Summer 2024
Welcome!
Welcome to the Cal Poly Humboldt Library blog! This blog provides updates on what is happening at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library and supplements the library newsletter. Contributions are written by library staff, faculty, student employees, and administrators.
Featured Outstanding Staff
By Odeli Hernandez
June 14, 2024
Meet Kumi
Kumi Watanabe-Schock is our Public Programming and Library Media Coordinator here at the Library. Kumi has worked on campus for about 36 years! She also works as the Library Media Coordinator and fulfills requests for media on Kanopy, the university’s online streaming service. She is incredibly passionate about social justice, diversity and inclusion. What she enjoys most about her job is that she’s able to collaborate with people on campus on issues she cares about. She also likes that she can plan events not only with faculty and staff but also students who share similar passions. She believes that the Library is a “giving group and passionate about sharing” and that it is an exciting and creative place. One piece of advice that Kumi has to offer students is to follow your passion, do what makes you happy, and be kind to everyone because kindness is underrated.
A Semester of Mini Painting At The Makerspace
By Sawyer Armitage
April 15, 2024
We all create little worlds inside our head, but my job as a student assistant lets me make those worlds a reality. Over on the second floor of the library every Wednesday last Fall, people gathered for the “Fantasy Paints” meetup to model, paint, learn and play with miniatures.
Science Models
Andi Price, oceanography major, came to the Makerspace to make representations of her favorite subjects from class.
She created a miniature model of ocean layers and crafted in essence a mini aquarium for her to carry and inspire more creation.
Finding a pre-made model of a prehistoric fish, Andi used our 3D printer and acrylic paints to make a beautiful spotted Ostracoderm, and used our available lightbox to take portfolio pictures. She found the meetup most helpful in learning how to paint the 3D models we printed together.
Using items she brought in combination with materials provided by the Makerspace, she has environments and models to reference and build upon for her major.
Campaign Characters
Of course we crafted some classic mini figs for your average tabletop role playing game. Members of the meetup either brought or 3D printed and painted playable icons from games like Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer 40k and Call of Cthulhu.
The benefits of having the regularly scheduled time, space, and access to paint or craft every week in the Makerspace really showed, and miniature painters gained so much skill in painting techniques, flocking and texturizing, color theory and modeling.
While we used many pre-made models from gaming companies, there were endless ways to modify and paint them into players' needs.
This monster was inspired by the Augmented Reality (AR) Sandbox we have here at the Makerspace!
Makers used their own themes to paint their characters to make their games more inclusive. In the future I would love to see more people use our contrast paints, embrace kitbashing, and to see how more makers make themselves into the games they play.
Big Bosses and Story Filled Scenes
By the time we brought out the big dragons, campaigns had waged, exams were looming, and it felt very decompressing to spend an hour or so a week painting tiny details on the wings of the dragons around the table. Dungeon Masters got to strategize about how their players would interact with the final battle they crafted, miniature model makers were inventing 1/12 scale cozy spots to tuck in, and by October it got spooky in the Makerspace.
We started a new project with reclaimed pieces of trash and over our weekly meetups, it quickly took on a life of its own.
For weeks we constructed an original tale, the trash taking on that life in becoming a story of Cthulhu cultists, creatures, and a thriving garden in a fun but haunting community build. The materials here are all things found inside the Makerspace, like recycled cardboard, paints, clay, felt, polyfill, crepe paper, and the utilization of the hot glue gun.
We used our tools like the 3D printer and pen to craft details that changed the texture and tale of the build, and it was a positive experience to create something together that wasn’t for a class or personal gain but just to experiment.
Whether you drop in to our meetups at the Makerspace, chat with our other student assistants about your projects, workshop with your creative group, or sketch and dream alone at home, remember the wonder in being able to craft and the benefit of making time for it every week.
