Intervening Librarian: Collaboration for Student Success

1. VALE / January 5, 2010 More than Collaboration  The Intervening Librarian Mark Thompson, Library -Director / Middlesex County College

2. Intervention “Intervention” is to bring library staff, skills, attitudes, and help to a point of need that is outside of the library proper. • Question: Can we place ourselves wherever and whenever there is an intersection of help & student need? • Today, let’s do a review– • What’s been considered or done before? • Uncover the whole spectrum of arenas. • Your feedback on possibilities or accomplishments.

3. Set the stage – Why intervene? • New Perspectives on Library Values • Focus on institutional goals, such as student learning outcomes, student success, and student retention • Bridge the gap to poor performers • Serve reluctants, non-users / at-help sessions / wherever intervention is already occurring • Focus on other service depts outside library • Tutoring / EOF / Minority Affairs / Writing Center / Learning Center / Developmental Classes Lab / Counseling

4. Who, what, where… • Campus Partners: Librarian / Tutor / Counselor / Instructor / Advisor • Helping with: Advising / Supplemental Instruction / Learning Communities / Writing Center Triage / Referral Self-Scheduling / First Year Experience / Probation Seminars / Orientation / CARE (returning adult student) • In various service centers across the campus; 1:1, workshops; or group sessions; • Day, evening, & weekends

5. Area Adventures • Union County College • Federal Grant: “Center for Student Success/Institute for First Year.” Partner w/NJ City Univ. on retention. • Middlesex County College • Workshop collaboration across depts. • Bergen Community College • “Special Topics Program Review: Focus on Bergen’s Expectations for Student Learning, June 2009.” • Monmouth University • Writing Center Collaboration Program • Learning Assistance Center debates at BCC, MCC • Academic Support Center concept- merged Library, Tutoring, and Advising service center. • Siena College • “Guidelines for the Writing Seminar/Library Collaboration, Fall 2009.”

6. Key texts • Books: • Elmborg, James K., and Sheril Hook. Centers for Learning: Writing Centers and Libraries in Collaboration. Publications in Librarianship, no.58. Chicago: ACRL, 2005. Print. • Geller, Anne Ellen, et. al. The Everyday Writing Center: A Community of Practice. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 2007. Print.

7. Key texts • Articles • Andrade, Maureen S. “Learning Communities: Examining Positive Outcomes.” Journal of College Student Retention 9:1 (2007-2008): 1-20. Print. • Brady, Laura, et. Al. “A Collaborative Approach to Information Literacy: First-Year Composition, Writing Center, and Library Partnerships at West Virginia University.” Composition Forum, Spring, 2009. Web. 2 June 2010. • Kuhlthau, Carol C. and Leslie K. Maniotes. “Building Guided Inquiry Teams for 21st Century Learners.” School Library Monthly. 26:5 (Jan 2010):18-21. Print. • Landsberger, Joe. “Academic Support Centers: Quo Vadis?” TechTrends 49:4 (Jul/Aug 2005). 8-12. Print. • Mahaffy, Mardi. “Exploring Common Ground: US Writing Center/Library Collaboration.” New Library World. 109:3/4. 2007. 173-181. Print. • Roselle, Ann. “Community College Library Practices in Developmental Education.” Journal of Developmental Education. 32:2 (Winter 2008). 24-32. Print.

8. Adventures -- • Writing Centers • Tutoring Centers • Learning Communities • First Year Experience • Academic Support Centers • Developmental Education • Outcomes Assessment • Learning-College Concept • Scoring Rubrics • And more….

9. Common Problems Share our common problems in serving students, especially helping with their learning skills Ex. from Tutoring’s perspective – “What problems I see..” • Failure to launch • Lack of understanding about research process or research paper process • Lack of topic or topic narrowing • Some come up with their thesis statements before doing any research. • Inability to create the core research question. • Poor use of information • Not using research output effectively • Large chasm between getting 5 articles and then writing the paper. • Do not understand rationale for citing or for need to evaluate sources. • Reading comprehension is a problem. Some of the articles are unreadable. • Frantic need for good quotes – students told to quote something.

10. Clarity of Purpose Can we develop student-friendly, agreed upon language and common goals? • What is the research paper process? • Standardized across a department? • Tutorial or guide for the Adjuncts? • Which citation format(s) are acceptable? • What are the learning goals? • Where is it taught? Reinforced? • How to pick a research topic? • Select, narrow, research, re-select • Come up with the research question.

