Guest Speaker: Peter Bae, Director of Bowdoin Library
INTRODUCTION
I admire BSG’s work. Last year, I came to Bowdoin, as it is a place where you can make close connections with student body. Previously, I was in SUNY Albany, NY, and then moved to Columbia and Princeton. Working at a big institution makes you distant from the students while working at a small institution like Bowdoin makes you much closer to the student body. Campus planning has been very present in my mind in the last week, and seeing how we can improve the library. Many students want open space to socialize while some want secluded study spaces, so we want to ensure everyone is included. We are also focusing on Artificial Intelligence and at the library, we work on providing more information about it, updating readings to provoke discussion. I wish to discuss AI with students as well. We are also focusing on outreach activities to help promote the library. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, now or in the future.
Q&A
Abigail: What are your short-term goals to improve the library, especially for those who would like more working spaces?
- Bae: Unfortunately, the library here has some issues, like leaking from rain. We want to make it a place where people come not only to work but also come casually and eat snacks. Let us know if you have any suggestions.
Elliott: The library has a lot of technology. Now that Bowdoin provides laptops to all students, do you believe there is still use for this tech, such as the computer rooms?
- Bae: Computer rooms are almost not used at all so we want to make it more flexible so you can connect your technology and use it to improve how you maximize your use of the technology the library offers.
Max: The library closes at midnight this semester. Why is this and is there a plan to change this for next semester or finals?
- Bae: The library will open until 2:30 during finals as usual, some people want the library to close later or be open 24/7. Our biggest challenge currently is that we do not have enough staff to cover the later hours that the library would be open. I recently went to a conference with other library directors and saw 24/7 study spaces at the library that was separate from the library. We could perhaps implement something like that here, although it is not something I can accomplish on my own.
Harper: For the unused computer rooms we were mentioning, I know all students have Adobe Suite so an idea is a series of workshops to learn how to use it.
- Bae: A good idea. Currently there are also online trainings.
Harper: This was a program in my high school. We read a lot for academics and not so much for leisure. Library would buy you a book and buy you lunch with faculty members to discuss it.
- Bae: Thank you that sounds like a good idea. Collections buy popular non-academic books but students do not have time to read them, and I believe using this program would help attract more students to the library. Is there a committee that the BSG could form to work with this?
- Eisa: Yes. Harper’s committee can work with you on this. Although anyone from any committee is invited to join.
Eisa: We will not be able to see the renovated library, but what would you guys like to see at the library? For example, I would like ventilated spaces and love the snack idea, perhaps a cafe.
- Abigail: A professor thought it would be a good idea to have an espresso machine that students can pay for using Polar points.
- Alejandro: Are the library things we talked about last year still up and running?
- Peter: Paul last year suggested that the library can circulate things other than books such as chargers and blankets.
- Elliott: We had a survey that was sent out for things students would like to check out from library and is on the website right now.
- Angelica: My committee was looking at that, getting into contact with Brandon to get information from the form although will most likely create a new form ourselves to compare new responses with old responses.
Eisa: Last year talked about bikes and the possibility of a bike renting service. How is that going?
- Bae: Last I heard it was decided that they will circulate from the library and are now waiting for bikes to arrive.
Andy: Has the mice problem been dealt with at HL?
- Bae: I had not heard about it but I did have a problem with squirrels coming in through the window. Thank you for letting me know I will check on it.
Nyla: Shelves take up a lot of space that could potentially be a communal space. For example, I would like booth style seats.
- Bae: Some libraries have booths styled like a telephone booth, perhaps something like that. Thank you for the suggestion.
Jonathan: It would be nice to have a more relaxed space, like having bean bags, and a snacking area.
- Bae: We used to have beanbags although they would get dirty easily. Although we can come back to that. What about standing desks?
- Nyla: No. I disagree about standing desks, it would be like having a treadmill and desk combined.
Henry: I would like to voice my support for the snack and coffee idea. If there was a specific area for it, it would be a huge help. I would also be a fan of more clearly established noise levels per floor.
- Bae: Yes, that is possible. Generally, we are not too strict since students tend to police their own noise level. More clear restrictions would help, however.
- Eisa: I know this is something lots of students agree with.
- Bae: Perhaps we could have three levels of noise we implement.
Andy: I wish that we had a break room, for example for people who use the Pomodoro method and take breaks. I’ve also been hearing complaints about how water fountains give you lukewarm water instead of cold water.
- Bae: Thank you, perhaps we could implement an ice dispenser?
Alejandro: A game room would be a good idea, like the one in Smith.
