2018 Charleston Library Conference

A growing number of library directors have identified supporting student success as their number one priority, but documenting library contributions to student success has been elusive. Publishers too are looking to produce content and services that have a meaningful impact on student learning outcomes, but often have conflicting information about how their resources are actually used. On all sides, many of us lack actionable data on what students want and need, how engagement with the library contributes to their educational success, and how to communicate the impact and value of the library on student success when making the case for funding. For libraries and publishers to be effective, it is essential that both have a clear idea of the expectations today’s students bring with them when they enter a physical or virtual library, an understanding of how they interact with their library, and a developing awareness of what forms of engagement are most likely to correlate with improved academic performance, graduation rates, and information literacy.

In this Lively Discussion Session, speakers from libraries and publishing will give lightning presentations on their case studies exploring how students actually use and perceive libraries and online resources, and how the libraries’ approaches to engagement can make a difference in student learning and research.

Attendees will learn how to reconsider their library’s physical spaces, services, and collections to support student success.