Miniature painted and photographed by Andi Price
Miniature painted and photographed by Seth Ross
Miniature painted and photographed by Sawyer Armitage
Student Board Game Design Competition
By Xandra Gradine
November 1, 2023
Take a break in November at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library during International Games Month. Play games, meet new people, and more…
Libraries are known as the place to share culture in the form of books, music, movies, and even technology. More and more they are becoming a place to gather as a community to play games. During November, thousands of libraries across the globe showcase gaming programs and services as they transform their libraries and celebrate the mutually-reinforcing power of play and learning.
Programs include video game, board game, and large scale role-playing game competitions and have shown an increase recreational library attendance for all age groups, from small children through senior citizens.
The Cal Poly Humboldt Library is hosting the inaugural Student Board Game Design Competition with various events!
In collaboration with the Makerspace, the Press at Cal Poly Humboldt, and guidance from Cal Poly faculty member and published game designer Kathleen Mercury, students in teams and individually will design their own board games and build a working prototype. From November 27 through November 30, everyone has the opportunity to play these new games and provide feedback to the student designers. Our panel of judges will determine the winning games on December 1.
To prepare for the competition, Kathleen Mercury is offering a Design a Tabletop Board Game Skillshop on Monday, November 6 at 4:30pm in Library room 317. Register to reserve your spot!
To get you in the mood, Humboldt's student-led Tabletop Game Club hosts game nights on Wednesdays from 5-7pm in the Library. Drop by the third floor, Library room 310, for a relaxing and fun break.
Gaming is yet another example of how the Library is fulfilling the desire to play, read, and learn in our campus community.
We invite everyone to visit the Library during International Games Month!
8-16-23 Fall 2023 newsletter for WEB.pdfCheck Out the Library Fall Issue
By Jessica Welch
August 17, 2023
Check out the Fall 2023 Library Newsletter Check Out the Library! Read how Library Scholar Internships are one of the best library launchpads and give students the opportunity to learn, discover experiences, develop new interests and talents, and develop professional skills. It was a summer of connection with L4Humboldt summer series concluding with a record number of workshops offered, including New Indigenous Pop Music, Dungeon's and Dragon's trainings, and more! We recently launched our new library website! The 10th Annual IdeaFest was once again an inspiring celebration of research and scholarly and creative works. Makerspace is adding more programming this fall and invites you to their open house on Friday, September 8 from 11am to 2pm. Learning is better together at the Learning Center! Save the date and help us celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Learning Center on October 4. Get to know resource sharing for access to articles and books, especially your textbooks! Read about the Interactive GIS Data Archive and how it's changing the way you discover GIS projects in our local area. See how the Makerspace has been instrumental in helping the campus supercomputer stay cool while processing over 30,000 calculations!
Gender Inclusive Restroom and Free Menstrual Products in the Library
by the Library Diversity & Social Justice Working Group
April 17, 2023
A designated gender inclusive restroom is available on the 2nd floor of the Library. This restroom is a multiple occupancy space with 4 stalls. This is one of a handful of designated gender inclusive restrooms on campus.
This spring, we’ve also made another impactful change by working with the Dean of Students Office to secure funding for free access to menstrual products – now available in all restrooms in the Library and the Gutswurrak Student Activities Center.
What is a gender inclusive restroom and why is it important to our community?
Everyone is able to use the restroom that best aligns with their gender identity. California law allows students to use facilities and restrooms based on their gender identity without facing discrimination. Many bathrooms on campus exist with only binary options (“Men'' and “Women”) which isn’t inclusive of the diversity of identities in the world. An all gender restroom provides an additional option for people of all gender identities. Gender-inclusive facilities also benefit parents and caregivers assisting people of different genders.
We expect that people will be able to use the all gender restroom freely and without harassment. If you experience discrimination or harassment while using this restroom or any restroom (gender inclusive or single gendered), please report the incident to the Cal Poly Humboldt Title IX office, or call the Campus Advocate Team 24/7 hotline at 707-445-2881.
