From At-Risk to At-Promise: Academic Libraries Supporting Student Success

by Amy E. Vecchione, Cathlene E. McGraw

Overview

Academic library workers will learn how to collaborate with staff in academic advising and student services to improve undergraduate student belonging, retention rates, and graduation rates for at-promise students.

As the demographics of student populations change, many students require additional or different support to be successful in their college careers. Meanwhile, higher education is under pressure to reduce budgets and serve more students within certain areas of the university, including the library, academic advising, and other student services. Academic librarians and student success administrators can collaborate to create additional pathways for students who struggle to succeed.

Authors Vecchione and McGraw provide a roadmap for library employees and student success administrators to initiate and develop discussions on college campuses to define and address these emergent student needs. Through a selection of case studies and historical context, readers will learn how to define what student success looks like and how to design custom services to address student barriers to that success. Library employees and student success professionals both serve students at the margins. These readers will acquire skills to enhance student success initiatives and strengthen collaborations with one another.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440876356
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/07/2022
Pages:	154
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Amy E. Vecchione is a professor and assistant director of research and innovation at eCampus Center, Boise State University.

Cathlene E. McGraw is an academic advisor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

Chapter 1 Framing the Core Issue 1

Part 1 Background of Student Success

Chapter 2 The History of Student Success 15

Chapter 3 At-Risk versus At-Promise: The Deficit Model in Student Success 31

Chapter 4 Boise State University: A Case Study 47

Part 2 Advocacy and Partnerships

Chapter 5 Student Success Administrators 57

Chapter 6 Examples of Student Success Partnerships 71

Part 3 Effective Collaborations

Chapter 7 Forming Collaborations: Steps and Processes 95

Chapter 8 Emerging Technologies and Makerspaces as High-Impact Practices for Libraries 105

Chapter 9 Sustaining the Partnership 119

Chapter 10 Collaboration between Units: Making Partnerships Work 125

Part 4 Conclusion

Chapter 11 Addressing Student Success Going Forward 135

Index 139

What People are Saying About This

Sarah Barbara Watstein

"Focusing on student success in higher education, seasoned academic library practitioners and thought leaders Vecchione and McGraw make a compelling case that switching “at risk” to “at promise” is more than just a semantic shift. They make an equally compelling and carefully documented case that academic library-initiated-or-led advocacy, partnerships, and effective collaborations have the potential to advance student success. A word change alone isn’t going to help students; as the authors argue, this must be followed by intentional action. This book is a welcome contribution to changing the culture of how academic libraries and librarians think about and respond to students and their strengths."

Tod Colegrove

"Vecchione and McGraw deliver a book that is part toolkit, part roadmap, and filled with practical insights for reaching students where they are. It's a powerful mix of design thinking and experiential learning that can transform the library into interdisciplinary success hub and provide authentic opportunity. Buy this book. Read it. Set the stage for more student success!"

Eamon Tewell

"From an insightful analysis of barriers to student success to beginning discussions on student success at your own library, this important book brings an essential perspective to a high-profile topic in higher education. The authors’ unique attention to power dynamics and existing inequities, tried and true methods for advocacy and collaboration, and realities of academic institutions makes their ideas as timely as they are useful. This book is highly recommended for any academic library workers who are invested in the success of their students."

Editorial Reviews

"Providing insight and clarity about the library’s role in a process of continual improvement ... Readers involved in most facets of higher education—be that administration, instruction, or support—will find this book a useful guide." —CHOICE

“Focusing on student success in higher education, seasoned academic library practitioners and thought leaders Vecchione and McGraw make a compelling case that switching "at risk" to "at promise" is more than just a semantic shift. They make an equally compelling and carefully documented case that academic library-initiated-or-led advocacy, partnerships, and effective collaborations have the potential to advance student success. A word change alone isn't going to help students; as the authors argue, this must be followed by intentional action. This book is a welcome contribution to changing the culture of how academic libraries and librarians think about and respond to students and their strengths.” —Sarah Barbara Watstein, Dean, Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons, Seattle University

“Vecchione and McGraw deliver a book that is part toolkit, part roadmap, and filled with practical insights for reaching students where they are. It's a powerful mix of design thinking and experiential learning that can transform the library into interdisciplinary success hub and provide authentic opportunity. Buy this book. Read it. Set the stage for more student success!” —Tod Colegrove, Carson City Library Director, former Nevada State Librarian, and Emeritus Professor, University of Nevada, Reno

“From an insightful analysis of barriers to student success to beginning discussions on student success at your own library, this important book brings an essential perspective to a high-profile topic in higher education. The authors' unique attention to power dynamics and existing inequities, tried and true methods for advocacy and collaboration, and realities of academic institutions makes their ideas as timely as they are useful. This book is highly recommended for any academic library workers who are invested in the success of their students.” —Eamon Tewell, Head of Research Support and Outreach, Columbia University Libraries

From the Publisher

04/01/2023

In higher education, the movement toward a holistic approach to creating programs and services that help students reach their goals is broadly referred to as student success. In many cases, these efforts involve collaborations between student-focused campus services such as advising and counseling, and libraries. In this book, authors Vecchione (research and innovation, Boise State Univ.) and McGraw (academic advising, New Jersey Institute of Technology) provide an overview of student success in higher education, show why libraries are natural partners in these endeavors, and explain how partnerships can be developed. In part one, the authors address the factors behind the development of the movement, suggesting a departure from the at-risk/deficit model to one that views students as at-promise, acknowledging and building on their existing skills and strengths. The authors use parts two and three to situate libraries in this re-framed model and map out what successful collaborations can look like. The authors conclude with a call for regular needs assessments and making student success a common goal for libraries. VERDICT A great primer on a subject that every academic librarian should be familiar with. Will have broad appeal in the professional community, especially for new librarians.—Sara Holder

Library Journal