feb14_b.indd


February 2014 93 C&RL News

These guidelines are intended to apply to library services to undergraduate students 
at university libraries and to be used in con-
junction with the ACRL Standards for Libraries 
in Higher Education (www.ala.org/ala/acrl 
/acrlstandards/standardslibraries.htm). At 
some institutions a separate undergradu-
ate library may exist; at others, staff and 
programs devoted to undergraduates may 
be present in the context of the general 
library. References to undergraduate library 
services in these guidelines apply to both of 
these contexts. The guidelines are designed 
as a tool to help those providing services to 
undergraduate students in a large university 
setting establish individual goals for devel-
oping, maintaining, and expanding those 
services within the context of their library’s 
and university’s goals.

These guidelines provide both a quantita-
tive and a qualitative approach to assessing 
the effectiveness of undergraduate programs 
and services. They advocate the use of 
input, output, and outcome measures in 
the context of the general library’s mission 
statement and goals, and they encourage 
comparison of these measures with those 
of peer institutions.

The results of the assessments outlined 
in the guidelines can be used within the 
library to raise awareness of the strengths 
and weaknesses of current library services 
to undergraduates. The results can be used 
during strategic planning by providing con-

crete baselines and goals. In library public 
relations with colleagues and throughout 
the campus, the assessment results can be 
incorporated into promotional materials for 
undergraduate services.

Campus environment
Library systems at universities generally con-
sist of a main university library plus several 
branch or special libraries. The large campus 
environment often defines the quality of the 
library in terms of the strengths and size of 
the research collection. Concentration of 
the main and branch libraries is frequently 
focused on the needs of specific fields or 
departments of study at a research level.

Guidelines for university library 
services to undergraduate students
Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors at ALA Annual Conference, June 
2005. Revision approved October 2013

standards and guidelines

About the guidelines

The ACRL Undergraduate Librarians 
Discussion Group reviewed the 2005 
Guidelines for University Library Services 
to Undergraduate Students during the 
period of ALA Midwinter Meeting 2009 
until ALA Annual Conference of 2010. 
The suggested changes and edits were 
discussed and new draft guidelines were 
approved at the ALA Annual Conference 
in 2010, which will be submitted to the 
University Library Services Standards and 
Guidelines and the ULS Executive Com-
mittee for final approval. 



C&RL News February 2014 94

The needs of academic library users cover 
the full spectrum, from use of introductory 
research materials and instruction about the 
research process to the need for primary 
source materials and highly specialized re-
search services. Because the strong emphasis 
on research can create an intimidating envi-
ronment for many undergraduate students, 
undergraduate library services often focus on 
introductory materials and general databases 
and instruction. Although undergraduates 
use materials from all parts of the research 
collection, the library should provide ser-
vices, resources, and instruction specifically 
designed to educate and inform them and to 
enable them to become more self-sufficient re-
searchers. The separate undergraduate library, 
where it exists, provides a designated place in 
which undergraduates are the primary focus 
for whom the space is specifically designed, 
and in which they are not displaced by faculty 
or graduate students. In order to achieve the 
desired level of service, it is important to have 
specific library staff members who understand 
undergraduate needs and who are devoted to 
undergraduate services.

Effective undergraduate services require 
adequate resources to accomplish their 
mission. Implicit in the creation of under-
graduate library services is a commitment 
to funding their development, ongoing ser-
vices, and growth while maintaining library 
services for the entire academic community. 
Standards and quality of library service to 
undergraduates should be comparable with 
library services offered to other patrons at 
the university.

Primary clientele
Undergraduate students enter the univer-
sity with varying levels of experience and 
information skills and share many of the 
following characteristics:

1. They are beginning to acquire the re-
search skills needed to exploit the university 
library’s potential.

2. They need a user-friendly environment, 
where assistance is offered and questions 
are encouraged.

3. They need to be introduced to the aca-
demic nature of the services and resources 
available in university libraries through a 
variety of means which may include library 
instruction, either one-on-one or in-class ori-
entations and presentations, online tutorials, 
or discipline-specific content integrated into 
credit courses outside of the library.