Jonathan: There are many services and resources I had not heard of until I started my honors project as a senior, so perhaps the library could work more on marketing these resources.
- Bae: I agree, we have many resources and are well-supported. Just need to work on making sure students know and take advantage of them.
Elliott: Do you think it’s productive to have four libraries?
- Bae: There are pros and cons. There are resources for a specific subject centralized around one space. I have no opinion on this yet although logistically speaking having one big space would be more easy to handle. What do you think?
- Elliott: I believe the music library is the only library that makes sense as a separate library. I don’t think most people go to Hatch, for example, for science resources but because it is quieter.
- Bae: Yes, there will definitely be some changes. For example, the Computer Science department will be moving into one of the floors of Hatch.
Eisa: Is there a document that outlines all the things that the library does? We could go put out packets explaining what the library does and the BSG could facilitate this.
- Bae: That would be very useful. There is a libguide online by subject area. It would be useful to hear feedback from students on how they would like to look for information.
- Eisa: Could be helpful to have a master document that could be a binder near the entrance of the library with all library services.
- Abigail: Yes and have this information target first-year seminars.
- Bae: I’ve found timing is very important, if we can say it right before finals for example perhaps students could even remember resources more.
Henry: I think HL is awesome, the museum has amazing collections and it would be cool to see a collaboration.
- Bae: You can search for museum items from the library and sometimes special collection items from the library are displayed in the museum.
Andy: My suggestion would be to have more rooms that could be reserved.
- Bae: Yes. Rooms in the basement are some rooms you can use.
- Andy: Layout doesn’t really permit group work.
- Bae: Ok, thank you for the suggestion. I would love to hear even more suggestions from all of you.
COMMITTEE UPDATES
Harper: No super new updates. Working on projects, can send out an email to see if anyone would like to be part of the library working group. Got go go-ahead from housekeeping and working on finalizing a proposal for laundry sheets.
Jonathan: Working with Dallas on Workday transition, convinced him to send out a campus-wide email to let everyone know about the transition.
Max: Nothing super new to report, will begin guideline reviews. Sent out form to club leaders but are open to ideas from anyone.
- Vincent: For how long will you be accepting submissions?
- Max: We will discuss the deadline in our next meetings. Would like to present any changes to be made before Thanksgiving break.
Angelica: No big updates. Will push forward dining services survey making sure students are getting what they need, all else is a work in progress. For campus lighting, thinking of surveying and tabling.
Nyla: The DEI committee is meeting on Friday for the first time. Talked with multicultural life and there will be a Black town hall to hear Black student’s concerns are. This will be Sunday, Nov 3, 12-2 pm.
Vincent: Been having some logistical challenges, but will meet next Sunday. Will have an engagement event to get people interested in starting a club.
PROPOSAL FOR BREAK TRANSPORTATION
[Move to Introduce (Haper), Second (Abigail)]
Harper: Hard for students to have a reliable way to get to the airport that would not require spending a large amount on a taxi. Got about 270 responses on a survey sent out, and got data on student’s travel plans. Considering two options: vans and charter buses. Looking at prices, decided to do a combination of the two. Hopefully, this is a program that will expand to Boston but for now will only be Portland. Focused efforts on days when most students are flying out and put together a spreadsheet with times as most beneficial for this service. 6 trips with vans that fit 15 people (a little less including luggage), a charter bus for 50 people for the most popular time, 1 PM on Friday.
Elliott: We will vote now on funding that charter bus. The rest of that funding will be talked about next week.
Eisa: For charter buses, it takes an hour to load everyone up and get there, so 1 PM would not be too early of a time.
Elliott: This service will be free and the executive board will manage sign-ups via CampusGroups, which will be equal opportunity.
Harper: $1,200 for this round trip.
Max: This would take out from $10,000 bucket that was approved last week by GA and was also approved by SAFC.
Shreya: 1 PM might be too late for those with 3 PM flights.
Harper: If we look at data, trying to capture range from 3-6pm, which peaks at 4. We approached this as something that for our first trial run may not exactly include everyone.
Eisa: Jetport is a very quick airport to go through.
[Motion to Vote (Elliott)]
[Yes, 22. No, 1. Abstain, 1.]
[Proposal Passes]
Eisa: An Ad Hoc committee has been formed in response to the referendum with the purpose of surveying student opinion on responsible investments, and can email them about questions and concerns. [email protected] is a way to anonymously ask any questions. Please spread the word. Have not yet made a decision on the extent of BSG’s involvement in the promotion.