Using university library outreach to demystify the transition from high school to higher education

One of the major issues that students encounter in their first year of university is the difference in academic expectations as they transition from high school to higher education. High school students may not be equipped for research at an academic level. The skills taught at high-school level are performative (search, locate and include), whereas the use of information in higher education requires higher-level thinking skills including systematic searching, critical thinking, the ability to critique and synthesise literature, and capabilities around communicating findings. 

In addition, the prospect of entering an educational environment that is foreign to them can heighten students’ anxiety around belonging. All this leads to student stress, academic struggles and potential attrition. 

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Academic libraries and librarians are well positioned to address the transition from high school to higher education through outreach initiatives that enhance university recruitment while preparing future students for academic life. This type of programming introduces the support that will be available, develops prospective students’ research skills and instills a sense of belonging before they arrive. An example is the high school outreach programme at the University of Northern British Columbia’s (UNBC) library, which introduces students to the research process through the acquisition of information literacy skills, skills that are necessary in the workplace as well as for success at university.

Why school outreach needs to evolve to keep up with incoming cohorts

Emerging issues such as the ready availability of generative AI tools, renewed focus on critical thinking and academic integrity, as well as what different cohorts will need to settle into academic culture and university life, mean that outreach programmes must constantly evolve. For the revamp of our programme in 2024, the library also created flexible programming, so school teachers could tie it into their already crowded curricula.

These are some of the ways we have adapted offerings to drive engagement with library outreach.

Going to the students 

Meeting potential students in a setting, such as their school, that is both familiar and safe can help to alleviate their anxieties around expectations and belonging. Options such as Research Day with UNBC also introduce them to a friendly face they can seek out for help when they arrive on campus. 

This programme takes the librarian out of the library and into the high school, meeting the students either in their classroom or in the school’s library. Teachers can have a one-off session on critical thinking, which also involves a discussion about AI and plagiarism. The session emphasises the importance of students asking critical questions of all the information they encounter. 

Bringing the students to campus 

The Research Day@UNBC option brings the students to the university for a half or full day to gather information for a class project. During these sessions, the librarian introduces the students to peer-reviewed literature, academic reading, citations and, most importantly, how to search for relevant materials. Visiting students are also given a tour of the university and academic services, and lunch in our cafeteria, which allows them to experience both academic and social campus spaces. 

The aim is to demystify the research process while making the physical institution, one that most likely dwarfs their high school, seem inviting and navigable.

Transitioning from high school to university

The transition option helps to address the academic, social and personal responsibilities and expectations students will encounter at an institution of higher learning. Going from high school to university is a major life transition, and many university norms will be foreign to secondary-school students. We introduce potential students to research and writing processes as well as time-management and communication skills. The emphasis is on being responsible for their own success, which means asking for help when needed and knowing where to get it. 

This type of programming helps potential students to avoid a major culture shock when they first arrive on campus. It can also help first-year instructors as they are the people who guide students to navigate the academic system, relieving pressure and freeing up time for course content.

What universities gain from high school outreach 

High school outreach programmes provide potential students with experiential learning opportunities, empowering them to see themselves as members of the university community before they arrive. It helps to prepare them for academic research and eases their transition from high school to university.

Connecting with school districts’ administration and teachers is also valuable for the university. It provides schools with clear descriptions of what is offered, while flexibility makes the experience for each student meaningful. Building relationships with school districts allows a two-way process that communicates observations relating to student readiness to schools and allows teachers to share student needs and readiness with us. In this way, insights into students’ current and future needs can inform future programming and services that feed student success. At UNBC this approach to relationship building has resulted in increased buy-in and engagement with the outreach programme. 

In the year since the revamp of the programme, it has regained enthusiastic traction within the school districts throughout the vast geographic region of northern British Columbia, where UNBC has multiple campuses. We have reached 37 high school classes and 765 potential students. This initiative has allowed us to develop new relationships within the school district, support student learning, help to demystify postsecondary education, and potentially lessen students’ anxieties about attending university. 

Kealin McCabe is the research and learning services librarian at the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada.

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