ala 2012 conversation starters: community programming for military veterans
TRANSCRIPT
Community Programming For Military Veterans
Nancy FagetU.S. Army Research Laboratory
Michelle DunawayUniversity of Pittsburgh School Information Sciences
#ala12Anaheim, CaliforniaJune 23, 2012
The Inspiration
The Idea
“…to encourage all veterans, active and retired, to write about their experiences for their own benefit or to share them with friends and family.”
Nancy Faget Branch Chief, U.S. Army Research
Laboratory, Information Resources Branch
Past President, ALA FAFLRT (Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table)
Michelle Dunaway NMRT – FAFLRT Liaison, 2011- present
About Us
Military Writers Workshops Organizing, Planning, Outreach Obstacles & Outcomes
Veterans and Libraries Academic Libraries Public Libraries
Presentation Overview
This presentation was made possible by Amy Hartman and Holly Baumgartner
who shared their idea with us and gave generously of their
knowledge, resources, and support.
Thank you for your commitment to improving the lives of our nation’s veterans,
and for starting this very important conversation.
Special Thanks
Part IMilitary Writers Workshops
Week 1: Writing About Place Week 2: Writing About Events Week 3: Using Humor In Writing Week 4: Writing About a Memorable Person Week 4: Writing About Yourself Week 6: Using Reflection in Writing
The Curriculum
Examples from professional writers• Sebastian Junger, War (Iraq War)• Philip Caputo, A Rumor of War (Vietnam War)• “Studs” Terkel, The Good War (WWII)
Exercises based on examples
The Curriculum
“Notice the differences in style between Terkel’s book, which contains passages taken directly from spoken interviews, and what we find in Junger’s book, which is very polished and edited narrative writing. Think about how using each method of writing (raw vs. polished) can be effective in sharing your experience.”
From Week 2, Writing About Events
Narrative Nonfiction
Autobiography Memoir Essay Literary Journalism
Memoir Writing
Shimmering Images:A Handy Little Guide to
Writing Memoirby Lisa Dale Norton
www.lisadalenorton.com
Memoir Writing
@LisaDaleNorton
Recruiting Participants
“I spoke with the members that you would have been interested in and what I found was they are not interested in discussing with anyone their experiences involving the armed conflicts they were thrown in to. The truth is they would neither wish to remember it nor do they wish to discuss their experiences with anyone.”
Outcomes & Obstacles
Recruiting Participants:Outreach & Marketing
Disseminated program information to local newspapers via press releases
Prominently featured “push” on library’s website
Communicated with local VFW posts, Vietnam Veterans of America, local Rotary organization
Hung flyers around college campus
Posted information to college website
Veterans and the Cultural and Historical Record
Permalink: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/758671163
Part IIVeterans and Libraries
Veteran Population = 22.7 million(WWII , Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq
War)
OEF/OIF Veterans = 2.4 million (deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, or both
since 09/2001)
Veterans By the Numbers
Unique group with unique life events and experiences
Skills and coping mechanisms that she or he developed during service may be counterproductive or misunderstood in civilian life
Readjustment is a major challenge
Families, friends, caregivers may need assistance coping with changes
Extensive information needs relating to all of the above
Considerations
Benefits & Servicese.g. eligibility, forms, service records
Health & Well-Beinge.g. mental health, crisis prevention, caregiver support
Connect & Communicatee.g. reunite with comrades, find veterans’ organizations
(Schneider, 2001)
Veterans’ Information Needs
Develop collections that…o provide support for returning soldiers and
their families o provide information on specific conditions and
information about claiming benefits o educate and inform the public
Create pathfinder or LibGuide for online information resources
o local, state, federal resources
Public & Academic Libraries: Possibilities
Veterans Services LibGuides: Examples
http://libraryschool.campusguides.com/sandiegoveteranresources
Veterans Services LibGuides: Examples
http://lib.gwinnettpl.org/Veterans
Veterans Services LibGuides: Examples
http://libguides.usc.edu/uscveterans
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs http://www.va.gov/
National Archives: Veterans Service Recordshttp://www.archives.gov/veterans/
Library of Congress Veterans History Project http://www.loc.gov/vets
Key Online Resources
