Libraries and Student Success

Libraries play pivotal role in a student's success in their studies. Libraries can help students find the materials  they need. They can encourage a student to find a love of reading and knowledge. They can offer workshops and tutoring to help improve a student's skills in a particular subject. The resources at libraries seem to be endless and contribute much more to a student's success that we give them credit for. This journal focuses on the importance of the collection development and how having a quality collection can help a student be successful.

Non-fiction graphic novels provide an update resource for the student to use. While more and more libraries are increasing the amount of non-fiction books in their collection, the illustrations or photos used in non-fiction graphic novels provide a way for visually inclined learners to better absorb the information. Incorporating illustrations into non-fiction provides the ability to reach a difficult demographic and make a resource more appealing.

Biographies with photos of the subject or the subject's profession provide a visual insight into that person's life. It can make the student more aware of the real possibilities of following a similar path. Pictures of a scientist doing research in a lab or in the field with animals, or of an architect drawing a new building, or an astronaut blasting off into space, can take a curiosity and help it grow into an inspiration for continued reading and possible career choices. This can also inspire a love of reading for pleasure rather than only reading non-fiction or biographies when a report at school is due.

Fiction and fictional graphic novels based on subjects like science, or history, can provide important school curriculum subjects without the students even realizing. This may seem like some sort of trickery, but unfortunately the love of reading for pleasure is not instilled in everyone for a myriad of reasons. Finding ways to incorporate non-fictional subjects into materials that students are actually reading for pleasure, provides a solid foundation for students' success within the library.

The video above shows how important collections are at the world's largest library, The Library of Congress.

Works Cited

Fleishhacker, Joy. “Collection Development. Stocking Library Shelves for Student Success: Motivating Readers through Science-Focused Fun.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 45, no. 4, Jan. 2017, pp. 24–31. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1136314&site=ehost-live&scope=site.