Some limitations
While this is an improvement for access across campus, we want to acknowledge that this is not a perfect space. We’re advocating to make improvements including larger stall sizes in general in addition to the existing accessible stall, stalls that allow for more privacy, and an additional gender inclusive restroom in the Library. We want to hear from you! Share your feedback about what you'd like to have in an ideal all gender restroom in the Library.
Please contact the Library Diversity & Social Justice Working Group for more information. Email us at library-dsj@humboldt.edu.
Open Education Week March 6 - 10, 2023
Flyer for Open Education Week
by Morgan Barker
March 1, 2023
Support students by utilizing open education, open pedagogy and open educational resources!
“Open Education encompasses resources, tools and practices that are free of legal, financial and technical barriers and can be fully used, shared and adapted in the digital environment. Open Education maximizes the power of the Internet to make education more affordable, accessible and effective.” see national Events for Open Education Week
Attend an Open Session
Engaging three student populations with a LibreText OER, with Dr. Armeda Reitzel
Open Educational Resources for Faculty, OER/AL$ Sustainable Learning
OPEN Student Research Tools Skillshop
Friday 3/10/23 10am LIB 121
AND... In May - for Fall Course Prep - Open Educational Resources for Faculty
Why use OER?
Student Success: Textbook costs negatively impact student access to required materials (66.6% did not purchase the required textbook) and learning (37.6% earn a poor grade; 19.8% fail a course).
Graduation Rate: Because of textbook costs students reported that they take fewer courses (47.6%), do not register for a course (45.5%), drop a course (26.1%), or withdraw from courses (20.7%).
Equity: A soon-to-be-released study by the University of Georgia reports a one-third reduction in DFW rate among minority and Pell-eligible students in courses which switched to OER.
Class Design: Requiring students to buy a textbook means an obligation to teach to its goals. Conversely, OER can be edited to meet the course-specific goals for the class.
Recruitment: Students choose courses with zero-cost textbooks. A course or department offering zero-cost textbooks will be able to market to current and incoming students.
Campus OER Support
Use Library resources to find open and sustainable teaching and learning materials - Cal Poly Humboldt OER/AL$
Please, feel free to reach out for support anytime - email: oer@humboldt.edu
Already use OER? Report here to support campus data.
Meet Denise Holbrook,
User Experience & Systems Services Specialist
by Denise Holbrook
February 7, 2023
Good day!
My name is Denise Holbrook and I have taken the position of User Experience and System Services Specialist in the Access Services Department here at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library. In the User Experience role of this position I am looking forward to collaborating with library stakeholders from across campus and meeting many of you in person.
I bring a variety of experience to my role from working in the Circulation Department of my local public library and then the Access Services Department of my alma mater Boise State University. Along with my working experience I am also in progress earning my Masters of Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University, set to graduate May 2023! I hope to use all of my skills and knowledge to develop and lead projects that give students their best library experiences from studying to researching.
My family and I have relocated to Humboldt County from Boise, ID and we are very excited to explore all the outdoor adventures the area has to offer. The beautiful natural scenery and countless trails to explore were definitely a draw to the area for us, so please don't hesitate to share suggestions!
Meet Information Resource Specialist Tammy Zavinski
by Tammy Zavinski
December 8, 2022
My name is Tammy Zavinski. I am new to Humboldt County. I received my undergraduate degree at UCLA in Psychology. My graduate degrees are in Library Science from San Jose State, and in Conservation (Paper) from University of the Arts, London/Camberwell College of Arts. I have over 20 years of library experience.
I work as an Information Resource Specialist in the Library's Cataloging and Acquisitions unit. As my title suggests, I work with the cataloging and acquisitions modules within Alma to provide library materials to our Cal Poly Humboldt students and faculty. I also order reserves, supervise student workers and oversee collection preservation. I am enthusiastic about supporting our public-facing staff and librarians as we collectively work toward the goal of engaging Cal Poly students. I share the CSU values of education and life-long learning in a caring and accepting environment.
