Providing Research Help Where Students Live (2014)
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Transcript of Providing Research Help Where Students Live (2014)
Providing Research Help
Where Students Live:
Peer Reference in the Residence Halls
Holly Flynn, Outreach Librarian
Ben Oberdick, Info. Literacy Librarian
Michigan State University
Michigan State University Libraries
• ~6 million volumes
• 76 librarians
Michigan State University
• 37,988 undergraduate students
• Largest single-campus residence hall system in the US
• 27 residence halls grouped into 5 “neighborhoods”
University Initiative – Bolder By Design
Framework of 6 imperatives that commit us to delivering distinctive,
high-value impact and experiences in everything we do:
ENHANCE THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE by expanding
opportunities for where, when, and how students learn and
increasing the value of an MSU degree.
ENRICH COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC, AND FAMILY LIFE through
research, outreach, engagement, entrepreneurship, innovation,
diversity, and inclusiveness.
MSU “Neighborhoods”
A neighborhood is a cluster of adjacent residence
halls where:
Students from different backgrounds and different
academic interests live
There are on-site resources to promote healthy living
There is an “engagement center” to support
academic success
There are peers, grad students, and professional staff
to answer students’ questions
There are expanded opportunities for student
leadership
MSU “Neighborhoods”
Neighborhood Engagement Centers
Library Services: Fall 2011-Spring 2012
Drop-in Reference services offered in 3
Engagement Centers
18 librarians used iPad and large sign
Sat in Writing Center or other high traffic area
Results: 32 questions in 16 weeks
Fall 2012-Spring 2013: Appointment System
Librarians only visit Engagement Centers when
student makes an appointment
Very few appointments and reference questions
Fall 2013-present: Peer Research Program
Students provide basic reference and research
assistance in 4 Engagement Centers
Soft rollout during last 5 weeks of Fall semester
Provided service Sun. to Wed. from 6:00-9:00pm
No advertising/promotion
So, why students?
What does WITP mean?
A. What’s the problem?
B. Walk in the park.
C. What’s the point?
D. War in the Pacific.
Peer (assisted) Learning
“There is no aspect of the collegiate experience...that cannot benefit
from the involvement of a peer who explains, in language often more
accessible, a difficult concept. A peer can talk with students about
relationship violence, parking tickets, study skills, self-advocacy,
library resources, and motivating a resistant student organization,
in ways even the most knowledgeable professionals cannot.”
--Lee Williams, as quoted in:
Bodemer, B. B. (2014). They can and they should: Undergraduates providing
peer reference and instruction. College & Research Libraries, 75(2), 162-178.
Benefits
Differential between helper and helped is small
Understand each other
Can serve as role model, teacher, encourager,
and counselor in a way adult may not
Approachability
Speak the same language
Library anxiety
How It Began
Idea proposed by Head of Reference
Asked to manage project as part of Secondary
Assignment in Reference
Began designing training program
Met with Outreach Librarian
Met with Engagement Center Directors
Hiring
Began identifying potential student employees
right away
Targeted students currently working for Libraries
Asked student supervisors for student worker
recommendations
Diplomacy rules
Expectations
Provide basic reference and research assistance
to students on drop-in basis through:
Library Catalog
ProQuest
Pointing to other resources (specialized databases)
Making referrals to:
• Subject Specialist Librarians
• Other Reference Services (Reference Desk, 24/7 Chat…)
Peer Research Assistant (PRA) Training
Held meeting before program began
Focused on Reference Interview, using the Library
Catalog and ProQuest, and making referrals
Reviewed/shared common FYW assignments
Policies and procedure (statistics, shift report, etc.)
Created program guide and LibGuide
(http://libguides.lib.msu.edu/pra) student workers
Continued training by drop-in and periodic
meetings
Statistics
PRAs used Desk Tracker to log all questions
they received
Categorize each question as directional or reference
Provide text of question asked and answer given
Daily Shift Report (in form of email at end of shift)
Time worked
Number of questions asked
Any observations
So, how did the soft rollout go in
the Fall (with zero advertising)?
26 questions in 5 weeks!
Fall Schedule (10 of 16 shifts covered)
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Brody Katie Katie Courtney
South Adalise
East Maggie Yadira Josh Maggie
River Trail Josh Morgan
Fall Questions by TypeReference Questions Directional Questions Total Questions
Week 1
(11/3-6)
4 3 7
Week 2
(11/10-13)
2 1 3
Week 3
(11/17-20)
4 1 5
Week 4
(11/24-27)
4 2 6
Week 5
(12/1-4)
3 2 5
Totals: 17 9 26
Fall Questions by Location
Brody South East River Trail
Week 1
(11/3-6)
3 0 4 0
Week 2
(11/10-13)
1 0 2 0
Week 3
(11/17-20)
3 0 1 1
Week 4
(11/24-27)
1 0 3 2
Week 5
(12/1-4)
2 0 3 0
Totals: 10 0 13 3
Peer Research Program: Spring 2014
Lost 1 student to graduation and hired 4 new
students to fill out schedule
Provided training for new students
Started second week of classes
Provided service at four Engagement Centers,
four nights a week (Sun. to Wed.), from
6:00-9:00pm
Spring Schedule (all 16 shifts covered)
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Brody Hajr Morgan Hajr Morgan
South Adalis Christine Ashley Athena
East Maggie Athena Yadira Josh
River Trail Christine Josh Josh Courtney
Advertising and Promotion for Program
Info/flyers for email lists
Bulletin board info. for RAs
Electronic signs in E.C’s
New signs for PRAs
Ask a Librarian page
How many questions do you think
we’ve received so far this semester?
A. 30
B. 40
C. 50
D. 75
Spring Questions by Type (so far)Reference Questions Directional Questions Total Questions
Week 1
(1/12-15) 2 1 3
Week 2
(1/19-22) 0 1 1
Week 3
(1/26-29) 0 3 3
Week 4
(2/2-5) 4 6 10
Week 5
(2/9-12) 4 2 6
Week 6
(2/16-19) 6 1 7
Week 7
(2/23-26) 8 1 9
Week 8
(3/9-12) 2 1 3
Week 9
(3/16-19) 4 1 5
Week 10
(3/23-26) 1 2 3
Totals: 31 19 50
Spring Questions by Location (so far)Brody Hall Holden Hall Hubbard Hall McDonel Hall
Week 1
(1/12-15) 0 0 1 2
Week 2
(1/19-22) 0 0 0 1
Week 3
(1/26-29) 0 0 3 0
Week 4
(2/2-5) 0 3 3 4
Week 5
(2/9-12) 0 0 3 3
Week 6
(2/16-19) 1 0 4 2
Week 7
(2/23-26) 1 1 4 3
Week 8
(3/9-12) 0 0 2 1
Week 9
(3/16-19) 1 0 1 3
Week 10
(3/23-26) 0 0 0 3
Totals: 3 4 21 22
So, what questions are we
getting?
Question Example #1
Question Example #2
Question Example #3
Challenges
Quantity of people to work with
Each Engagement Center is different
Student workers are key
Advertising and promotion for program
Language/branding
Maintaining consistency
Future
Will continue program during Fall 2014
Will participate in ongoing assessment project
being done in Engagement Centers
Possible Assessment in Action (AiA) project
through ACRL (with User Experiences Librarian)
Additional advertising/promotion
Hiring and training additional student employees
Thank you!
Any Questions?
Contact Information:
Holly Flynn – [email protected]
Ben Oberdick – [email protected]