This post came from the Aestiva Solutions quarterly newsletter, the Campfire. To subscribe, click here.
Since 2019, Aestiva Solutions has pursued its motto of helping academic libraries make a big impact. One of our newest ways of creating impact was a recent study which asked “What are the characteristics of academic libraries at schools with high retention rates?”
In Spring 2022 we created a 19 question survey on library services and staffing which we sent to 226 US Great Lakes region library deans and directors. We connected these survey results with ACRL and IPEDS data about each school, including their retention rates, and then used statistical measures to calculate association and correlation. You can read the results of our research in the September 2024 issue of Evidence Based Library and Information Practice under Finding the Holy Grail of Library Value: Characteristics of Academic Libraries at Universities with High Retention Rates.
Our study found six attributes of student connections with library staff and with unique local collections that were associated with statistically significant differences in retention rates and institutions. These attributes were institutions who: used students as archives student workers, used students to staff reference desks, conducted multiple library instruction sessions with the same class, had a staffed archive or special collection space, had an institutional repository that included student work, or had an Instagram account.
Having evidenced-based information about library value is critical in our current working environments. How are you incorporating these methods to communicate to your stakeholders your library’s value? Consider partnering with Aestiva Solutions! We can evaluate your local needs and determine if developing a local study, comparing peer school metrics, or just compiling existing published research fits your current needs. As seasoned library researchers, we can assist with a wide range of research projects and communication messaging.
Ruth and Eric