Outside of work, I am also a student, working toward a third Master's degree. I also spend time visiting my adult daughter who is a doctoral candidate of Meteorology at University of Oklahoma. I can't wait to experience the beauty of this area through hiking and paddleboarding. I look forward to getting to know you and being a part of our team. If I have not met you, please come and introduce yourself.
Meet Reserves & Events Support Specialist
Xandra Gradine
by Xandra Gradine
November 29, 2022
Hello, my name is Xandra Gradine. My pronouns are she/they. I have received multiple degrees from Cal Poly Humboldt, including a B.A. in History & Theatre Arts, an M.A. in Theatre Production, and an M.A. in Public Sociology. I am currently pursuing an M.L.I.S. from San Jose State University
As the Reserves and Events Support Specialist in Access Services, I will be working with faculty to ensure required course readings are placed on reserve for students to use within the library. I believe that for students, access to required texts is a basic need, one that can often times be prohibitively expensive. My ultimate goal is to ensure that every student can access their courses' required readings throughout their time here at Cal Poly Humboldt. In addition, I will also be helping with the logistics and planning of events at the library, as well as helping out regularly with at the Access Services desk. Feel free to stop by and say hi!
Outside of work, I love spending time with my partner and our daughter. She is eight and the silliest person I have ever met. I spend a lot of my free time playing games, whether they be video games, board games, or tabletop RPGs. I can talk about Dungeons & Dragons for hours. In the summer I try to run games in the Library for our L4Humboldt event. Keep an eye out if you're interested!
I am absolutely honored to be a part of this wonderful team. The Library is an exciting and engaging place, and we are always looking for new ways to support students, staff, and faculty in our collective goal of student learning excellence.
You’re invited to the Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Event!
by Jessica Welch
September 14, 2022
The University Library invites the Cal Poly Humboldt campus community and the Arcata community to the Library ribbon cutting ceremony event.
On Wednesday, September 21 at 3pm on the steps of the Library, we will have a ribbon cutting ceremony where Provost Jenn Capps, Library Dean Cyril Oberlander, and Associated Students President Juan Giovanni Guerrero will speak about the reopening of the Library, the remarkable collaboration by all that made this milestone possible and what it means to our students.
Following the ribbon cutting, come inside the Library and take a self-guided passport tour of all four floors and rediscover your favorite places. See what spaces have changed, the new services we provide and what remains ever a classic. Start your tour in the newly renovated lower level, home to vital student support services and make your way all the way to the third floor where Special Collections and the Center for Teaching & Learning support researchers and teachers. During your journey be sure to explore the digital dissection table, the Makerspace, the augmented reality sandbox, the flight simulator and the Brain Booth, as well as, the Learning Center, The Press and the Cal Poly Humboldt Authors Hall.
As you travel around the Library enjoy coffee, cookies and brownies and fill your passport with stamps from our eight student-inspired spaces to be eligible for a Library souvenir that will remind you why the Cal Poly Humboldt Library is a favorite destination for all.
Libraries everywhere celebrate Banned Books Week, which is happening this year from September 18-24
A Banned Books Week display on the first floor of the Cal Poly Humboldt Library
Information about the 2022 Banned Books Read Out at Cal Poly Humboldt Library
Cal Poly Humboldt Library Set To Host Banned Books Read Out
by Naomi Hill and Garrett Purchio
September 13, 2022
Looking for a way to stand up to censorship and push back against the current wave of books being challenged or outright banned? If so, the Cal Poly Humboldt Library has an event for you.
The Banned Books Read Out will be held on Thursday, September 22 from 5-7pm in the Nordstrom Lobby on the first floor of the Library. There will be a Zoom option for participants to attend the event virtually. Marcy Burstiner, Professor in the Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, will be the host for the event. You can register to participate by visiting: https//hsu.link/bannedbooks2022 .
