Two ACRL reports show evidence of library contributions to student learning

Two ACRL reports show evidence of library contributions to student learning and success

DocumentedLearningThe 2016 report issued by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), "Documented Library Contributions to Student Learning and Success: Building Evidence with Team-Based Assessment in Action Campus Projects," shows compelling evidence for library contributions to student learning and success. The report focuses on dozens of projects conducted as part of the program Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success (AiA) by teams that participated in the second year of the program, from April 2014 to June 2015. Synthesizing more than 60 individual project reports (fully searchable online) and using past findings from projects completed during the first year of the AiA program as context, the report identifies strong evidence of the positive contributions of academic libraries to student learning and success in four key areas:

 

  1. Students benefit from library instruction in their initial coursework.
  2. Library use increases student success. 
  3. Collaborative academic programs and services involving the library enhance student learning. 
  4. Information literacy instruction strengthens general education outcomes.

 

The 2015 report issued by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) “Academic Library Contributions to Student Successs:  Documented Practices from the Field”

 

The findings from the assessment work of the first year campus teams are impressive…A few examples of the project findings are highlighted below.

  1. Library instruction builds students’ confidence with the research process.
  2. Library instruction contributes to retention and persistence, particularly for students in first-year experience courses and programs.
  3. Students who receive library instruction as part of their courses achieve higher grades and demonstrate better information literacy competencies than students who do not receive course-related library instruction.
  4. A library’s research and study space fosters social and academic community among students