OPENING up and Moving Forward

Fall 2021 finds Fraser Hall Library in nearly full operational mode: all the collections that were brought over from Milne in the spring are accessible; staff are interacting face-to-face (masked and socially distanced) with students, faculty, and each other; and students are filling the seats. Here we will continue to provide ever-improving service as, across the quad and up the hill a bit, the Milne Library building undergoes its major renovation, aiming for a truly grand reopening in Fall 2024. 

 Fraser Hall Library Open House, February 2022

 In the meantime, the Teacher Education Resource Collection (TERC) occupies the back section of the Library’s main room (Fraser 203) and continues to grow as new books, curriculum materials, educational games and toys, and other manipulatives are added. Users are welcome to browse the collection and borrow items.  The Imaginarium is now set up in South Hall and staffed by School of Education students and the SOE subject librarian.

The Imaginarium and TERC are now open!
The Imaginarium and TERC are now open!

The Special Collections are in their secure space in Fraser and available for in-house use and/or borrowing, depending on the collection. College Archives materials especially have been getting a lot of use lately as the College celebrates its 150th anniversary this year! 

Milne Building Architectural Renderings

 

Research Instruction librarians are back to interacting in-person with students and other researchers, with drop-in research help hours Monday through Friday in Fraser 203A (the Research Instruction office) or by appointment (for more in-depth research assistance). The librarians are also providing in-the-classroom instruction again. 

Throughout our unprecedented events, our Research Instructions Librarians provided excellent service, whether remotely or in various temporary locations.  From January 2020 through December 2021, our Librarians taught 481 Instruction sessions and had 1986 consultations, question sessions, and scheduled appointments.

From a School of Ed flyer: Imaginarium and TERC are now open! 2021-2022

In August 2021, the College re-opened its public buildings and areas to the non-college public, and many of the Library’s “regulars” were very happy to be back using the facilities, accessing Special Collections materials, or just enjoying the atmosphere. Soon they would be able to borrow circulating materials as well.

Books, DVDs, CDs, and the like from the Library’s circulating collection are available for loan simply by clicking on the “Pick Up at Fraser” button in GLOCAT to have them retrieved and held at the Service Desk for pickup.  Although the book stacks are not open, users can still Browse by Library of Congress Call Numbers and by using the Virtual Browse feature in GLOCAT.  

GLOCAT Browse Screen View
GLOCAT Browse Screen View showing physical items available through Fraser Hall Library
GLOCAT Pick up at Fraser button
GLOCAT Pick up at Fraser button – because we can do it now!

The Course Reserve collection is housed behind the Service Desk, just inside the entrance of the Library. The CIT HelpDesk is also available in the Library, just as it was in Milne, next to the Service Desk. The Writing Learning Center is up and running. The entryway to which is located in the Library, next to the public print stations.

In the large room of the Library (Fraser 203), students can:

  •       Borrow course reserves
  •       Pick up and return books retrieved from the stacks, or from IDS
  •       Get tech help
  •       Print and scan
  •       Use a computer or accessibility workstation
  •       Browse the TERC materials
  •       Enjoy quiet study!

The 1871 Café, just outside the Library’s main room, will offer fresh, delicious grab-and-go options to hungry Library users (or anyone, really!).

 

 While many library staff members were still working mainly from home—providing remote library instruction and research assistance, processing IDS requests, etc.—as the semester progressed some staff started to spend more time in their campus offices, settling in and getting used to providing socially distanced and masked service. In July 2021, along with the rest of campus,  library staff returned to campus to work from their Fraser Hall offices. 

SUNY Geneseo Milne/Fraser Hall Library awarded Academic Library of the Year 2021

Our challenges and resiliency did not go unnoticed.  Our Library was awarded 2021 Academic Library of the year by the Rochester Regional Library Council (RRLC)!

SUNY Geneseo Milne/Fraser Hall Library awarded Academic Library of the Year 2021
SUNY Geneseo Milne/Fraser Hall Library awarded Academic Library of the Year 2021
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