Log 13

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Student: Austen Esch

Supervisor: Shelley Barba

 

April 2, 2025, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

In between sessions of working on my subject headings, I took a photo with a lamp that is in the corner of my workspace. It is a very pretty lamp that gives me something to look at when I'm taking breaks. 

I had the opportunity to meet with the librarians at Texas Tech’s Special Collections Library. Shelley set up this meeting before she left town for a library conference in Minnesota, where she’ll be attending sessions and networking with other academic librarians. She promised me that she would try to attend any meetings about junior colleges, which is what South Plains College is, so that she could share information with me. I remembered from a previous conversation that she mentioned that she had originally trained to become a special collections librarian. From the fact that I have now had two days at the Special Collections library this semester, I know she still holds a deep love for the field. This context made my visit feel all the more meaningful, as I was stepping into a part of librarianship that clearly holds a special place in her heart. I met with Rob King, the head of the Special Collections Library, and he welcomed me warmly before launching into a detailed tour of the archives.

Mr. King began by introducing me to the “Southwest Collection,” which serves as the library’s primary and most prominent archive. It contains documents, photos, oral histories, and artifacts focusing on the Southwestern United States, especially Lubbock and the surrounding region. It was fascinating to see how the local history of this area is carefully preserved and studied by researchers from across the country. He also showed me their Vietnam War collection, which he said is the largest in the United States outside of Washington, D.C. I was amazed at the depth of the collection and how much material is stored in just this one section of the library. Touring these collections helped me see another dimension of library work, one that is about preservation, curation, and protecting regional memory for future generations. I can see why Shelley was drawn to this part of the field.

 

April 4, 2025, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

I took another photo in front of the windows in the room where I work. This has definitely become my favorite area of the room to sit.

Today I had the chance to meet with another reference librarian, Kimberly Vardeman. Shelley had scheduled the meeting for me, and it turned out to be a great experience. Kimberly shared a lot of insight into how important student feedback is in shaping how the library serves its users. She explained how the library makes efforts to create a welcoming and engaging space, especially during orientation week. One creative idea she was involved in was a murder mystery–themed orientation event. This was held at the library to get students involved and familiar with the space in a fun and interactive way. Events like this, she said, help students remember the library and feel comfortable coming back throughout the semester.

Kimberly also told me about another outreach project she worked on involving feedback boards and heart-shaped sticky notes. She set these up at the Student Union Building (known on campus as “the Sub”), inviting students to write honest thoughts about the library. It could be both what they appreciated and what they thought needed improvement. She also organized a public vote on new furniture options for the library, giving students a voice in how the space would be arranged and updated. Kimberly believes that when students feel they’re being listened to, they’re more likely to make use of the library’s resources. Finally, she showed me how the library is piloting a new AI assistant designed to help students navigate the library website and find information faster. It was exciting to see how technology and community engagement are being combined to improve the student experience.

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