Having Fun Isn’t Hard When You’ve Got a Library Card

The libraries: the university’s BEST kept secret, the ultimate resource, and my reason for survival.

By Azra

I am going to reveal to you the university’s BEST kept secret, the ultimate resource, and my reason for survival.

The. Libraries.

In my first year, I NEVER used the library. I bought all my textbooks, lugged my heavy laptop around, scoured the library databases in extreme confusion, and only studied at home. But during my five years at the university, I’ve discovered the plentiful offerings of the U of A libraries. As I believe that libraries are about sharing and community, the best thing I can do is share what I’ve discovered with my fellow students!

1. Course Materials! (This includes textbooks!)

Textbooks are a total damper on my day. I know that they’re essential and important for my learning but they are also such a hassle. They are so heavy and expensive. When I have finally completed a course, I am forced to go through the struggle of selling them right away because I do not want them to sit on my shelf for all eternity. There’s usually a short window of time to successfully resell your textbook because a new edition seems to pop out right away.

On-reserve textbooks are just wonderful. The university makes available required textbooks for all courses. They can be checked out for a short-term loan. Some of the libraries have reserve rooms that have a table where you can sit and read for longer. Through using this resource, the textbook is shared between multiple people and the hassle caused by textbooks is avoided.

Additionally, the library offers other course materials like novels and DVDs. Their course material webpage provides links to e-books, streaming movies and other online course material. Some textbooks are even available as a loan for the entire semester.

2. Equipment rentals (Laptops!)

One of the hardest part about being a student for me is ensuring that I had everything I need when I come to campus. This can make my backpack very heavy! (Read my post here for tips on how to lighten your backpack.) One thing that substantially helped was borrowing laptops from the university library! This fall they increased the rental time to 72 hours. In addition to laptops, they also have cameras, digital voice recorders, chargers, phone cords, and headphones available for loan as well. Who knew that you could borrow things other than books from the library?

3. Access to so many books…

Our ONEcard gives us access to not just to our university libraries but also any NEOS library in Central Alberta. In addition to this, the university libraries have recently paired up with Edmonton Public Libraries to allow their students access to their libraries (click here to sign up!). Additionally, our libraries don’t just have academic books, but they also have leisurely books available to us. My favorite place is the corner in the J.W. Scott Library where there are books available to freely leave and take.

4. The libraries offer mental health supports

Through the Healthy Campus Unit the university has lots of initiatives to provide support to students for their mental health. They implement a lot of these initiatives through the libraries. These can range from providing students with healthy study snacks to having therapy dogs come visit students at the library. I’ve recently noticed the library offering physical activity kits. These contain a skipping rope, a resistance band, gliding disks, and a step by step exercise card. There are also treadmills desks available for a more active learner. These are all exactly what I’m looking for when I am trying to de-stress and have a healthy study session.

5. Research Support

We have access to a plethora of databases for every area of study through the library website. However, the our libraries/ librarians do not leave us without support when we are conducting our research. On their website, they have an Ask Us page where you can chat, email, or text them your questions. If you desire more face-to-face support, you are able to book a consultation with an expert librarian in your field of study. The library also hosts free workshops throughout the year to help you understand information resources, improve your research skills, and introduce citation styles.

6. Study Rooms

Studying at home does not always work for me. My bed can be too readily available, or my parents are distracting me with the television. Sometimes, I need to study somewhere where it is dead quiet. Other times, I want somewhere to study with friends or for group work. The university has a space available for every situation. Every floor in the library is designated as a silent, quiet, or collaborative zone. Additionally, the university libraries have individual and group study spaces available to book through this website. The wide array of options allows for the flexibility that every student needs.

Who knew that having a library card was so awesome?

The University of Alberta libraries and the librarians have seriously made my university life much easier. I also feel that by participating in use of the libraries, I am participating in a culture of affordability, sustainability, and community. Our university libraries are located throughout campus and are accessible and available for all students. This is our space and our resource so it is up to us to make full us of them! The libraries recognize the important role they play in supporting students and love to hear feedback from their students.