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 20110100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000

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

mkd22@pitt.edu

Thank You!

@mdunawa