Connections Beyond Campus: Ontario University Library Outreach Programs for High Schools

Over the past few decades, partnerships and programming between secondary school and post-secondary librarians and libraries have been widely discussed in library literature. These collaborations often exist to help high school students develop information literacy (IL) skills and to provide a smoother transition to university-level research. This paper examines the current high school outreach activities at Ontario university libraries that aim to bridge the gap between high school and post-secondary education. The purpose of this research, conducted through online surveys and interviews with academic librarians in the province, is to provide a snapshot of high school outreach activities and to highlight the benefits and challenges of such programming. It also examines why some libraries no longer offer such activities or programs. This analysis of the variety of outreach activities aims to generate discussion and ideas that academic libraries can use to connect with high school libraries.

Parental Engagement in School and Educational Programmes for Immigrant Learners

This chapter explores the dynamics of parental involvement in immigrant learners' education with specific focus on areas of involvement, possible challenges, and strategic ways of mitigation against such challenges. Parental support may take a variety of ways including learning activities at home, family involvement at school, school outreach programs that engage families such as volunteerism and supportive parenting activities. In this endeavor, challenges such as language barrier, culture conflicts, teachers' perceptions of parents and learners, literacy levels of the immigrant parents, curriculum diversities, as well as unavailability of resources are likely to arise. Mitigating strategies explored in this chapter include forums for educators and immigrant parents, training for parents on effective communication and school policies, as well as regular evaluation of parental support programs. This information is critical for educators and policy makers since it illuminates factors affecting the partnerships between schools and home environments for immigrant learners.