The document summarizes the establishment of a student peer advisor project in the Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick. It describes how the project was initiated to address orientation challenges like misinformation, confusion and reduced library staff. Peer advisors were hired and trained to give library tours and help new students with tasks like using the self-checkout machines and finding materials. Statistics showed that peer advisors most commonly assisted students with self-checkout, locating materials, and directional questions. Feedback from students indicated that the peer advisors helped reduce their overwhelming sense of being lost and helped them complete basic tasks. The project has been successful and organizers hope to continue funding it going forward.

1. - benefits and challenges
Donna Ó Doibhlin
University of Limerick
donna.odoibhlin@ul.ie
Establishing a student peer
advisors’ project in the
Glucksman Library

2. In the beginning . . .
 University Orientation Committee.
 100s of daily campus tours – during
orientation /fresher's week.
 Delivered by 3rd/4th yr students.
 Library tours – noisy, brief, sometimes
non-existent.
 Resulting in - disorientated and panicking
students by 3/4 week of term.

3. Will the 300 groups of students
taking library tours cause a
disturbance?

4. Background to project:
- Orientation challenges
 Misinformation
 Confusion
 Reduced library staff
 Queues
 Noise pollution
 New self-issue machine

5. Library staff recognise the need for
urgent changes – content and
format
 Information services staff already support
tour guides.
 New technology – need to advise students
how to use it.
 But shrinking IS staff numbers . . .
 Information Services Librarian - persuaded to
take on management /coordination of LIS
orientation for all new students.

6. Orientation Opportunities?
 Quality improvement funding application
 First seven weeks initiative at UL

8. Plan of action:
 Secured funding to employ Peer Advisors
(PAs) - interview, appoint.
 Employ PAs - negotiate hours.
 Talk to First Seven Weeks project team.
 Advertise (T-shirts, banners, work stands,
query sheets).
 Train PAs - on library use and messages to
impart.

9. PA training included:
 Meet with Librarian responsible for PAs.
 Introduction to reader services duties.
 Meet with ITD to get overview of ITD new
student supports and likely queries.
 Overview of library website and catalogue.
 Familiarisation with library building layout.
 Meet with library staff.
 Information services orientation.

12. PAs in action demonstrating the self-issue
machine

13. . . . In a few short days they have managed to equip
me with the IT and navigation skills to at least get to
lectures, download the necessary reading material . . .
. . a good start to my education.
(Celia Larkin, Irish Independent, 12.09.10)

14. The 2011 recruits

15. The evidence - Breakdown of queries:
 Self-issue – 32.27% in 2010 & 39% in 2011
 Locating library stock – 15.8% in 2010.
 Using library website/E-resources – 16.64%
in 2010.
 ID cards – 6% in 2011.
 ITD query – 13.31% in 2010 & 10% in 2010.
 Directional – 18.2% in 2010 & 20% in 2011.
 Detailed library query – 25% in 2011.
 Library specific services – 13.76% in 2010.

16. What this tells us:
 PAs are appreciated by new students and assist
library staff.
 Perhaps we need to standardise our statistics
gathering– comparing like with like.
 Managing the PAs takes up quite a bit of time.
 We could use the PAs to collect reading lists as
new students enter the library (idea ‘borrowed
from UCG’).
 We need better wifi in the library lobby.
 The self-issue system needs clearer instructions.

17.  Maybe it's the vacant, scared look
on my face, although I like to think
it's the attentiveness of the support
guides . . . . . but whenever I as
much as stall in my tracks a guy in
a red T-shirt comes up to me asking
if he can help. It's not that you can't
go wrong, it's that the system is set
up not to let you go wrong.
(Celia Larkin, Irish Independent, 12.09.10)

18. . . I am a second year (graduate-entry) medical
student and this is going to sound really
melodramatic but I really think I would have lost
my life this time last year only for their (Peer
Advisors) help!
I can only speak for myself, but I was completely
overwhelmed . . . taking out a book, logging onto
a computer, opening files . . I cannot express in
words what it meant to be able to go to someone
who totally understood, did not make me feel bad
for not knowing whatever it was I was trying to do
and always, always solved my problem
(GEMS student, September 2011)
Feedback

19. Where to next?
- The future of the peer advisors project.
 Project template established by
Information Services in 2010.
 Responsibility for PAs has moved to
library administration.
 Hope to secure funding for 2012.
 Reading lists?
 Which mobile technologies do they use?

20. Thank you for your attention . . . .
and patience.
Questions?
Donna Ó Doibhlin
Librarian, Education & Health Sciences, UL
donna.odoibhlin@ul.ie
http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Library/EHS_Portal