The Community College Library: Reference and Instruction

Community colleges are a cornerstone of higher education and serve the unique needs of the communities in which they reside. In 2019, community colleges accounted for 41 percent of all undergraduate students in the United States.

Community college librarians are engaged in meaningful work designing and delivering library programs and services that meet the needs of their diverse populations and support student learning. The Community College Library series is meant to lift the voices of community college librarians and highlight their creativity, tenacity, and commitment to students.

The Community College Library: Reference and Instruction collects research, programs, and new approaches to reference and instruction implemented by community college librarians around the U.S. Chapters include sample activities and materials and cover topics including using race-centered and trauma-informed practices in the reference interview; incorporating online workshops into an existing information literacy program; and using student-driven pedagogy to navigate the early stages of research.

This book demonstrates the innovative and replicable ways community college librarians are meeting the information and research needs of their college population both in person and remotely, all while providing a safe, inclusive space for students to explore and learn.
 

Janet Pinkley is a long-time adjunct librarian at Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library at Ventura College. She is also the Head of Access Services at California State University, Channel Islands, where she oversees circulation, equipment, reference services, and course reserves. Her part-time role at the community college provides a different level of engagement with a diverse group of students and informs her professional practice at both institutions. Janet received her BS in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Fresno, in 2004 and her MLIS from San José State University in 2006. Janet’s published and presented on topics including reference best practices, library and student affairs collaborations, integrating information literacy into online curriculum, and exploring collaborative opportunities between regional K–12, community colleges, and universities to improve advocacy for informational literacy at all levels of education.  In her free time, Janet enjoys spending time with her family, doing activities with her children, couponing, and gardening.

Kaela Casey is a librarian at the Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library at Ventura College. Her journey to becoming a librarian began just after high school when she became a student at Ventura College. Although her plan was to become a graphic artist, her path changed after a serendipitous course of events. First, a friend encouraged her to take a career assessment test, which showed that her best career match was a librarian. Next, a library student assistant position became available, which she applied for and got. Her experience working at the library inspired her to change her plan and work toward becoming a librarian. Kaela received her BA in Art from California State University, Channel Islands, in 2007. She worked full-time as a Library Assistant at the John Spoor Broome Library at California State University, Channel Islands, while raising a family and working on her MLIS. She is a 2009 ALA Spectrum Scholar and received her MLIS from San José State University in 2012. As a librarian at Ventura College, Kaela leads outreach efforts, provides support for library systems and technical services, and advances the information literacy instruction program through collaboration with faculty and student support services and creating a greater library presence online and in Canvas. Kaela has published and presented on topics including library outreach and social media, cross-institutional collaboration, online information literacy instruction, and partnerships with student support services. When not working, Kaela enjoys doing arts and crafts with her children, playing video games, and hiking.