Establishing a student peer advisors’ project in the University of Limerick

- benefits and challenges

Donna Ó Doibhlin

University of Limerick

donna.odoibhlin@ul.ie

Establishing a student peer advisors’ project in the

Glucksman Library

In the beginning . . .

University Orientation Committee.

100s of daily campus tours – during orientation /fresher's week.

Delivered by 3rd/4th yr students.

Library tours – noisy, brief, sometimes non-existent.

Resulting in - disorientated and panicking students by 3/4 week of term.

Will the 300 groups of students taking library tours cause a

disturbance?

Background to project:

- Orientation challenges

Misinformation

Confusion

Reduced library staff

Queues

Noise pollution

New self-issue machine

Library staff recognise the need for urgent changes – content and

format

Information services staff already support tour guides.

New technology – need to advise students how to use it.

But shrinking IS staff numbers . . .

Information Services Librarian - persuaded to take on management /coordination of LIS orientation for all new students.

Orientation Opportunities?

Quality improvement funding application

First seven weeks initiative at UL

Plan of action:

Secured funding to employ Peer Advisors (PAs) - interview, appoint.

Employ PAs - negotiate hours.

Talk to First Seven Weeks project team.

Advertise (T-shirts, banners, work stands, query sheets).

Train PAs - on library use and messages to impart.

PA training included:

Meet with Librarian responsible for PAs.

Introduction to reader services duties.

Meet with ITD to get overview of ITD new student supports and likely queries.

Overview of library website and catalogue.

Familiarisation with library building layout.

Meet with library staff.

Information services orientation.

PAs in action demonstrating the self-issue machine

. . . In a few short days they have managed to equip me with the IT and navigation skills to at least

get to lectures, download the necessary reading material . . . . . a good start to my education.

(Celia Larkin, Irish Independent, 12.09.10)

The 2011 recruits

The evidence - Breakdown of queries:

Self-issue – 32.27% in 2010 & 39% in 2011

Locating library stock – 15.8% in 2010.

Using library website/E-resources – 16.64% in 2010.

ID cards – 6% in 2011.

ITD query – 13.31% in 2010 & 10% in 2010.

Directional – 18.2% in 2010 & 20% in 2011.

Detailed library query – 25% in 2011.

Library specific services – 13.76% in 2010.

What this tells us: PAs are appreciated by new students and assist

library staff.

Perhaps we need to standardise our statistics gathering– comparing like with like.

Managing the PAs takes up quite a bit of time.

We could use the PAs to collect reading lists as new students enter the library (idea ‘borrowed from UCG’).

We need better wifi in the library lobby.

The self-issue system needs clearer instructions.

Maybe it's the vacant, scared look on my face, although I like to think it's the attentiveness of the support guides . . . . . but whenever I as much as stall in my tracks a guy in a red T-shirt comes up to me asking if he can help. It's not that you can't go wrong, it's that the system is set up not to let you go wrong.

(Celia Larkin, Irish Independent, 12.09.10)

. . I am a second year (graduate-entry) medical student and this is going to sound really melodramatic but I really think I would have lost my life this time last year only for their (Peer Advisors) help!

I can only speak for myself, but I was completely overwhelmed . . . taking out a book, logging onto a computer, opening files . . I cannot express in words what it meant to be able to go to someone who totally understood, did not make me feel bad for not knowing whatever it was I was trying to do and always, always solved my problem

(GEMS student, September 2011)

Feedback

Where to next? - The future of the peer advisors project.

Project template established by Information Services in 2010.

Responsibility for PAs has moved to library administration.

Hope to secure funding for 2012.

Reading lists?

Which mobile technologies do they use?

Thank you for your attention . . . . and patience.

Questions?

Donna Ó DoibhlinLibrarian, Education & Health Sciences, UL

donna.odoibhlin@ul.iehttp://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Library/EHS_Portal