International Students and COVID-19: The Initial Response from the Penn State Libraries

Mattson, Mark; Reed, Emily; Raish, Victoria

doi:10.1353/pla.2021.0008

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Many of the services mentioned by the libraries in this study can also be offered remotely and online, which allows the library to remain more or less visibly operational to students even if the doors are not physically open. Libraries with personal librarian programs have already worked to make this shift in their programs in effort to make sure their students feel welcome while the library space is largely inaccessible [ 8 , 19 ], including the health sciences library at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine [ 13 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personal librarian programs in medical and academic health sciences libraries: a preliminary study

Williams

2022

jmla

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Objective: This preliminary study examined how personal librarian programs are implemented within medical and academic health sciences libraries. Increasing awareness of these programs and how they are implemented could create a larger and more accessible knowledge base for establishing best practices that similar libraries can look to when creating their own programs. Methods: To characterize existing programs, a twenty-two-item survey was sent to MEDLIB-L, AAHSL-ALL, ARCL-HSIG, and PSS-Lists email listservs in October 2018 to reach a broad audience of medical and academic health sciences librarians. Survey responses were analyzed using Qualtrics and Excel. Results: Of the 2,882 potential email recipients, 49 survey sessions were recorded, and a total of 38 survey sessions were completed (1.3% response rate). Of the 38 completed responses, representatives of 12 libraries (31.5%) reported that a personal librarian program had been implemented at their institution. For implementation, eight libraries involved 1–5 librarians, and four involved 6–10. Librarians were assigned 50–100 (n=6), 101–150 (n=1), or 151 or more (n=1) students each. The identified programs served medical students (n=11), nursing students (n=7), health professions students (n=7), dental students (n=2), and students in other fields (n=4). Services provided and communication methods were also identified. Conclusions: The personal librarian programs identified by the survey were uniquely structured to best meet the needs of their users, though similarities in implementation existed across institutions. Medical and academic health sciences libraries can look to these libraries as practical examples when starting their own personal library programs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personal librarian programs in medical and academic health sciences libraries: a preliminary study

Williams

2022

jmla

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“…Immigration and Customs Enforcement increased restrictions on international students, causing many to experience deportation scares, housing insecurity, increased mental duress, and limited access to technology across multiple time zones. 26 Many domestic students required additional technology support to access their course materials online, which brought a spike in laptop lending in many libraries. 27 Distribution of laptops funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 helped some college campuses, but the digital divide continued to grow as many lending programs remained underfunded.…”

Section: Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…work and to reimagine on-site services. 45 Staff made strategic decisions, solved problems, reconfigured workflows, and demonstrated adaptability and flexibility in finding solutions and meeting the needs of their larger organizations. 46 For some, empowerment in decision-making built organizational trust and engendered resiliency and confidence under difficult circumstances.…”

Section: Staffingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decision-Making by and for Academic Libraries during COVID-19

Fitzgerald¹,

Hutton²,

Reznik-Zellen³

et al. 2023

portal

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Academic libraries are fundamental in promoting equitable access to education but are often overlooked and underfunded. The COVID-19 pandemic amplified these inequities. This study investigates how 39 library deans and directors perceived decision-making by university administration during COVID-19's onset. Open-ended survey questions were sent to deans and directors asking them to describe their experiences working with university administration to adjust library services during the crisis. Some library leaders reported that working closely with other departments strengthened their campus connections. Others commented that disagreement between library personnel and university administration caused discord. Some deans and directors were forced to cut staff funding or felt pressured to reopen, while others were trusted to choose their budget and service priorities. The authors recommend that library leaders be more consistently relied upon for their expertise during university decision-making.

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