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1 – 3 of 3Lynn Deeken, Meggan Press, Angie Thorpe Pusnik, Laura Birkenhauer, Nate Floyd, Lindsay Miller, Andrew Revelle, Jaclyn Spraetz, Christina Riehman-Murphy, Christie Flynn, Caitlin Gerrity, Stephanie J. Graves, Sarah LeMire, Anne Pemberton, Vonzell DeRico Yeager and Magen Bednar
This paper aims to demonstrate the variety of ways institutions and their libraries approach student success both conceptionally and operationally.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate the variety of ways institutions and their libraries approach student success both conceptionally and operationally.
Design/methodology/approach
Librarians from nine different institutions of higher education were given a series of questions about student success on their campuses and in their libraries. They responded with written essays describing their experiences and perspectives.
Findings
The contributed pieces are collected together and display a shared interest in defining “student success,” aligning strategic planning with student success initiatives and establishing (and assessing) strong infrastructure to support student success.
Originality/value
These examples help us observe what is happening throughout higher education and see potential paths forward at our own institutions engaged in this work.
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Christina Riehman-Murphy and Jennifer Hunter
The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence of the value of Research Parties, a new model of supplementary reference in a social environment.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence of the value of Research Parties, a new model of supplementary reference in a social environment.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of multiple choice and open-ended questions was administered to Research Party participants (n = 43) over the course of three semesters to discover the profiles of the undergraduate students who attended and how they heard about the event and to assess the value of the interaction to the student.
Findings
Respondents unanimously agreed that their interactions with librarians at Research Parties were helpful because their information seeking needs, including finding sources, learning how to search databases, gaining clarity into the assignment, writing and citing, were met. Respondents also mentioned attributes of the librarian’s disposition or attitude such as enthusiastic conversation, encouragement and patience. Several students reflected on their own learning process and noted that they would seek help from a librarian again.
Practical implications
The results demonstrate that Research Parties are helpful to undergraduate students and a worthwhile model for academic libraries looking to complement their traditional reference services.
Originality/value
While faculty and administrators have verbally expressed excitement about Research Parties, librarian colleagues have anecdotally reported success instituting this model at their institutions, and students have provided informal positive feedback, this is the first time the model has been evaluated more formally to capture its value.
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Christina Riehman-Murphy, Victoria Raish, Emily Mross, Andrea Pritt and Elizabeth Nelson
This paper aims to describe a case study of the open and affordable educational resources (OAER) initiatives led by Penn State University Libraries (UL) and implemented at its…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe a case study of the open and affordable educational resources (OAER) initiatives led by Penn State University Libraries (UL) and implemented at its many campuses which are designed to address the challenges students experience accessing and funding their course materials.
Design/methodology/approach
This case study will show how a broad administrative mandate for high-level OAER initiatives created the environment for Penn State (PSU) to evolve from individual pioneering units into coordinated university-wide initiatives. This shift, spearheaded by administration with strong UL involvement, allowed for customized and targeted initiatives at its many campuses. By using UL’s centralized, but geographically dispersed, structure, library faculty and staff have been supported in their efforts to expand OAER from the ground up to meet individual contexts and campus needs.
Findings
As a result of its many open and affordable initiatives, PSUL has been able to demonstrate both savings and increased access for students across PSU’s many campuses and World Campus. Broad administrative support has created an environment which enabled UL faculty and staff to lead various initiatives.
Originality/value
UL has long been a leader and partner in open and affordability initiatives at PSU because of its core mission of providing access. By sharing the processes and logistics of how a large research institution with many campuses of various sizes implemented a wide variety of library-driven open and affordability initiatives through a centralized but geographically dispersed structure, academic libraries will be able to replicate similar initiatives in their unique contexts.
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