Open Ended Answers

5 - Whenever I have made an appointment or asked a question to any library staff I have gotten my question answered and materials provided easily.

5 - They are always super helpful when I call or go up to them in person.

5 - Everyone in the library is so kind and helpful! It's one of my favorite places on campus because it's such a warm and welcoming environment - a culture I know is fostered by the staff.

5 - Everything has gone smooth and they help me when I ask :)

5 - No one seems annoyed

4 - we love student employees

5 - Everyone is very helpful - especially research consultants.

[blank] - There have been a lot of instances when the person at the check out desk doesn’t know the answer to my question.

5 - Most if not all library staff are very nice and well-versed in their jobs

5 - Everyone is very kind and helpful.

5 - I've only had to interact with library staff a few times, but each time was helpful and quick and they were nice.

5 - Librarians have always been very eager to help me with finding books, answering questions about ILL, and helping with any troubleshooting of technology and book check out. I have always had trouble with study room booking. Or perhaps the issue is that I am commuter graduate student, and I rely on public transportation to get to campus. I live in Harlem and I wish it was easier and less expensive to travel to campus. My understanding of the majority of the study rooms is that they are first come first served. For students who would like to take advantage of the study rooms but for whom is it more challenging to get to campus than residential students, the study rooms are hard to take advantage of because they are usually already filled by students, unless there were more that were available for advance booking. In this case, I would reserve in advance and take advantage of the days I am on campus. My suggestion is either more study rooms, or more study rooms that are reservation only, or placing a time limit on the study rooms so more students can take advantage of this resource. Additionally, graduate students are often working on group projects, and more spaces for groups of students to collaborate would be appreciated.

4 - Some are super friendly! Sometimes interactions are mid

5 - Every interaction I've had with library staff members has been very friendly. You can tell that the library staff is very eager to help and passionate about research!

4 - I have anxiety and don’t talk to many people. I’ve never had an issue making loan pickups.

[blank] - Haven’t really talked to them

5 - Love the library people, keep in person library please

5 - nicest human beings in the music library!! they are so helpful with printing and finding documents!

5 - On the occasions where I've interacted with any of the library staff, everyone was so lovely and were willing to help me with whatever task I needed. I never have felt threatened nor patronized; rather always felt welcomed.

5 - The person working in the library computer lab is always super helpful and friendly

5 - The only regular interaction I have with library staff is when I'm checking out books, and the students working at the circulation desk have always been super friendly!

5 - Everyone is very nice and have helped me find my materials

5 - They are always ready to help!! Very nice staff.

4 - The library staff have always been very helpful when I have questions.

5 - Everyone who works at the library is helpful and friendly

4 - I have not had many interactions with library staff, but when I have, I have not had any issues.

5 - They have always been super helpful, helping me locate books. I had an appointment with the research librarian and they were super helpful and showed me how to use the databases that SLC offers.

5 - I have never had any negative experiences with the staff. They have all been helpful and friendly

5 - Everyone has been lovely and very willing to help find something if necessary.

5 - Library staff are always friendly both in person and online! My emails are always quickly replied to!

5 - One time I spilled a coffee in the library and the person working at the information desk apologized to ME because I was probably looking forward to drinking it, and told me she would get in contact with facilities to get it cleaned up. It was one of the nicest interactions I've ever had on campus.

5 - I have always had great experiences with library staff, especially student employees. They are all very helpful.

4 - Haven't interacted with staff much as I mostly use the library for quiet study, but all interactions have been positive

students

John Yanelli (good luck)

Athletics

Nick Mills, Lorayne Carbon, Mary Hartnett, and Amada Sandoval

professors?

Professors!!

SLC alumni in general

Professors- Joe Lauinger, David Castriota, Lake Simons, etc

CCJ

Kevin Landdeck, Una Chung

Kate Zambreno, anyone from the SLC MFA in writing program

Alums - maybe about what they’re doing now

Local Artists

students!! also a collaboration with the phoenix

Visiting artists

N/A (I dont know who has been interviewed)

Wow, so many! I definitely would love to hear more from the students, but specifically ensure that there are differences in the students being interviewed (ex: different backgrounds, concentrations, etc). I also would love to hear more from our professors, as some of our professors have accomplished incredible milestones!

writing faculty such as David Hollander, Mary LaChapelle

More students on conference work they've done

Definitely professors and higher ups

Julie Abraham, Elias Rodriguez, Jerri Dodds, Tristana Rorandelli

the groundskeepers

Maybe student organizations or profs about their courses?

