Student Workers and Special Collections: A Symbiotic Relationship?

Abstract

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.