Pictured above: Naomi Zannobi, Ashlesha Nepal, Taylor Leslie
Written By: Taylor Leslie
Most DMACC students think of the library as just a quiet place to study before a test, but that’s only a small part of what it actually offers. While it is a great place to get work done, the DMACC library is one of the most underused resources on campus.
Right now, many students mainly use the library as a study space. To be fair, the DMACC library at the Boone campus does have great furniture and lots of options. Librarian Twila Devine shared that she hopes that changes.
“I think students use the library for a study space, and I would love for that to change,” she said. The library is meant to be more than just a place to sit. It’s there to support students in ways many don’t realize.
One of the biggest things students are missing is access to resources they are already paying for. The library provides help with research, citations, and access to academic databases that would normally cost money.
“Your tuition pays for libraries to subscribe to resources,” she said. There is also an online chat where students can talk to a real librarian, not a bot, and get help right away.
This matters because not everything online is reliable or free. When students rely only on Google, they often run into paywalls or struggle to find credible sources.
“You may or may not find a credible resource, and you may or may not find a resource that you’re going to need to pay for,” she said. The library helps solve that by giving students access to better information without the extra cost.
The library can be intimidating and a little bit overwhelming for some people. It’s still worth checking out as everything there is free, and all of the staff and librarians are there to help and would be more than happy to do so.
Instead of just being a last-minute study spot, the DMACC library can be one of the most useful tools students have if they actually use it.
As Devine said, “Libraries are so much more than just books.”