ABSTRACT
First introduced to this country by the American educator Malcolm S. Knowles, the term “andragogy” derives from the Greek “andros” meaning “adult or grown up” and “agogos” meaning “one who leads.” Educators have long known that the learning of children differs substantially from the way in which adults learn and that, consequently, each demands a unique teaching approach. If children thrive in a highly-structured, fact-oriented, homogeneous teaching environment, adult learners respond much more readily to the open, experientially-based and mutually respecting approach of the facilitator. The following study will examine some of the most widely held assumptions about andragogy, particularly as they relate to the role the library must play in providing relevant reference services and bibliographic instruction to the adult learner in an off-campus setting. A secondary focus will be the efforts being made by one library system, Washington State University, to meet the challenge presented by the unique informational 148needs and demands of its off-campus learners. Present programs and future trends in off-campus library services to adult students at WSU will be examined.
