Abstract
Amherst College Research & Instruction librarians conducted an exploratory research project around first-year students and library experiences and expectations, analyzing first-year seminar students’ reflective essays on a brief exercise exploring the library, the role of the library, and their expectations of how the library would support their academic careers.
Goal/Question
How do students view themselves as self-directed explorers in the context of an academic library?
What challenges or barriers do students encounter in their exploration?
How do students’ emotional responses inform their approaches?
Methods
- Reflective essays written by first-year students
- Qualitative coding using thematic analysis
Statistics/Data
Sample size: 120 students
Dates: 09/2016 — 08/2017
Campus/College: Amherst College
Contact: Kelly Dagan, Research & Instruction, kdagan(at)amherst.edu
Files Used: Research inspiration from Dempsey, Paula R., and Heather Jagman. “‘I Felt Like Such a Freshman’: First-Year Students Crossing the Library Threshold.” Portal: Libraries & the Academy 16, no. 1 (January 2016): 89–107.
Outcome
Recommendation
This initial study provided rich insights into the types of models and expectations students entered the library with; we are considering a second study integrating a rubric model to further delve into challenges and coping strategies.
Action Taken
We used the high-level findings to create a self-directed first-year orientation to the library (open to all class levels), inform our staff training approach based on student models and expectations, and integrated more explicit and hands-on exploratory activities in FYS library sessions.
Related links
- Dempsey, Paula R., and Heather Jagman. “‘I Felt Like Such a Freshman’: First-Year Students Crossing the Library Threshold.” Portal: Libraries & the Academy 16, no. 1 (January 2016): 89–107. Available at: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/609812