The Banned Books Read Out event invites participants to share a passage from their favorite challenged or banned book. Past Read Out events have featured readings from a variety of literary works, including classic canonical texts, children’s literature, contemporary fiction and non-fiction, and more. Attendees will have the option to select a challenged or banned work from a curated selection that the Cal Poly Humboldt Library is putting together for the event or bring a favorite of their own.
In addition to the live Read Out, anyone can submit a short video of themselves reading from a challenged or banned book. Videos should be no more than 5 minutes in length and should be submitted in .mp4 format. When submitting the video, please include your name, the title and author of the work you are reading from, and indicate if you are submitting the video for a class assignment/extra credit. Videos can be submitted to gap13@humboldt.edu by the end of Friday, September 23. All video submissions will be posted online in a virtual display and exhibit.
In addition to the Banned Books Read Out event, the Cal Poly Humboldt Library has two exhibits on banned and challenged books on the first floor. You can also check out the Library's Banned Books Week libguide.
For more information about and resources related to Banned Books Weeks, including a list of the most challenged books over the past two decades, visit the American Library Association website at https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks.
Meet Resource Sharing & Acquisitions Support Specialist
Rawan Almakhloog
by Rawan Almakhloog
August 25, 2022
Hello everyone, I am Rawan Almakhloog. I graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. I work with Access Services as a Resource Sharing and Acquisitions Support Specialist.
This role allows me to support our community at Cal Poly Humboldt. Also, our Interlibrary Loan services give us the chance to exchange support with all CSU+ sister institutions and other libraries around the world! I help students, faculty, and staff obtain the resources and materials needed to expand their studies, research, and curriculum material. Here, we have the necessary tools and resources to set our community for success. If you need any educational books, journals, DVDs, etc. reach out, and we will make sure we can meet your needs.
I joined the library team during my college years from 2017-2019 as a Front Desk Student Assistant. Libraries mean a lot to me because they resemble a safe home for me. Joining the library during these years was one of the best jobs I have ever had. At Cal Poly Humboldt, I hope we can provide a safe, bright, and resourceful environment for our community.
Library student assistants help patrons in many ways, including checking out materials
Students, are you looking for employment? Come work in the Library this semester!
by Jessica Welch
August 18, 2022
Working on campus is great and working in the Library is even better! For Cal Poly Humboldt students the library is where you meet up with your friends, talk to a librarian about your research, and find a tutor to help with your math, science, and writing assignments. It’s where you can check out a GoPro for free, check out a textbook for free, grab a coffee, and fly a plane on the flight simulator. Come be a part of the team that makes all of this possible!
At the Library we offer work experience that will help prepare you for future career opportunities. You’ll learn time management, responsibility, gain leadership skills, and earn money to help finance educational costs. Best of all, we’ll work around your class schedule!
Consider working in one of our dynamic departments including Special Collections, The Press, the Brain Booth, the front desk in Access Services, the Makerspace, and many more! Applying is easy! You can find an opening in the Library by visiting Handshake and searching for jobs in the Library. You can also stop by our front desk and drop off your resume and a completed Library Application any time. Whether you have a lot of library experience or none at all, you can find a job here in the Library!
Read more about student employment in the Library by visiting our website at library.humboldt.edu/about/studentemployment.html
Sustainability Librarian Morgan Barker
A photo of my family including my husband, Michael, and my kids, Denali (18) and Kelty (14), at a recent dinner at Moonstone Grill
Our dog Wesley (2), who is a Weimaraner and French Bulldog mix. She is obsessed with chasing a ball and other dogs
Meet Sustainability Librarian Morgan Barker
by Morgan Barker
August 11, 2022
Hello, everyone. Many of you may know me or have seen me around campus! My name is Morgan Barker and I am the new Sustainability Librarian. I am sincerely looking forward to working with all of you in this new role.
