Subscribe to our newsletter by emailUCI Arts Librarians: Out and About
It's not unusual for librarians to hear students say something like, "I just don't have time to go to the library to get books for my projects so I'm trying to only use online resources."
Unfortunately, these students are missing out on amazing resources that are oftentimes only available in print. To help solve this problem and to expose students to the vast array of resources available here in the UCI Libraries, Research Librarian for Performing Arts Scott Stone, Research Librarian for Visual Arts Emilee Mathews, and Document Delivery Coordinator Virginia Wakim piloted a pop-up library concept for select classes in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts.
A pop-up library takes physical materials out of the library to another location and allows library patrons to check these materials out from this other location. In this case, carefully selected materials were taken to an undergraduate music class and a graduate drama seminar to meet the unique research needs of their class topics and project goals. Approximately 85 different books were taken to each class and over 50% were checked out in each instance.
Students were thrilled to have the library come to them with materials relevant to their research available for them to checkout. Many, including seasoned library users, were also amazed at the breadth of specific resources that could meet their needs in a single volume rather than having to jump from web site to site in order to track down all of their needed information.
In an email, Vanessa Fusi-Hoblit an MFA Candidate in Scenic Design wrote, "Thank you again for bringing the library to us last week! That was truly amazing!" She continued by asking if the Libraries has access to JSTOR, a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
In addition to students checking out books relevant to their research projects, the librarians were able to better connect with the students on a personal basis, hear about their research needs, and teach the students how to find similar items in the library now that their interest had been piqued.
With one more test class to come during the fall 2015 quarter, UCI Libraries: Out and About has been a resounding success thus far and looks to have a bright future in connecting student researchers with helpful library resources!
For more information on this pilot program, please contact Scott Stone, Research Librarian for Performing Arts at stonesm@uci.edu.