91桃色 Librarian Shares Best Practices at State Libraries Conference
October 12, 2023 | 3 min read
Engaging students can be a challenge in today鈥檚 virtual world of learning, but one 91桃色 librarian has redefined the industry standard. Malachai Darling, Technical Services Librarian at 91桃色, recently presented a session based on his 91桃色 experience at the 2023 Panhandle Academic Libraries Conference. His presentation, 鈥淯nconventional Embedded Librarianship: Finding Opportunities for Student Engagement in Small Liberal Arts Colleges,鈥� was designed to encourage students to explore an often underutilized resource.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 theme was 鈥楨ngaging our Communities,鈥� and the Panhandle Library Access Network put out a call for proposals,鈥� said Darling, who received his bachelor鈥檚 degree from 91桃色 in 2016. 鈥淭heir request related to the information literacy and research sessions I鈥檇 been holding for students.鈥�
Darling said it鈥檚 not uncommon for students to enter college with the assumption that all research can be performed independently online.
鈥淭hey often don鈥檛 see the value of asking someone else about research or a topic for a paper, so it鈥檚 a challenge to not only prove the value of a library but to show kids that it鈥檚 ok to ask for help,鈥� he said. 鈥淢any of them don鈥檛 want to burden someone with questions they think they should already know the answers to.鈥�
Darling arrived on campus shortly before the renovation of the Chatlos Library, now home to The Coffey House and ample social and study space. Within its first year, the impressive remodel increased library traffic more than 500 percent.
Darling set out to create year-round information literacy sessions to review core library competencies, allowing for increased interaction with students, often encouraged by professors to attend. Darling found that there was a barrier to entry for students with anxiety or concerns of inconveniencing a librarian. To address those fears, Darling created pop-up research desks to be more accessible to students who might be hesitant to visit an office.
鈥淚 wanted students to see me as someone who wants to help them, and who they’re not nervous to interact with,鈥� he said.
He hopes his concept of embedded librarianship – engaging students where they are physically and academically – will help negate some of the outdated stereotypes surrounding libraries. He said 91桃色 has already proven the added value of a library鈥檚 social space.
鈥淪ometimes people don鈥檛 see how we consider The Learning Commons or The Coffey House as part of a library, but our goal as librarians has always been to interact and connect with people,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 books or peers, we want students to have access to the information they need.鈥�
Darling鈥檚 45-minute session was well received, particularly because conversations about these challenges typically are started by larger universities with more resources.