Community and belonging at CSB+SJU libraries

With the start of each new academic year, all of us have the opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to our community. This year, I would like to welcome everyone to campus by sharing how the Libraries & Archives hope to support connection and community at St. Ben’s and St. John’s.

The role of academic libraries has changed significantly over the last two decades. As our collections have transitioned from print to digital, our buildings have adapted to include programs, services, and spaces that address all types of community needs. Libraries sit uniquely positioned with a foothold in the academic, cocurricular, and extracurricular lives of our students. With this in mind, here is what you can expect from us as a center for community during your time at St. Ben’s and St. John’s.

Most of us spend a good deal of our time inhabiting two distinct spaces – our homes (residence hall) and our workplace (classroom and/or on-campus employment). We benefit when we can find that third space that provides us the opportunity to informally engage in conversation, create community and connection, explore ideas, and relax. A third space can be a park, a coffee shop, and (we hope for all of you), includes Clemens, Alcuin, and BAC libraries. Our goal is to contribute to your sense of belonging on our campuses by fostering a supportive community in our libraries that prioritizes inclusion, connectedness, and them well-being of all.

The Libraries & Archives host community events most weeks during the semester. The purpose of these events is to create connections among students with similar interests. These activities don’t require previous experience, there is no fee to participate, and the primary objective is to have a good time, relax, and connect with your fellow students. We intentionally make certain that we consider diverse interests with programs that focus on crafts, games, movies, personal wellbeing, trivia, reading, Swiftie fandom, and more. We are also open to your suggestions for activities and hope that you will share your ideas and interests with us.

As a third space, we also want you to feel comfortable using the libraries as a place for connection without formal programming from us. In Clemens and Alcuin, we have zoned spaces for different levels of noise and interactivity. For those who most need quiet time alone to rejuvenate or focus, we have spaces for you.

Others may decide they want to utilize one of collaborative spaces to catch up with friends, host a birthday party, play cards, or initiate a D&D campaign. We have you covered, too! The Libraries & Archives also have technology to check out related to many hobbies, including gaming consoles, board games, Cricuts, craft supplies, ghost hunting kits, and we will be adding digital musical instruments this fall. If you are worried that the library is not the right place for you to engage with community or you don’t see yourself reflected in what we offer, just chat with one of our staff or drop us a note and you will likely be surprised by what we can make possible.

In the coming weeks, we hope to see you making friendship bracelets, checking out a house plant, making a prototype for an idea you have using the laser cutter in the makerspace, laughing so hard with friends that you snort, or sitting quietly under a sun lamp, people watching, while reading the latest New York TimesBest Seller. We will continue to be responsive to all of you as we connect as a community throughout this academic year.