Fostering Student Success: Academic, Social, and Financial Initiatives. Sigrid Kelsey, ed. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions, 2022. 208 pp. Paperback, $59.99, (978-0-8389-3829-4)

Abstract

As a Student Success Librarian, I am heartened to see this book and its focus on the many ways that libraries can help college students succeed in an academic environment radically altered by current events such as “the pandemic, racial justice movements, and changing student demographics” (p. ix). As noted in the introduction, Fostering Student Success focuses on how college and university librarians can support students academically, socially, and financially. Vulnerable student groups are the focus of many of the chapters—that is, students who may have challenges such as racism, childcare difficulties, financial problems, or other barriers to overcome. These vulnerable populations, according to the American College Health Association, include Black, Latinx, Native American and First Nation, Asian American, first-generation low-income, LGBTQ+, international students, unauthorized students, disabled students, and any number of intersectional groups. These students have been identified as being especially affected by the pandemic (pp. ix–x).