Reference Point

3 People use the library for professional and personal reasons Park Library has 33 miles of moveable bookshelves, more than one million volumes of printed material, and a vast collection of digital information sources. For some, the library building is a quiet escape for relaxation and studying. For others, it serves as a source of entertainment or as a resource rich research center. By Jordanne Jaskiw Joe Frankenfield Mount Pleasant resident Roger Allman Jr. Broadcast and Cinematic Arts faculty Jennifer Howell Broadcast and Cinematic Arts freshman Kamaria Taylor '12 Three Rivers graduate student Frankenfield has been writing and posting online weekly essays for the past seven years. Throughout the years, he has used the library to research information needed for his essays. "I like using the religion/theology stacks and periodical literature," Frankenfield says. "They are easy to access and provide me with valuable information to use in my writing." Taylor utilizes Documents on Demand regularly. "I love the convenience the service offers," Taylor says. "It allows me to access documents, such as a chapter from a book from other institutions, 24 hours a day." Allman is working on a doctorate in broadcast and cinematic arts. He says most of his colleagues use the online resources for their research, but he prefers "old-fashioned" books. "I like that there are still places with actual books that don't require any electric power to search for information," he says. "Sometimes you'll find interesting information in books that you probably wouldn't find if you were searching online." Howell says she uses the library as a getaway from the occasional commotion in her residence hall. She also takes advantage of the group study rooms to collaborate with other students for group projects. "My dorm gets really loud at times, which makes it hard for me to concentrate on my studies," Howell says. "The library is a perfect place for me to escape so I can focus and get stuff done." Photo to come

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