What students think about the library...

It's been quite some time since I posted. It has been quite the busy Fall semester, and we are glad that students are using the libraries. The library at the School of Business has REALLY been busy: in one week, Sara Godbee's records indicate over 900 students came into the library at Owings Mills. We are guessing that many students living in the residence halls enjoy the convenience of a quiet library in which to study, do reserve readings, computing work, and meet with study groups located just across the parking lot from the dorms. What this indicates is that we need to do some thinking about other library sites on that campus.

Meanwhile, at the Greenspring Campus, things are jumping. Now that papers are due, the reference librarians are busily helping students locate materials. My most challenging question came from a SU student looking for primary source materials relating to the Byzantine Empire. Such fun! Really, I so enjoy the student contact, and a challenging question or two to enliven my work day. Today is even busier because 3 of my staff are presenting or otherwise involved with the MILEX conference!

What I really want to talk about is how excited the library staff are about working with Dr. Leeane Bell and her Proxemics classes. These students are learning about space and human communication, and how the two interact with each other, and they are applying what they have learned to help us to design and reconfigure the Greenspring Campus Library. One "aha" moment came when students revealed that they feel self-conscious entering that library because of the layout, and that they hesitate to ask for help because of the way the large Reserves Desk is set up. Who knew! We have lived with that setup for probably 15 years or more! And we have just gotten accustomed to it. The fact that Dr. Bell's students are willing to open and up and tell us what they think will result in a better functioning library for future generations of SU students! Thanks, guys!

Faculty who may be reading this, stand by to hear about a new Renovation Committee. I will be putting this together in partnership with faculty on the Learning Beyond Committee and of course the FLAC (Faculty Library Advisory Committee) soon.