College Libraries and Student Culture: What We Now Know

by Lynda M. Duke, Andrew D. Asher

How do college students really conduct research for classroom assignments? In 2008, five large Illinois universities were awarded a Library Services and Technology Act Grant to try to answer that question. The resulting ongoing study has already yielded some eye-opening results. The findings suggest changes ranging from simple adjustments in service and resources to modifying the physical layout of the library. In this book Duke and Asher, two anthropological researchers involved with the project since the beginning, This important book deepens our understanding of how academic libraries can better serve students’ needs, and also serves as a model for other researchers interested in a user-centered approach to evaluating library services.

Genres: Nonfiction, College, Librarianship, Cultural

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2011

Reviews

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the summer of 2010, I had a fellowship at the Library of Congress’ Hispanic Division where I had the pleasure of listening to Susan Gibbons discuss the ethnographic research methodology and results of the University of Rochester’s Studying Students: Undergraduate Research Project (2007). I was fascinated by the user-centered research, and user experience and design thinking continue to be things I enjoy reading about in library literature. I have known about the ERIAL Project for a while now, and I finally got to read some of the results!

The short version that I got out of this is that because librarians aren't embedded in the classroom, it is difficult for students to make the connection to what librarians actually do. Because we aren't in charge of grading assignments or see students often enough in classrooms, students are not comfortable asking for help from people they do not know. I am glad that there is actual research on what we have long known. I am also thinking about how I might want to communicate with the folks in my laision roles at my new job about these findings. Research shows that even a one-time visit by a librarian can be positive (see Bryan and Karshmer's Using IL Threshold Concepts for Biology: Bees, Butterflies, and Beetles .

I was a first generation college student without a lot of insight into how librarians could help. I can't remember a single instructor who brought in a librarian to the classroom or went to the library's classroom as an undergraduate. I don't remember anyone advertising services, either. It was only after I took a two-unit research course that I discovered how librarians could help. I would have utilized reference service much earlier if I had had meaningful exposure.

I have notes for every chapter, but I still need to edit them.

[Liz De Coster · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of various findings from the ERIAL Project (http://www.erialproject.org/). I thought it was helpful that they included specific chapters on Hispanic students and first-generation college students, but wished they had included more on other traditionally under-served populations or dealt with them as a whole.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this, especially since all the participants were in Illinois. Some valuable insights about how students see and make use of libraries. I would be interested to see a similar study done in law school libraries.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best academic library book I've read yet. It talks about a lot of common problems that plague the library and the librarians, and while it doesn't offer solutions I found myself coming up with my own as I read.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting study. I've incorporated some of the findings into my work.
I'd recommend to those who teach and are involved in college learning outcomes - professors, librarians, and administrators. It's fairly short and well laid out for skimming and targeting specific points.

[Naomi Toftness · Rating 2 out of 5]

i ended up giving up on this one. i was super bored because i had already read the studies that the chapters are based off of. it also doesnt help that i am unable to implement these changes in my library.

[Brittnee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to review this book because I am a librarian at an academic (college) library that is currently undergoing a user experience project. We are covering many of the points addressed in this book. This is a helpful and informative read.

[ACRL]

Read by ACRL Member of the Week Jiaxin Low. Learn more about Jiaxin on the ACRL Insider blog.