Making Connections: Strategies to Personalize the First Year College

Student ExperiencePresented by:

Kim Copenhaver

Alyssa Koclanes

Lakeisha Hall

Stephanie Henderson

Eckerd College Library, St. Petersburg, FL

Eckerd CollegeSt. Petersburg, FL

• 1,832 full-time undergraduate students

• 81% reside on campus

• 13 to 1 faculty/student ratio

• 4-1-4 academic calendar

• 38 majors 

• 95% of faculty hold terminal degrees

• 188 acres of waterfront 

The First Year Student Experience

Reinforence that connection via our First Year

Orientation Event

Continue that connection

throughout the student’s first

year at Eckerd

Incorporate ACRL

Information Literacy

Standards

Support the newly formed

campus initiative

regarding plagiarism

Establish a connection

before students arrive

on campus

Objectives

Making Connections: Strategies to Personalize the First Year College

Student Experience

Presented by:

Alyssa Koclanes

Technical Services Librarian

Eckerd College Library,

St. Petersburg, FL

Personal Librarian Program: NEED

• Market library services

• Personalize library experience for all new students

Personal Librarian Program: ROAD BLOCKS

• Time

• Staffing

• Budget

Personal Librarian Program: SOLUTIONS

• Pilot Program in Spring 2011 semester

• Collaboration with the Admissions Office

• Full Program initiated in Fall 2011

Personal Librarian Program: SOLUTIONS

• Utilization of free MailChimp Email System

Suggestions

• Organization

• Email Campaign Systems

Suggestions

• Assessment

• Publicity

Unexpected Benefit

President Eastman loves it!!

Making Connections: Strategies to Personalize the First Year College

Student Experience

Presented by:

Lakeisha Hall

Science and

Interlibrary Loan Librarian

Eckerd College Library,

St. Petersburg, FL

Amazing Race: NEED

• Orientation event for all first year students• Showcase library resources• Connect with students• Provide students with the faces of the library

Amazing Race: ROAD BLOCKS

• Completely new event• Staffing• Time constraints• Budget• Themed event

Amazing Race: ROAD BLOCKS

• Collaboration• Lack of a “true dress rehearsal”

Amazing Race: SOLUTIONS

• Design an Amazing Race type event• Interactive• Self-guided

Amazing Race: SOLUTIONS

• Collaborate with teaching faculty

Amazing Race: STATIONS

• Stacks• Interlibrary Loan• Computer Lab • Browsing Collection

Amazing Race: STATIONS

• Periodicals• Copy Room• Group Study Room

Amazing Race: STATIONS• Personal Librarian • Final clue area• Final check-in

Amazing Race: PRIZES

• $10 Barnes & Noble gift cards for each winning team member

• Other gift cards• Donated pizza coupons• Overall grand prize

– Kindle

Suggestions

• Keep it fun• Keep it authentic

Suggestions

• Campus wide buy-in • Component of a comprehensive first year

program• Obtain student feedback

Amazing Race: STUDENT RESPONSE

Positive • Nothing…it was fun!• Perfect• Free kindles for everyone• Keep it the same• Dunno! It was fun!• Pretty fun!• I wouldn’t change

anything• It’s perfect; more games

Negative• Make sure the clues are

all there. No stealing of clues

• Less people per team• More Prizes• Candy• Less running, more

relaxed• Free food

Amazing Race: CHANGES

• Double check official student life policies• Clues• Games • Prizes

Making Connections: Strategies to Personalize the First Year College

Student Experience

Presented by:

Stephanie M. Henderson

Electronic Services Librarian

Eckerd College Library,

St. Petersburg, FL

Plagiarism Tutorial: NEED

• Required assignment for all new students• New tutorial• Support Academic Honor Council

Plagiarism Tutorial: ROAD BLOCKS

• Time• Staffing• Software

Plagiarism Tutorial: SOLUTIONS

• Open source• Minimal revision• Easily customizable

Preventing Plagiarism: Keepin’ It Real

96% completion rate (502 students)!

Suggestions

• Outline your needs before• Utilize Google Docs• Don’t reinvent the wheel

Unexpected Benefits

• Used by Academic Honor Council • Required for new PEL students

Achievements• Enhanced library image on campus• Increased collaboration with faculty and campus community• Ability to partner and support campus initiatives• Increased engagement of our first year students

Making Connections: Strategies to Personalize the First Year College Student Experience

Questions?

Alyssa Koclaneskoclanan@eckerd.edu

Lakeisha Hall halll@eckerd.edu

Stephanie M. Hendersonhendersm@eckerd.edu

Kim Copenhaver copenhka@eckerd.edu

HTTP://ECKERD.EDU/LIBRARY