I was born in Kansas and raised in the SF Bay Area. I originally came to Humboldt State as a student in 1997 when I worked on my BA in Recreation Administration and then MBA. It was then that I took my love of the outdoors to a new level, working consistently with local organizations. I left the area and came back 10 years later as I sincerely missed the coastal life.
I live in Arcata with my husband and kids. We spend our time enjoying runs with our dog Wesley out at Moonstone and the Samoa beaches. We are always up for a good polar bear swim, paddleboard or breakfast on the sand. My love in life is tacos and I am especially fond of Cocina Mariposa. If you have a favorite, send it my way please.
Meet College of Professional Studies Librarian Amanda Dinscore
by Amanda Dinscore
August 4, 2022
Hello, everyone. My name is Amanda Dinscore and I’m the new librarian for the College of Professional Studies. I am so excited to be joining the Cal Poly Humboldt Library and look forward to meeting all of you in person when I arrive on August 15th.
I’m originally from Texas, but have lived and worked in Fresno for the past 20 years. I graduated from Fresno State with a BA in English and then went on to get my MLIS at San Jose State and a Master’s in Instructional Science and Technology at CSU Monterey Bay. I also worked as a librarian at Fresno State for 15 years - so I’ve really benefited from our CSU system, both as a student and an employee!
Having lived most of my life in hot and dry climates, I’ve always enjoyed taking my family on trips to places like the Pacific Northwest and the United Kingdom to enjoy lush, green forests and beaches. During the early days of COVID, we visited the Humboldt area twice and fell in love with it. Being able to call it home is a dream come true for my family and we are very excited to get to know the area better. If you have any recommendations for beaches, hikes, or areas to mountain bike, I would love to hear them!
College of Professional Studies Librarian Amanda Dinscore
A photo of my family including my husband, Marc, and my sons, Alex (14) and Ben (11), from a trip we took to Olympic National Park last summer. Not included is our dog, a small yorkie/shih tzu mix named Bobo
New Resources to Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
by George Wrenn
July 7, 2022
Explore 200 years of Indigenous print journalism, 70+ years of the African-American owned L.A. Sentinel weekly newspaper, the history of race relations, records related to Japanese-American incarceration during WWII, and more!
The Library is very pleased to provide new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) resources to support research in Ethnic Studies and other disciplines. The following database acquisitions were recommended by the Council of Library Deans (COLD) and the systemwide librarians’ Shared Resources Digital Content Committee (SRDC), and are funded by the Chancellor’s Office.
Please explore and reach out with any questions to your college librarian, Cyril Oberlander, University Library Dean (Cyril.Oberlander@humboldt.edu) and/or George Wrenn, Collection Development Librarian (George.Wrenn@humbolt.edu).
EBSCO’s Ethnic Diversity Source (This full-text database is a dedicated resource covering the culture, traditions, social treatment and lived experiences of different ethnic groups in America. It provides full text from a growing list of sources including peer-reviewed journals, magazines, e-books, biographies and primary source documents.)
Adam Matthew Digital primary resources:
American Indian Histories and Cultures (Explore manuscripts, artwork and rare printed books dating from the earliest contact with European settlers right up to photographs and newspapers from the mid-twentieth century. Browse through a wide range of rare and original documents from treaties, speeches and diaries, to historic maps and travel journals.)
American Indian Newspapers (From historic pressings to contemporary periodicals, explore nearly 200 years of Indigenous print journalism from the US and Canada. With newspapers representing a huge variety in publisher, audience and era, discover how events were reported by and for Indigenous communities. This resource has been developed with, and has only been made possible by, the permission and contribution of the newspaper publishers and Tribal Councils concerned.)
Race Relations in America (Based at Fisk University from 1943-1970, the Race Relations Department and its annual Institute were set up by the American Missionary Association to investigate problem areas in race relations and develop methods for educating communities and preventing conflict. Documenting three pivotal decades in the fight for civil rights, this resource showcases the speeches, reports, surveys and analyses produced by the Department’s staff and Institute participants, including Charles S. Johnson and Thurgood Marshall.)
