The Impact of Information Services on Student Retention

Abstract

Universities, including support departments such as the library, are increasingly called on by the government, accreditation, and professional organizations to provide data demonstrating impact on education outcomes such as student retention. While modern, digital libraries serving nontraditional students distributed across locations are rarely touched on in retention research, qualitative and quantitative data can be combined to portray activities that increase student engagement, a major factor identified as a positive influence for student retention. City University of Seattle's Library & Learning Resource Center has adopted a framework for gathering and analyzing student engagement data organized by the categories of library facilities, library collection, library instruction, and library people. This framework is effective in communicating the depth and range of resources and services library staff deliver to key stakeholders.