The Bereaved College Experience: Threads of Grief in the Recordkeeping Practices of College Students

<div class="page" title="Page 1"> <div class="section"> <div class="layoutArea"> <div class="column"> In examining in-depth interviews with college students, this paper sought to identify and explore the recordkeeping practices of individuals who have experienced the death of a loved one. The recordkeeping practices were generally defined as actions taken to collect and maintain objects, photographs, and other memorabilia, both physical and digital, in remembrance of the deceased. By interviewing college students within this population, the role that personal archives play in the bereavement process might be better understood, further analyzing what types of records are collected and how those records impact grief. As the loss of a loved one or close friend is an individualized experience, this study sought to position the lived experiences of each individual at the forefront of the analysis, centering their stories and words while assessing their archival tendencies. This non-generalizable study served to create avenues of awareness within the library science community regarding bereaved college students, identifying potential methods of support that can be provided from the field and future areas of collaboration with other specialties. </div> </div> </div> </div>