1. The Basic Skills Initiative and Community College Libraries Conference
Diablo Valley College
April 24,2009
Participants were asked the following questions. Their answers appear in the table below.
What is the greatest challenge you face in trying to implement library services to help basic skills students be more
successful? What solution(s) can you brainstorm to overcome that challenge?
Challenges Solutions
Reaching basic skills students and getting them to
believe that library services are important to them.
Collaboration: with other basic skills departments
and with campus faculty directly involved in
developing BSI services and outreaches.
Budget: more basic skills classes; release time for Provide additional locations with computers and projection
faculty to work together; more available computer screen so that workshops could be held for students.
labs on campus for student use.
Personnel with time allotted to create and work Provide substitute librarians to allow full-time librarians time for
with basic skills students and an area set aside for planning and working with students.
this purpose.
Time to develop courses. Use grant money for this purpose.
Incorporating basic skills into our current services
and workload.
Great ideas, willing participants (instructors and
staff). No dedicated time or funding to implement
programs.
Greatest challenge in trying to implement library
services to help basic skills students be more
successful.
Lack of vision/leadership in this area. It’s not really
been on our radar so far as a pressing need.
Getting connected with the students who need Self-assessments: Have students self-assess as to their
more library access skills. information access skills, using “real world kinds of questions.”
Getting the students in the door. Outreach with faculty to help promote the library and
encourage library use through the activities, etc.
Libraries are not seen as essential players in basic
skills by faculty teaching basic skills classes; it’s hard
to get them to bring students in and involve the
library.
The library is seen as peripheral to academics; it’s Integrate library skills with a course such as reading.
regarded as a student service, not curriculum
driven.
Have the time to effectively serve basic skills
students.
Collaboration with other faculty and getting the
buy-in to the critical thinking component in
disciplines, and the importance of library skills.
Have a true information competency component Enlightening the student to know how library skills support their
be part of a basic skills program on our campuses. efforts.
Most see basic skills as only English and math.
Lack of shared definition—some see basic skills Increased communication with faculty and staff marketing the
students as relegated to just particular classes library.
while there are really basic skills students in all
classes.

2. Diablo Valley College Basic Skills and Librarians Conference
Page 2
Staff stressed already. Integrate in regular assignments (drop some other things).
Lack of money or grant to free up the limited Provide support to help launch programs that are innovative in
number of libraries to launch and implement our basic skills instruction.
special topics course that will support the basic
skills courses.