Lightning Talks:- Books & Blocks: Campus Childcare and University Library Unite for Student Parent Success
Nearly one-fourth of students at U.S. colleges and universities are parents, representing more than five million people. Unfortunately, the significant challenges of raising children while pursuing a degree result in only 40% of these students graduating within six years. Additionally, these challenges often affect women and minorities disproportionately. Yet while there are numerous specialized campus services to support targeted populations, student parents are often overlooked and neglected despite their considerable numbers. This poster tracks how one university library built upon its established success creating alternative study and sensory spaces to also offer a family-friendly room for students. After the first year of operation, the library partnered with the university's child development center to offer students developmentally appropriate drop-off childcare in the family-friendly room twice a week for up to three hours. The room is staffed by university staff and students who integrate curriculum materials and services from the library's Teaching Resources Center (TRC) into the provision of childcare and caregiver education.
About Mark SandersMark Sanders is a Professor and the Assistant Director for Public Services at East Carolina University’s Joyner Library. He holds a BA from UNC-Asheville, an MA from Penn State University, an MLS from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a graduate certificate in “Student Affairs in Higher Education” from ECU. His professional interests include learning spaces, Access Services, and financial planning.
- Magnets and Messages: Creating a Student-Centered Feedback Board
This lightning talk will provide a concise overview of the “What’s on Your Mind?” program in the Public Services Department of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library, focusing on its role in fostering student engagement and addressing community needs. I'll share key statistics, benefits, and lessons learned from implementing a low-cost yet highly impactful program. Key Points will include: (1) Simple tools can create big impacts (e.g., magnets and comment boards). (2) Student feedback as a driver for library service improvements. (3) Plans for scaling, including digital integration and cross-campus collaborations.
About Will Ritter
Will Ritter is the Public Services Librarian for User Services at the Z. Smith Reynolds Library at Wake Forest University, where he manages Circulation, Collection Maintenance, and General Reference Services. He has over a decade of experience in academic libraries, including his previous role as Director of the James Addison Jones Library at Greensboro College.
- Empowering Students: AI in Information Literacy and Library Instruction
AI is rapidly changing the landscape of information access and creation. This presentation examines the implications of AI for information literacy and library instruction, focusing on practical applications for community college students. We will discuss how librarians and instructors can leverage AI tools to support student learning and address the challenges of evaluating information in an AI-driven world.
About the PresentersKrishawna "Kris" Brown is the Librarian for Instruction and Technical Services at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC), where she works in the library's technical services department and is part of the library's instruction team. She also serves as the library liaison for the FTCC satellite campus in Spring Lake, NC. Kris received her MLIS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2011.
Ashley Apple is the Librarian for Instruction and Access Services at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC), where she works in the library's circulation department, coordinates ILL requests, and assesses collection development. She also works with the library's Makerspace. Ashley received her MLS from North Carolina Central University in 2008.
Sophia Demitri is the Librarian for Instruction and Archives at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC), where she works in the library's archives and serves on the library's instruction team. She has in public libraries and previously served as librarian for public schools as a Media Coordinator. Sophia received her MLIS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2016.
