MiALA 2026 Annual Conference

Our institution’s library developed a training program for peer research consultants: undergraduate students who assist their peers with library research. This presentation shares our process for designing the training curriculum, including how we adapted reference skills for peer-level delivery, challenges encountered, consultant feedback, and lessons learned. Attendees will gain practical frameworks and tools for implementing similar peer consultant training programs that expand library services while providing experiential learning opportunities for students.

Learning Objective(s): ​​​​1) Participants will be able to identify key components of an effective peer research consultant training program for academic libraries; 2) Participants will understand/grasp strategies for adapting professional reference and instruction skills into curriculum appropriate for undergraduate peer consultants; and 3) Participants will gain practical tools and resources that can be adapted to develop peer consultant training programs at their own institutions.