Movies are a popular way to engage students with real-life stories and situations connected to what they’re learning in class or experiencing in their personal lives. At University of Dayton Libraries, the diversity and inclusion team sponsors our frequent film screenings and series. Recently, our film screenings have undergone some changes in subject matter, genre and supplemental programming, and the results have been fantastic. Below I’ll list the five things to take into consideration for planning a successful film screening in your library or on campus, in five acts.
At the University of Dayton, the alumni association and libraries partner on programs that reach out to younger alumni without asking for much. This includes a fundraiser for a pizza break for students and a note-writing drive that brings smiles. UD is a Catholic, Marianist institution that is known for its sense of community, nice people, and everyone holding a door open for the people behind them. These programs align with the community spirit of the institution.
One program we repeat every semester in the University of Dayton Roesch Library — the Club Roesch VIP contest — is my favorite for three reasons. One, the idea initially came from a student who thought library "super users" should be rewarded. Two, it helps promote our social media presence and drives followers and engagement. And three, the prize is the best prize ever, according to students, and it’s completely free for us to provide. What is it? A study room during finals week.
The ALA Annual Conference always has a lot of session options to choose from. Librarians wear many hats, so sometimes it’s difficult to choose which one to wear at conference. If you were or were not at conference and missed something geared toward programming librarians, you’re in luck. Here’s my hat trick (top three) for you to try on for size.
A common perception on campuses is that students will attend programs if free food is part of the deal. Well, that may be true. Instead of an afterthought, food can be the main focus and still not cost a fortune. Two recent food-focused events helped us invite students to come see Storytime Censored, a fall exhibition of challenged or banned children’s books.
The University of Dayton Libraries’ exploration of program models continued during the fall 2016 semester with a trio of new history-focused workshops. In support of University of Dayton’s Housing and Residence Life curriculum (see The Swipe is Right for more details), these workshops identified and addressed connecting students to personal and local histories as an important learning outcome.
According to recent surveys, easy access to food would greatly improve the library experience for many students. At University of Dayton, it’s the quality of the snacks that can take a study session from good to great.
Today I am thankful for conversations and program-sharing that happen when librarians can get together to support and expand upon each other’s work. That’s exactly what happened on Thursday, Oct. 6, when the Academic Library Association of Ohio’s Diversity Interest Group hosted its annual workshop at the State Library of Ohio.