The Learning Centre impacts awareness of the Department of Library Services in May 2024

Beyond Limits Event, 3 May 2024 On 3 May 2024, the Learning Centre kicked off the month with a collaborative event alongside House Docendo, the BOLD (Beyond Our Limited Disabilities) Society, and the Disability Unit. Held in the Piazza, the event highlighted how the Disability Learning Support team assists students with special needs. During the presentation, the Learning Centre staff showcased sign language videos on the big screen and invited students to visit our special needs room. Additionally, students from the Speech and Audiology Department provided hearing tests to attendees. Due to the popularity of this service, we are in negotiations to offer monthly hearing tests in the library. We also partnered with the Student IT manager to ensure all technology in the special needs room was fully operational, resulting in a successful event.

Looking ahead, we plan to distribute the sign language videos to Department of Library Services’ staff and display them on our screens. We will also engage in more discussions with students with special needs and conduct surveys to identify their needs and enhance our services. The Learning Centre recognizes the crucial role it can play in supporting students with special needs in various ways.

FLY Thrift Piazza Event, 9 May 2024 The Department of Library Services (DLS) was honoured to participate in the FLY Thrift session. Students eagerly lined up to collect donated clothing made available by fellow students and staff on campus. This wonderful community project simplifies access to the Free Thrift Shop in the Piazza. The DLS joined FLY by distributing popcorn and promoting library products and services while students waited in line. This event provided a fantastic opportunity to engage with students, who loved the popcorn and freebies, and the library gazebo was a hit.

Nat House Quiz Night, 13 May 2024 The Nat House Quiz Night was another smashing event that highlighted the services of the DLS. The evening included a Kahoot session with library-related questions and prizes sponsored by the DLS. Students enjoyed various competitions, from best dressed to the team that aced the general quiz on natural science topics. With lively music, props, engaging questions, and interactive games, students laughed, joked, and learned about the library. In short, quiz nights can be exceptionally fun and memorable.

Moonlit Poetry Evening, 16 May 2024 The poetry evening saw students explore their creative, literary, and presentation skills by putting them on display underneath a canopy of stars. The wholesome gathering was brought to life with twinkling fairy lights, the smell of popcorn, and a sense of community. An enthusiastic crowd inspired courageous poets to reveal their deepest thoughts, lives, and emotions, leading to a powerful display of literary art and performance. The SRC president presented a poem in three languages, conveyed her gratitude for the event, and requested that we have another similar event next semester.

Invitations from various departments to present on academic integrity, academic writing and other support the DLS offers Academic integrity and writing training remain the most essential training for students. We have seen an increase in invitations from faculties such as Computer Science and Natural Sciences (including honours, master's, and PhD students). The Learning Centre collaborated with information specialists and co-presented in some instances. The Departments of Sociology, Human Resource Management, and Psychology have all made it mandatory for some of their students to attend Plagiarism and Academic Writing Sessions. Invitations to present at residences provided important opportunities for the DLS to discuss and promote its services. It is crucial for us to increase the number of invitations to participate and collaborate with Faculty Houses and Residences.

Conclusion In conclusion, each event offered the DLS a valuable opportunity to market, network, collaborate, and raise awareness about the library and its pivotal role. Through these initiatives, we can continually demonstrate to students that the library is more than just a study space.