Faculty/Student Research Collaboration

Enhancing LIS Student Learning and Creating Opportunities

Abstract

This poster discusses the collaboration between LIS faculty and a second generation of research assistants on an IMLS-funded multi-year research project on health and wellness programming and partnerships by small and rural public libraries. Student research assistants enrolled in an asynchronous master’s program in LIS contributed to the project in myriad ways including serving as junior partners in the collection, coding, and analysis of qualitative data. The collaborative team environment encouraged their full participation and valued the experience, knowledge, and, especially questions they brought to the table. The research was significantly enriched by student participation and they, in turn, found it complemented classroom learning while also deepening their understanding of key aspects of public library work. The poster identifies and discusses student learning, professional and pedagogical opportunities, and lessons learned from this type of collaboration from three points of view: first, each of the two master’s students (Wilhelme and Miranda) who joined the research team in the final year of the project and second, LIS faculty (D’Arpa).