Complexities of Demonstrating Library Value: An Exploratory Study of Research Consultations

As academic libraries explore their connection to student success and how library staff spend their time, it is important to understand how research consultations influence academic achievement. Several studies have found correlations between various measures of library use and grade point averages (GPAs), but only limited research has investigated the impact on student success of lengthy research consultations with a librarian. This exploratory study attempted to compare consultation users with the overall student body. Due to a small sample size, only descriptive statistics were obtained. Thus, this study also focuses on the methodological challenges of conducting student success studies in academic libraries, including the concerns associated with learning analytics, participant recruitment, sampling, and buy-in from library faculty and staff.