The Library as a client in enhancing student industry-oriented learning

Mentoring the students

       Getting started

• Each of the 3 students was assigned one of the 3 chosen themes whose resources were to be promoted.
• The students were introduced to the library and there after a meeting to discuss the project brief was arranged with each students. 

• In the initial meeting - the library team met with the 3 students individually, this was a "get to know each other meeting" where:
  • We explained our requirements,
  • Discussed the themes and deadlines,
  • Provided information about Library social media platforms and the TU Dublin(wide) branding guidelines. 
  • The library also provided samples of previous campaigns.  

• Following the meeting, we provided students with a brief document ‘Social media and branding for students’ (this outlined who the audience is, what social media channels are used, what message we want to convey, what hashtags can be used, etc. and we provided the students with the TU Dublin Brand Toolkit (this gave them access to the institutional colour scheme/fonts, brand identity, etc.)

Settling into the project

• Students were offered tutorials on how best to identify resources pertinent to their assigned theme.

• 2 of the students availed of this offer and they met with the Faculty of Business Librarian for a 1 hour tutorial.  

• This focused on how best to identify appropriate resources from the library and how to evaluate them in line with the task at hand. 

• The 3rd student who opted out of the tutorials was nevertheless emailed information that would have been covered in the tutorial.  

Getting on with it

• Students submitted their Project Plan for approval by the library services and subsequently, by their supervisor. This was a crucial part of the project as it was possible to assess if students had understood our requirements as clients and what ideas they had for the final submissions. Students had to meet the requirements of their module’s brief as well as the library requirements. We engaged with students to guide them in adjusting their Project Plan. One of the main issues was to get students to focus on the main requirement of our brief: to promote library resources under the chosen.  

• Following on from the project plan, the students submitted a more detailed step by step outline of the project. Again, this was a time for feedback and small adjustments to keep students focused on the main requirements.  

Checks and balances

• Students were guaranteed ongoing support. The library team had periodical meetings with the students to check on progress and provide further guidelines. This ensured that things were going to plan and deadlines were being met right up to the finishing line.

• Unfortunately, 1 student dropped off the radar so only 2 students carried on with the project until the end. Efforts we made to reach out the the student who had fallen by the wayside, unfortunately they couldn't continue.