Academic Librarians' Roles In Attracting & Recruiting Students To Their University
- Conference
- Location
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Louisville, Kentucky
- Publication Date
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June 20, 2010
- Start Date
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June 20, 2010
- End Date
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June 23, 2010
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Libraries
- Page Count
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10
- Page Numbers
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15.116.1 - 15.116.10
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--15755
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/15755
- Download Count
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644
Paper Authors
Jim Miller University of Maryland
Jim Miller has been the College Park PTDL (Patent & Trademark Depository
Library) Representative since 1998, and was the 18th PTDL Fellowship
Librarian from June 2001 through June 2002. He has been a librarian at
the University of Maryland for 37 years; since 1980 in the Engineering &
Physical Sciences Library (EPSL). He is currently the subject specialist
for the departments of Aerospace, Bioengineering, and Mechanical
Engineering. As Senior Reference Librarian, he is the specialist for
patents and trademarks, technical reports, and any other "tough
questions". He has an MLS from the University of Maryland and a BA in
English from Randolph-Macon College.
Bob Kackley University of Maryland, College Park
Bob Kackley has been a Reference Librarian at EPSL going on 15
years. Before that he was a Science Reference Librarian at the US Dept.
of Energy in Washington, DC for four years. Presently he is subject
specialist for the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Geology, Materials Science
Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Astronomy. His MLA
is from the University of Maryland in College Park and his BA is from
Virginia Tech in History. Bob is an active assistant to Jim Miller on
patent and trademark issues.
Nevenka Zdravkovska University of Maryland
Nevenka Zdravkovska has been the Head of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Library (EPSL), University of Maryland, College Park since October 2006. From 1998 to 2006 she was the science reference librarian at Georgetown University, Blommer Science Library. One of her major responsibilities is teaching bibliographic instruction. Her collections responsibilities have been mainly for science disciplines (physics, mathematics, and computer science), but for several years she was also the selector for Slavic languages and literature, and the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES) at Georgetown University. Nevenka received her BS in engineering physics from Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia, and her MLS from Texas Woman's University.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Academic Librarians' Roles in Attracting & Recruiting Students to Their University By Bob Kackley, Jim Miller, and Nevenka Zdravkovska
Abstract
This paper reviews the literature on academic libraries’ active efforts to help their institutions recruit students. It concludes that very few libraries have focused on recruitment as such, but that more explicit attention needs to be paid to this function in order to keep the libraries’ mission relevant to an increasingly competitive academic environment. The experience of University of Maryland librarians is described, and typical classes given from 2001-2009 for K-12 students are discussed. Out of 9224 total instruction sessions, 151 were for K-12 students. Thirty one of those were devoted strictly to Engineering and science; the others were general library orientations that often included some science and technology resources.
Introduction
What do the nicknames His Airness, Tinchie, Kitchen, Skeets, and Babsie all have in common? These five individuals were recruited by at least one of the twelve Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schools. So what do libraries such as the University of Maryland Libraries have in common with recruitment efforts similar to these? Maybe more than those affiliated with the information services field realize (in the Conclusion the identities for those nicknames will be revealed).
In the summer of 2008, librarians Jim Miller, Bob Kackley, and Nevenka Zdravkovska of the Engineering & Physical Sciences Library (EPSL) at the University of Maryland gave two bibliographic instruction sessions to Summer Program students on campus. Students were from two local magnet schools, Oxon Hill High School and Charles H. Flowers High School for an Inventor’s Camp for the program, Project Lead the Way. After talking to Alex Prasertchoung, the coordinator for the two classes, we realized that these ninth to twelfth grade students were being heavily recruited to attend the University of Maryland upon matriculation from their respective high schools.
Upon later reflection we realized how many opportunities the Maryland Libraries, including EPSL Librarians, have taken advantage of to enhance the University of Maryland in the eyes of newcomers. For example, every year on the last Saturday in April, Maryland Day occurs on campus with as many as 75,000 visitors, many below the age of 18. For several years for Maryland Day, the UM Libraries have sponsored a well-known children’s TV celebrity, Bob the Vid Tech, from Maryland Public Television fame in a tent crammed full of youngsters. The other initiatives include "History Day", put on by the UM Libraries Archives as well as EPSL, and Michele Smith Performing Arts Center librarians assisting home-schooled students during daytime events. These are part of a long term general recruitment effort to pull in future Terps (nickname for the University of Maryland mascot, the Terrapins).
Miller, J., & Kackley, B., & Zdravkovska, N. (2010, June), Academic Librarians' Roles In Attracting & Recruiting Students To Their University Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--15755
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