First Year Students and the Library: FYE at UCONN

1. First Year Students and the Library:FYE at UCONN NELIG Annual Conference “Creative Collaborations: It Takes a Campus to Educate a Student” Tufts University, June 11, 2004 Presentation by Kathleen Labadorf and Peter Stevens

2. First Year Students and the Library:FYE at UCONN • FYE Overview at the University of Connecticut • WEBCT and Access to Library in FYE Classes • Assessment • Peter Stevens, FYE Instructor-integrating library research into UConn’s FYE curriculum ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

3. About UConn • Carnegie Research Extensive University • For the fourth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report ranks UConn the top public university in New England • 15,000 total undergraduates with 10,000 residing on campus • 3200 freshmen at Storrs campus ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

4. What is FYE at UConn? • 1 credit semester long multi-disciplinary, service learning, or subject-based seminar • Can be linked to Majors, Honors, or residence communities • Takes a holistic view of student development ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

5. FYE Mission The mission of the First Year Programs is to assist new students with the transition to college and engage them with the intellectual, social, and cultural dimension of the University of Connecticut as early as possible in their academic careers. ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

6. Who is involved? • 80% of first year students voluntarily enroll in First Year Experience courses (106 sections of INTD 180 and 39 INTD 182 in fall, 2004) • Instructors are blend of UConn faculty and staff. All are volunteers. • Wide variety of guest speakers available (administrators, faculty, support staff, peers) ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

7. Why support FYE? • The first year of college is critical • "The first year of college is when most students choose a major, establish a typical GPA, develop good (or bad) study habits, decide whom to associate with, and learn other adult-related skills," Gardner said. (2) ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

8. Why? Helps retention “Among schools that have had success at keeping students is UConn, where the overall 70 percent graduation rate is nearly matched by its 69 percent rate for minority students. Several years ago, the university started a freshman course on study skills, time management and other adjustments to college life.” (3) ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

9. How is the library integrated into FYE at UConn • Course framework in WebCT template for self-learning • Scheduled tours and research sessions with librarians: all include assessment • Menu of options allowing for group work outside of class time ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

10. Partner in crime • Peter Stevens, Assistant to the Registrar and FYE Instructor • Integrating library research in UConn’s FYE curriculum ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

11. Where are we going from here? • Information Literacy chosen as focus of the Annual UConn FYE Conference for all instructors • Create a toolkit for the FYE instructors • Assess, assess, assess ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

12. Kathleen Labadorf Undergraduate Services Librarian Homer Babbidge Library Kathy.labadorf@uconn.edu 860-486-1253 Peter Stevens Assistant to the Registrar Peter.stevens@uconn.edu 860-486-4935 Contact Information ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut

13. References • First Year Programs. (2004). Retrieved June 9, 2004 from http://www.fye.uconn.edu • Eberhart, G. M. (2003). Academic librarians launch a strategic campaign: Association of College and Research Libraries National Conference. American Libraries, 34(6) 44. • Frahm, R. A. (2004, May 27, 2004). Attrition worries State Colleges: fewer than half of freshmen go on to graduate. Hartford Courant, pp. B-1. Retrieved June 7, 2004, from the ProQuest Newspapers database. • Gardner, J. N., & Siegel, M. J. (2004). The reform movement for the First Year Experience: What is your role? Retrieved June 9, 2004 from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlevents/Gardner.pdf • Labadorf, K. R. (2004). FYE Library Information Literacy Gateway. Retrieved June 9, 2004 from http://webapps.lib.uconn.edu/fye ACRL NELIG Annual Conference Kathleen Labadorf & Peter Stevens University of Connecticut