Merideth Frey as well as new/guest STEM faculty

Student athletes

More students and faculty

Professors!! I love the talks with professors that the library puts on when they publish books, but I would also like to hear from professors who have not recently published books. Although I realize that, perhaps, professor talks are not the space for in-person library programs, I think the podcast would be a good place for that.

Professors? I would love to hear about how professors got to where they are today and what they are working on right now.

Heather Cleary's work as a translator might lend itself to some interesting conversation!

Elias Rodriques, Frederic Smoler, Roland Dollinger,

music!

Collaborate with Sarah Lawrence Music Festival on a tiny desk concert series? that wld b cool

How to best study (ie, how to make good flash cards, how to plan studying) cpr classes

Writing

The events that have been held this year have great, repeating them in the future would be helpful.

slumber party !

Unsure

More of the same!

Helping with our paper, working on citations, easy ways to improve a paper

information sessions

More about visiting the school archives!

realistic ones, the timeline often makes no sense for Learning Commons options. More than half of the brainstorming-type sessions are after I have already declared my topic for a class. They feel very out of touch and stuffy. It is also so weird that only STEM classes really have tutoring. Even if say a sociology class is hyper-specific, there could be vocab crash courses. I also find it strange that the Learning Commons staff and library staff are so separated. They are doing similar jobs, teambuilding would be so nice!

Studying. No more parties or events or games. We have a campus center and a visual arts studio. You are the LIBRARY, the only place on campus that is solely dedicated to academics, so why are you trying to distract students from their class work?!?!? focus on academic advising, meeting distribution requirements, research help, things that a library was meant to do.

Fiction writing workshops

Learning to use the technology made available to us, like the sewing machine or 3D printer

Craft night

The graduate programs (I am in the MFA in writing program) often feel disconnected from the rest of the campus's resources and events. I've never been made aware of our program director providing resources for faculty or passing on information about any library events or resources to students. This is something I would love the graduate program administration to explore and encourage. I would love to see more collaboration. In my experience, I've had to go out of my way as a student to go to each department of the college and personally find out about resources and events offered. As a graduate student, I would be interested in workshops about thesis work specific to MFA in writing thesis work, how to access the archives to conduct creative/writing research, opportunities for faculty of the MFA to give lectures/share their expertise/knowledge with the wider campus. Additionally, I know the library offers writing tutoring and research consultations to graduate students, but the only time I have heard of these resources is from the new library emails sent to all students (which I love and are very helpful), but again I would love the graduate programs administration and each of the program directors, including the MFA in Writing leadership, to collaborate and share resources with the library.

It would be cool to have spotlight events on things from the archives. I love seeing the old photos of Sarah Lawrence, so some sort of exhibition that features those would be cool. Maybe a sort of archive photo of the week/month sort of thing!   

Students sharing work with other students/community

how to cite (MLA, Chicago, APA), how to access other college's e-resources (!!)

Educational ones

career services

career service events!

Study groups

I would love more conference work study event sessions! Sometimes all it takes is for a group of people to get together to do conference work to truly get into a zone of conference work research!

Procrastination

podcasting and audio editing, or video editing

Sign-ups for the Yonkers Public Library.

Continue with the skill building events, Maybe add more "less structured" events where noise and collaboration is encouraged in the space(probably on the lowest level so the noise doesn't carry as much)- this could be an actual event or just set hours

Maybe more workshops related to art? I'm not sure. I believe the learning commons has a lot of resources people can use.

crafting/mending sessions

Mindfulness, Meditation, Relaxation

Maybe tea times with specific topics- such as STEM or related topics such as climate change, or math education etc. To get people with common interests together and give space to discuss them.

I don't know

I would be interested in seeing different recreational creativity events designed for students to unwind during conferences/midterms/in general.

