At Utah State University (USU), teaching information literacy is a process that starts before students are out of high school. USU librarians’ collaboration with local school librarians helps students learn skills they’ll need for college before they arrive, while reducing the anxiety that some students feel using an academic library for the first time.
USU’s efforts are one example of the benefits that can be gained when different types of libraries collaborate. Librarians from USU and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, shared success stories in the session “Connecting Library Experiences: Collaboration Across Library Types to Better Support our Patrons” at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago on June 24.
“Interlibrary loan is already an example of this,” said USU Government Information Librarian Jen Kirk. “Academic libraries often rely on public libraries for books that students might want to read for fun.” She cited the Federal Depository Library Program as another example of multitype collaboration: The relatively large number of selective depository libraries can choose the government materials most relevant to their users, while relying on the comprehensive collections held by regional depository libraries for materials they use less.
Niki Fullmer, educational outreach librarian at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, discussed a “Blind Date with a Book” program she conducted while a librarian at USU that was inspired by similar efforts at public libraries and bookstores. The low-budget program helped to connect students to their previous library experiences and decrease intimidation. “We see library anxiety a lot in academic libraries because it may be the first time students set foot in an academic library, and it’s not like the public library they’re used to.”
USU also hosted a half-day conference, Bridging the Gap, with 33 local high school librarians and teachers and 20 USU librarians in July 2022. Bridging the Gap included sessions on topics like information literacy, primary source literacy, and digital resources. “Our main goal was to begin a dialogue about USU resources and to learn how to better support incoming high school students,” said USU First-Year Experience Librarian Katie Strand. Responses among participants were overwhelmingly positive, and USU plans to repeat the event every other year. She noted that collaboration allows for sharing of resources like lesson plans to help students develop information literacy skills, while letting USU librarians recognize skills that high school students have already developed.
“It doesn’t need to be a big, grand idea to start with,” Kirk added. Bridging the Gap evolved out of informal discussions over coffee, and then informal visits to each other’s libraries, rather than starting with a commitment to planning a full conference.
