Library Instruction and Assistance

This page examines student experience with library instruction, library assistance on assignments and projects, and course instructors using library resources.

Library Instruction

Students were asked whether they had experienced course-related instruction from someone from the library. Those who said yes were asked additional questions about these experiences.

48.1% of undergraduates and 40.6% of graduate students reported that they had been in a course where a person from the library taught something online, in person, or via a recorded info session.

Students who recalled experiencing library instruction were asked about the topic(s) of the library instruction they had encountered.

Additionally, those who experienced library instruction were asked how adequately the instruction session(s) met their needs.

96.8% of undergraduate students and 97.2% of graduate students reported that the library instruction session(s) met their needs adequately or more than adequately.

Library Help on Assignments and Projects

Students were asked whether they had reached out to someone in the library for help with a course assignment or project, including via chat, email, Ask a Librarian service, or in-person requests.

Roughly 15% of undergraduate and 20% of graduate student respondents had reached out for this type of help. 

The experience of these types of consultations was similar across undergraduate and grade students, with roughly 80% reporting that their needs were consistently or completely met.

Instructor Use of Library Resources

Students were asked about what types of library resources their instructors have been using for teaching, and what those experiences were like.

Both undergrad and grad students experienced a similar pattern of library resource use by their instructors (with providing scans of chapters and articles being the most common thing students reported their instructors doing). 

In both student groups, roughly 1/3 of the respondents reported that their instructors did not provide any of the library-related resources we asked about.

Loan Time on Course Reserves

Students who used course reserves were also asked about whether the loan time on these items met their needs:

• 79.7% of undergrads answered yes, while 20.3% wanted longer loan times for reserves.

• 77.8% of grad students answered yes, while 22.2% wanted longer loan times for reserves.

Students were given a chance to share open-ended feedback about their experiences with library instruction.  A small number did so.  The comments were categorized, and the categories -- with example comments -- are presented below.

Negative Consultation Experience Comments (n = 36)  [Note: some students conflated this with in-class presentations about the library’s offerings]

• Didn’t get any new info: 34%

  • “I already knew the information being taught.”

• Communication failure: 22%

  • “Emailed via the Ask a Librarian service and never got a reply.”

  • “I wanted to check out a book but it was such an awkward exchange and super unhelpful and I had no idea whether they got the book or not and where I would pick it up.”

• Confusion persisted about online search or research tools: 20%

  • “Database searches were a struggle still.”

  • “I just don't remember the steps to researching with library resources. I think Google is easier.”

• Needs not met by service or response: 19%

• Disconnect between instructor and librarian recommendations: 17%

• Unable to replicate techniques: 13%

• Session was not engaging: 11%

• Trouble navigating systems/resources: 8%