To include more student input in its programming this semester, Honnold/Mudd Library is inaugurating a Board of Student Stakeholders (BOSS) to advise on library services, collections, policies, programming, and technology. The board consists of two members from each of the seven Claremont
Colleges and two library faculty co-facilitators, Kate Crocker and Dani
Brecher.
“From our side, we want to increase student engagement with the library,” Brecher said. “Make students feel like what they have to say about the space is important. We want to have that sort of method of communication.”
BOSS meetings will feature various library department representatives, who will discuss the aspects of their department where they would like student
input.
“We feel
like there is a gap between the students and the people who work at the
library, and what the students need and what the library offers … so [BOSS] is a liaison
to that,” BOSS member Alexandra Ruark CM ’17 said. “They ask us what we think students need out of their library and what
[the library] is and is not providing in that way.”
Although
the board is still in its preliminary stages, Crocker said she hopes to see improvement with each meeting. In addition, BOSS will propose at least one library enhancement project
each semester.
These projects may include adding to the library’s special collections, funding a speaker or event, purchasing additional technology, or making minor space enhancements, according to an email sent out to inform students about applying to be on BOSS. The library dean, Kevin Mulroy, and the assistant directors will
approve each project individually.
One project idea concerns easing the experience of finals week for students.
“There is not enough seating
during exam time so we have talked about getting more ergonomic furniture,
iPads and chargers for rent at the main desk, more events during exam week, and
more communication between the library and the students, because there are
really great resources at the library that a lot of people don’t realize are
there,” Ruark said.
The board has not decided upon its main enhancement project, but the co-facilitators hope to develop a solid
proposal by the middle of April.
“The whole library is pretty
excited about this,” Crocker said. “Basically we are testing this model so we can start in
again in September. Hopefully with returning students, returning members, and
new students. It is a very malleable group at this time, but we are trying to
test out this process and see what we can get done in this short amount of
time.”