Sonoma State’s Schulz Information Center, better known as the University Library, houses an extensive collection of resources to support the campus community.
Among its greatest assets are the people inside, who are committed to students and their educational journeys.
“I think a library is not about the space or the things inside, it's the people who are there to shepherd and steward those materials and to support our students and our researchers and the work on the campus,” said Laura Krier, Collection Development Librarian.
“The culture in our library is to do whatever is in our power to get students the things they need,” she said.
Kaitlin Springmier, Instruction and Learning Assessment Librarian, who coordinates the library's instruction programs, said she loves that the department can pivot and be responsive to the changing requirements of higher education and student needs.
"First-generation college students often come to campus without knowing the bureaucracies, or how to navigate higher education," she said. "We're providing a more equitable landscape for all of our students by surfacing their challenges, visiting their classrooms, and helping break down their assignments.”
Along with the library's extensive collection of print and e-books, academic journals, publications, media in a variety of formats, maps, archives, and datasets, the department offers workshops to students on how to take effective notes, practical study skills, how to eat healthy on a budget, time management, and how to conduct successful job searches and interviews.
Equity and inclusion
Krier said the library’s mission is to help all students feel comfortable and like they belong in a higher learning environment.
"Equity has always been a core purpose of libraries. We are here to remove barriers to knowledge so that students can achieve what they want," she said.
Providing access to high-priced tools in the library is one way to create equal opportunities for students.
"It's about leveling the playing field for those expensive modes of learning. We want to make sure that everybody has the ability to experiment with the latest technologies, equipment, and tools so they can learn through hands-on activities," Krier said.
One example is the SSU Library Makerspace, where students can use 3-D printers, virtual reality headsets, and laser engraving and sticker-making machines, as well as a range of tools for woodworking, textile crafts, and more.
"The makerspace has grown and enhanced our teaching on campus. It's been wonderful that faculty and students can use it for their classes," said Laura Alamillo, Dean of the College of Education, Counseling, and Ethnic Studies and Interim Dean of the Library.
Schulz also houses a vinyl collection of over 13,000 LPs, media kits, the Library Art Gallery, and an impressive assembly of special collections that demonstrate and preserve the history and culture of the North Bay.
Krier said that although some students think the library is only for quiet study, the team has developed areas throughout the building for students with different learning preferences.
"We're always trying to think about the many needs students have for space and learning and how to meet all those different needs," Krier said.
A family study room is available for students with children, along with rooms for group meetings or dynamic learning activities and extra-quiet study zones where phones are not allowed.
Springmier, who became a librarian out of a love for research, said she enjoys supporting students in their examination groundwork.
"My favorite part of my job is when students come to me with their research questions, and we get to explore them together, and I help dig into what's interesting about that topic for them," she said.
The Library team is there to help with research, study support, entrepreneurial projects, genealogy, and much more.
"We are a great resource for students to talk to because we're not their teachers," Krier said. "The University Library is a special place because it is so people-focused, and we are oriented toward how we can best serve and support the people at Sonoma State.”
"The faculty, librarians, and the staff deeply care about students, support services, and providing access," Alamillo said.
In addition to a 24/7 online chat, Krier said there are numerous ways to contact a librarian, and the team encourages people to schedule an appointment, call, or email with questions or suggestions about service needs.
Schulz was built with a $5-million gift from Jean and Charles Schulz and donations from the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, as well as SSU faculty, staff, and students. It was completed in 2000.
Krista Sherer - Strategic Communications Writer