11. Tutoring How can we assist in providing help? What mix will work for both of us? • Joint staff meetings • Librarians coach or train all new tutors • During faculty or new faculty plenary or faculty development days: joint library/tutoring sessions • Share knowledge • National Tutoring Association (NTA) • Special techniques • Referrals • Learning Communities • Supplemental Instruction • Which curriculum? Writing Center?

12. Referrals What are the issues from both sides? Side 1-- • Refer student from library to tutoring center, if they need help with: • Reading their papers to see “if it makes sense” • Grammar or spelling questions • Sentence structure • Developing a thesis statement • How to cite a source • Learning a citation format

13. Referrals Side 2-- • Refer student from tutoring center to library, if they need help with: • How to use the library • How to find and borrow a book • How to use e-reserves • Selecting the right library database to use • Find materials at other libraries • Narrowing a research topic • Selecting a resource type • Evaluating websites

14. Learning Communities Establish and partner on learning communities: • What are they? Organize a cohort of students at registration who enroll together for a “learning community” of members of two courses • Two courses are linked in registration and must be taken together • Ex. Developmental English and a History course • Tutoring, academic dept., and library partners in each learning community. • Faculty members and tutoring work together to see that the writing assignments and research papers are linked and integrated. • Library instruction is aligned to these efforts.

15. Peer Leaders Establish extra help through Supplemental Instruction-- • Provides additional instruction to the classroom sessions. • Use of peer mentors. • SI leader (student who recently completed class) is hired to “take” class again • SI leader attends all classes, takes notes, observes other students to note how they are doing. • Available for 1:1. • Study groups held twice per week.

16. Writing Centers • How can we help? What mix will work for both of us? • Periodic co-location of staff • Ex. Librarians are available twice a week • Instant Referrals • Ex. Joint appointment scheduling through TutorTrac • Or self-scheduling with students scheduling themselves for tutoring or 1:1 library help. • Joint troubleshooting • Resolve database selection, search problems, citation process, evaluating sources.

17. Other Concepts / Approaches • First Year Experience • Joint Workshops • Scoring Rubrics • First Year Experience • Academic Support Centers • Learning College

18. First Year Experience How can we help? What mix will work for both of us? • Students enrolled for their very first semester at the college • Or whoever is enrolled in at least two developmental courses (math, writing, reading) • Give them their first exposure to college • Raise the bar • Basic student success curriculum • Study habits; taking tests; etc. • Information literacy • Three assignments/2-3 library sessions • Include info lit assignment • Librarian either teaches library session or entire class section.

19. Joint Workshops • Other service center segments • College: Not What I Thought It Would Be • Preparation for Mid-Term Exams • Strategic Planning for Academic Success • Job Search Basics • Ingredients for Success • The Way to an A • How to Write an A Paper • Choosing your College Major • Stress Management

20. Workshops • Library segments • Welcome to Library 2.0 • What’s valuable in the non-Google world? • Getting an A on your research paper • Finding the information you need • Using 1:1 library help • Ready for your interview:? Researching a potential employer • Searching for scholarships • Avoiding plagiarism • How to cite your sources

21. Scoring Rubrics • Outcomes Assessment • Focus on Student Learning Objectives • Develop joint measurements (scoring rubrics) for how well a student did in their paper, as regards several factors, ex. research, synthesis, concepts, organization… • Review both paper and bibliography. • Score and review. • Develop norms and benchmarks • Assess ways to improve outcomes

22. Academic Support Centers Can we combine operations? 1. Co-located or 2. Integrated Learning Assistance Center /Academic Support Center: Using a holistic approach to learning and development, the Learning Assistance Center support students in becoming independent and successful learners by providing skill-based tutoring across disciplines… Through collaboration with programs, departments and the larger campus community, the Center works to respond to the diverse needs of the students. Source: San Francisco State Univ.

23. Learning-College Concept Many community colleges embraced the concept of the Learning College which "places learning first and provides educational experiences for learners anyway, anyplace, anytime." -- Presidents of the League's Alliance for Community College Innovation www.league.org Terry O’Banion’s book, Focus on Learning. Team: • Writing Center Supervisor • Tutoring Center Supervisor • Library Instruction Coordinator • Writing Center Faculty Liaison • Student Support or Student Services Coordinator

24. The END • Discussions • What initiatives or mandates are underway? • How well do you work with Tutoring, Writing Center, Developmental Center? • What has worked on your campus? Thanks, Mark Thompson, mthompson@middlesexcc.edu Library, Middlesex Community College, Edison, NJ 732-906-4252