Librarians Collaborating with Academic Advisors to Foster Student Success

Abstract

Library workers are exploring ways to provide support to their communities. In this practice-based pilot project, an academic library partnered with academic advisors on a college campus to increase the support services and supportive mechanisms for students. Academic advisors and librarians increased their skills and areas of content expertise, and passed this learning on to the students. By offering a course for reinstated students and academically at-promise students, with a focus on persis-tence and success through failure and trial and error, a partnership between the academic library makerspace and the Advising and Academic Success Center was created. Though more research is needed to determine which strategies are key elements for success, all library workers can benefit their communities through partnerships with support professionals, including counselors, social workers, non-profit agencies, and academic advisors, in order to increase their role in providing support for their community members.