| Abstract: | Summary Student athletes' schedules can be very tightly structured around classes, homework, study, practice, and athletic events. As a result, they do not have the same freedom with their schedules as the average student. A library outreach program was developed at Valdosta State University to target the Department of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, and specifically the student athletes. The goals of this program are: (1) to provide the Department faculty and staff with a library contact or liaison, (2) to help student athletes learn to use the Library more effectively under pressure, thus relieving some of the stress they face with their demanding schedules, and (3) to make the library a less intimidating, more welcoming environment. The Library's outreach program is incorporated into the Department's NCAA CHAMPS (Challenging Athletes' Minds for Personal Success) program and includes tailored library instruction sessions. CHAMPS, as designed by the NCAA, does not currently include a library skills component.1 Library outreach may be defined as any activity or program such as tailored library instruction that is created “to meet the information needs of an unserved or inadequately served target group.”2 Outreach activities often focus on a specific user population such as high school students, off-campus students, international students, non-traditional students, and even faculty, and are often a method of promoting the use of the library.3 Providing outreach to student athletes is not well documented, however, there are a handful of universities with some type of outreach program to student athletes in place.4 |
