Go the Distance: Student Workers and Repository Impact
Abstract
Have you often dreamed of a fully staffed scholarly communications team? If you're like me—the only full-time employee managing the institutional repository (IR) and research information management system (RIMS)—this great, warm place is just a dream. This lightning talk shares how strategic hiring and training of undergraduate student workers can help bridge the gap. At Loyola Marymount University, students support scholarly communications services by assisting in the management of our RIMS, Scholars @ LMU, and IR, Digital Commons @ LMU. During the hiring process, students complete an attention-to-detail assessment, helping both the librarian and the student understand the expectations and training needs. Beyond technical skills, students are rigorously and repeatedly taught how to communicate their work to faculty, becoming ambassadors for the IR and RIMS, and for future employers. They gain experience in metadata, research visibility, and usage analytics, but are taught how to translate these experiences directly in their resumes and interviews. Transparent communication about faculty requests, gratitude, and impact data helps students see the real-world value of their contributions in professional settings. This lightning talk provides examples of how our scholarly communications student assistants graduate with the ability to articulate their transferable skills and resume-ready experience.