Librarians:
Have any of you tried to start your own student book club yet? At EP our first meeting was tonight and only one student showed. I used food as an incentive, there were posters, e-mails, and other marketing techniques and nothing worked. It was also right before classes, so most students were already on campus. I'm so angry right now and just incredibly frustrated. I don't know what else to do to make students interested in this, or at least make them interested enough to show up.
When I sent out an electronic survey regarding a student book club, 19 students said they were interested. However, none of these students showed up in the end. Ugh, I just don't know what to do anymore. You try to do something nice and beneficial for the students and this is what you get. Same goes for open workshops!
I'd really love any feedback you all might have. I also apologize for the negativity expressed here...
Thanks everybody! Good luck if you're trying something like this!
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3 comments:
I feel your pain Kate. It has happened time and time again at Eagan as well. I think the fact is that most of our student body comes to college just to get their degree and get out of here. They see things like book clubs as extracurriculars that will just take up more of their time.
I'm not sure what the answer is, or even if there is one...
I wish I had a solution, but I don't. I'm surprised the food bribe didn't work, Kate! With my open workshops, I've tried various times and days of the week, but I've had no attendance in the last three weeks. I even have a giant poster in the hall.
I'd like to bring in a trainer/speaker for various programs, but I'm afraid our poor attendance would reflect badly on the college.
Don't let this get you down. Many of our students have full-time jobs, families, and other activities they are involved in. If I can get a couple of students to turn out for any of my optional workshops, I do a little dance.
They take their education seriously, so don't feel that this is a slight against the library. They just don't always have all the time for us that we would like.
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