Promoting Library Reference Services to First-Year Undergraduate Students What Works?

摘要

At least in their first year of college, students respond most strongly to library reference service promotions given in person. While conversations between first-years and library staff at orientation only left a small mark-4.6 percent of students recalled these interactions-discussions held during instruction sessions held major sway over students' choices. First-year students also indicated a preference for face-to-face reference interactions. The combination of these two insights suggests that academic librarians should make a significant effort to reach out to freshmen in person, but that context is important. While the results from this research suggest that opportunities for extended interaction are among the most effective methods for encouraging future visits, librarians must balance this with time constraints and the need to have a presence at other events.