College and Research Libraries


HUGH PRITCHARD 

Pre-Arrival Library Instruction for 

College Students 
Library instruction was given to University of New Hampshire fresh-
men before they reached the campus by means of a Freshman Hand-
book sent out in July 1964. Included also was a library competence 
quiz. A questionnaire administered after the students arrived showed 
that 78 per cent of those who received the Handbook read "The Li-
brary" section, that nearly all of this group took the test, and that many 
took steps to improve their library competence before coming to 
college. 

THE ENORMous TASK of introducing 
large numbers of new students to the li-
brary has been somewhat alleviated at 
the University of New Hampshire by 
mailing library instruction to incoming 
freshmen before they arrive on the cam-
pus. This device was tried with encour-
aging results with the class that entered 
in the fall of 1964. The instruction was 
part of a Freshman Handbook which in-
troduced various campus services. Ac-
companying the Handbook was a li-
brary competence test to be corrected 
by the student. If his grade was low, it 
was suggested he improve his skill by 
visiting his local public library and by 
consulting books that would help him. 
The effectiveness of the instruction was 
tested by means of a short questionnaire 
after the students reached the campus. 

The questionnaire revealed that 78 
per cent of those who received the 
Handbook read "The Library" section, 
and almost all of them took the exam-
ination. It is interesting to note that few 
who received poor scores reported do-
ing anything to improve their skill, but 
many others reported such action as 
"Spoke to a librarian," "Checked the 
wrong answers to see where I made er-

Mr . .Pritchard is Reference Librarian in 
the University of New Hampshire. 

rors," "Read Cook's Library Key," or-
a more loquacious type-"On arriving at 
the university, I went to the library and, 
using some sample books, made myself 
familiar with the facilities here." 

The test tested familiarity with Li-
brary of Congress catalog cards and the 
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. 
The number reporting perfect or near 
perfect scores was high and suggests 
that a more difficult test might not be 
out of order. A revised quiz should also 
test familiarity with several reference 
books, bibliographic terms, and simple 
rules of filing. 

The instruction in the Handbook was 
divided into "Before You Arrive" and 
"Now That You Are Here." The first 
stressed the need to know how to use a 
library and suggested ways to improve 
one's skill. The second outlined library 
services and routines for finding and 
charging books. The questionnaire, an 
essential part of the program, consisted 
of seven short questions. It was admin-
istered by the freshman English instruc-
tors on the first day of class and was 
unsigned. 

Samples of the questionnaire, the test 
and "The Library" section of the -Hand-
book may be requested from the refer-
ence department of the University of 
New Hampshire library in Durham. • • 

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