Understanding the New College Freshman: Supporting Gen Z Learners in Academic Libraries

Registration is now open for the 12^th Annual Herbert Biblo Academic Libraries Conference, to be held on Friday, April 10^th from 10 AM – 3 PM at Nassau Community College.

Join your colleagues at this day-long event centered on serving and better understanding the needs and experience of Gen Z students, from a health, education, and technology standpoint.

• Silas W. Kelly: LMSW, EJWSA,
  Presentation: Gen-Z: Mental Health and Belonging in the Age of AI
  Gen Z arrives on campus digitally fluent, AI-aware, and facing unprecedented mental health challenges. As tools like ChatGPT reshape learning, academic libraries have a unique opportunity to foster belonging, critical inquiry, and human connection in an increasingly automated world.
• Debra Bernstein, Special Assistant Professor of Library Services, Hofstra University, Axinn Library
  Presentation: Lessons from TikTok: Using Popular Social Media Platforms to Engage Gen Z
  As Gen Z students increasingly engage with social media, academic libraries are exploring new ways to connect with them. This presentation will share findings from a study of five academic libraries in the New York City and Long Island area and analyze which TikTok videos generate the most engagement. Results show that humorous, lighthearted content performs best, while instructional videos often gain less traction. The presentation will also outline practical strategies libraries can use to build and maintain a TikTok presence that increases visibility, strengthens connection, and supports meaningful engagement with today’s students.
• Christine Fena, Undergraduate Success Librarian, Stony Brook University Libraries,
  Chris Kretz, Head of Academic Engagement, Stony Brook University Libraries
  Presentation: From High School to Higher Ed: Lessons on Gen Z from Collaborations Between SBU Libraries & Local High Schools
  Gen Z comes to college with the research experience they’ve gained in high school, yet their ability to conduct college-level research is an open question. The Ready for Success Project partnered SBU Librarians with teachers and librarians from a local high school to explore and strengthen how research skills are taught. In this talk, the presenters draw on their research from the project, as well as their observations and experiences with current high school and SBU students, to address the complicated and diverse information literacy skill sets of incoming university students. 

The conference is open to all in the profession. Morning refreshments and lunch are included with registration.

The 11th Annual Herbert Biblo Academic Libraries Conference is co-presented by LILRC, NCLA ASLD, and SCLA DASL.