Basic training: A library orientation designed for student veterans

Abstract

Colleges and universities across the country have been developing robust programs and services to support student veterans, including veteran-specific orientations. The Texas A&M University Libraries received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to pilot a veteran-specific library orientation inspired by the in-processing checklist, a common military method for orienting service members to their new military installations. This article describes the development of the Orienting Student Veterans to the Library project, details the structure and content of the library orientation, and shares the challenges and lessons learned from implementing the orientation. Assessment of the orientation revealed impact, especially in student veterans' self-reported likelihood of recommending library resources to fellow student veterans.