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008(“Post-9/11 GI Bill”)
Financial support for education to all service members with at least 90 days active duty after September 10, 2001
Pays a percentage (up to 100 %) tuition & fees for four years (36 months) up to the cost of the most expensive public institution in the state in which the Veteran enrolls
Veterans and Higher Education
Post-9/11 GI Bill
http://www.gibill.va.gov/
The Data
2001 20110
100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000
1,000,000
421, 048
923,038
Number of Veterans Utilizing Education Benefits, 2001 - 2011
Source: National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statisticshttp://www.va.gov/vetdata/
“As a subpopulation of adult learners, military and veteran students have unique challenges that other nontraditional students do not…” (Cook & Kim, 2009)
However…
How can campus programs and services:
aid student veterans in transition? support academic
success?foster retention?(Weber, 2012)
Study: Student Veterans atArizona State University
Frequency of ASU Programs and Services UtilizationAcademic Advising Services: 63.8 %Office of Veterans Services: 63.8 %Library Services: 59.1 %Financial Aid Services: 54.8 %
(Weber, 2012, p. 73 - 74)
Study of Student Veterans atArizona State University
Increase library staff knowledge of resources and services for veterans
Work with academic support services to coordinate enhanced delivery of VA education benefits information and counseling
Provide a veteran-specific orientation to introduce new military/veteran students to library programs and services
Support or “sponsor” a new student veteran organization Connect with existing groups to identify ways to support
academic success Offer a military/veteran student gathering place Offer an online course designed to help student veterans
become familiar with campus programs, resources, and services
Veterans and Academic Libraries: Possibilities
Veterans are a unique segment of American population.
Government agencies, educational institutions, and libraries can all contribute to veterans’ success transitioning to civilian life and academic life.
Libraries are uniquely positioned to function as “portals” to information and services that benefit veterans and their families.
Conclusions
Cook, B. J., & Kim, Y. (2009). From soldier to student: Easing the transition of service members on campus. Retrieved from American Council on Education: http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Papers_Publications&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=33242
Hartman, A., & Baumgartner, H. (2011). Helping warriors unleash the power of the pen. American Libraries, November/December 2011. Retrieved from http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/11082011/helping-warriors-unleash-power-pen
Hartman, A., & Baumgartner, H. L. (2011). In our boots: A collection of veterans stories: Veterans Writing Workshop 2010 – 2011. Sylvania, Ohio: Lourdes College.
Hughes, M. A. (2011). Collection development: Back on the home front. Library Journal , 12. Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890883-264/collection_development__back_on.html.csp
Schneider, J. M. (2001). Arming themselves with information: Veterans using the internet. Health Care on the Internet, 5(1), 21-30. doi: 10.1300/J138v05n01_02
Weber, D. J. (2012). Academic success and well-being following OEF/OIF deployment (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Proquest Dissertations & Theses A&I (Accession No. 3495315).
References
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: http://iava.org/
Make the Connection: Shared Experiences and Support for Veterans: http://maketheconnection.net/
Returning Service Members (OEF/OIF): http://www.oefoif.va.gov/
Student Veterans of America: http://www.studentveterans.org/
Veterans Crisis Line: http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
Additional Resources
Appy, C. (2003). Patriots: The Vietnam war remembered from all sides. New York: Viking.
Caputo, P. (1986). A rumor of war. New York: Henry Holt and Co.
Herr, M. (1991). Dispatches. New York: Vintage Books.
Junger, S. (2010). War. New York: Twelve.
Peters, R., & Xiaobing, L. (2004). Voices from the Korean War: Personal stories of American, Korean, and Chinese soldiers. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky.
Rico, J. (2007). Blood makes the grass grow green: A year in the desert with Team America. New York: Presidio Press: Ballantine Books.
Terkel, S. (1984). The Good War: An oral history of World War II. New York: Pantheon Books.
Tupper, B. (2010). Greetings from Afghanistan: Send more ammo. New York: NAL Caliber.
Veterans Writing Workshops Curriculum Bibliography