Relationship between Library Use, Retention, and Academic Success in First-year Undergraduates
Abstract
Within the past ten years, academic libraries have faced growing internal and external pressure to demonstrate their contributions to student success. This study assessed the impact library use has on retention and academic success of 998 first-time, first-year undergraduate students at a mid-sized, rural, public university. Usage statistics were gathered during the fall 2017 semester for seven library access points. User names were submitted to the Registrar Office and returned with institutional numbers for each student. Bivariate correlation was used to determine whether there were significant differences in cumulative GPA and retention rates between students who used at least one library service and students who did not. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression techniques examined the association between students’ use of individual library services, frequency of use of individual services, and GPA and retention. Analyses of previous researchers’ results indicated a consistently positive, but weak correlation between library use and student retention and academic success. The strongest correlations of library use occurred with book checkout, electronic database and journals, and computer workstations or labs.