ProQuest primary resources:
Historical Newspapers – Los Angeles Sentinel, 1934-2005 (Part of ProQuest's Historical Black Newspapers collection, provides essential primary source content and day-to-day news coverage on a wide range of subjects including race relations and local and national politics, and editorial perspectives excluded or marginalized in mainstream sources. Full page and article images with searchable full text from 1934 to 2010.)
History Vault – Japanese American Incarceration, Records of the War Relocation Authority 1942-1946 (Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into World War II in December 1941, the Roosevelt administration decided that for reasons of “military necessity,” the government would evacuate all persons of Japanese heritage from the West Coast states. The Records of the War Relocation Authority document the day-to-day running of the 10 relocation camps from 1942-1946. The collection is organized by relocation center. Records include reports and correspondence on issues such as security, education, health, vocational training, agriculture, food, and family welfare.)
Library Scholar Internships: Experiential Learning in the Library
by Naomi Hill and Garrett Purchio
June 29, 2022
The Cal Poly Humboldt Library has an established history of providing students with varied opportunities to learn and grow through our internship program. In keeping with the university’s focus on experiential learning, our internships enable students to pursue their passions and interests while developing new skills through real world projects they design in support of the Library’s goals to connect people and ideas, as well as expand access to lifelong learning and information resources.
The Library Scholar Internships program offers a variety of internship opportunities, including:
The Atkinson Family Library Scholar Internship is made possible by alumnus Glen Atkinson, and grants funding to a student with research interests in Special Collections, the Digital Media Lab, Scholarly Communications, or Instruction.
The Rohde Library Scholar Internship affords students to explore learning experiences working with The Press @ Humboldt or Special Collections.
SkillShops and Makerspace Internships are either project based, with an emphasis on social justice or environmental sustainability, or focused on instruction through the development and facilitation of a SkillShop.
Students who intern with Scholarly Communications obtain experience in book publishing and digital scholarship, in addition to work in other scholarly communications areas.
Students who select Special Collections as their area of interest are able to develop skills in selection, preservation, and management of archival materials, rare books, and ephemeral collections.
There are also opportunities for problem solving through the Humboldt Real-World Projects, where students analyze and create solutions to university or community needs via their internship work.
Library Scholar Internships at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library offer students a wide variety of opportunities to develop skills in library science, digital media, community engagement, and software development. Projects and opportunities support student interests while advancing library goals. Below is an overview of some of the incredible student internships from recent years:
Anne Howard developed multiple digital projects including a 360 virtual tour of Eureka Chinatown, a research guide of Eureka’s Chinatown and an accompanying finding aid, in collaboration with Humboldt Asians & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI), the Clarke Historical Museum, and Cal Poly Humboldt Library.
Mari Lopez worked with cultural centers on campus, including El Centro, the Umoja Center, and the Social Justice Equity and Inclusion Center to develop and conduct SkillShops based on identified topics of need for students. The first of these was “Surviving College: Building Community,” which served as a means for students to connect with cultural events and community–vital to creating systems of support to enable success in college when one is in a new place, and sometimes far from home.
Rio Nicholson centered their internship on library marketing and outreach to underserved communities. Working with the Marketing Committee and the TikTok sub-group, they contributed throughout the semester across various aspects of Library efforts to showcase our various services and events. Rio said that their experience as a library intern, “furthered my passion for a future in library outreach, and was by far the most enjoyable experience I had during my time at Humboldt.” Rio is currently working in the library as the Access Services Support Specialist (see Rio's article below)!
If you are a student interested in a Library Scholar Internship, please check Handshake for current opportunities. If you are interested in supporting Library Scholar Internships at Cal Poly Humboldt Library, visit the Library giving pages to see how you can make a difference in the lives of students. For more information, contact Dean of the Library Cyril Oberlander at Cyril.Oberlander@humboldt.edu.