4. They are most often enrolled in courses 
where assignments have short deadlines re-
quiring timely library services. These courses 
often have large enrollments.

5. They are often enrolled in mandatory 
introductory courses that fulfill distribution 
requirements, but are not necessarily in their 
field of interest.

6. They are frequently the largest com-
ponent of the campus population, yet often 
have the least political clout.

Other clientele
Library services designed for undergraduates 
may also serve the instruction and informa-
tion needs of graduate students, teaching 
assistants, university staff and faculty, as well 
as members of the civic community. As such, 
they are a gateway to the university libraries 
for the entire community.

Points of comparison
Undergraduate librarians are encouraged 
to choose their own peer libraries for the 
purpose of comparisons, depending on the 
needs of the library. The university or uni-
versity library may have already established 
peer groups and relationships for various 
performance comparison and benchmarking 
purposes, or the library may define other peer 
groups for specific comparisons for services 
to undergraduate students. Once a peer group 
has been determined, points can be chosen 
to compare the strength of undergraduate 
services with those peers. The library should 
determine points of comparison.

Possible points of comparison: Input 
measures

1. Budget and staffing devoted explicitly 
to undergraduate services.



February 2014 95 C&RL News

2. Physical facilities that support un-
dergraduate services, research and study 
needs, and provide an effective learning 
environment.

3. Ratio of number of students attend-
ing library instructional sessions to total 
number of students in specified target 
groups, e.g., first-year students or students 
in introductory level courses.

4. Collection resources supporting the 
undergraduate curriculum, research needs, 
and undergraduate information seeking 
modes.

5. Measure of resources spent on out-
reach, e.g., instruction sessions, services 
outside of the library walls, collaborations 
with units outside the library.

Possible points of comparison: Output 
measures

1. Ratio of reference transactions to 
student/patron FTE, including transactions 
that occur in any venue, whether face-to-
face or virtual.

2. Ratio of borrowing, excluding re-
serve, by undergraduates to undergraduate 
student FTE.

3. Ratio of reserves borrowing and e-
reserves use for undergraduate courses to 
total number of students in target classes.

4. Number and variety of outreach 
programs per semester and number of at-
tendees or students reached.

5. Ratio of successful searches for library 
resources to total searches.

6. Average number of people in the 
library at a given time.

7. In-library materials use as separate 
from circulation counts.

8. Ratio of patron FTE to service point 
use.

9. Number of links from online sites 
outside the library (e.g., from online course 
syllabi, online course directories, etc.) to 
undergraduate class-specific online sites or 
more general introductory “how to” sites 
created by undergraduate librarians.

10. Ratio of orientation attendees to 
incoming student FTE.

11. Number and kinds of partnerships 
with other entities on campus.

Planning, assessment, and outcomes 
assessment 
Planning
The general library mission statement and 
goals serve as a framework for its activities, 
including services for undergraduates. A sep-
arate undergraduate library or division and 
the staff devoted to undergraduate services 
should have their own goals and mission 
statement compatible and consistent with 
those developed by the general library. In 
order to build programs and services in the 
context of the library, those responsible for 
services to undergraduate students should 
be involved in the library’s overall planning 
process. This planning process provides an 
overall direction that helps to guide day-
to-day activities and decisions regarding 
services to undergraduate students.

Assessment
The changing nature of the primary clientele 
and the curriculum necessitates continuous 
evaluation and assessment of undergradu-
ate services. Periodic, formal performance 
review findings will augment ongoing un-
dergraduate service evaluation processes. 
Review criteria and frequency will vary 
depending on the parent institution. The 
outcome of reviews will lead to goals and 
expectations of future undergraduate ser-
vices. Assessment should include a sampling 
of undergraduates who use library services 
and those who do not. Surveys and other 
information gathering from undergraduates 
can be coordinated with and integrated into 
the library’s overall assessment program.

