Ten things you may not know about Alden Library but should (PHOTOS)

undefinedStudents, who are working late in the evening, use a group study desk on the fourth floor of Alden Library to prepare for finals. (Photo by John Michael Simpson /Ohio University Libraries) Alden Library adds 24-hour access to another floor After careful planning and in response to a significant uptick in the use of the building, Alden Library kicked off the 2017-18 academic year by opening yet another of its seven floors to 24-hour, five-day-a-week access. Alden Library’s fourth floor now joins its second floor, aka its Learning Commons, in providing 24-hour study space on the Athens Campus. Opening the fourth floor to expanded hours required both staffing accommodations and the reprogramming of the building’s elevators—all culminating in a grand opening celebration dubbed “Camp Alden.” For more information about the fourth-floor study space, click here.  Alden Library houses Graduate Writing and Research Center, open to undergrads as well Located on Alden Library’s third floor is OHIO’s Graduate Writing and Research Center, but don’t let the name fool you. This innovative learning space is part of the Graduate College but available to any OHIO student as well as postdocs working on major writing projects like a thesis, grant, journal article or fellowship application. Known as the GWRC, the center offers events and workshops each semester. Among them is “Write Now! A Dedicated Space for Writing.” Designed for people who struggle with finding or dedicating time to writing, the weekly event helps all members of the campus community find time and provides caffeine and a tutor to help as well. This semester the program is being offered from 2 to 4 p.m. Mondays in Alden 301U. “Write Now!” will continue during the summer session. For more information about the GWRC and all of its programs, click here. 

undefined(From left) Stacey Lavender, special collections librarian, consults with Elizabeth Boch, a student majoring in painting and drawing. (Photo by John Michael Simpson /Ohio University Libraries) No matter where they are, students can get in contact with librarians Gone are the days when help in searching for information required a trip to Alden Library’s second- and fourth-floor service desks. The Library’s “Information Experts” are located throughout the building and are available via live chat; by text (740-231-3222); by phone (740-593-2699); by email; and by an in-person appointment. For more information, click here. 

undefined(From left) Darrin, Gabriella, Nancy and Alexis Chatman laugh together while playing mini-golf at the Alden Open during Ohio University’s 2016 Dads Weekend. (Photo by John Michael Simpson/Ohio University Libraries) Alden Library’s mission extends beyond research materials to include events Committed to connecting learners to information for discovery, intellectual growth and the advancement of knowledge, the staff at Alden Library applies that mission to more than the Library’s physical materials. Each academic year, the Library hosts a wide array of events and exhibits while also making some of its space available to individuals and groups to host their events. Among the exhibits currently on display at Alden Library are “Writing Africa: The New Generation of African Writers”; “‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley: Art, Literature, Science, and Technology across Two Centuries”; and “Women at Ohio University: 150 Years of Life and History.” Some of the Library’s most-popular events occur during OHIO’s Finals Week when librarians offer several programs designed to reduce students’ stress. For more information on events occurring at Alden Library, click here. 

undefinedChad Boeninger, head of user services and subject librarian for business at Ohio University Libraries, leads a discussion on business resources for sophomore business cluster students Jan. 17 in Nelson Commons. (Photo by Lexi Browning/Ohio University Libraries) Alden Library’s subject librarians partner with OHIO’s faculty and assist students In addition to “Information Experts” who can help Library patrons with general research questions, Alden Library also offers “subject librarians,” research experts who partner with OHIO faculty and who are assigned, based on their expertise, to a specific college or department. Subject librarians work with faculty to select many of the databases and the best research materials for the students within that major. Subject librarians are available by appointment to assist students. For a list of all subject librarians, click here.  Alden Library’s databases cater to wide range of research interests Alden Library offers its patrons hundreds of databases – some of which it acquires through its annual subscription to the Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK), others that it selects based on needs identified by academic programs and budget allocations for specific subjects. The databases span all academic disciplines and are searchable, by both title and subject, via University Libraries’ homepage. Janet Hulm, assistant dean for collections and digitization strategies at University Libraries, noted the important work OHIO’s subject librarians do in creating Alden Library’s LibGuides, which direct students and faculty to databases relevant to a specific subject area and even a particular course. According to Hulm, the most commonly used database at the moment is EBSCOhost, which provides full-text articles and abstracts of articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. She also noted Kanopy, a streaming video service that provides educational, documentary, independent and art house films from hundreds of content providers, and the many niche databases available, such as Low Life, a full-text resource containing digital images of rare books and other materials relating to 18th, 19th and early 20th century London.

undefinedEva Bugg, a student studying health services administration, tutors Anthony Imondi, a student majoring in sports management, in the Academic Achievement Center in Alden Library. (Photo by Lexi Browning/Ohio University Libraries) Academic support and other services are provided through the Academic Achievement Center  OHIO’s Academic Achievement Center (AAC) is dedicated to student success and retention and offers a variety of services for students who seek to boost their academics. A collaboration between University College and Alden Library, the AAC relocated from the Library’s ground floor to its much more visible second floor last summer. The AAC includes Academic Skills Instruction, College Study Skills, the College Achievement Program (CAP), Supplemental Instruction (SI), the Student Writing Center and tutoring services. Both walk-in and scheduled appointments for all the AAC services are available. For more information on the Academic Achievement Center, click here. 

undefinedStudents look through prints from the Lynn Johnson Collection housed in the Mahn Center as part of a visit to Alden Library by Tijah Bumgarner's Introduction to the Arts class. (Photo by Tyler Stabile/Ohio University Libraries) Alden Library’s Archives and Special Collections are a valuable student and faculty resource Housed on the fifth floor of Alden Library is an area dedicated to the rare, the historic and the most special of the University Libraries’ collections—the Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. The Mahn Center serves as the principal repository for rare books, manuscript collections and the Ohio University archives. In supporting the mission of both the University and the University Libraries, the Mahn Center provides OHIO’s scholars access to one-of-a-kind primary source research material, including a 13th-century illuminated manuscript Bible, while also preserving important pieces of history. For more information about the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections or to schedule an appointment to view its materials, click here. 

undefinedJosh-Wade Ferguson, an Athens resident and doctoral candidate at the University of Mississippi, researches American blues literature in the renovated study areas on the fourth floor of Alden Library. (Photo by Lexi Browning/Ohio University Libraries) One building offers a variety of study environments and breathtaking views Everyone who uses Alden Library comes there with their own specialized needs, necessitating a diverse set of study environments within the building. For that reason and because the building is so large, Kelly Broughton, assistant dean for research and education services at University Libraries, suggests all Alden Library patrons explore the facility to determine the work space that best suits their needs. Alden Library offers spaces dedicated to complete silence, as well as group study space and rooms that can be reserved. Its location at the heart of the Athens Campus also offers exclusive and inspiring views of OHIO’s College Green and The Ridges. For more information on reserving group study rooms at Alden Library, click here. 

undefined(From left) Mariah Jarrett, a sophomore in specialized studies, and Briana Craia, a sophomore studying retail merchandising and fashion product development, work on an assignment together on the second floor of Alden Library. (Photo by John Michael Simpson/ Ohio University Libraries) Alden Library offers patrons use of computers and software  Among the resources available to Alden Library users are computers and a variety of software with specially created Library guides for those programs. Library patrons can check to see computer availability any time by clicking here. A complete list of computer software offered at Alden Library is available here. For more information, visit the Multimedia Center on the second floor of Alden Library or click here.