Today’s observation was especially difficult due to an extreme case of social anxiety. I was nearly paralyzed by the unfamiliarity of the Christopher Newport University campus and the magnitude of the academic library. Luckily, I was able to shake it off and conduct a thorough observation to share with you.

Physical Access & Intellectual Access

The CNU library is huge and intimidating. When I first arrived, I saw one patron who seemed to know his way around. He disappeared before I could ask any questions, leaving me standing in the foyer of what looked like an art museum. My anxiety kicked in immediately, and I considered going back to the car and writing this report from a completely digital perspective. But I swallowed my fears, and walked aimlessly through the corridors, more intrigued by the sculptures and photographs than the books. I nearly traversed the entire first floor before I encountered library staff, two ladies at the circulation desk with inviting smiles, but I was too nervous to ask questions, so I headed for the exit, palms shaky and sweaty. On my way out, I met a friendly custodian. She was excited to hear about my blog post, so she offered to give me a tour. 

Something I observed on my tour, unique to the academic library, was the amount of study space. There are open study areas with rows of tables each topped with two table lamps. It looks exactly like the university libraries in the movies. There are also several study rooms on each floor of various sizes, plenty of arm chairs and couches, a small theater, digital classrooms, and multiple computer labs. The spaces are ideal for collaborative learning and hanging out with friends between classes. The library was recently renovated and was initially only about a third of its current size. Rubin & Rubin (2020) talk about the reduction of physical spaces designated for bookshelves and the expansion of collaborative spaces as a growing trend in university libraries. (p. 196). I could definitely see evidence of this trend in the new and improved CNU library. In fact, I saw very few areas dedicated to printed materials, and when I explored the database briefly, I encountered mostly electronic resources.

Hours are limited to 8am-5pm in summer, and it is nearly empty at 9am on a Thursday in July. However, during the fall and spring semesters, the library is open to the public until midnight and to students 24/7 using keycard access. Students take full advantage of the access, and it is not uncommon for librarians to find exhausted students asleep on the couches when they begin their shifts in the morning.

Services, Patrons, & Staff 

The basic services the library provides are print and electronic resource circulation, media equipment loans, study spaces, small lecture rooms, and computer labs. I was especially interested in the theater. My tour guide did not have a key to unlock it and show me around, but she said the space is used mostly for lectures and small productions. The CNU library also has an archives selection, but the librarians said it is small and may not be too exciting following my Fort Monroe archives visit. 

Though the library is open to the public, the library staff prioritizes assisting their student patrons, helping with research, writing, and citations. It is likely that during the busier fall and spring semesters, the public will have limited access to study rooms and may even be asked to leave if students have reserved the space. The $25 membership fee for outsiders has been waived due to the pandemic, so wifi and circulation are now free. The space is welcome to all throughout the year, but someone as shy and introverted as I might feel most comfortable in summer. This place is definitely a campus hotspot.

Collections and Digital Access

My anxiety dissipated thanks to my tour guide, so I was able to comfortably interact with the library staff. I met the digital services librarian, who told me about the equipment they loan out to students. He also directed me to the media section of the library, a room filled from top to bottom with DVDs and Blu-Ray disks, a TV, and a couple of comfy couches. I also spoke to the two librarians at the circulation desk, the ones I mentioned being too nervous to speak to earlier. They were so nice! I told them that I didn’t recognize their cataloging system and admitted that I’m neither an expert in the Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress systems. They use neither; their collection is organized using the Sierra Integrated Library System. Luckily, the library staff is eager to help patrons search for resources.

The website isn’t hard to navigate at all, though I recommend watching the tutorial to become familiar with the database. The “Resources and Services” tab is especially helpful for patrons looking to reserve a study room, explore the archives, or schedule research assistance. 

Final reflections

Despite my initial reluctance to fully explore, my academic library visit was rewarding. I learned something new; I had never heard of the Sierra cataloging system. Chapter 6 of Foundations of Library and Information Science talks a lot about classification systems. I found it to be the most complicated and overwhelming chapter, but the gist is that the Dewey Decimal and the Library of Congress classification systems don’t always suffice because the range of data extends far beyond what can be housed physically inside a library (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 418-419). Every other library I have visited this week relies on those traditional systems, so it was interesting to visit a library with a set of classification rules outside of the norm. 

References:

Christopher Newport University. (n.d.). Trible Library. https://cnu.edu/library/.

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.