Enriching the Academic Experience: the Library and Experiential Learning at Middle Tennessee State University William Black, Christy Groves and Amy York, Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University adopted its experiential learning program as part of the 2006 academic accreditation process. Experiential learning (EXL) merges classroom teaching with the work environment to enhance the overall educational experience. Through EXL, students, faculty and external organizations collaborate to strengthen learning. The James E. Walker Library has taken a proactive program approach to EXL @ MTSU, through the creation of partnerships with instructional faculty and student groups. Through these partnerships, members of the library faculty have been engaged in a number of entrepreneurial activities to enhance student education and involve the library more directly in the university’s mission to develop educated men and women. We propose to talk about some of the library’s entrepreneurial partnerships that enhance learning through experience. These programs include initiatives such as the Student Art Partnership which offers the Library as a learning site for art installations that raise student awareness, the Printing Press Project which brings the library’s locally crafted 18th century reproduction printing press into university and county K-12 classrooms, and the Assessment Project which utilizes skills of Management & Marketing and Anthropology students to evaluate library effectiveness across campus. We will discuss a representative sample of EXL partnerships at MTSU, describe the activities and outcomes, and assess how, by thinking entrepreneurially, the programs have strengthened the library’s relationship with students and brought the library more fully into the educational process. William Black is a Professor & the Administrative Services Librarian Christy Groves is an Assistant Professor & the Coordinator of User Services Amy York is an Assistant Professor & the Distance Education Librarian

1. Enriching the Academic Experience
The Library and Experiential Learning
William Black
Christy Groves
Amy York
Middle Tennessee State University
INSPIRATION, INNOVATION, CELEBRATION
an entrepreneurial conference for librarians
June 3 & 4, 2009

2. Introduction and Overview
 Define EXL
 EXL @ MTSU
 EXL experiences @ MTSU Walker Library
 EXL formal class
 EXL as a new role for libraries

3. Several EXL Definitions
 Internships
 Cooperative Education
 Undergraduate Research
 Study Abroad
 Service Learning
 Leadership Development
 Student Teaching

4. EXL @ MTSU
“that learning process that takes place beyond the traditional classroom
and that enhances the personal and intellectual growth of the student. This
education can occur in a wide variety of settings, but it usually takes on a
‘learn-by-doing’ aspect that engages the student directly in the
subject, work or service involved.”
-- Experiential Education in the College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern
University, 1997.

5. EXL @ MTSU
 Develop an experience-based knowledge & apply theories to practical problems
 Create connections between experience and discipline
 Cultivate good citizenship through contributions to community
 Develop as individuals -- understand needs of others, cultural awareness, and
appreciation of differences
 Develop & demonstrate managerial & leadership & research skills
 American Democracy Project, McNair Scholars

6. MTSU EXL Requirements
 18 hours of EXL classes
 At least one external activity – a research project requiring interaction external
to the department or university
 Internal service component – leadership role in campus sponsored charitable
activity, volunteer with campus office, or campus leader
 Completion of an E-Portfolio (a Web site created by the student showing
learning outcomes during the EXL Scholars Program experience)
 Participation in assessment activities

7. EXL Benefits to Faculty
 Participating in the EXL Program at MTSU can provide valuable opportunities to:
 Keep abreast of changing needs in industry
 Interact with professionals in the field
 Become familiar with employers
 Evaluate classroom instruction in relation to students’ preparation for employment
 Explore new possibilities for working relationships
 Explore new possibilities for public service

8. EXL Experiences @ Walker Library
 Library as Partner: Revisioning the Library
 Marketing students and survey
 Anthropology students and focus groups
 Art students and paper projects
 Library as Leader
 Spring 2009 EXL 2010: Revisioning Walker Library
 Library as Lab
 Anthropology and Garbology
 Printing Press Project

9. Library as Partner

10. Revisioning the Walker Library
 Assessing the Library’s Role
 Evaluating Performance
 Structuring the Partnership
 Goals
 Outcomes

11. Revisioning the Walker Library
Focus Questions
 What Activities can be stopped?
 How could continuing activities use less resources?
 What changes could be made to improve efficiency?
 What new services/activities could be provided to faculty and students to
improve the library’s relevance to the campus?
 What relationships with other campus units should be established or
expanded in order to improve library’s relevance to the campus?

