One Workshop, Many Locations: Meeting the Needs of Both On-Campus and Distance Students

The diverse needs of graduate students can be difficult to gauge, and even when their needs are known, it can be difficult to develop programming that meets the needs of graduate students across disciplines and program levels. In spring 2018, a needs assessment survey was conducted by the graduate librarian at a large, comprehensive public university with graduate students at multiple campus locations. Based on respondents’ articulated needs for additional help in data management, research skills, scholarly publishing, and citation management, a workshop series, Research Tools for Graduate Students, was launched in fall 2019. The series sought to provide graduate students with a foundation in disciplinary research skills, data management, citation management, scholarly publishing, open educational resources, and copyright and fair use. In addition to teaching workshops based upon her areas of expertise, the graduate librarian recruited others from across her library to teach sessions. The workshops were offered both in-person and simultaneously online via web conferencing software during the first two months of the semester. While attendance at the workshops was low compared to the number of graduate students at the institution, virtual attendance often surpassed in-person attendance and student feedback was generally positive.

This presentation will explore the development of the workshop series, including how it built on and integrated with other outreach and instruction efforts for graduate students and sought to reach both on-campus and distance students at the same time. The presenter will share lessons learned, logistical considerations, and unexpected benefits of the series’ development.