Getting to Know Today’s College

Students The Undergraduate

Research Project at the University of Rochester

Presenter: Vicki BurnsUniversity of Rochester

June 6, 2008

University of Rochester• Private, research institution (RU/VH)• Located in upstate New York in an urban area

of about 900,000 people• Enrollment Fall 2007

– Undergraduates 6359– Graduates/Medical Students 4318

• 66 Professional staff; 49 Support staff• Residential campus

Project Background

• IMLS grant 2003-2004 to study faculty work practices

• Libraries hired an anthropologist• Used ethnographic methods• Results made us want to learn more

What do undergraduates REALLY do when they write research papers?

• Research begun Fall 2004• Led by Anthropologist Nancy Fried Foster• Used ethnographic research techniques• Pre-study: faculty interviews• Objectives broadened to gain broad insight

into student lives• More than 100 students participated• More than 1/3 of library staff involved

Methodologies used– Retrospective interviews– Photo Surveys– Mapping diaries– Reference desk survey– Interviews in student union– Design workshops for web page– Design Charettes– Late night dorm visits

Faculty Interviews• Assume we are teaching research methods• Expect their students know how to find

research materials• Students lack critical thinking skills• Unable to develop a thesis for papers• Lack good writing skills

Faculty commented more extensively on the problems of writing and critical thinking than on those related to locating appropriate sources

Retrospective Interviews

• Recently completed research paper• Described what they did from the assignment

to turning it in• Each step was illustrated on a post• Interviews video-recorded and transcribed• Most interviews done by Nancy Fried Foster

Next Steps

• Research team and librarians co-viewed videos, transcripts and drawings

• Co-viewing – Created shared experiences for discussion

and brainstorming– Engendered widespread staff participation

Photo Survey

Something you couldn’t live without

Reference Desk Survey

Carlson Library Rush Rhees Library

Evening Interviews in Student Union

“To participate, you must:

• Be an undergraduateAND• Working on a paper

that requires you to find books and/or articles

OR• Working on a project

that requires you to find data”

Mapping Diary

Late Night Dorm Visits

Design Workshop for Web Page

Design Charette

Design Charette

• Walk-in participation• Imagine the library has a big, new, empty

space . . .• Ideas carried into actual design for

collaborative space

Mahogany bookshelves,Old style lampsNice cozy feel

Computer Loungewith 802.11g WiFi

With Nintendo WiFi Connection

Movies and video games on big projection screen

We asked…we listened…we changed…

What did we learn?

Students . . .• Worked on papers in chunks, with days or

weeks in between• Asked family and friends for help choosing a

topic or editing their papers• Assumed Google searches included the library • Did evaluate resources – just not all the ways

that librarians recommend• Didn’t remember who gave their library session

Design Charette• Flexibility to meet a variety of needs• Comfort with “family room” feel and attention to

environment• Technology - computers, printers, scanners,

whiteboards, “mini Kinko’s”, chargers, etc.• Staff support for checking things out, tech help,

food, reference, writing• Resources – books, magazines, DVDs, reference

books and popular reading

Dorm Observations

• Stimulating - lots of distractions– music– video games– people

• My room is your room• Freshman vs. Upperclassman

Retrospective Interviews Most had had a library instruction session Expected to do well Found articles and books fairly easily, simply

changed topics if did not find enough Consulted with parents Found developing a thesis, organizing, and writing

difficult Several had consulted a librarian

• Students are on the go for hours at a time• They do more than just attend classes• They eat quick meals, at odd times,

sometimes just snacking wherever they are• They carry their belongings with th em• They use technology everywhere• They need a variety of facilities and services• Every day is different

Reference Desk Interviews Students did not come to desk “cold” All had tried to find information on his/her own Most students knew names of databases and had

used 1-2 of the them All students reported reference assistance had

helped them Save time Learned about resources, the library, and how to search

Dissatisfaction with the technique Interviewed students immediately after assistance Librarians uncomfortable with asking questions

and often to busy to adequately follow-up at the desk

What They Said• Most cared about their papers and felt they

had sufficient time to complete them• Considered professors and TAs the subject

experts• Some problems organizing and writing –

knew about the College Writing Center• Most used library catalog and databases, but

equated librarians with books• All expected to do well, or as well as needed

In summary, we found students: Confident about their ability to find

information Heavy users of libraries’ catalog and

databases Do not take the first hits from a Google search Divide their research and writing into chunks

For reference/subject librarians some sobering results: Lack of clarity about role of librarian or even what

library staff had come to their class Equate librarians with books See faculty or teaching assistants as subject experts Consulted with a librarian on faculty

recommendation

Brief look at library instruction at UR No formal information literacy program Integrated into courses with assignments

requiring library research Library instruction in just about all first year

writing classes Mixed success in other classes, depends on

assignments, subject librarians, and interested faculty

So what have we done ?

• Strength our subject librarian/department liaison program For some, faculty interviews opened

communication Embedded Librarians Course Pages Include faculty in decisions when feasible Offer more options to faculty

Collaboration with College Writing Center Built on a strong foundation of good will Reflects the synergy between research and writing Development of librarian tutors Working with the writing fellows Conducting research and presenting Increased presence in the pedagogy training of

instructors

Critical Evaluation of teaching methods Meetings to focus on teaching Led by Suzanne Bell, ACRL, Institute for

Information Literacy: “The Intentional Teacher: renewal through informed reflection.” (2006)

Review and trade teaching techniques; develop unique materials

Emphasis Develop clear goals with instructor Less lecturing and fewer demos; active

involvement of students Refine and limit amount of information presented Get the students started; make certain they know

how to get further assistance Creative ways to teach the basics

Developed theme “every class has a librarian” Course pages Parents Breakfast Scare Fair Appointments/ business cards at desk

Whoooo’s working late?

Night Owl Librarians Help with

assignments and papersSunday – Wednesday

March 26 - 29 and April 2 – 5until 11 PM

Call: 275-4478 Rush Rhees Reference

275-4465 Carlson Library Reference

IM: askURlibrary

We asked…we listened…we changed…

http://www.santafeopera.org/2008/2008seasonoverview.php

Web Page Development

• Many students want to be able to access library resources just as they use Google---no directions or assistance

• Students’ days follow a different schedule than that of library staff

• Want to have all their “stuff” in one place

Web Redesign Early Concepts

• And we have a new Dean and Vice Provost of the Libraries:

Vice Provost Susan Gibbons

Long-term Benefits• Understand how our undergraduates live and

work on campus• Understand their use of the library• High staff participation and engagement• Greater comfort and lower overhead for trying

new ideas• Continuing this type of research

Would we do it all again?

Would we change what we did?

Has it made a difference in our libraries?

Staff participation Development of interview and workshop

procedures Video recorded and transcribing of interviews Co-viewing interviews Interviewed faculty and students Developed new programs: Night Owl librarians,

Orientation Breakfast

Quotes from Library Staff • The study “engendered a shared

understanding” that made “things I knew in an intellectual way … more real.”

• The study “fostered innovation in small grassroots ways ... with a new exploratory openness to trying things.”

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/downloadables/Foster-Gibbons_cmpd.pdf

Our Students Are Not Yours• Try doing your own research• With or without an anthropologist or

sociologist• Campus not required• Start small to develop staff expertise and

confidence• Encourage widespread staff participation

Slides available at:

http://tiny.cc/vburns