“I like to think the Farley Library is undergoing something of a renaissance of innovation,” says Brian Sacolic, library director.
That innovation is taking shape through several updates to the library’s resources and services. Among the updates are expanded access to e-books and audiobooks with the Libby app, an updated system for booking appointments with library staff and a new way to reserve study rooms.
Through Libby, a digital library app, students can now access e-books and audiobooks from their phone, computer or Kindle. Wilkes is part of a consortium of 11 regional colleges that pool their resources to create a shared collection of digital materials. This partnership gives students access to a wider collection of materials, including popular titles for leisure reading, magazines and scholarly resources.
“They can access our materials. We can access their materials. It’s a win-win across the board for everyone,” says Sacolic.
Students can access the collection by downloading the Libby app or visiting the PA Academic Libby Consortium website. Students should search for “PA Academic Libby Consortium,” select “Wilkes University” from the drop-down menu and sign in with their Wilkes username and password. Once signed in, students are free to browse, borrow and read any of the available materials.
The Farley Library has also made it easier for students to schedule one-on-one research assistance with a librarian. During these appointments, librarians can help students identify useful databases, refine their search terms and find relevant scholarly sources for their papers and assignments.
“You’re writing a paper for an English class, and you are having some trouble finding the right sources for your topic,” suggests Gina Cherundolo, electronic resources librarian. “You can come in and sit with us, or you can do a Teams meeting with us, and we can show you how to search the databases and use different search strategies. It’s a way for you to have a one-on-one appointment with a librarian.”
To book an appointment, students can visit the Farley Library homepage, scroll down to “Ask a Librarian,” and click the “Schedule an Appointment” button. Students can then choose between an in-person or virtual appointment and select a day and time to meet.
The Farley Library has also updated its system for reserving study rooms. Students can either scan the QR code posted outside each study room or visit the Farley Library homepage and scroll down to “Reserve a Study Room.”
“It streamlines the process because now the student doesn’t have to go all the way upstairs with the clipboard to reserve the room. They can do it instantaneously,” says Cherundolo. “I think the students really seem to like it. Last week alone, we had about 130 bookings.”
These recent updates were largely shaped by student and faculty feedback collected through a Measuring Information Service Outcomes (MISO) survey conducted last spring.
“A lot of these innovations that we are putting in place are drawn from the information we got from the MISO survey,” says Sacolic.
Staff carefully reviewed the responses before putting them into action. “We read every comment, we looked at every single data point and we are implementing it,” says Cherundolo.
Students and faculty are encouraged to share suggestions for future improvements, as the Farley Library is constantly looking for ways to better serve the campus community.
“A lot of people think libraries are the same as they have been for 100 years,” says Cherundolo. “No, libraries are always evolving. We have to be. We have to keep up with the times.”
Learn more at wilkes.edu/library