School curricula have largely gone digital, and it’s beginning to seem as if even the largest libraries pale compared to what the internet offers. However, there are a myriad of ways students can utilize the library beyond finding a book.
At The University of Alabama, for example, the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library not only has an impressive physical presence, but a large online catalog.
“If you speak to the librarian for 30 minutes, they’re going to walk you through resources and services that are going to help you academically for the rest of your life,” said Michael Pearce, director of strategic engagement for University Libraries.
One feature is Scout, which can also be found on the main page of the UA libraries’ website. Scout is an enhanced search engine that allows students to see all texts physically owned by the library and even more content that the University has access to.
Beyond its online capabilities, the library has physical amenities such as 3D printing, reservable study rooms and a cafe, and it hosts events like coding workshops and author appearances.
“We and this office host somewhere in the neighborhood of 480 events every year here in Gorgas,” Pearce said. “We’re supporting the educational experience outside of the classroom.”
Students can also find resources to hone their creativity.
Located on the Gorgas’ second floor is the Sanford Media Center, where students can borrow and use tools such as cameras, lighting and microphones. Staff in the center can train students to use this technology via group or private instructional sessions.
Beyond academic uses, libraries are an important part of their communities. While the University’s library may be useful to college students, the Tuscaloosa Public Library is a source of education and enjoyment for an entire community.
Students may regard the library as a source of education, but what they might fail to consider is that it is a chance for them to improve others’ lives.
TPL hosts a summer reading program for elementary school students involving thousands of participants. It even has sales on Saturdays, often leading to families stopping at the river market nearby and then going to the library.
While this may be great for the locals, these events require funding. Friends of the Library is an organization that operates a used book store to fund the library.
“The people in the community bring us gently used books and donate them,” said Bess Miller, president of Friends of the Library. “We shelve them and sell them at a very reduced price, but all the proceeds from this store go to the library.”
Miller said that in the past several years, the store’s annual earnings have exceeded $80,000.
The bookstore, repurposed from a garage on the side of the library, is home to affordable resources. Visitors can donate used items or buy a book for themselves, and they will still be donating to the library either way. It also has some college textbooks, giving students the unique opportunity to save money on their own resources all while improving the community around them.
“You’re getting a double whammy. You’re getting some books, but you’re also helping the library,” Miller said.
