Document Type
Article (Journal or Newsletter)
Publication Date
2-1-2026
Abstract
This paper offers specific recommendations for effectively motivating and retaining student employees at an academic library that practitioners may consider as they develop and implement programs for hiring, training, and retaining student assistants at their institutions. It describes a methodology that can be replicated for similar studies at other universities. This paper contributes new knowledge to the subject of academic library employee retention by reporting on the opinions of library student assistants at a small private liberal arts university in Southern California to gain insight into the kinds of retention program elements that students recommend. This study used an online survey to gather student feedback from student employees on the specific elements of our retention program that they see as critical to retaining them throughout their time on campus.
Scholarship Type
Faculty Scholarship
Additional Affiliated Department, Center or Institute
Libraries
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Marcum, C., & Paolillo, C. (2026). Motivating and Retaining Student Assistants: A Case Study. Library Leadership & Management, 39(2). https://doi.org/10.5860/llm.v39i2.7653