Video summary
Ohio University's Alden Library positions itself as a comprehensive hub that extends far beyond traditional book collections, offering a vibrant ecosystem of resources designed to empower students, faculty, and staff. The facility serves as a central space for studying, socializing with coffee breaks, and accessing specialized areas like the makerspace and media center. A key feature is the Learning Commons located on the second floor, which acts as a primary support center for diverse academic fields including health sciences, social studies, business, and languages. This area facilitates various forms of assistance, ranging from one-on-one peer tutoring sessions to small group study meetings, ensuring that dedicated tutors are available to guide students toward academic success across different disciplines.
For those needing specific subject expertise, the library provides targeted support through specialized academies and librarian appointments. The STEM Academy on the fourth floor of Morton Hall focuses specifically on math and science peer tutoring, while business students can consult with Chad, a subject librarian who assists with tasks like SWOT analysis. Similarly, the Writing Commons in Bromley Hall offers both in-person and online guidance to help students develop their writing skills and confidence at any stage of the process. To further enhance collaborative learning, the library utilizes Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions where students who have successfully completed a course facilitate group study, creating an environment where peers can reinforce understanding and develop effective study strategies together.
The library also addresses practical needs through advanced technology services and convenient access methods. Students can request books online to be placed on self-pickup shelves organized by last name, eliminating the need to search the stacks manually. For those needing to print documents or essays, the facility accepts Bobcat Cash payments using Ohio IDs. Furthermore, the multimedia center provides free access to Adobe Creative Cloud and a wide array of recording equipment, including cameras, tripods, lighting, microphones, and various adapters for interviews and podcasting. Additionally, an OIT service desk on the fourth floor assists with technical issues such as checking out laptops, accessing Canvas, troubleshooting login problems, and installing Office 365.
Beyond general academic support, Alden Library is committed to inclusivity and specific student success initiatives, particularly for first-generation college students. The library offers a dedicated First Generation Student Success Program to support these individuals throughout their journey at Ohio University. Accessibility services are also readily available for those requiring accommodations, ensuring that all members of the community can thrive. Whether a student needs help recording interviews for a capstone project, finding a quiet room to think, or simply scheduling an appointment with a tutor, the staff and resources at Alden Library are designed to meet every need. Ultimately, the library stands as a welcoming environment where everyone is eager to assist with questions, academic coaching, or any other support required for success.
Read the full video transcript
Hello and welcome to Ohio University's
Alden Library, where we help to empower
our students, faculty, and staff in
research, knowledge, discovery, and
success.
Once you come into Alden Library, you'll
know right away we're more than books.
Alden is a prime space for studying,
coffee breaks, and a media center and
makerspace. Along with that, we also
have tutoring and accessibility
services.
Located on the second floor of Alden
Library, the Learning Commons is your
central hub for support in health
sciences, social studies, business
courses, languages, and more.
Hi, I was looking to make a tutoring
appointment for Math 1200.
>> Yeah, perfect. Are there any available
times that you prefer? Whether you
schedule a one-on-one or a small [music]
group session, our dedicated peer tutors
are here to guide you towards success.
I'll have that all set up for you. You
should get an email confirming
everything. And then remember, that is
in
>> [music]
>> the STEM Academy in Morton 415 for you.
Awesome. Thank you. Yeah, thank you.
Located on the fourth floor of Morton
Hall, the STEM Academy is your go-to
destination for math and science peer
tutoring.
Hi, how are you? I'm good. How are you?
Good. What brings you in today?
Whether you schedule a small group
session or drop in for help, our
knowledgeable peer tutors are ready to
support your success and build your
confidence.
Oh my gosh, I can't figure out how to do
SWOT analysis.
Hey there, I'm Chad. I'm the business
librarian, and I can help you with that.
In fact, there is a subject librarian
for [music] every major on campus.
>> To schedule an appointment with a
librarian, you can do so online or go to
one of the service desks.
I like the quiet study room because I
can actually hear myself think.
We also have spaces for groups to gather
and study.
PAL stands for peer assisted learning
and our group study sessions facilitated
by students who have already taken the
class and done well.
