
“Everyone likes the convenience of accessing it from home or wherever they are,” Berkman said. “If you’re traveling, you can put it on a mobile device.”
The Flipster experience itself also makes it easy for users to approach the collection in the way that works best for them.
“It’s very clean, the layout. I think it’s really easy to find things,” Berkman emphasized. “You can browse if you’re into browsing, you can search if you’re into searching.”
Turning Awareness Into Usage
Of course, providing digital resources is only part of the equation. Making sure students know they are available is equally important. “It’s all about awareness,” Berkman said.
The Alvin Sherman Library uses multiple channels to keep its resources visible. A weekly newsletter reaches approximately 35,000 subscribers, while library liaisons can promote resources through communications with faculty. The library also uses QR codes near its remaining print magazine collection to direct patrons to digital options.
Flipster is also promoted prominently on the library website. A carousel on the Sherman Library homepage directs users to popular digital magazines and emphasizes the ability to read from any location.
For academic libraries seeking to increase awareness of their collections, that visibility can help connect users with digital resources they might not otherwise know are available.
Using Data to Shape the Collection
The library also takes an active approach to managing its Flipster collection.
Rather than treating the magazine collection as static, staff review usage and available titles as part of the renewal process.
“We do look at usage. We can run a report and see exactly which titles are being used,” Berkman said. The library also reviews titles it does not currently subscribe to “and sees if anything fits with the population that we serve.”
It is precisely the kind of community where a flexible digital magazine collection can fill multiple roles at once: complementing academic resources, helping students connect coursework to current topics, providing recreational reading and personal enrichment, and extending library access beyond the building.
After years of offering Flipster, Berkman’s assessment is straightforward: “I think it’s a very valuable resource and offers a lot to our users. It offers something for everybody.”