A web page from the Strike for Peace digital exhibit created by Library Scholar Intern Amanda Alster
The cover of Y.E.S.: 50 Years of Community Building. Erika Andrews, a Library Scholar Intern, wrote the body content for this book
Meet Access Services Support Specialist Rio Nicholson
by Rio Nicholson
June 16, 2022
Hello, my name is Rio Noriega-Nicholson. I use they/them pronouns, and I am a recent graduate of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Critical Race, Gender and Sexuality program!
As an Access Services Support Specialist, I will be working with faculty to ensure course books are placed on reserve for students to use within the library. I will also be helping with events at the library and at the front desk, so I hope I can become a familiar and welcoming face. One of my greatest passions is education and information access, something vital within a university setting, to ensure all students, including those from underserved communities, have equal opportunity to succeed.
Outside of work, I have a wide spread of interests and hobbies. I am a crafter, a gamer (both video games and tabletop), and an avid reader. I am a queer activist, and an avid advocate for social change and propping up the voices of those who have long been silenced.
I hope you will pop by and say hello. I look forward to working with students and faculty alike!
Spanish I: Beginning Spanish Language and Culture:
32,000 Downloads and Counting!
by Sarah Godlin
June 9, 2022
The Library is always finding ways to mitigate the cost of textbooks for our students. We offer textbooks on reserve, InterLibrary Loan (ILL), and digital books that help Cal Poly Humboldt students succeed in their classes. What about the millions of people who aren’t enrolled in Cal Poly Humboldt or can’t access our library physically? We believe in open access, so the Press at Cal Poly Humboldt makes textbooks available to everyone anywhere for free. With an internet connection, entire textbooks are easily downloaded.
Enter Spanish I: Beginning Spanish Language and Culture by Cal Poly Humboldt Professor Matthew Dean.
This peer-reviewed textbook was designed with U.S. college students in mind but can be used by any beginning Spanish speaker. Themed chapters are divided into 8 sections. Each section has a set of learning objectives which is further separated into three types of assignments:
-Para estudiar en casa (with detailed explanations)
-Para practicar en casa (homework exercises)
-Para practicar en clase (paired and group classwork activities)
The book’s explanations and primary input are written to be easily comprehensible and the individual exercises are geared towards acquisition of form and function. The communicative classwork exercises promote interpersonal exchanges between students. The digital copy includes some embedded audio files, and The Press at Cal Poly Humboldt is developing a website to house many more resources to accompany the text.
According to PlumX, the metrics tracker for the Digital Commons publishing platform, Spanish I: Beginning Spanish Language and Culture has been downloaded 32,634 times in the two years it has been available. That is over six times our Cal Poly student population! The downloads are initiated all over the world with significant numbers coming from the U.S. West and East Coasts, the Mid West, and the United Kingdom.
Ready to learn Spanish and get your own copy of this popular textbook? You can download it here: https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/textbooks/4/
Infographic illustrating downloads of Spanish I: Beginning Spanish Language and Culture from around the world
Meet Access Services Student/Evening Supervisor Abigail Green
by Abigail Green
June 2, 2022
Hello! My name is Abigail Green and I’d like to introduce myself to you all.
I’m so pleased and excited to have the opportunity to return to the Humboldt campus and the North Coast region. I have always hoped I would find my way back to this beautiful and unique part of the world.
As Cal Poly Library’s newest Access Services Coordinator, I will be working closely with our amazing team of Student Assistants. I’ll also be closing the library 5 nights a week, so if you’re visiting the library in the evening please stop by the Circulation Desk and say hello!
When I’m not in the library, you’ll find me (and my dog, Gus!) getting reacquainted with all our favorite North Coast beaches, forests, and rivers. Oh, and restaurants, too!
Looking forward to collaborating with each of you!