From the Dean: Learn, collaborate, find support
August 09, 2023
There are numerous locations to recharge your batteries at Parks – both for your devices and yourself. In addition to our collaboration spaces, we’re known for quiet spots to rest, study, and reflect.
Parks Library will soon be buzzing with new and returning students, staff and faculty each with their own unique outlook and goals for the academic year. Many are familiar with our beautiful, art-laden building. While our facilities are praiseworthy, it’s our resident experts who empower Iowa Staters for success.
There is a librarian for every discipline to support your unique research, learning and teaching pursuits. Our faculty, librarians and archivists can help investigate obscure questions, teach information literacy, tackle lit reviews and data management plans and more. I encourage you to take a moment to find your subject librarian to jumpstart the academic year.
You can also connect with a librarian through our Live Chat service on our home page or visit our Main Desk in Parks Library for in-person assistance. We recently redesigned our webpage to enhance our user experience. Links to former pages will be redirected to new pages with relevant content, and our robust search tool remains front and center.
There are numerous locations to recharge your batteries at Parks – both for your devices and yourself. In addition to our collaboration spaces, we’re known for quiet spots to rest, study and reflect. Just inside the front door of Parks is one of our new privacy booths. As more arrive this fall, the booths will be located around the building along with our Brody chairs with privacy screens. On the second floor, new furniture equipped with power outlets and adjustable-height desks are well positioned for studying with a view. And you can refuel at Bookends Café once classes resume Aug. 21.
A special opportunity of note this fall is our open call for proposals for the Affordable Course Materials Initiative, funded through the 2022-2031 Iowa State University Strategic Plan. Faculty and staff are invited to submit proposals by Sept. 8. Last spring, we awarded $75,000 to this effort to create infrastructure for affordable course materials. By providing open educational resources we have helped students save approximately $553,000 in the last academic year and $2 million since 2018. By working together, we can continue to increase these savings to students.
Whether it’s to learn, collaborate, find support or recharge, on behalf of the faculty and staff at the Iowa State University Library, we look forward to connecting with you.
Sincerely,
Hilary Seo
Dean of Library Services