Collaborations for Student Success

Book excerpt: Libraries are exploring new roles and new partnerships on college campuses in order to improve students’ experiences and enable learning outside the classroom. But other than faculty members, who are librarians’ potential partners? The student affairs professionals are responsible for everything from residence halls to service learning to career exploration and make up one of the fastest growing groups in higher education - they are the experts in student development and the student experience. However, librarians and student affairs professionals are largely unfamiliar with each other's roles in student learning. By using multiple focus groups, Long describes the experiences and perceptions of librarians and student affairs professionals at several four-year, residential colleges and universities. He identifies ways librarians and student affairs professionals share common values and can approach partnerships successfully – but also the barriers that result when these two groups don’t fully understand each other’s roles in student learning. This book is the perfect road map for librarians and student affairs professionals alike who are seeking partners for campus collaborations.