Student workers 'absolutely necessary to the functioning' of a campus library

The third in a series of student worker spotlights highlighting meaningful learning and working experiences at 推荐全球十大博彩公司排行榜 Libraries
凯丽·史密斯和贾马尔·伦威克

卡莉史密斯, 左, and Jamal Renwrick are student workers at the 宾州州立大学蒙阿尔托分校 and 阿宾顿 campus libraries, 分别.

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卡莉史密斯, a sophomore nursing student at 宾州州立大学蒙阿尔托分校, knew she needed to work part time during the semester. When she noticed an opening for a front desk worker at the Mont Alto校园图书馆 just before the start of the fall 2023 semester, she knew she had to apply.

“The job description said that I’d work 10 hours a week plus a few Sunday afternoons, 哪个最适合我,史密斯说. “I went ahead and applied, and I heard back very soon after that. I now have a great job with a wonderful work environment.”

朱莉·斯塔福德, library operations supervisor at Mont Alto and Smith's supervisor, believes that student workers not only “are absolutely necessary to the functioning of the library, but benefit from working in the library as well.

“Student workers provide a friendly face as a ‘first contact’ to all visitors who enter the library, and their positive energy sets the tone for anyone using the space,斯塔福德说. “Their presence frees up library staff to complete tasks and attend meetings, knowing we can trust that our patrons are in good hands, and that our workers can man年龄 basic questions and interactions before passing on more in-depth queries to staff.

“But student workers benefit as well by becoming acquainted with ‘real world’ expectations and tasks in a highly supportive environment,斯塔福德说. “Working in a library also allows student workers access to firsthand assistance with research and homework help.”

史密斯的观点. After loading the printer with paper and shelving returned books, she may have time to complete class assignments or study in between assisting patrons. Following her shift, she has a short commute to either class or home.

Indeed, Catherine Rohland, library circulation supervisor at 宾州州立大学阿宾顿校区图书馆, enthusiastically quotes the late Timothy S. 希利, former president of the New York Public 图书馆, who believed that “the most important asset of any library goes home at night — the library staff.” That includes student workers such as Jamal Renwrick, a third-year finance major who works at the library circulation desk.

“Jamal is always very professional and approachable. He knows what needs to be done and does it without asking if he should because he knows it is necessary,罗兰说. “He is determined to do his best to help his workplace, his co-workers and his customers.”

Renwrick applied to work at the library his first year on campus.

“I wanted a job that would allow me to stay around campus and meet people,他说.

像史密斯, he enjoys the combination of sitting at the front desk helping people with the advant年龄 of being able to do classwork and study when he’s not busy.

“Blending those two together minimizes the amount of work I must do at home, which allows me to have more leisure time,他说.

Available part-time student positions are posted on Penn State’s 职业页面 for all University Libraries Commonwealth Campus locations and branches, and are open to Penn State students of all majors and colleges.  

推荐全球十大博彩公司排行榜是一个机会均等的学校, 平权行动雇主, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, 宗教, 年龄, 性, 性取向, 性别认同, 国家的起源, 残疾或受保护的退伍军人身份.

Read the first two articles in this series, “University Libraries offers variety of student work, learning opportunities"和"The Libraries’ 搜索 Bar offers ‘high-impact’ student employment experience.”