Contributing to the Library Student Employee Experience: Perceptions of a Student Development Program

Academic libraries are in a unique position to evolve student employment into being more than merely a part-time job and to contribute to students' academic and personal success. Library student employees at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas were surveyed to determine if their participation in a co-curricular workshop series added value to their academic, professional and personal lives. The study shows statistically significant relationships between class standing and level of agreement that workshops provided students with information and/or skills that will help them in a job after college and in their day to day life outside of work and school. The results of this study indicate that students find value in having opportunities to develop academic, professional, and life skills while being employed part-time. Potential future research studies are discussed, including the impact of such a program on student retention, progression, and completion.