More Than its Materials: Libraries and Student Success

As a first-generation college student entering UCSD, I was terrified of being a part of an institution that none of my family members had ever experienced before. It was a completely new experience for not just me, but for my family as well. The library on campus became my safe haven and it was the meet spot for my friends and I! When I was reading Sarah Rose Fitzgerald’s study about library use, student success, and the focus on first generation students, a lot of their findings resonated with my very own experiences. Their study examines how first-generation students have “lower retention rates and greater challenges in higher education” due to not being able to rely on family members nor having other networks and experiences to prepare them for college environments. Fitzgerald et al. runs a study on how library services and spaces have an effect on student success.

Geisel Library

                                         

                                                                               Geisel Library's Special Collections

What was interesting about their findings were that when it came to student retention and graduation rates, “Participation in library instruction had the greatest effect, followed by reserving library study rooms, and having borrowed physical materials having the least effect” (261). These were the three most significant effects on student success and retention, but participation in library instruction had the greatest effect, followed by learning spaces, then borrowing materials having the least. This study proves that libraries aren’t just about the using the materials they have, although that is its main use, but it’s also about the access to education and information as well as creating a safe and supportive learning environment! You can have access to all the materials at your fingertips, but it is of no use if you aren’t given the proper support or environment to use it. 

Another article that touches on this concept is Mary Ellen Spencer and Sarah Barbara Watstein’s article on academic library spaces and how they advance student success. They note that “In these spaces, people need to be able to create, retrieve, combine, display, and share information, then do it all over again, all in a space that they can easily reconfigure and is well supported by staff that meet and anticipate their needs” (Spencer, Watstein). This reminded me greatly of Geisel Library at UCSD. There were so many different spaces and environments for all types of students. Those who need a quieter, more focused space go to the quiet floors. Those who didn’t have their own private space could book a private room. Students who worked best in an active environment could work on the first two floors that were constantly buzzing. The furniture varied on the section of the library and they even had treadmills! When it came to student success, it wasn’t just about materials, it was about the literal environment they would be working in. 

As a first generation college student, I’ll always be grateful for the space that libraries have provided for me. I could grab a coffee, grab a snack, find a comfy spot, and get support from helpful, friendly librarians all in one place! Libraries are so impactful to students’ success, especially those of us who don’t have the same experiences as other college students. There’s always so much more to libraries than the materials they provide, we must never forget that libraries are also a sanctuary to those who seek to learn more.

Grad Pictures in Geisel!

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose, et al. “Library Use and Student Success: Focus on First Generation Students.” New Review of Academic Librarianship, vol. 31, no. 3, July 2025, pp. 245–63. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.palomar.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/13614533.2025.2466519.

Spencer, Mary Ellen and Sarah Barbara Watstein. "Academic Library Spaces: Advancing Student Success and Helping Students Thrive." portal: Libraries and the Academy, vol. 17 no. 2, 2017, p. 389-402. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pla.2017.0024.