F.D. Bluford Library Receives a Second Round of Funding to Support Student-Led Project

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (June 23, 2022) ­­– F.D. Bluford Library at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University won a second year of LSTA funding from the State Library of North Carolina to continue support of student-created videos for instruction and research.

This $74,000 grant supports the project, “Community-Creating Research Objects for Students by Students,” led by Joanie Chavis, associate professor and head of research, instructional and engagement services at Bluford Library.

“I am very excited to be able to continue this work with our students on the grant, for our students here at N.C. A&T,” Chavis said. “Learning how to use the library for research increases their critical thinking skills as well as supports their success as scholars.”

In the project’s first year, two library study rooms were converted into state-of-the-art recording studios. A team of students used these studios to create a series of 16 instructional videos that were incorporated into library instruction sessions to support teaching. These videos covered a range of topics including how to create a proposal and prepare for a presentation, how to search library databases, and how to check out library resources like study rooms.

In the second year, the grant project will incorporate a diversity, equity and inclusion component. Students working on the project will be provided with workshops on these topics and the pedagogies surrounding these efforts. Students will also receive additional training on foundational elements for universal design as they continue to create videos for hearing and sight-impaired learners. The library seeks to share these instructional materials widely via integration with blackboard, in classrooms, and on social media.

“We know that A&T students are creative and critical thinkers,” said Vicki Coleman, dean of Library Services. “Student input on this project gives them a voice on best-practices for library instruction. The result will be a more engaging library learning environment.”

F.D. Bluford Library looks forward to the further creation of these inclusive, student-centered, videos that will become part of its library instruction. Over two years, the library will have received $167,704 in grants from the State Library of North Carolina to support this project.