I understand that this might not be possible for the library, as it is supposed to be a quiet space by nature, but having a place (perhaps the old cafe/learning commons) where students can put on events, such as open mic nights or "coffee shop" nights. I also feel like panels with professors would be really awesome, since I enjoy going to professor talks when they are set for reappointment, but I would also like something that allows students to engage with professors within similar disciplines. I feel like the interview process, although helpful, does not really let the students engage with professors to discern their teaching styles/what they focus in.

I cannot think of any events

Maybe hobby based activities/workshops that don't necessarily revolve around academics—crochet, sewing, how to 3-D print, coding classes, etc. I apologize if this is already happening and I have not noticed. The library could even collab with existing clubs like Stich & bitch!

I would love to learn more about the archives

Library Card sign-ups

the books!

Printing

The worldcat search system and the inter library program

Study space

The study spaces and article catalogue as well as Interlibrary loan services

The music library !!!

Quiet Space

Quiet space

This is a really hard question because there are so many helpful aspects, but I do find myself spending a lot of time in the online archives (just for fun). I also have to shout out Geoff because I frequently (but purposefully) request very obscure ILL requests, and he always makes a point to either secure the item or write me a personal note.

Study rooms!

books, a quiet space

quiet study spaces

Interlibrary Loan

SPACE. I need places to be outside of my dorm but inside of a building. Barb is often packed when I need it and I rarely even think to use Heimbold's spaces.

Materials

The digital resources workshops and the digital resources librarian

real books, because you are a LIBRARY. i genuinely do not understand why you are worried about puzzles, it is utterly ridiculous.

quiet space!!

Space to study

It's a great place to study and holds most of the reading material I use for my classes

ILL, and the beautiful old books available to us

Late hours, study rooms for when I have to take zoom classes on campus

Study space

Research services

the quiet

I mostly use it as a quiet place to work.

research consultations and study spaces

Studying

The access to books is amazing! Especially Geoff, ILL wizard! Has been so helpful in helping me secure obscure books from other libraries. I would really love to learn more about the expertise of the college librarians (make use of their research/archival knowledge) in addition to the more practical aspect of more study rooms and spaces!

RESEARCH CONSULTATIONS.   Genuinely the most useful service in the world, would not be graduating without it.

The library is most useful to me as a study space outside my dorm, which may sound redundant but I find the library offers the widest variety of study spaces within the building that help me to focus and get work done.

study rooms

A quiet space to work!

Sanctuary

the study rooms!!

Resources

everything!!!

all of the amazing researchers and article/book resources online and in person

Space to study

Having the individual study spaces has been great (I'm someone who enjoys solitude when studying) and having everything pretty much accessible on our website has been awesome as well! I also am immensely grateful for our interdiscplinary library loan system!

Study rooms / computer lab

The research assistance offered through consultations, and ILL

Quiet work space.

The study rooms and amount of printers.

The resources (books, articles, etc)

Books

Research consultations and physical space to study and meet with friends

Being able to use the resources here! I believe that our schools sources are very much underestimated- we have a lot of connections to resources which I really enjoy!

The access to research materials like books and articles!!

all those books!

Having a quiet space to work 24/7

study space

It has different spaces that you can find to do work in and the differences lend themselves to different work so you can match them up

Study rooms

private workspace

Quiet space to study and all the books!

People who retrieve things from the library archives consistently save my life.

The study rooms are great

The most useful thing that the library has to offer for me are the printing services.

It’s a quiet and semi private space.

Quiet/private study spaces (especially as a commuter student!!!)

Having a space to study and do my work that is not the Barb/my dorm room. I especially like the periodicals/book share room as that is a really pretty space that is useful for people in big(ger) groups to study.

The books, printing, and interlibrary loan

A place to study/do homework, and to use for research on the website

It's a space that I can get work done and feel like I can buckle down without/with minimal distraction.

The research consultations! The staff are wonderful and extremely helpful to find sources, ground my project, and give me new ideas!

The access to materials and resources, specifically print materials and printing technology.

