Friends with Benefits: Fostering Community in an Academic Library with a Student Advisory Group

Abstract

Students are a primary part of any academic library’s community of users. However, students’ voices are often left out of the conversation when libraries develop policies, services, and resources. One option for libraries who would like to consider students’ opinions and needs more closely is the formation of a Student Advisory Group (SAG), a group of students who meet with library staff on a regular basis to discuss and provide advice on library policies, resources and strategies. Academic libraries can use SAGs for assistance with communication, collection development, focus group testing, and more. This article explores the logistics of creating, maintaining and assessing a SAG, along with concrete examples from the SAG at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). Student Advisory Groups have the potential to enrich any academic library’s outreach and community-building efforts, and should be considered as an option by any library looking to become more student-centered.