Reaching Underserved Student Populations

Emily MannJune 25, 2013

What do we mean by underserved?

Why do we care?

What Barriers exist?

What can we do?

What is a traditional student?

• Right out of High School

• 18-22

• Lives on campus

• Full time studenthttp://www.fresnostate.edu/home/student_life/index.html

Non-Traditional?

Age

Gender/Sexuality

Traditional Student

Box

Outside The BoxEthnicity Language

Location

Who is underserved?

• Adult learners• First-generation students• Transferring students• International students• DE students

But aren’t we all the same?

Help all the students!!!!!!!

http://letterstoayounglibrarian.blogspot.com

Well sort of……

MinimizationAn orientation that highlights cultural commonality and universal values and principles that may also mask deeper recognition and appreciation of cultural differences.

Adapted from Paige (1993)

What’s the problem?

Pros:

Accepts that there are universal tendencies

Works to accept all people and all customs

Helps us to avoid stress of contrast

Can give open-minded point of view

Avoid judgment

ConsDemonstrates a knowledge of your own culture not of the cultures around you

Fails to learn from other cultures

Lack of curiosity

May miss values and non-verbal clues

“tolerance” may be based on mistaken beliefs

What defines us?

See: Holmarsdottir

Every Patron is an Individual!

So if everyone is different….

Are we wasting our time trying to customize services?

Not at All!

The “traditional” student and experience is changing

Paying attention to the needs of specific groups can help serve all patrons

Can focus marketing

“Traditional”

High School College/Graduate School Work

Education Experience Today

4 yearHigh School

Charter school

Homeschool/Self-directed

4 year collegeEmployment

2 year college

Graduate School

One size does not fit all

• Clearly everyone is on their own path

• Why would we expect the same services to meet the needs of everyone?

http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/8460

What to do, what to do?

• Think about the barriers that may exist

• Targeted programing

• Library Staff Training

• Marketing and outreach

What stands between me and the student?

Defining the Barriers:

Cultural

Functional

Language

• What patrons expect from library

• What patrons expect from the librarian

• Expected interactions

• How the patron interacts with the space

• Ability for patron to use space (DE Students)

• part of cultural barriers

• Can make communication seem difficult for both librarian and patron

Know the barriers and get past them!

• There is no magic button, but awareness can help!

• Take the time to understand the patron’s needs, not their perceived needs

• Design around the needs of all patrons (services, physical spaces, outreach)

Targeted Programing

• Promote the tools we have• Increase collection that serves needs and

interests of all students• Find out what the students want and need,

not what we assume they need• Events that are welcoming to all groups

Targeted Spaces and Collections

LGBTQ Collection

Don’t lose them

• Patrons may miss out of freshman instruction

• Provide information literacy classes outside the curriculum

• Keep innovating

Assessment!

Implement

Review

Innovate

Staff Training

• Brings together staff• Provides a united

front to patrons• Staff can learn from

each other

https://slacktiverse.wordpress.com/category/cute-animals/

Marketing and Outreach

Different mediums

Go to the patrons

Promote what we have

Innovation

When we create new programs and outreach to target underserved populations, we give new life to our organization and improve our image to everyone

Libraries are there to serve our patrons, so lets make sure everyone is included

Conclusion

• Melting pots mean everyone loses their unique flavor; we need to be a stew

• Accepting change as the norm makes us happier librarians and people

• Reaching out to all patrons increases retention

• Creating programs for different groups works to bring together everyone

ResourcesHolmarsdottir, Halla, & Hagli, Mari Tøra. (2011). From Christopher Columbus to Evo

Morales : indigenous exclusion and inclusion in urban education in El Alto, Bolivia. Høgskolen i Oslo. Avdeling for lærerutdanning og internasjonale studier.

Paige, R. M. (1993). Education for the intercultural experience. Yarmouth, Me: Intercultural Press.

Paige, R. M., & University of Minnesota. (2006). Maximizing study abroad: A students' guide to strategies for language and culture learning and use. Minneapolis, Minn: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota.

Switzer, A. T. (2008). Redefining Diversity: Creating an Inclusive Academic Library through Diversity Initiatives. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 15(3), 280-300.

Questions?