Feature The library and My learning community First Year Students’ Impressions of Library Services Tammy J. Eschedor Voelker During the 2002–03 academic year a new ways to market the library’s ser- team of reference librarians at the Kent vices and information resources. Most Tammy J. Eschedor Voelker is State University main library began traditional marketing plans begin with Humanities Liaison Librarian at Kent working with two freshman learning “an investigation of needs in a given State University, Kent, Ohio. Submit- communities as part of an initiative to market, together with an analysis of or- ted for publication August 13, 2004; learn more about the needs of first-year ganizational talent and resources to de- revised and accepted for publication students. This article reports on the out- termine which needs the organization is July 26, 2005. reach to one of those, the Science Learn- best fitted to satisfy.”1 The selection of a ing Community, and on the results of a target market, or a subgroup of custom- focus group undertaken with members ers, upon which to concentrate ones’ of that group. The study found that the efforts is the next step.2 Early in the students valued the library instruction process, several key patron groups were offered and were even inclined to request identified, of which the team hoped to that more library-related instruction be gain a better understanding. First-year incorporated in the future. Students re- students were one of the identified vealed apprehensions about using the groups. The quickly changing infor- library and also offered suggestions for mation environment was making it new services, including the idea that all increasingly difficult to make assump- freshmen should have the same learn- tions about their experiences, skills, ing opportunity. The community pro- and needs, as well as their expectations gram director was very pleased with the from the libraries. library’s contributions to the students’ The team’s first task, therefore, was learning experience. The initial outreach to devise a means of learning more was considered a success by all involved about the freshman class. An article in a and it was decided that the Main Library university-wide faculty-staff newsletter continue to develop the services and to made the team aware of several new further integrate library components learning communities beginning on into the students’ curriculum for future campus in fall semester 2002. The arti- semesters. cle also highlighted a few communities Reference & User Services Quarterly, that had been ongoing for several years, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 72–80 n the spring of 2002, a team none of which had had any involvement © 2006 American Library Association. All rights reserved. of four reference librarians at with the libraries. Lippincott confirmed Permission granted to reproduce for the Kent State University (KSU) “involvement in learning communities nonprofit, educational use. I main library began thinking of can provide academic librarians with a 72 | Reference & User Services Quarterly The Library and My Learning Community window into the thinking of students who have information literacy “focuses on the learner and the grown up with technology and who regularly use process of learning.”7 Even with such emphasis on the Web to locate all kinds of information.”3 The the learning community theme, Frank, Beasley, and team immediately recognized the potential inher- Kroll noted in 2001 that “the number of articles that ent in belonging to such a community and began include the academic library as a key element of the brainstorming about ways to become involved and learning community is surprisingly small.”8 what could be offered to the community. The literature does, however, reveal the key Learning communities vary greatly in their reasons there has been such a focus on new col- organization, goals, and activities. At its simplest, laborations with learning communities. In the first a learning community may be defined as “an inten- place, as librarians become involved with learning tionally developed community that will promote communities, they can establish themselves as and maximize learning.”4 Each of the communities partners in the learning enterprise in new and im- on the KSU campus had a unique focus and drew portant ways.9 Secondly, in addition to developing on different criteria for forming the community. new and valuable working relationships, involve- Some were based on academic major, others on ment in a learning community enables librarians to lifestyle (healthy living, fitness), and others on try out new services that could benefit all students interests (community service). Each community making library visits.10 Last, it is now recognized promoted and maximized learning from a unique that information literacy initiatives must reach be- perspective. However, none had yet tapped into yond the walls of the library to achieve their full the resources of the library. The librarian team potential.11 The nature of learning communities believed that the library had a unique role to play allows for a deeper level of integration of library in enhancing the first-year experience for these components and is a natural environment for students. Becoming involved with learning com- information literacy instruction.12 Still, Iannuzzi munities could be an opportunity for librarians to stresses the importance of approaching each new provide additional guidance and nurturing of stu- collaboration initiative with the appropriate moti- dents’ information literacy skills, and to discover vation. She notes that instead of focusing on how new and creative ways to interact with students. to advance a library’s information literacy agenda, This would coincide with KSU libraries and Media it is important to stress and question the way in Services’ mission to find new and effective ways which information literacy efforts can help oth- to infuse information literacy instruction into the ers succeed in their goals and initiatives.13 This curriculum. The librarians would in turn benefit was the intent of the team’s approach to becom- from the close-knit structure of the communities ing integrated with learning communities on the by fulfilling their need to better understand first- KSU campus. year students’ needs and expectations. It was with these goals in mind that the team set out to become involved with learning communities on campus. New Kids on the Block Becoming Part of a Community The LearnIng Community It is necessary for librarians to be proactive, to ini- And InFormation Literacy tiate collaboration, and to be willing to leave the A review of the existing literature on learning com- library building itself to become actively involved munities reveals that, although not a new concept in the greater community.14 The notion of “if you in education, learning communities and similar build it, they will come” does not necessarily work forms of collaboration are in the forefront of the in regard to library collections and services. “They” minds of many librarians across the country. Re- may indeed come. But the question remains, will cent Association of College and Research Librar- they then use the resources to their best advantage? ies (ACRL) presidential themes focused on such The team’s proactive approach began by contacting collaboration and were based on ACRL’s Strategic the interim dean of undergraduate studies, under Plan 2005.5 In his 2003–2004 theme, Cannon whom all learning communities were organized, stressed that “partnerships, connections, learning, and arranging to meet and discuss with him be- and knowledge building define present-day higher coming members of the communities. The meeting education.”6 Reichel, in the introduction to her was a great success, largely due to an unexpected 2001–2002 presidential theme, highlighted the element. KSU’s dean of Libraries and Media Servic- recent shift in emphasis from teaching to learning es had already paved the way for an open, enthusi- and stressed that librarian-faculty collaboration in astic attitude at a recent dean’s retreat, where new promoting information literacy creates meaningful roles for academic librarians had been discussed. learning experiences for students. She noted that This demonstrated the importance of an ongoing volume 46, issue 2 | 73 Feature and consistent message from the library about its experience level. This study also found that stu- role in building information literacy competencies. dent perceptions of staff are a major determiner of The interim dean recommended two communities library anxiety.16 The Jiao and Onweugbuzie study to approach, based on a preference for communi- also concluded that students who take library skills ties serving at-risk students: the EXCEL Program, courses have fewer effective barriers to library use which is open to any exploratory major, and the and recommended that interventions target fresh- science learning community (SLC), intended for man students. Both this study and the Keefer study first-generation college students in a science-related concluded that library instruction should affirm major. The program directors in turn welcomed that library anxiety is natural and that the frustra- the team with very enthusiastic attitudes about tions the students experience doing research are the library’s possible contribution. The librarians normal.17 Additionally, Keefer noted that students involved decided to split into two teams. However, who are lacking time and under other stress will one librarian remained involved with both; there- have more difficulties. They will begin to miss fore, SLC had a total of three librarians interacting external cues such as library directional signs and with it over the course of the academic year (the other forms of help. Thus, it is critical that these science librarian, the humanities librarian, and the students are reached before they arrive at that criti- head of the library’s instructional-services team). cal melting point. Keefer also notes that students This article will report on the activities, challenges, who most need assistance are the least likely to and outcomes of working with SLC.