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New college students have a lot of systems to navigate. They have to figure out how to pay for their meals, where to buy their books, how to access online assignments, where to go when they need a doctor, and so much more. Often, they also have to access resources housed in the campus library or within its systems. This can be incredibly daunting.
We sent out a call to our Network to ask how campus library staff and librarians are working to break down some of the initial barriers and welcome first-gen students into the library. Thanks to those contributions, we’re sharing ten ideas for involving libraries in your first-gen initiatives, especially First-Gen College Celebration.
10 Ideas for Involving Libraries in First-Gen Initiatives
- Invite librarians to play a key role in planning your FirstGen College Celebration. including planning, tabling, and teaching. ”Our librarians help make the library a visible and approachable hub where first-gen students can build skills, make connections, discover resources, and feel a stronger sense of belonging at the College,” said Jennifer Diptee, Learning Resources Campus Director at Miami-Dade College.
- Work with librarians to facilitate workshops or workshop series for first-gen students. During Miami Dade College’s First-Gen College Celebration, librarians lead workshops focused on a variety of topics, including research strategies, AI literacy, and financial literacy. They also facilitate interactive activities and crafting tables to invite students to engage with Learning Resources.
- Locate one of your First-Gen College Celebration events in the library so students become more comfortable with the space and its staff. It could be intimidating to step through the doors of a beautiful, historic building for the first time as a first-gen student, or to begin using systems that might be new to you, so welcoming students into the library before they need to use its resources might break down some of those barriers.
- Encourage the library to display books by first-gen authors or about the first-gen experience. “During National First-gen Celebration week, Boston University libraries create a display of books by first-gen authors and those that highlight the first-gen experience through stories or scholarship,” said Maria Erb of Boston University. Reading books by first-gen authors or about the first-gen experience might reinforce the idea that current first-gen students are part of something greater than themselves, that they are part of a legacy of successful scholars with similar backgrounds.
- Invite a senior administrator from the library to serve on a first-gen committee, like the associate dean of the library does at Montana State University. This might help ensure that library resources are embedded into the first-gen experience, not ancillary to it, and might help librarians become more aware of the challenges faced by first-gen students (or the student body as a whole), enabling them to proactively address any issues.
- Partner with the library, like grad student researchers started at Vanderbilt University. Using grant funding, the researchers, Kelly Ann Cunningham and Erica A. Scarpitti, developed a course that was part of a fellowship for undergraduate students and taught by the grad students and librarians. During the course, fellows built a survey to assess the needs of the first-gen low-income community at Vanderbilt, collected narratives from first-gen low-income students, and created resources tailored to the university.
- Launch a program with the library to allow students to borrow textbooks for certain courses. When Emory University started this program, they saw quick uptake. “Woodruff Library offers short-term loans of textbooks required for large Emory College courses via Course Reserves. This initiative is funded by and in partnership with the Mosaic Center for Student Belonging and Success, part of Campus Life,” said Mike Jones, Director of Emory First.
- Consider housing a first-gen gathering spot in the library. At Montana State University, the library is the home of the First-Gen Den, a space where students can ask questions, connect, or relax. This is designed to increase first-gen students’ feeling of belonging, not only to the university community but also in the library specifically.
- Launch a “Personal Librarian” program for first-gen students. For more than a decade, Boston University has had a program designed to help first-gen students acclimate to the library and its tools and resources. “Each year, we offer a ‘Personal Librarian’ program to match new first-gen students with one of the many library staff to get personalized assistance on utilizing library services and to get advice when they need to search for resources,” said Maria Erb, Executive Director of the Boston University Newbury Center.
- Communicate intentionally with first-gen students about library resources. “Our approach is designed not only to tell students what resources exist, but to create approachable opportunities for them to meet the people behind those resources and build relationships they can return to throughout their college experience,” said Miami-Dade’s Diptee. “We utilize EAB Navigate with text and email campaigns, leverage campus advisors and retention teams, social media, and word of mouth.”
First-gen students are adept at finding their way through systems that may not have been designed with them in mind, in amassing knowledge from unconventional sources. But it’s important to consider that many first-gen students may find it difficult to outright ask for help, especially through official channels. Students from first-gen, poor, or working-class (FGPWC) backgrounds may perceive asking for help as a threat to their identity as hard-workers, research shows.
“Asking for help may be perceived as a weakness, particularly in a graduate education environment where everyone around you appears to know what they are doing and how to navigate the space,” according to research by Roshaunda L. Breeden and Georgianna L. Martin published in 2026 by the Journal of First-generation Student Success. “Students from FGPWC backgrounds may also feel unsafe asking for help. This may be particularly true for students who hold multiple oppressed identities. For example, the intersection of being from a FGPWC background and being a member of a racially minoritized group may contribute to a perceived sense of “imposter syndrome,” particularly among graduate students.”
This makes it essential for librarians to communicate to first-gen students frequently, proactively, and without jargon. First-Gen College Celebration is one great way to do this.
How does your institution partner with its library for summer bridge programming, FGCC events, or other student outreach initiatives? Connect with us on LinkedIn or our social channels to join the discussion and share your insights!
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