So, I'm going to put you in your groups
and give you a few minutes to work on
this problem on the white boards. So,
whichever group gets the answer
correctly the quickest gets the prize of
a high five.
These sessions provide a collaborative
environment where students can reinforce
their understanding of the course
material and develop effective study
strategies.
We have many many books, so it could be
difficult looking for one in the stacks.
If you ever need help, look for a phone
and a staff member will come to [music]
assist.
Alden Library, this is Ryan. Can I help
you? I can't find the math books. Can
you help me? Yeah, sure. I'll be right
there. Thank you.
You can also entirely skip a tour in the
stacks and request your book online at
ohio.edu/library.
Hi, it says I have an email for a book
ready to pick up. Where would I find
Yeah, if you requested it online, it'll
be right over on our self-pickup shelf.
They're organized by last name, so just
find your last name and grab your book.
Cool, thank you. You're welcome.
We also have printers here Alden
Library. With Bobcat Cash, you can use
your Ohio ID to print out your stellar
essay.
Hi and welcome to the writing commons.
Can I get you checked in or do you need
a scheduled appointment?
>> Yeah, I'm here to check in for a
writing. Okay, great. Located in Bromley
Hall, the Writing Commons at Ohio
University provides both in-person and
online tutoring, offering guidance at
any stage of the writing process to help
students develop their skills and
confidence.
All right, Ethan, we made a lot of
progress today. So, when we come back
next time, yes, we can look at the
citations and the outline, but just make
sure to pay attention to what I've been
telling you, but I had a great session
and hope you [music] have a great rest
of your day. Awesome. Thank you so much.
I'll definitely make sure to do that.
Awesome. Thank you.
Hi, welcome to Alden Library. How can I
help you? Um, so I have to record
interviews for my capstone project and I
was wondering if you had anything to
help me with. We have a lot of different
multimedia stuff here to help you out
with that. So, one of the basic things
you'll need first is a camera. Of
course, you're going to need an HDMI
cable to USB-C. You're going to need
probably a DVD player to help with any
CDs you might have. Of course, you're
going to need an SD card reader to case
you have SD cards that you need to plug
in. You're going to need a tripod with a
camera on, too. You're definitely going
to need some lapel mics. These are going
to help out with the scene and get
everything you need recorded. We have a
document scanner in case you need to get
any consent forms onto your computer. We
have, of course, the lighting lights so
that way you can help brighten up your
scene quite a bit. And we also have
headphones so that way you'll be able to
plug those directly into the camera so
you'll be able to hear everything that
you need to hear. You'll have all these
different types of little adapters here,
HDMI to USB-C, USB-C to HDMI, and of
[music] course, a few in here that are
just USB-C to USBs. We have also some
webcams in case you're doing an online
interview. We have these wonderful
little phone mics in case you want to do
recording on your phone. And of course,
[music] we're going to have this little
diddy bitty flash drive to save all of
your information on. Got you. So, how
much does this all cost to use? Good
news, as long as you have your Ohio ID
library card, it's free. Oh, perfect.
Thank you so much.
Woah, hey. My name's Ellie, I'm a
multimedia tutor. I can help you with
this.
>> Thank you so much.
The multimedia center has free access to
Adobe Creative Cloud and can be used by
any student on campus. You can even book
the multimedia studio for podcasting,
music creation, and more.
We also have an OIT service desk located
on the fourth floor of Alden Library.
Staff [snorts] can help you check out a
laptop, access Canvas, troubleshoot
login issues, and even help you install
Office 365 onto your computer.
Hey, are you getting these emails? What
does it mean to be first gen?
I feel like I heard a little bit about
this at Bobcat student orientation. It
means that neither of your parents
graduated from college. If you'd like,
we can always get more information.
Yeah, we should definitely [music] go
ask.
Our first generation student success
program is here to support all first
generation students in their journey at
Ohio University. You can learn more
about what it means to be first
generation on the AAC's website.
Everyone here at Alden is happy to help
you. If you ever have any questions,
need a tutor or academic coach, or
looking for accommodations or
accessibility services, you can visit us
in person or online. [music]