From At-Risk to At-Promise: Academic Libraries Supporting Student Success

Academic library workers will learn how to collaborate with staff in academic advising and student services to improve undergraduate student belonging, retention rates, and graduation rates for at-promise students. As the demographics of student populations change, many students require additional or different support to be successful in their college careers. Meanwhile, higher education is under pressure to reduce budgets and serve more students within certain areas of the university, including the library, academic advising, and other student services. Academic librarians and student success administrators can collaborate to create additional pathways for students who struggle to succeed. Authors Vecchione and McGraw provide a roadmap for library employees and student success administrators to initiate and develop discussions on college campuses to define and address these emergent student needs. Through a selection of case studies and historical context, readers will learn how to define what student success looks like and how to design custom services to address student barriers to that success. Library employees and student success professionals both serve students at the margins. These readers will acquire skills to enhance student success initiatives and strengthen collaborations with one another. Identify the barriers that limit undergraduate students' success in higher education Develop a plan for collaboration and partnership between library workers and student success administrators at any institution Obtain deeper knowledge and understanding regarding the history of student success and existing support structures at universities Understand the changing nature of higher education and how the system has perpetuated privileges, hegemonic knowledge, awareness, and skills