Carleton’s MacOdrum library remains closed for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19, but has adapted its services to continue supporting students throughout the pandemic.
Although closed, the library’s many departments still provided materials digitally. This was the case until June 12 when, through the launch of a new curbside pickup and mail delivery program, print materials were made accessible to the Carleton community.
Head of MacOdrum library access services Joanne Rumig said that the library is adapting as much as possible to support those who need it.
“Anything that we do in the library, our focus is on users,” she said.
Any Carleton student, staff or faculty member can submit a request online to access material through this service. Library staff first attempt to find a digitized copy, either through HathiTrust or by locating an ebook.
“Where other universities started a little smaller, maybe only offering this kind of service to grad students or faculty, we decided to open this up to the Carleton community,” Rumig added.
If unavailable digitally, a physical copy is provided. Rumig added that library users will be notified of the status of their request by email within 48 hours.
The curbside service is not limited to in-person pickup. The service includes a mail option, ensuring the library’s print collection is accessible to Carleton community members residing outside of Ottawa or for those who do not feel comfortable commuting to campus due to COVID-19.
“We wanted to recognize that folks may not be in Ottawa. We have students in 20 different countries that are taking courses,” Rumig said.
She added that the new service has been well received by library users.
“The feedback has been wonderful. A student emailed me from Toronto asking if we’d really mail their item that far, the answer is yes,” she added.
Nearly all of the library’s materials are available to students through curbside pickup, with the exception of archives and special collections. Head of that department, Chris Trainor, explained that COVID-19 has brought unique challenges for his team.
“A lot of [Archives and Special Collections] holdings are unique and not available digitally,” Trainor added.
Trainor explained that the department will be prioritizing digitizing materials once able to return to the library. In the meantime, he emphasized the library staff’s knowledge of the department’s many collections, as well as the team’s willingness to assist students in any way they can.
“One of the great resources that we can provide for faculty, instructors, and students are the staff members themselves,” he said.
In addition to support through presentations, course-specific support, and answering questions, Trainor explained that the team has developed a cuLearn tool that can be used within courses to “provide asynchronous learning” with archives and special collections content.
“The physical material will always be a core component of the services that we provide,” Trainor said. “But the staff make it all possible.”
Olivia Little is a student entering her second year at Carleton in journalism. She said that although she has found the library’s digital resources to be extremely helpful, she will miss being able to use the library as a physical workspace.
“I totally understand why they’ve closed [the library], no one wants to sit and study with a mask on for hours,” Little said. “But, it’s going to be tricky finding a new place to focus and get my work done.”
Though the library’s physical study space cannot be replaced, Rumig explained that every department has been working diligently and collaboratively to offer a positive experience for library users during the pandemic.
“By offering these services, if we can in one small way ease the concerns of students, researchers, and faculty members by ensuring they get the resources they need, we’ve achieved our end goal.”
Featured image from file.
