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Summary of Responses to Student Researchers Question
Title: Summary of Responses to Student Researchers
Question
Dear List,
Earlier today I asked the list for experiences/opinions about
allowing long-distance researchers to hire students as independent
researchers. Thanks very much to those who responded.
One institution:
1. has a centralized
student work and work-study program with a list of students available
for "odd jobs". This library is considering listing
research as a skill on the applications so that qualified and
available students can be located to work for long-distance
researchers.
2. engaged a history
student from another area of the library to work with patron.
3. refers students
with knowledge of Special Collections/Archives (trained student
assistants, volunteers, or history students) after checking with
student first.
* A research "contract" is created between the
patron and the student - the Department, Library, and University are
not to be held liable for the student's work.
*It may also be a good idea to remind researchers that the
student might do the work but not come up with what the researcher
hoped to find. This will hopefully prevent a researcher not
wanting to pay for work that yielded zero.
4. asks students
already working in the department if they are available and
interested. If so, give the researcher contact info for the student.
This archivist also asked a patron to pay $50.00 to the student up
front which helped as it took a long time for the remainder to be
paid.
5. prefers to list
"local adult independent researchers" as they "don't
need everything explained to them and have a work ethic".
This archivist recommends asking for recommendations both academic and
work-related before recommending the student to the researcher.
Two institutions:
6. have a school of
information studies next door so students are recommended from that
pool.
My department is in the process of creating a policy for this
type of service and all of the recommendations made are very
appreciated. I anticipate creating a policy to post on our web
page.
Thanks so much, all!
Sincerely,
Jennifer
--
Jennifer Gunter
Coordinator, Special Collections
Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries
Virginia Tech
PO BOX 90001
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001
Telephone: (540) 231-9215
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/