Possible assessment tools
1. General library knowledge surveys 

or pre-tests offered to incoming first-year 
students or to those attending an instruc-
tion session, reoffered at the end of the 
session, or at various points in the students’ 
careers, to assess whether the library’s 
curricular instruction is producing more 



C&RL News February 2014 96

information-literate students with effective 
research skills.

2. Evaluation checklists for instruction in 
all forms, whether face-to-face or virtual, to 
gather feedback from students, other librar-
ians, and teaching faculty.

3. Student journal entries, or information 
literacy diaries, used to track their library 
use.

4. Focus groups of undergraduate stu-
dents who comment on their experiences 
using library services, resources, or facilities, 
including non-study and research use, and 
on how well they think the library under-
stands and meets their needs and preferred 
way of working.

Outcomes assessment
As established in the ACRL “Standards for 
Libraries in Higher Education,” outcomes 
assessment can be an active mechanism for 
improving current library practices. It focuses 
on the achievement of outcomes that have 
been identified as desirable in the library’s 
goals and objectives both in the big picture 
and, specifically, for undergraduate services. 
Outcomes assessment identifies performance 
measures, such as proficiencies, that indicate 
how well the library is doing what it has 
stated it wishes to do. Libraries’ greater de-
pendence on technology, their increasing use 
of online services, their growing responsibil-
ity to provide information literacy skills, their 
increasing reliance on consortial services, the 
possibilities of dwindling financial resources 
for collection development, and new de-
velopments in the ways in which scholarly 
information is published and distributed have 
measurable effects on undergraduate librar-
ies’ ability to provide cost-effective support 
for student achievement.

Assessment instruments may include 
surveys, tests, interviews, and other valid 
measuring devices. Colleagues at peer in-
stitutions may render invaluable assistance 
by suggesting assessment questions and 
sample sizes, by sharing lessons learned, 
and by suggesting alternative methods for 
measuring outcomes.

Possible outcomes assessment tools and areas
1. Focus groups of students and alumni 

who are asked to comment on their expe-
riences using information resources and 
conducting academic research for a project 
over a period of time.

2. Staff and administration’s understand-
ing of the library’s service mission to un-
dergraduates.

3. Degree to which the university’s mis-
sion is incorporated into the goals and objec-
tives of library services to undergraduates.

4. A systematic and continuous program 
for evaluating performance.

5. A systematic and continuous program 
for informing the community of accomplish-
ments.

6. A systematic and continuous program 
for identifying and implementing needed 
improvements or new approaches.

7. Assessment of undergraduate services 
included as an integral component of the 
library’s assessment program.

8. A standard set of assessment tools 
across undergraduate library service areas 
that expedite direct comparison with per-
formance at peer institutions.

Services
Effective, high-quality undergraduate library 
services successfully support the under-
graduate programs of the institution. To 
facilitate academic success, library services 
to undergraduates must provide access to 
a broad range of information resources. 
Reference and referral services, orientation 
activities, and instruction sessions that teach 
students the critical thinking skills necessary 
for using library resources are basic services 
provided by undergraduate library person-
nel. Varied and innovative undergraduate 
teaching programs include teaching by 
personal contact and through the prepara-
tion and use of instructional materials in 
various formats, formal group instruction 
and informal, unstructured contacts with 
students. Undergraduate library services 
provide a laboratory for students to acquire 
information literacy skills: identification of 



February 2014 97 C&RL News

needed information, effective and ethical use 
of intellectual and physical resources, and 
knowledge of when to ask for help as well 
as the confidence to do so. Undergraduate li-
brary services provide a gateway to all future 
library inquiry, not only preparing students 
for graduate work and research, but also 
teaching them to use information sources 
as citizens, as consumers, as professionals, 
and for recreational purposes.

