macsoa2026columbus

Academic archivists and librarians dedicate significant time, energy, and resources to outreach programming with the goal of encouraging students to visit, donate to, and use campus archives. A*CENSUS II reports that external outreach is a primary job duty for 17 percent of those working in archives. Yet, the literature consistently shows that student awareness of archives is low, which means that students are highly unlikely to engage with archives as researchers or donors. Because college and university students are at a point in their studies when they develop critical thinking skills through more intense research, academic archives are a prime entry point for students to familiarize themselves with the essential evidence of our societies and our cultures. So, what forms of outreach will not only catch the attention of our students, but also promote collaboration and foster a sense of belonging in the archives?

This IMLS-funded study aimed to fill a gap in the literature by developing a data-driven, cost-effective, best-practice model for student-centered outreach in academic archives. To achieve this goal, we conducted a series of focus groups in 2025 that brought together undergraduate and graduate students, academic library and archives practitioners, and faculty from across the country to discuss major themes of outreach, awareness, and engagement and make suggestions for improving existing outreach programming. We gained valuable insight into how students perceive the archives, how they could see themselves engaging as researchers or donors, and how practitioners and faculty members might best encourage meaningful student engagement with the archives. Our presentation will discuss highlights of our data, share our initial model for student-centered outreach, and offer insight into how the model can be implemented at a range of institutions with diverse populations, varying resources, and unique outreach goals.

Speakers
Bryan Whitledge, Central Michigan University (Session Chair)
Brittany Newberry, Georgia State University