Department/Program

Claremont Colleges Library

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

2017

Abstract

Increasing diversity within the scholarly community is a priority for academic libraries. Often the focus is on diversifying our staff, programs, collections, and services. But the library can also have an important role to play in campus diversity initiatives that focus on equity and inclusion among the student body and professorate.

This poster will detail a library coaching program developed as part of a local instance of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program, a nationwide initiative to increase faculty diversity by supporting students of color to pursue PhDs and careers as professors. The coaching program pairs librarians with undergraduates in their junior and senior years. Library coaches build a research-focused relationship with students geared toward ongoing empowerment and the development of the research and information literacy skills that students need to be successful. The poster will present the key elements of this successful program including background, setting expectations for coaches, librarian training and development, program assessment, and strategies for engagement with campus stakeholders. The poster will also elaborate on how the program can serve as a model for coaching other student cohorts that would benefit from additional librarian support, such as first-generation students, affinity groups, student athletes, library student workers, or honors students.

This poster is relevant to those who perform outreach to student groups and programs and/or are involved in diversity initiatives, as well as all who are interested in alternative teaching and learning programming. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas they can apply at their own institutions.

Comments

Poster presentation at ACRL Conference on March 23, 2017.

Rights Information

© 2017 Alexandra Chappell, Jessica D. Greene, Jennifer Thompson

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