Reference services
Reference services for undergraduates often 
involve not only answering specific ques-
tions, but also personalized instruction in the 
methods of identifying and locating research 
materials. Databases, bibliographies, and other 
aids designed to introduce undergraduates to 
the material the library provides and to guide 
them in finding the research material further 
enrich the pool of available resources. Refer-
ence service provided by undergraduate librar-
ians introduces the wide variety of resources 
in the library system and beyond, connecting 
undergraduates with branch or specialized li-
braries, and other campus supportive services, 
including academic, financial, writing, and 
counseling services.

Orientation activities may take many 
forms, but all acquaint undergraduates with 
the facilities, resources, and services of the 
library system for the first time. Orientation 
may also include public relations activi-
ties that introduce students to information 
resources available within the university 
community or on any information network.

Questions regarding reference services
1. Do the services offered meet the 

information needs of the undergraduate 
students, and the faculty and staff who work 
with them?

2. Are user studies, statistics, and other 
measures of quantity and quality collected 
and used effectively?

3. What is the ratio of public services 
staff to the number of primary clientele? Is 
this an acceptable ratio in the context of the 
library’s mission?

4. Are additional services or added avail-
ability of existing services needed?

5. Are there additional ways to deliver 
reference services that are effective for un-
dergraduate students in addition to in-person 
consultations and instruction, such as chat, 
text, e-mail, phone, or online tutorials or 
forms?

6. Are new services, which are needed by 
users, anticipated and implemented?

7. Are there any services that have be-
come obsolete and could be eliminated?

Instruction
Library instruction programs should improve 
the students’ ability to use library collections 
and services effectively, and should include 
instruction in the use of the full range of in-
formation and knowledge resources. Instruc-
tion may be offered as part of coursework 
in an academic subject or interdisciplinary 
program, in a separate course on research 
skills and information literacy, in workshops, 
in network-delivered instruction, in term-
paper clinics, and through point-of-use aids 
in the library. Standards and guidelines for 
information literacy and instruction are use-
ful tools in developing and assessing library 
instruction. Standards and guidelines are 
available in ACRL’s “Information Literacy In-
struction” at www.acrl.org/acrl/issues/infolit.

Questions regarding instruction
1. Are library instruction programs avail-

able and funded adequately for the support 
of coursework?

2. Are instruction programs integrated 
with undergraduate coursework?

3. How easily can undergraduates access 
instruction when they need it?

4. Are library instruction programs in-
formed by current research, principles, and 
knowledge?

Resources and collections
The library should provide varied, authorita-
tive and up-to-date resources that support 
its mission and the needs of undergraduate 
users.



C&RL News February 2014 98

Undergraduate collections provide ready 
access to information resources that meet the 
needs of their primary clientele with focus 
on the institution’s curriculum. The value of 
undergraduate collections is measured by 
their usability as well as quality and size. 
Electronic resources form a significant part 
of the information network needed and pre-
ferred by undergraduates.

There is no absolute standard for the size 
of a collection supporting undergraduate 
needs. The essential criterion is that the re-
sources available to undergraduate research-
ers adequately support their needs. The 
library’s collection policy should adequately 
describe this goal. Collection and access 
policies should be written, up-to-date, and 
readily available.
Undergraduate collection policies consider 
the following

1. Because many undergraduate courses 
require large numbers of students to use 
the same library materials, direct curriculum 
support may be provided through reserve 
collections of physical or electronic items. 
Electronic items may be integrated into course 
management systems.

2. Undergraduate collections provide 
effective access to information resources 
through reference sources in a variety of for-
mats. Reference collections for undergradu-
ates provide standard and interdisciplinary 
indexes and sources.

3. Undergraduate subject coverage encom-
passes a broad range of disciplines to offer 
the information needed for papers, essays, 
presentations, and projects required in the 
wide variety of courses taken by undergradu-
ates. More specialized and advanced needs 
will be met by specific referral to other library 
sources on campus.

