"When we identify a student need, it becomes a project."

~Dawn Sterning

My listening tours this week were incredible, to say the least. I am enjoying learning about the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities of our PSC community. The faculty, staff, and managers I met with this week were so honest and open with me, sharing their personal stories, how they spend their time, and what they thought we need to be focused on right now.

Dawn Sterning, Library Services Manager, is responsible for the quote you see above as she described how she and those in the library think about supporting students. It is so simple, yet so profound, and it stuck with me. When a student comes to the library with a concern, problem, or question, the library team sees that as an opportunity to take a deep dive with that student. They think about what other needs the student may have. Needs that perhaps the student is not sharing. They think about the other students who may have similar problems or concerns, but have not voiced them. They think about how to improve their operations based on what they are learning from student interactions.

This is the very essence of the attitude and posture we need to embrace in this new world. It told me everything I needed to know about Dawn, and the library, as it relates to how they care for our students. They admit they don't always get it right, but they start with a desire to serve the student in ways the student doesn't even realize they need.

What a gift we have in our library, and in the people who work there. What other gifts are out there? What practices, ways of thinking, attitudes, and beliefs are driving your work that we need to embrace? I look forward to hearing all about it.