Starting university, or starting back to university after a summer break, can be an overwhelming experience. There are friends to make and societies to join as well as finding your way around and starting your classes. Attending one of the library orientations offered that are offered by most universities is not high on everyone’s list of things to do at this time of year. So why should you do it?
At some point, you’re going to want to use the library, and most likely some of the library resources held in the building, even if it’s just to catch up on Facebook between classes. Attending one of your university’s library orientations (usually these don’t last more than an hour) can give you a good idea of the layout of the building. After all, once the term is started and students are there taking full advantage of silent study areas may not be the best time to start exploring, especially when you need to just get on with doing your work!
This is not to say that libraries are all about being studying, reading and being quiet. Most libraries will have group study areas, where you can do collaborative work with your classmates or even have study breaks with friends while you’re doing your own work. Taking advantage of these areas to revise with friends can be a great idea, and can make studying a little more fun. And if this doesn’t appeal to you, most libraries will also have silent study areas. Depending on your own preferences, this can create a good environment to really buckle down and do some work without being disturbed by others.
Another library resource that a lot of libraries will also have is private study rooms for groups or individuals. Many of these come with plasma screens or projectors, which can be great for practicing presentations. These rooms will likely need to be booked in advance (especially as the term gets underway), which can usually be done through the library catalogue. Again, this is something you’ll find out about during a library orientation tour.
Attending one of your university’s library orientations can also give you an idea of some of the rules of the library as well, like where you’re allowed to eat, opening times (more and more libraries are opening 24 hours, especially during exam periods) and how to take advantage of the IT library resources, like where to find computer terminals and how to print, scan or photocopy.
Of course, library staff will be on hand well after fresher’s week to help with this stuff, so if you can’t make it to the orientation, don’t worry. But getting a head start on finding good study spaces and knowing how to print things before they’re due in an hour could save you a lot of worry when the university term starts and you’re up to your neck in work!
Next time we’ll give you some more tips on using the library – this time on the actual resources and why the librarian is your friend!