12. Marketing Initiative
 Purpose
 Explore why students come to the library
 Determine how often they would come if certain
changes were made
 Discover ways that could student use of the
library
 Methodology
 Paper & pencil survey handed out and
completed in classes
(869 responses)
 Restricted choice questions
 Margin of error = +/- 3.3%
 Data entered into computer & compiled

13. Marketing Initiative
 Results
 Students primarily come to the library to
a) use computers
b) meet with study groups
c) do research for a class
 Students would come more often or stay longer if the library had
a) more computers
b) increased open seating, more comfortable seating
c) the ability to reserve meeting rooms
d) longer hours, particularly 24 hour access during exams
e) the ability to bring food & drink into the building

14. Marketing Initiative
 What we learned:
 Collaboration has value
 Population counts

15. Anthropology Project
 Three overriding questions:
 How do students conduct research for class assignments?
 Do students use the library during the research process and
 What are student perceptions of the library?
 Focus Group Discussion Issues:
How students conduct research
 Who students consult about research
 If and how students use the MTSU library
 Student awareness of library resources and services
 Student satisfaction with library resources and services

16. Anthropology Project
 Methodology
 Student researchers solicited participants
 The Library provided food for Summer focus groups
 Researchers took notes and transcribed audio sessions
 Discussion questions developed as a group with anthropology instructor

17. Anthropology Project
 Research Outputs
 Written field reports
 Oral presentation
 Typed transcripts
 Summary of findings by instructor

18. a
Anthropology Project
 Assessment
 Review of focus group transcripts
 Assignment of identifiers
 Identification of common themes

19. Anthropology Project
 We learned about why students use the library:
 Use computers, study alone or with a group, do research
for a class, find books and articles
 How they do research:
 Internet (Google, Wikipedia, Amazon), book and article
research, database preferences
 Who they contact
 Classmates, friends in major, students who have taken
same class, instructor, reference desk, Jesus

20. Anthropology Project
 Application of Research Results
 Question Tent – Fall 2008
 More laptops and increased laptop checkout period
 Circulation limits increased
 Food and drink policy changed

21. Anthropology Project
 Drawbacks of Partnership – Library
Diminished control
Reliance on inexperienced researchers
Increased visibility = increased accountability

22. Anthropology Project
 LESSONS
 Clear research questions
 Preliminary education
 Deeper discussion about project goals
 Realistic timeline
 Increased involvement
Anthropology Project information from K. West & S. Mangrum
Walker Library, MTSU

24. Art Studen
Amy
Spring 2008 – Paper Rewind

26. Library as Leader

27. EXL 2010: Service Learning Practicum
Revisioning The Walker Library
What is it?
A class in the library where you do a project, learn skills, get practical experience
Why take a course in the Library?
Earn 1 hour class credit
Get research and analysis skills
Flexible class schedule
Class meets on campus and online
Work with other students and individually
What will I be doing?
Review what services the Walker Library currently offers
Review library services offered at other institutions
Lead research projects to assess library services and facilities
Recommend practical changes to services offered to the MTSU community

28. EXL 2010: Revisioning the Walker Library
Spring 2009
 PLAN A: Student Advisory Board
 Class credit = participation
 Brainstorming new services; helping with events; administering
surveys
 Regular meetings
ENROLLMENT = 5 students 4 students 3 students
 PLAN B: single research project and discussion questions
 Meet online (in D2L)
 Students work independently and together online
 Answer “reflection” questions about library usage/preferences (e.g.,
noise levels, food and drink policy, personal study habits and
library)

29. EXL 2010 Research Project
Space Utilization Study*
Methods:
 10 days of observation: M-F and M-F
 4 times per day (except Friday): 10 am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm
 Record occupation of open seating, computers, and group study rooms
 Library is divided into zones for observations
Goals:
 Determine most popular seating choices: carrels, tables, or soft chairs
 Identify most popular “zones” in the library
 Determine peak computer and group study usage times
Student participation:
 Help design study parameters and observation sheets
 Record observations
 Analyze data
* Modeled after Xia, Jingfeng (2005). Visualizing occupancy of library study space with GIS maps.
New Library World 106: 5/6. pp. 219-233.

