Research Article: “Beyond Books: The Extended Academic Benefits of Library Use for First-Year College Students” (Preprint)

The following approved for publication research article is scheduled for final publication in the January 1, 2017 issue of College and Research Libraries (C&RL).
Title

Beyond Books: The Extended Academic Benefits of Library Use for First-Year College Students

Authors
Krista M. Soria
University of Minnesota
Jan Fransen
University of Minnesota
Shane Nackerud
University of Minnesota
Source
via C&RL Website
Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether there are relationships between first-year college students’ use of academic libraries and four academic outcomes: academic engagement, engagement in scholarly activities, academic skills development, and grade point average.
The results of regression analyses suggest students’ use of books (collection loans, ebooks, and inter-library loans) and web-based services (database, journal, and library website log-ins) had the most positive and significant relationships with academic outcomes.
Students’ use of reference services was positively associated with their academic engagement and academic skills while enrollment in library courses was positively associated with grade point averages.

Direct to Full Text Article (27 pages; PDF; Preprint)

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