Best Practices for Library Student Engagement in Co-operative Placements

1. Best Practices for Library Student Engagement in Co-operative Placements OLA SuperConference Friday, February 4, 2011 Melanie Browne, Manager, Information Services, Maple Leaf Foods Corporate; Jeff Mason, Academic Information Coordinator, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region; Mary McDiarmid; Manager, Staff Library, Baycrest

2. Practicum?? Fieldwork???? Definition: • Short-term, professionally supervised work experience • Part of a school’s curriculum • Varies in length 2 weeks to …. • Other than incidental expenses, student does not receive a salary Source: Coleman, J.G. 1989, p. 22

3. Paid Co-Ops • Students on placement for a longer term, e.g., 4 months • Students are paid for their time • Formal application processes • Formal evaluation and credit received • Example, University of Western Ontario MLIS students

4. Why Students Do It Benefits for Students • Increased self-confidence • Gaining actual work experience • Creates contacts for future work • Helps define career goals

5. Why Libraries Do It Benefits for Host Libraries • Opportunity for extra pair of hands • Promotion of your discipline, special/ academic/public library setting • Meets teaching goals of staff

7. Literature says…to be outstanding you should; • Understand the student is there to learn • Communicate with faculty if needed • Assign a variety of activities • Maintain a real-world schedule • Plan to evaluate the student • Support without hovering Source: Yontz, E. 2008, p. 58-59.

8. Our Expectations Students.. • Are my colleagues • Will think of this placement as a real job • Will seek help when needed, it’s okay not to know something • Will show initiative

9. Host Libraries – Best Practices Before they Arrive • Have a specific project just for them • Identify a variety of tasks for them • Clear your schedule to make time for them • Telephone/email to advise them of arrival time/dress/parking/food/etc

10. Host Libraries – Best Practices During the Placement • Tour them around and introduce them to people • Make sure they take breaks/lunch with someone • Set mutually agreeable goals • Explore strengths and weaknesses and give them experiences in both

11. Host Libraries – Best Practices During the Placement • Include student in meetings/activities both within or outside the facility • Hold them accountable/regularly meet with them • Let them job shadow each staff member • Provide feedback to them regularly

12. Host Libraries – Best Practices Ending/After the Placement • Discuss their evaluation – nothing should be a “surprise” at this point • Be prepared to be a mentor/reference

14. Students – Best PracticesBefore you Arrive • Contact your supervisor • Educate yourself about the facility • Prepare yourself mentally for “work”

15. Students – Best PracticesDuring your Placement • Let host know if you aren’t getting what you expected out of the placement • Be professional, “yea, hello?” • Assess culture of the library • Be independent, meet new people

16. Students – Best PracticesDuring your Placement • Be honest in your skills, experience, e.g. Access database • When working on a task, do all you can do, and then ask for help • Take initiative, seek out opportunities to pitch in and learn new things • Love the grunt work – we all started there

17. Students – Best PracticesAfter your Placement • Find something positive about the experience to take forward • Don’t gossip – library world is smaller than you think • Update your supervisor with your status – but don’t be a stalker

18. Student Survey • Students in field placements at Seneca College, Toronto were asked their top three items they wished host libraries would stop doing. • 63 students responded • 128 comments for improvement • 3 items per student not obtained

19. Findings

20. Findings • Scheduling of tasks (27)– students not given a plan or enough work to do • Communication (23) – lacked basic information about procedures at host site, such as how to answer phone • Variety of tasks (22) – students bored with simple activities

21. Findings • Socialization (19)– students not introduced, eat alone, ignored • Training (14) – insufficient time was given to allow them to learn new tasks • Lack of supervision (13) – no time for students and supervisor absent in several cases

22. Findings • Access to resources (6)– students had no computer or access to locked resources such as the lunch room • Gossiping/Complaining (4) – library staff bad mouthed each other in front of students • Dating student – 1 staff member asked the student on a date!

23. Sources Cited Coleman, J.G., “The Role of the Practicum in Library Schools,” Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 30, no. 1 (1989): 19-27. Yontz, E., “Be Outstanding in Your Field,” American Libraries, 39, no.6 June-July (2008): 56-59.

24. Thank you! • Students in Library Technician Program at Seneca College who shared their experiences. • Instructors at Seneca College who assisted in distributing our questionnaire.