4. The library experience of undergradu-
ates should encourage them to seek informa-
tion of personal interest. Collection policies 
should include access to information on 
current events, cultural interests, careers, and 
recreational reading, among others, to en-
courage exploration of information resources 
as a part of everyday life.

5. Collection policies for separate under-
graduate libraries should include withdrawal 
and relocation practices because of the 
special nature of undergraduate collections. 
Collections should be dynamic and respon-
sive to the needs of a changing curriculum 
and clientele.

Access
As information technology evolves, undergrad-
uate library services must continually upgrade 
hardware, software, and other IT resources to 
keep pace with the needs and expectations of 
their primary clientele. Undergraduate students 
may be the most familiar with up-to-date 
technology and may be among the earliest 
adopters of the latest tools and techniques. 
However, with the diversification of the un-
dergraduate population and the variation in 
the academic and technology expertise of 
the incoming students, undergraduate library 
services must be broad and inclusive. Rapid 
changes in IT demand especially aggressive 
and proactive planning for undergraduate 
services. Resources dedicated to IT should 
not only be allocated towards maintenance of 
current facilities, but also towards the develop-
ment and revision of services and technologies 
that students will need now and in the future.

Questions
1. Does the collection profile adequately 

support the undergraduate curriculum?
2. Does the size and depth of the collection 

adequately support the size and needs of the 
undergraduate population?

3. Are materials appropriately available and 
accessible for reserve users?

4. Are collections housed and arranged ef-
ficiently and effectively for use by the primary 
clientele?

5. Are collections available and accessible to 
all users? Do circulation policies and practices 
permit effective access for users?

6. Do appropriate withdrawal policies and 
practices exist which adequately address the 
need for collection maintenance?

7. Does the library have adequate, up-to-date 
technology options in place?



February 2014 99 C&RL News

8. Are access policies posted to ensure that 
all users are aware of services and restrictions?

9. Are interlibrary loan and other docu-
ment delivery services provided for under-
graduates to give them access to materials 
not owned by the institution?

10. Do undergraduates have adequate ac-
cess to information technology for accessing 
and working with information?

Staff
Library staff serving undergraduate students 
have the knowledge and abilities to ensure 
effective management and use of the services 
and resources. In general, undergraduate 
services require librarians as well as support 
and part-time staff, depending on the size of 
the undergraduate population at the institu-
tion. The ability to interact on a one-to-one 
basis with a diverse clientele in a friendly and 
instructive manner is essential.

Personnel serving undergraduate stu-
dents require diverse backgrounds in order 
to meet the teaching and learning needs of 
users. Abilities needed include: teaching 
and knowledge of instructional methods 
and learning styles, excellent communica-
tion skills, understanding and expertise in 
information-seeking skills. Flexibility and 
willingness to take risks and develop innova-
tive programs are essential. Undergraduate 
librarians should participate in appropriate 
professional organizations and take the lead 
in assuring awareness of special issues affect-
ing undergraduate library services.

Questions
1. Are staff members adequately trained? 

Is staff development encouraged and sup-
ported?

2. What is the ratio of staff to the number 
of primary clientele? Is this an acceptable ratio 
within the particular campus context?

Facilities
Undergraduate library services require appro-
priate facilities to accomplish their missions. 
Separate undergraduate libraries should have 
facilities that foster the collaborative nature of 

study, research, and learning, and that pro-
mote effective and interactive access and use 
of information resources. Safe, comfortable, 
well-lighted, clean space with adequate and 
appropriate study, research, and collaboration 
space will ensure effective use of the library’s 
resources, including electronic resources. In 
physical planning for facilities, undergradu-
ate libraries provide for small group and 
instructional use. Additionally, more than 
other libraries within the university, separate 
undergraduate libraries consider study and 
collaboration needs in allocation of seating 
and space, with attention to the learning en-
vironment of the institution. Undergraduate 
libraries establish hours of access, circulation 
policies, and other rules to meet the needs of 
their primary clientele.

