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Student veterans and the academic library

Chloe Persian Mills (Public Services Department, Robert Morris University Library, Moon Township, PA, USA)
Emily Bounds Paladino (Public Services Department, Robert Morris University Library, Moon Township, PA, USA)
Jacqueline Courtney Klentzin (Public Services Department, Robert Morris University Library, Moon Township, PA, USA)

Reference Services Review

ISSN: 0090-7324

Article publication date: 8 June 2015

1287

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether student veterans have specific library-related needs and how librarians can best meet them.

Design/methodology/approach

Researchers developed a survey which was administered both online and in paper copies. The survey results indicated need for further investigation; six face-to-face interviews with volunteers were conducted.

Findings

Principle findings were that while student veterans do resemble nontraditional students in their needs and characteristics, important distinctions from that population could be noted. In addition, dedicated student veteran centers and/or offices provide librarians with the best possible means of communications with this particular population.

Research limitations/implications

This case study demonstrates that individual institutions are well-served to investigate the specific characteristics of their own student veteran population. Librarians can utilize outreach to student veterans through their institution’s veteran center (if available), and may wish to employ the specific outreach practices detailed in the study.

Originality/value

Virtually no other qualitative or quantitative research regarding the specific needs and characteristics of this academic population exists in the literature of the library sciences, and the academic literature that does address the population, coming from the student services arena, does not include mention of academic libraries.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Mandee Williams, of South Butler Community Library, and Marcel Minutolo, Ph.D., of Robert Morris University, who provided input and assistance at important junctures during this project. We also wish to thank the anonymous respondents to both our survey and interviews.

Citation

Mills, C.P., Paladino, E.B. and Klentzin, J.C. (2015), "Student veterans and the academic library", Reference Services Review, Vol. 43 No. 2, pp. 262-279. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-10-2014-0049

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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