"Summer Time at YOUR Library"
"Isn’t it nice in the summer time when things slow down in the library?” This is a question we hear quite often yet never seem to see that actually happen.
In fact we just had 60 Upward Bound STEM students, who are in grades 8-10 from a variety of schools, attend a session to learn what is available in THEIR college library, and how to use the resources. Considering the library is too small to fit that many students at one time we were able to coordinate three groups coming in back-to-back. The young students were very attentive and asked key questions. We’ve also had the English 101 classes in as it’s mandatory for all students in those courses to gain the information literacy skills needed to succeed.
Besides the instructional sessions in the library we have a few faculty members who are working on their doctorate degrees which entails extensive research, and the need for obscure items which we obtain from other universities across the country.
And, in collaboration with the UNM-Taos Southwest Research Center, we held a large book sale recently. All the proceeds go to the UNM-Taos Fund at the Taos Community Foundation and several boxes of books were distributed for use throughout the community. For instance, staff and volunteers were kind enough to pick up materials for the Taos Living Center and Holy Cross Hospital patients and their families.
Although we currently have a policy stating we can not receive donations due to lack of space we seem to collect plenty nonetheless. So many of you are kind enough to think of YOUR community college library when it’s time to clear out your personal libraries that we are able to pick out some special items for the collection, and then give the rest a good home. It is a lot of work but it feels right to help distribute books to people who wouldn’t normally have access.
Also, this summer we have been honored to have a student from the C.A.M.P. program (College Assistance Migrant Program) choose the library for his internship so we have been training Mr. Roland Martinez. We have been learning what skills he is bringing to the library, and reveling in his thirst to learn.
Lastly, YOUR community college library will be hosting a program we call Academic Elders Share Your Wisdom. This is to bring together members of our community who have retired from academia—professors, administrators, librarians—and have moved here from various institutions across the country. It’s a fun way to connect with other academicians and scholars in our community, and helps YOUR college library continue to build a useful, relevant collection.
So, no, things don’t necessarily “slow down” in YOUR college library in the summer. It’s just a different energy that continues to serve the community.
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