Undergraduate services housed within 
larger libraries must still consider and provide 
for the needs of their primary clientele. Ad-
equate space specifically for undergraduate 
study and research will encourage under-
graduates to use library resources.

Questions
1. Are the facilities safe and environmen-

tally controlled?
2. Do the staff members who serve un-

dergraduate students have access to spaces 
that facilitate meeting, supporting, and col-
laborating with students?

3. Do facilities match space with the 
programmatic needs of the undergraduate 
students?

4. Do facilities foster collaboration, com-
munication, and cooperative learning among 
students?

5. Are materials adequately safeguarded 
against loss, mutilation, theft, or other dam-
age?

6. Is adequate equipment, access to reli-
able network and power outlets, and techni-
cal support available?

7. Is appropriate seating, user space, and 
access to technology available for the varieties 
of ways students need to be able to work?

8. Is space appropriately allocated for 
use, including group and instructional use, 



C&RL News February 2014 100

study, research, and use of information 
technologies?

9. Are facilities accessible to all users?
10. Does space allow for cooperative pro-

grams with other library and campus units?

Administration
Administration responsible for undergraduate 
services must ensure the continued relevance 
of the services. Administration represents 
undergraduates and their needs in the greater 
library system context, and promotes the 
value of undergraduate library services in that 
context. Undergraduate library administrators 
serve as liaisons between the university and 
library administrations and the undergraduate 
library unit and students. In order to under-
stand and accurately represent the needs of 
the undergraduate population, the under-
graduate administration needs regular, direct 
contact with patrons as well as with staff.

Questions
1. How does undergraduate services 

administration communicate the values 
and needs of undergraduate services to the 
greater library system and the university 
administration?

2. Do undergraduate services have a suf-
ficient voice in the greater library system?

3. How does the administration gather 
information regarding library performance 
from staff and patrons?

4. How often does the administration have 
direct contact with the primary patron base?

Budget
Effective undergraduate services require 
adequate resources to accomplish their mis-
sions. Implicit in the creation of undergradu-
ate services is an institutional commitment to 
funding their development, ongoing services, 
and growth as an integral part of maintain-
ing library services for the entire academic 
community.
Questions

1. Are the resources available comparable 
to those for undergraduate services at compa-
rable institutions?

2. Does the budget support appropriate 
levels of staffing?

3. Does the budget provide adequate sup-
port for baseline services?

4. Does the budget adequately support the 
collection policy to provide materials or ac-
cess to materials in support of undergraduate 
students’ library needs?

5. Is the budget flexible enough to support 
necessary new programs and innovations, 
including integration of new technologies and 
instruction programs?

6. Are the library and information needs 
of undergraduate students represented ad-
equately in the budget process?

7. Does the undergraduate services person-
nel have discretion and control of its budget?

8. Do staffing and budget allocations allow 
for long-term planning initiatives?

9. Does the undergraduate services admin-
istration seek external funding through grants, 
endowments, or other sources? 

• Print in the Mix—Rochester Institute 
of Technology. This clearinghouse pro-
vides summaries of media research and has 
expanded to include digital media. Access: 
http://printinthemix.com.

• State of the News Media—Pew Re-
search Center. This annual report covers 
trends in news media, including digital news 
media, newspapers, news magazines, televi-
sion news, and radio news, as well as ethnic 
and alternative media. It provides audience 

statistics/rankings for top news outlets. Ac-
cess: http://stateofthemedia.org.

Notes
1. Academic subscriptions are avail-

able from SRDS (http://srds.com) and Ex-
perian/Simmons (http://www.experian.com 
/simmons-research/college-program.html).  

2. College libraries can join the Alliance 
for Audited Media as an academic associate 
(www.auditedmedia.com/join/associates 
/academic-associate-membership.aspx). 

(“Where to advertise,” cont. from page 79)