reaching underserved student populations in academic libraries

1. Reaching Underserved
Student Populations
Emily Mann
June 25, 2013

2. What do we mean by underserved?
Why do we care?
What Barriers exist?
What can we do?

3. What is a traditional student?
• Right out of High School
• 18-22
• Lives on campus
• Full time student
http://www.fresnostate.edu/home/student_life/index.html

4. Non-Traditional?
Traditional
Student
Box
Outside The Box

5. Who is underserved?
• Adult learners
• First-generation students
• Transferring students
• International students
• DE students

6. But aren’t we all the same?
Help all the students!!!!!!!
http://letterstoayounglibrarian.blogspot.com

7. Well sort of……
Minimization
An orientation that highlights
cultural commonality and
universal values and principles
that may also mask deeper
recognition and appreciation of
cultural differences.
Adapted from Paige (1993)

8. What’s the problem?
Pros:
Accepts that there are universal tendencies
Works to accept all people and all customs
Helps us to avoid stress of contrast
Can give open-minded point of view
Avoid judgment
Cons
Demonstrates a knowledge of your own
culture not of the cultures around you
Fails to learn from other cultures
Lack of curiosity
May miss values and non-verbal clues
“tolerance” may be based on mistaken
beliefs

9. What defines us?
See: Holmarsdottir

10. Every Patron is an Individual!
So if everyone is different….
Are we wasting our time trying to customize services?

11. Not at All!
The “traditional” student and experience
is changing
Paying attention to the needs of specific
groups can help serve all patrons
Can focus marketing

12. “Traditional”
High School
College/Graduate
School
Work

13. Education Experience Today
4 year
High School
Charter
school
Homeschool/
Self-directed
4 year college
Employment
2 year college
Graduate
School

14. One size does not fit all
• Clearly everyone is
on their own path
• Why would we
expect the same
services to meet
the needs of
everyone?
http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/8460

15. What to do, what to do?
• Think about the barriers that may exist
• Targeted programing
• Library Staff Training
• Marketing and outreach

16. What stands between me and the student?

17. Defining the Barriers:
Cultural
Functional
Language

18. • What patrons expect
from library
• What patrons expect
from the librarian
• Expected interactions

19. • How the patron
interacts with the space
• Ability for patron to use
space (DE Students)

20. • part of cultural
barriers
• Can make
communication
seem difficult for
both librarian and
patron

21. Know the barriers and get past them!
• There is no magic button,
but awareness can help!
• Take the time to
understand the patron’s
needs, not their perceived
needs
• Design around the needs of
all patrons (services,
physical spaces, outreach)

22. Targeted Programing
• Promote the tools we have
• Increase collection that serves needs and
interests of all students
• Find out what the students want and need,
not what we assume they need
• Events that are welcoming to all groups

23. Targeted Spaces and Collections
LGBTQ Collection

24. Don’t lose them
• Patrons may miss out of freshman instruction
• Provide information literacy classes outside the
curriculum
• Keep innovating

25. Assessment!
Implement
Review
Innovate

26. Staff Training
• Brings together staff
• Provides a united
front to patrons
• Staff can learn from
each other
https://slacktiverse.wordpress.com/category/cute-animals/

27. Marketing and Outreach
Different mediums
Go to the patrons
Promote what we have

28. Innovation
When we create new programs and outreach to
target underserved populations, we give new life
to our organization and improve our image to
everyone
Libraries are there to serve our patrons, so lets
make sure everyone is included

29. Conclusion
• Melting pots mean everyone loses their unique
flavor; we need to be a stew
• Accepting change as the norm makes us happier
librarians and people
• Reaching out to all patrons increases retention
• Creating programs for different groups works to
bring together everyone

30. Resources
Holmarsdottir, Halla, & Hagli, Mari Tørå. (2011). From Christopher Columbus to Evo
Morales : indigenous exclusion and inclusion in urban education in El Alto, Bolivia.
Høgskolen i Oslo. Avdeling for lærerutdanning og internasjonale studier.
Paige, R. M. (1993). Education for the intercultural experience. Yarmouth, Me:
Intercultural Press.
Paige, R. M., & University of Minnesota. (2006). Maximizing study abroad: A students'
guide to strategies for language and culture learning and use. Minneapolis, Minn:
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota.
Switzer, A. T. (2008). Redefining Diversity: Creating an Inclusive Academic Library
through Diversity Initiatives. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 15(3), 280-300.

31. Questions?