By Rachel Jacobi, News Editor
The Yeshiva University Personal Librarian Program provides each incoming Stern and Yeshiva College student with a librarian by assignment to act as their mentor. Personal Librarians (PLs) work on an individual basis with students to assist or guide research. The PL program is said to be valuable in helping students find and identify relevant print and digital resources, cite or integrate sources, and locate materials in libraries beyond the ones students find themselves in, including non-YU libraries.
While this program has been in use for the last two years, focusing on assisting and mentoring honor students with their theses, this year the YU librarians have decided that the resources for the PL program would be better utilized if directed at first-year students. Previously, all honors students had access to this program, but now, although honor students can still request assistance from librarians, personal librarians will no longer be assigned to them.
This year, all first-year students will benefit from the PL program. The objective is for students to initiate a relationship with their PL when they first come onto campus. Then, when they are assigned intensive research as upperclassmen, they already have an existing relationship with a librarian in place, with a framework to build off of. Wendy Kosakoff, the Public Services and Outreach Librarian at the Pollack Library, says that the program’s new goal is for freshmen to understand that the library not only has books, but people who want to help them.
A PL program for first-year students is a popular program amongst many schools and universities and has been met with success. According to Kasakoff, research has shown that a relationship with a librarian over a student’s college career impacts the overall success of the student.
This PL program can be accessed on both undergraduate campuses, at the Hedi Steinberg and Pollack libraries. Appointments can be made by first-years online, via email, or by walk-in.
Photo Source: Yeshiva University