Comments on: Bring “Helicopter Parents” In For A Landing @ Your Library http://acrlog.org/2006/03/31/bring-helicopter-parents-in-for-a-landing-your-library/ Blogging by and for academic and research librarians Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:17:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Robert Sebek http://acrlog.org/2006/03/31/bring-helicopter-parents-in-for-a-landing-your-library/comment-page-1/#comment-5055 Robert Sebek Wed, 24 May 2006 15:14:41 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2006/03/31/bring-helicopter-parents-in-for-a-landing-your-library/#comment-5055 We staff a booth during our freshman orientation session where we see mostly parents. Students who arrive very early in the morning may have time to visit the various booths sponsored by departments and clubs, but most do not finish their first day activities before their first group session begins. Knowing we're dealing with parents, we've developed handouts and displays that answer their common questions--and that they will hopefully pass on to their students. Common questions: How will my student learn about the library? Can my student get a job in the library? Where can my student study? AND THE BIG ONE: What can I access from home? While many of our resources are restricted to current students, faculty and staff, we do provide a short list of open resources so parents will feel like they are getting their money's worth. This is also a great opportunity to remind them of the wealth of resources their public library provides. Finally, we also have a display of pictures of group study rooms and new computer equipment that was funded by the Parents' Fund (a Development Office program that distributes money around campus). So at least we have a hint of our development possibilities (i.e. you can give money to someone other than the Athletics Dept) We staff a booth during our freshman orientation session where we see mostly parents. Students who arrive very early in the morning may have time to visit the various booths sponsored by departments and clubs, but most do not finish their first day activities before their first group session begins.

Knowing we’re dealing with parents, we’ve developed handouts and displays that answer their common questions–and that they will hopefully pass on to their students.

Common questions: How will my student learn about the library? Can my student get a job in the library? Where can my student study? AND THE BIG ONE: What can I access from home? While many of our resources are restricted to current students, faculty and staff, we do provide a short list of open resources so parents will feel like they are getting their money’s worth. This is also a great opportunity to remind them of the wealth of resources their public library provides.

Finally, we also have a display of pictures of group study rooms and new computer equipment that was funded by the Parents’ Fund (a Development Office program that distributes money around campus). So at least we have a hint of our development possibilities (i.e. you can give money to someone other than the Athletics Dept)

]]> By: Steve Lawson http://acrlog.org/2006/03/31/bring-helicopter-parents-in-for-a-landing-your-library/comment-page-1/#comment-1097 Steve Lawson Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:31:37 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2006/03/31/bring-helicopter-parents-in-for-a-landing-your-library/#comment-1097 Scott, I had connected the same dots between the item in the Chronicle and the information from the Blended Librarian webcast that students consult their parents on research assignments (when I was in college, I think I only consulted my parents about when they were sending me more money. But I digress.). I would love to reach out more to parents, and at the small liberal arts college where I work, I bet it would have a good chance of producing some positive results. I hope that others who have tried "parental outreach" will tell us about their efforts here in the comments. Scott, I had connected the same dots between the item in the Chronicle and the information from the Blended Librarian webcast that students consult their parents on research assignments (when I was in college, I think I only consulted my parents about when they were sending me more money. But I digress.).

I would love to reach out more to parents, and at the small liberal arts college where I work, I bet it would have a good chance of producing some positive results.

I hope that others who have tried “parental outreach” will tell us about their efforts here in the comments.

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