“Hurry Up and Wait”: Establishing Libraries Programming for Student Veterans

The specific needs of veterans on college campuses necessitates a tailored approach to introducing libraries services and resources. This article describes the development and challenges of “Libraries Mission Brief for UMN Veterans,” a library orientation workshop for student veterans at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. This workshop was influenced by a review of existing orientation models for student veterans and the multimodal needs of the veteran population at the University of Minnesota. Despite positive feedback initially, the first attempts to offer the workshop faced low enrollment, inspiring an evaluation of outreach strategies. Workshop instructors pivoted to change promotion practices and continue building relationships with veterans on campus, including collaborating with the Student Veterans Association of Minnesota. The “Libraries Mission Brief for UMN Veterans” workshop will continue to provide a welcoming space for veterans to network with each other, learn about library services, and collaborate with other veteran-friendly departments to continue growing efforts to support the student veteran population at the University of Minnesota.