30. Library as Lab

31. Anthropology and Garbology
A Material Culture Investigation of the James E.
Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State
University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee by
Owenby and Cavlovic
In this paper we will explore the material culture left behind by
people using the James E. Walker Library on the Middle
Tennessee State University campus. We will do this by
examining the trash left behind by students and faculty in the
library study rooms, student break rooms, faculty break
room, and the Starbucks in the library. We will reveal our
expectations, methodologies, what we found, and
interpretations of these findings. We will also include a critique
of our methodologies and recommendations for future projects
of this genre.

32. Printing Press Project
The journey of reading
begins with the act of
printing
 Back to the future
 Collaboration
 Construction Partners
 Funding Partners

33. Support
 MTSU Foundation
 Local Donor
 Private Foundation
 Friends of the Press

34. PROJECT GOALS
 Enhance the educational
experience
 Serve as a cultural resource
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
 Partnerships with county middle
and high schools
 Community workshops
 Visiting artist program

35. EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES
 County Schools
 MTSU Classes
 Community Outreach

36. EXL and Libraries

37. Pros:
Free work
Part of larger academic community
Library takes active role in learning
Students have active role in library services
Sets up new role for libraries
Cons:
Results may be less than perfect
Can be a lot of work for librarians
Are you ready to accept student ideas? And follow up?
Grades

38. 
Cultivating Partnerships
Create list of library needs
Tap your friends in academic departments
Contact EXL or Service Learning Office
Get to know the curriculum (senior capstone project?)
Go to student exhibits, scholars day, senior showcases
Use web 2.0 to invite feedback/projects (blogs, twitter, facebook, wikis)
Exhibit some radical (or moderate) trust

39. Mystery Pillows
 Class assignment
 Pillows highly used by students
 Students created this on their own
 Several pillows disappeared....

40. Keys to the Entrepreneurial Spirit
 Expect success
 Be willing to try
 Find a nucleus of support
 Dedicate to the task
 Learn from others
 Snatch success from failure
 Culture of experimentation

41. Other Examples
 Marketing/advertising
 CSU San Marcos: library marketing plan1
 Texas A&M: advertise e-books2
 Illinois Wesleyan: promote reference services3
 Database instruction (English students)
 Hampton University: created database guides4
 Eastern Washington University: Refworks workshops5
 Ergonomics
 Cornell University: library signage and workstation design6

42. ENDNOTES
References
1. Meulemans, Yvonne Nalani and Ann Manning Fiegen. (2006). Using business student
consultants to benchmark and develop a library marketing plan. Journal of Business
and Finance Librarianship. 11(3), 19-31.
2. McGeachin, Robert B. and Diana Ramirez. (2005). Collaborating with students to
develop an advertising campaign. College & Undergraduate Libraries. 12(1), 139-152.
3. Duke, Lynda M., Jean B. MacDonald, and Carrie S. Trimble. (2009). Collaboration
between marketing students and the library: an experiential learning project to
promote reference services. College and Research Libraries. 70(2), 110-121.
4. Rhodes, Naomi J. and Judith M. Davis. (2001). Using service learning to get positive
reactions in the library. Computers in Libraries. 21(1), 32-35.
5. Meyer, Nadean J. and Ielleen R. Miller. (2008). The library as a service-learning
partner: a win-win collaboration with students and faculty. College & Undergraduate
Libraries. 15(4), 399-413.
6. Library ergonomics. Cornell University Ergonomics Web. Retrieved May
28, 2009, from http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/AHProjects/Library/libraryprojects.html.
7. Katula, Richard and Elizabeth Threnhauser.. (1999). Experiential education in the
undergraduate curriculum. Communication Education. 48, 238-255.