You've taken the initial steps in connecting with first year students to ensure they have a smooth college transition. As we continue to assist students in their college transition and eliminate library anxiety, it is important to engage with students and engage them with library resources.
I’ve written often in this series about collaborating with various departments around campus (see recent posts on teaming up with undergraduate research professionals or the university fellowship office). No library is an island, and building a strong network of support helps ensure more uptake and better results for your programming, whether you’re focused on the FYE, second-year transitions, or information literacy instruction. But these productive, mutually beneficial relationships don’t just fall out of the ether. Here are a couple of pointers to get you in the best position to attract meaningful partnerships.
By Beth Black and Tim O'Neil
Student engagement librarian Beth Black recently interviewed Tim O’Neil, assistant director of Special Undergraduate Enrichment Programs at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In Part I, they explored how different groups in academia conceptualize research. This week they discuss how Tim has worked to engage students in their academic and creative life, and how libraries can partner with undergraduate research offices.
By Beth Black and Tim O'Neil
Student engagement librarian Beth Black recently interviewed Tim O’Neil, assistant director of Special Undergraduate Enrichment Programs at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Their conversation centers around the process of helping undergraduates see themselves as scholars, and how libraries can work with undergraduate research offices as partners and collaborators. The first installment of this two-part blog series looks at one of the questions at the heart of so many discussions about the nature of research in higher education.
The transition from high school to college can be one of the biggest transitions a student ever makes. Being new to a college campus, most incoming freshmen are unaware of what services the library offers and where they can receive assistance. As the library staff, we can be quick to use library jargon and start teaching these students about information literacy. Before we drive into the hard-hitting library content, it’s important for the library staff to connect with students.
By Beth Black and Hailley Fargo
Recognizing that underclassmen students at Penn State were often overwhelmed by the process of identifying and applying for fellowships, student engagement librarian Hailley Fargo teamed up with Caitlin Ting, director of the University Fellowships Office, to create the Spark Program. In this interview she shares how they launched their collaboration, what inspired them, and how the program has evolved.
I looked forward to ACRL 2019 in my home state of Ohio for weeks, and the conference in Cleveland did not disappoint. As I reflect on the conference, a key theme of challenging assumptions and taking the time to talk with others began with Michele Norris’ opening keynote about The Race Card Project.
Supporting second-year students in the midst of the multifaceted transitions they face is more than a matter of getting them to persist into their third year. Instead, we want our students to thrive. Thriving is an expanded picture of student success defined by Laurie A. Schreiner as optimal functioning in the three key areas of academic engagement and persistence, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being (Schreiner, 2010). “Sophomores who are thriving are investing effort in their academic work and in the process of selecting a major that interests them and brings out their best. They experience a sense of meaning and purpose to their lives that provides direction as they engage in their classes, become involved in campus and community life, form healthy relationships, and make a difference in the world around them” (Schreiner, 2018).
The theme for this year’s ACRL conference is “Recasting the Narrative,” and in this era of rapid-fire disruption it’s hard to avoid thinking about how institutions we take for granted will have to transform themselves. As the information landscape flips upside-down and inside-out, librarians are uniquely positioned to help people navigate this new reality. But rather than serve as the traditional gatekeepers and tour guides of information, one of the trends we’re seeing today is the evolution of librarians as storytellers.
Conferences, First Year Experience, Credo in Action, Assessment