Having a quiet place to do work

Individual study rooms

more cozy places

Sewing classes

Better wifi, longer opening hours, and more comfortable study spaces.

A study room booking system that allowed students to see when rooms are booked

More of those nice swivel chairs and less of those awful wooden ones

Monitors that students could plug computers into.

a sensory room. There might not be space, but the Yonkers Public Library just opened a sensory room at their riverfront branch. It has things like liquid tiles and a bubble tube.

Longer operating hours!!

crosswords

more tables, maybe

book clubs!! I am so frustrated by how little I read for fun. It makes me sad. I also think like very very basic "How to use a library... at all" courses would be great. I have gone here a while and I feel like I am still learning these hidden secrets as to how to succeed at SLC which is really awful! We could be supporting generative practices but often we gatekeep them. The current work of the library honestly feels like the only staff member (non-faculty) who is in touch with SEL and trauma-informed care. Puzzles and joy are important!! We are still learning how to be people, and strict academia leads to severe burnout.

More physical materials

BOOKS!! FULL JSTOR ACCESS!! HARD COPIES OF RESEARCH MATERIALS!! ARCHIVE ACCESS!! literally anything that will help students complete academic work efficiently. as one of few colleges that promotes undergraduate research, you would think that academic materials would have priority over anything else. obviously this is not the case as you continually move away from “boring conference projects” (your words)  and foster anti-intellectualism on campus.

a better search function on it’s website.

The pillow room again...

A cart of books ready to be discarded or book sales instead of tossing them

More study rooms/easier ways to tell if a room is booked (often after booking it still takes a while to ask the person using the room when you arrive if they could leave)

More hours, all the time

Coffee, late nights

a cafe

a more comfortable space (maybe replace the wooden chairs with the ones from the pillow room) and better wifi, especially on the left side from the main desk.

more collaboration between the MFA in writing program, and all MFA programs. I repeat myself, but also more study rooms! Overall, I am so happy with the new programming and increased communication from the library this past year- it is very exciting to learn more about the library and see more events.

A cafe again :(( it looked so comfy Also the outdoor area I wish it could be prettier

More flexible hours for research consultations.

I honestly think the library is one of the only spaces on campus where I am fully satisfied with the resources available. If I had to pick one thing, maybe a talking/ambient noise space for students who want a little bit of socializing while they study

I kind of wish the pen machine was still in the stairwell because I never know what to do with my quarters and I’m always running out of pens

free access to various newspapers (New York Times, New Yorker, Atlantic), links to apply for a NYPL library card, more streaming services for free.

Food

more in person books instead of ebooks

more spaces to work

Recording equipment rentals

More comfortable spaces for group studying.

I wish the Library could offer more events that combine study sessions and entertainment/fun times (ex: conference work day with snacks and refreshments in the pillow room)

AC ...It's too hot!

More quiet spaces

a soundproofed room to record audio in

More color printing

Comfortable reading spaces

even more cozy and bright places to sit and study.

More events that engage with the community!

I wish the library could offer phone or laptop charges that students could check out while working in the building.

bean bag chairs

More availability/ be open more often- especially before 11am on weekends or late at night as that is usualy when I do a lot of my work.

More hours

more silent study rooms!

More long communal tables like in NYC Public Libraries- similar to the one's near the first level printers.

more tools for video and audio editing.

More quiet spaces to study and fewer to socialize.

more study rooms!/more internet access

a smaller space that would allow people in big groups to socialize and also study. I know that there are many different ways that people get work done, so I think having a space within the library that allows people to talk and also to focus on work would be really awesome.

more hours - open later

More room for quiet study spaces away from people

24 hour space to study especially during conference season.

Better wifi? Some spots (especially at the individual desks on the top floor by the history/law stacks) just have no service that allows you to do work online.

The pillow room back to it's glorious past! As a possible solution to the lack of student spaces on campus, maybe on the weekend nights—after 9 PM?—the library can turn into a hangout space, nothing too crazy, but have low stim activities such as hobby based events, board games, etc.

encouragement for leisure reading! It would be fun to see staff recommendations or recent bestsellers on display.

The pillow room back!

More quiet individual study spaces, less group study spaces

being open 24/7