Many special collections utilize student labor, and in
many cases, tight funding and resources dictate that the
students provide what the profession often considers
high-level skills, including providing reference services and
processing collections. Consequently, professional staff
invest significant amounts of time and energy to provide
students with the training and support necessary to carry
out these tasks successfully, even if the student only
stays for a semester or two. Based on their experiences as
student workers and now as managers, the presenters of
this session will explore the essentialness of student labor
and consider both the concerns and opportunities that
arise as a result.
