Chris Dominey entered Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library Tuesday just like any other day when he was deemed the “one-millionth visitor” to a campus library since Aug. 1, 2010.
Tom Wilson, the associate dean for Library Technology, shook Dominey’s hand as he entered the back of Gorgas and led him over to a table piled with cupcakes. Dean of Libraries Louis Pitschmann presented him with a goodie bag.
Dominey entered the library with his friends and said when he saw all the cupcakes, he knew he didn’t want to give up being the winner.
“We were coming to study, and then I saw the cupcake thing and it all just kind of spiraled out of control,” said Dominey, a fifth year senior majoring in philosophy.
Although Dominey said he had his eye on the cupcakes, he was pleasantly surprised by the goody bag, which included a $100 gift certificate to the Supply Store, coupons to Java City and autographed books by Rick Bragg and Chip Cooper.
“To get this on top of [the cupcakes], can’t beat it,” said Dominey, who was also donned with a paper crown that had a UA sticker on it.
This was the first annual celebration of the one-millionth visitor to the libraries, said Donna Adcock, the director of public relations for the libraries. Signs had been up in the libraries since the end of last week, which asked the question: “Will it be you?”
Adcock said that the number includes visitors to all campus libraries: Gorgas, Bruno, Hoole, McLure and Rodgers.
Pitschmann said the event’s purpose was to emphasize the importance of the libraries on campus.
“Not only do we have more students on campus, students are coming more often to the libraries,” Pitschmann said. “Since 2002, visits to University libraries are up 77 percent, an increase that greatly exceeds the increase in enrollment.”
Pitschmann said students are coming frequently to the library because of the group study spaces and productivity and academic software installed on all the library computers.
“Students are clearly voting with their feet that we’re addressing a very crucial need in their academic effort,” Pitschmann said.
As for Dominey, he said he’s been to the library “too many times to count” since August.
“I love the library,” Dominey said. “I’ve been reading since I can remember. I love it. Go libraries.”
Even though the seating capacity of the first floor of Gorgas was more than doubled year and a half ago, Pitschmann said students are still asking for more and more space, proving that libraries are a key element to student life at the University.
“It wasn’t that many years ago when during an entire year we would not have a million students visit the library,” Pitschmann said. “We thought it was a lot to celebrate and to give students a chance to have some sugar.”
