Abstract
This study investigates the library experiences of transfer students at an urban commuter campus in the United States with approximately 20,000 students, 8,500 of whom previously attended another institution. Using a mixed methods approach, we surveyed and interviewed transfer students to gain a better understanding of their use of libraries and their comfort with locating information both before and after transferring between post-secondary institutions. Our findings indicate that there is not a standard “transfer student experience,” although usage of library resources at past institutions does affect students’ perceptions. Subsequently, librarians should develop outreach efforts and information literacy instruction that go beyond first-year students and acknowledge the research skills transfer students bring with them.
Highlights
Introduction and Literature ReviewTransfer students are a large and important part of higher education, with Shapiro, Dundar, Wakhungu, Yuan, and Harrell (2015) finding that over one-third of college and university students in the United States (U.S.) transferred from one post-secondary institution to another between 2008 and 2014. Tag (2004) surveyed transfer students and makes a strong case for libraries to reach out to this population
Analysis of data from the Office of Institutional Research indicated that the mean number of credit hours with which students transferred to MSU Denver is 45.2, with a standard deviation of 26.8
Learning that more students transfer to MSU Denver from other four-year institutions (44%), rather than mainly community colleges (41%), calls into question how much of the recent literature addressing library services to transfer students applies to our campus
Summary
Introduction and Literature ReviewTransfer students are a large and important part of higher education, with Shapiro, Dundar, Wakhungu, Yuan, and Harrell (2015) finding that over one-third of college and university students in the United States (U.S.) transferred from one post-secondary institution to another between 2008 and 2014. Tag (2004) surveyed transfer students and makes a strong case for libraries to reach out to this population. Likewise, Phillips and Atwood (2010) consulted with several dozen librarians and argue that academic libraries must acknowledge their transfer student populations and address their unique needs, such as raising awareness of support services on campus. While academic libraries seek to support all students within higher education, the research surrounding library services actively engaging with transfer students is fairly limited. Identifying and meeting all of those needs can be difficult, with some studies, which researched transfer students outside of the frame of the library, recommending that transfer students be considered like other underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and first-generation students (Kraemer, Keyse, & Lombardo, 2003; Lafrance & Kealey, 2017; Switzer, 2008)
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