Graduate Student Focus Groups

In October 2024, we convened four focus groups of graduate students. In all, 14 students participated. We recruited a demographic mix of Masters level and PhD students from different disciplines, some domestic and some international students, and some students who had previously studied at U of G.

Research questions

• How do graduate students experience the library?
• Do they use our spaces, services, programs, and resources?
• How do they discover what the library has to offer?
• What do graduate students see as undergraduate students’ biggest academic challenges?
• What do graduate students think is the value of the library?  

Method

• In-person and online focus groups

What did we learn?

• Students expressed that they feel overlooked by the library because they are overshadowed by the much larger undergraduate population.  
• Their work is year-round and follows a different rhythm from the typical undergrad calendar.
• Library workshops can be helpful, but many are too generic for their needs. 
• They want to know what’s coming up in the library at the beginning of the semester so they can plan for it. 
• They want the “human touch” and do not want to be directed to online materials in lieu of 1:1 appointments. 
• The Graduate Student Association newsletter is the best way to reach them.
• There is an appetite for library space designated for graduate students only.
• They are satisfied with the resource collections. Few used the journal databases as Omni was sufficient. 
• As TAs, they see their students’ challenges as preparing for exams, citing references, writing, and presenting. 

Recommendations

• Outreach to graduate students is best done through the Graduate Student Association. 
• Offer graduate students earlier appointments in the semester before appointments are available to undergraduate students. 
• Create a graduate student webpage on the library website. 
• Extend the number of hours a student can book a grad study room. 
• Create group space for graduate students. 
• Allocate private bookable rooms for online meetings. 
• Provide early in the semester orientations to graduate students. 
• Advertise the semester’s full slate of library workshops early in the semester. 
• Make graduate students who are TAs aware of resources and services for their students.