{"id":9310,"date":"2017-05-12T09:34:46","date_gmt":"2017-05-12T16:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/?p=9310"},"modified":"2017-05-12T09:37:21","modified_gmt":"2017-05-12T16:37:21","slug":"in-praise-of-librarians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/in-praise-of-librarians\/","title":{"rendered":"In praise of Librarians!"},"content":{"rendered":"

In praise of Librarians!
\n<\/span><\/b>Jane Carlin, \u00a0Director, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. May 2017<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s that time of year when academic libraries across the country see a startling increase in the number of users.\u00a0 Students who might never have ventured into the building are drawn to the library like bears to honey no doubt hoping the knowledge contained within the hallowed space will seep into their pores like the Red Bull they are consuming to get through final exams.<\/span><\/h3>\n

As a college librarian, it is gratifying to see the library filled more than ever with students. This time of year, the chairs, sofas, and tables, and even the floor are all filled; the white boards are covered in formulae and writing; and laptops, phones and tablets are plugged in and powered up.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Like many libraries, writing centers, and other academic support services across the country, we offer extended hours during final exams.\u00a0 Our library is open 24\/7, and while this may result in a few end-of-the-year shenanigans, as evidenced by the discovery of used condoms (yes, this really happens) or champagne bottles in the mixed recycling, our dedicated library staff keep their doors wide open to help students during this critical and often stressful time.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Reflecting on exam week, after a lifelong career in libraries, I wonder, can\u2019t we do better?\u00a0 Students come to us with panic written all over their faces.\u00a0 They often have three to four final research papers to complete, and they worry about how to approach this.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I know a lot of recent discussions in higher education have centered on \u201cexecutive function\u201d skills and the need for students to learn time management and to plan.\u00a0 But, let\u2019s be realistic.\u00a0 How easy is that to do when you are juggling a job (sometimes more than one job), you are involved in co-curricular activities, and you\u2019re making arrangements to move out of your residence hall?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Just the other day, one of our most seasoned librarians mentioned that she had spent close to an hour with a student who had not even managed to come up with a thesis statement for her research paper\u2014 due in three days.\u00a0 Another student employee, who was struggling to complete coursework, refused time off from the job, simply because, in her own words, \u201cI need the money.\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n

Librarians are used to this end-of-the-year panic, and we are good at dealing with it.\u00a0 We don\u2019t judge a student or chastise them.\u00a0 What good would that do?\u00a0 We work with them to help complete the project, the paper, the thesis statement.\u00a0 We direct them to useful sources and help them map out a plan.<\/span><\/h3>\n

We breathe a sigh of relief when the couches are no longer covered in bare feet and the keyboards are cleaned of the grime.\u00a0 But with the end to the panic, to the grueling push to finish an assignment, and to the sheer frustration we see students suffer, we ask ourselves: \u201cCan\u2019t we do better?\u201d College faculty and staff everywhere could start by asking these questions:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Are final papers and exams truly beneficial?\u00a0 Can courses and assignments be scaffolded over time to decrease the stress at the end of the semester? In fact, do students truly benefit from the end of the semester exams or papers, as there is no time to reflect and discuss?\u00a0 Is there value in considering reducing the sheer volume of work placed on students during a critical period?\u00a0 And how many faculty members engage their academic librarians to help develop assignments that build progressively toward a final project or paper? ( Just think about having to meet a deadline for more than one scholarly article at a time.) <\/span><\/h3>\n

These are important questions that through dialogue and reflection may yield some new approaches for reducing end-of-the-year stress.\u00a0 In the meantime, I am proud to be part of a profession that rolls up its sleeves, takes on extra hours, and works\u00a0patiently with the anxious student, without judgment, to get the job done.\u00a0 Though, just to be clear, we might need a few Red Bulls as well.<\/span><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In praise of Librarians! Jane Carlin, \u00a0Director, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. May 2017 It\u2019s that time of year when academic libraries across the country see a startling increase in the number of users.\u00a0 Students who might never … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/112"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9310"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9313,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9310\/revisions\/9313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/collinsunbound\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}