First Generation Students and the Academic Library

First Generation Students and the Academic Library

Handout Accompanying Librarians’ Understanding of First Generation Students’ Concerns and Needs. Presented at the 36th Annual Workshop on Instruction in Library Use (WILU)

York University, May 18th, 2007

Definition of “First Generation (College) Students”:

Students who are the first in their families to attend an institution of higher education – more strictly refers to students whose parents have attained education at or below the high school level.

~ Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) Thesaurus (www.eric.ed.gov)

Demographics:

·  Represent approximately 1/3rd of all postsecondary students

·  Generally come from lower income families

·  Many are older than the average age of 18-23 for undergraduates

·  Other obligations (e.g. full-time job, family) leads to part-time enrolment

·  Students are more likely to commute to the school rather than live in residence or nearby

·  More likely to belong to a visible minority

·  More likely to be female

·  More likely to have experienced racial or gender discrimination

·  May also come from a home where English is a second language

~ Sources: Terenzini et al. (1996); Grayson, 1997;Tyckoson (2000); Choy (2001)

”…the risk of attrition in the first year among first-generation students [is] 71% higher than that of students with two college-educated parents.” ~ Ishitani (2003, p. 433)

The Academic Library:

·  First generation students who use the library tend to make more gains academically

·  The academic library can be quite intimidating (e.g. size, LC vs. Dewey cataloguing)

·  Concept of “library” based on public library experiences seems far removed from the academic library; the emphasis on “information literacy” may be hard to comprehend

Seven Suggestions to Help First Generation Students in the Library:

·  Identify first-generation students

·  Schedule instruction sessions during evening and weekend hours

·  Design library assignments that do not discriminate [i.e. assignments that do require being on site to complete]

·  Provide a “family friendly” environment

·  Offer personalized research services

·  Establish peer mentoring programs

·  Become a part of the first-year experience

~ Source: Tyckoson (2000)

Findings and Other Suggestions (Based on the Present Study):

·  Technology places much more emphasis on library instruction; this can be beneficial, as students are given information on how to use resources and who to ask for help

·  Technology may also help bridge a gap in preparation/competencies, as students will have had experience with similar tools/resources in secondary school or the workplace

·  Meet the students in their place of study (e.g. in first-year residence, in a department)

·  Make the academic library’s presence known and be creative about it

·  Maintain communication with other libraries affiliated with a campus-wide system

Selected Bibliography:

Choy, S. (2001). Students whose parents did not go to college: postsecondary access, persistence, and attainment. (NCES 2001-126). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics.

Grayson, J. P. (1997). Academic achievement of first-generation students in a Canadian university. Research in higher education. 38(6): 659-676

Ishitani, T. T. (2003). A longitudinal approach to assessing attrition behavior among first-generation students: time-vary effects of pre-college characteristics. Research in higher education. 44(4): 433-449

Learning Policy Directorate Strategic Policy and Planning Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. (2004). Aspirations of Canadian youth for higher education.

Pike, G. R. & Kuh, G. D. (2005). First- and second-generation college students: a comparison of their engagement and intellectual development. Journal of higher education. 76(3): 276-300

Terenzini, P. T., Springer, L., Yaeger, P. M., Pascarella, E. T., & Nora, A. (1996). First-generation college students: characteristics, experiences, and cognitive development. Research in higher education. 37(1): 1-22

Tyckoson, D. A. (2000) Library service for the first-generation college student. In T. E. Jacobson & H. C. William (Eds.), Teaching the new library to today's users: reaching international, minority, senior citizens, gay/lesbian, first generation, at-risk, graduate and returning students, and distance learners (pp. 89-105). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.

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