Academic Library and Student Success

On college and university campuses across the country, the academic library is feeling the not so friendly winds of change. Issue of student retention and success dominate the mindsets of many higher education policy makers.  Academic libraries don’t know how to quite adjust to the vicissitudes and challenges that lay ahead.

AiA-April2016

2016 Academic Library Contributions to Student Learning and Success

Today, many academic libraries face

  • new fiscal challenges,
  • unprepared student populations,
  • dwindling graduation rates
  • issues of equity and institutional accountability, and
  • continual impact of a competitive global economy.

Last Friday on June 17th, I gave a keynote presentation at the Connecticut Information Literacy Conference, held at the University of Hartford.

The address entitled, Information Literacy: Through a Glass Darkly…in Regression?,  focused specifically on the following concerns:

1. U.S. Higher Education Accreditation, Library, and Information Literacy

2.Impact of Student Achievement and Transparency

3.Transformational Change Opportunities

Martha Kruy-CCSU, Dr. Lana W. Jackman/Keynote, and Pamela Graham-USCGA June 17, 2016

Martha Kruy-CCSU, Dr. Lana W. Jackman and Pamela Graham- USCGA June 17, 2016

My primary purpose was to raise awareness among the participants of the invaluable role academic libraries play in institutional student recruitment, retention, and academic success issues.

Historically, academic libraries have been more immersed in the academic side of the Academy.  They have had little and/or no direct interaction with the division of student affairs or student support services.

In my mind, professional librarians are educators first and foremost.  They would make invaluable collaborating, contributors in assisting academic institutions in fulfilling their institutional and public service missions.

So far, within the hierarchy of higher education today, they are not necessarily considered instructional staff as much as they are perceived of as support staff.  Yet, one of there primary missions is faculty, staff, and student instruction.

This rather limited perspective often minimizes the invaluable teaching contributions professional librarians can make as experts in their fields.  What they do today directly impacts the realms of teaching and learning, student retention, and student achievement, as well as the future directions and sustainability of the institution itself.

For more information, please visit the 2016 Connecticut Information Literacy Conference