Blog

Many college students face challenges that extend beyond the classroom, requiring holistic support that addresses both academic and non-academic needs. “College fluency,” which is the knowledge and a corresponding set of abilities that enable students and staff to effectively locate and use relevant college services, programs, and resources, can help students successfully engage with and self-advocate within the culture and bureaucracy of higher education institutions to achieve their goals. Through our College Fluency Capacity Building research initiative, undertaken with…

What are the challenges faced by first-generation BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) professionals in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field? How do biases, policies, and practices impact their workplace experiences and career advancement? These are critical questions we aim to address through focus groups as part of a new, IMLS-funded research project, and we are now seeking participants to share their valuable insights.  This study, conducted by Africa Hands, assistant professor in…

We’re excited to announce that the Department of Information Science at the University at Buffalo (UB) and Ithaka S+R are collaborating on an IMLS-funded research project to investigate the workplace experiences of first-generation BIPOC professionals in the library and information science (LIS) field. This three-year study will focus on understanding the challenges these professionals face and the cultural assets they bring to navigate and succeed in the workplace. The LIS workforce, like many professional fields, is grappling with…

Through our Maximizing Public-Academic Library Partnerships project funded by ECMC Foundation, Ithaka S+R is investigating different types of cross-sector library partnerships at a national level, with a focus on identifying their strengths and challenges. These partnerships can range from formalized agreements with shared resources to more informal collaborations where public and academic library leaders convene periodically to address their priorities.

We are thrilled to announce that Ithaka S+R in partnership with the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) Library has launched our new, national College Fluency Survey. This survey is a part of a comprehensive, two-and-a-half-year initiative funded by IMLS aimed at understanding how institutions can better support a critical aspect of student success: college fluency—or the knowledge and abilities that enable students to effectively access, utilize, and advocate for needed college services and resources. Through this project we…

The latest federal data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) highlights some of the critical challenges students face outside of the classroom when it comes to basic needs: roughly one in five undergraduate students (23 percent) and one in 10 graduate students (12 percent) are experiencing food insecurity, while 8 percent of undergraduate students and 5 percent of graduate students are experiencing homelessness. For millions of students, the struggle to…

The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) hosts an annual fall virtual conference to bring together faculty, librarians, and student support services personnel to exchange best practices aimed at enhancing student success in community and technical colleges. The conference schedule focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, holistic student supports, and teaching across different modalities. Sessions highlighted insights from faculty and staff across different departments on how to improve students’ educational experiences and equip them for success…