Undergraduate Research and the Academic Librarian: Case Studies and Best Practices

In the spirit of recent American Library Association publications, this one from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) covers a wide variety of case studies on successful library undergraduate research programs at higher education institutions large and small. Undergraduate research is one of the high-impact practices identified by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and this collection illustrates how librarians engage with students in such a pursuit. Its strength is in its broad scope, as editors Hensley (instructional svcs. librarian & assistant professor, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) and Davis-Kahl (scholarly communications librarian, Illinois Wesleyan Univ.) point to successful programs that have taken place over many years at large research institutions, such as Indiana University, where adaptability of software and work processes allowed the library to play a central role in conference planning for undergraduate researchers. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the highly successful thesis writers' bootcamp at Dartmouth College, which strives to tap existing resources by leveraging campus partnerships to meet very specific user needs. Each chapter features an introduction, background, partnerships, reflection, assessment, best practices, and conclusion sections.