By Abby Looney, Contributing Writer

Many students frequent the Marx Library to recharge at Starbucks, but few truly understand the possibilities the library and its staff offer. The library environment provides space for productivity, creativity, and intellectual growth. 

For example, located on the second floor, the Center for Academic Excellence (or CAE) has free tutoring available for students in a wide variety of classes, such as psychology, writing, math, chemistry, and more. Guided study sessions are also offered by the CAE on Thursdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm for all levels, and Sundays from 5:00pm-7:00pm for graduate students. 

Online study skill activities are available to South students through the CAE, and there is even a possible scholarship reward for Jags who complete at least one StudentLingo workshop. To find these, a student simply needs to go to the school’s homepage, search “CAE,” locate the “Study Skills” option in the column on the left-hand side of the page, then click “Online Workshops.” A new page will pop up at this point, and it gives the option of “Scholarship Details” for further information. The scholarship will be five hundred dollars awarded to one student each listed month (November, February, March, and April). After the completion of a workshop, students are automatically entered into the drawing, and they can work through more activities for additional entries. The topics range from stress management, thesis statement strengthening, productive exam preparation, effective communication, and more.

There are also indoor and outdoor study areas, computers available, and free Wi-Fi available for students at the Marx. Even if a student cannot go to the library in-person, remote access to OneSearch for USA libraries is available to them. The library welcomes students with a cozy environment: indoor plants, beautiful views through the wide windows, and friendly staff. There is art on display with flyers posted for various clubs and other activities. 

On occasion, students have the option to participate in a question board. This month, the question posted for student response was “What’s one small, everyday moment from this year that you’re grateful for?” There was a coffee cup full of colorful markers for students to write an answer on the board. The responses varied from comedy, such as “using the ‘block’ button,” to more serious answers like “food.” Overall, it offered a safe space for vulnerability and humanity. Students should be encouraged to take advantage of the benefits available to them at the Marx Library, as well as all over campus. A writer for The Vanguard, Abbagale Looney, had the opportunity to ask the Marx Library’s own Elizabeth Finamore (in collaboration with the Student Engagement Committee) about the interactive board:

Looney: What inspired the question that’s currently posted? I understand that Thanksgiving is approaching, but the emphasis on the “small, everyday” moments seems intentional. 

Finamore: The Marx Library’s Student Engagement Committee is constantly looking for creative ways to connect with Jags. We try to balance lighthearted prompts with deeper inquiries on the interactive board. We chose the current question, “What’s one small everyday moment from this year that you’re grateful for?” to give students space to pause and reflect. While our college and career goals are important, we feel it is equally important to recognize the simple joys that enhance our lives.

Looney: How long have you been doing these interactive boards? 

Finamore: The Marx Library’s interactive board debuted in the fall of 2018, though it does rotate on and off from semester to semester.

Looney: The border is captivating. The surrounding words invite those walking by to add their own thoughts, even if the instructions weren’t deliberately there to do so. Was it simply a product of what you had available or was it a craft you were inspired to do? 

Finamore: Thank you! We love sustainability and repurposing materials here at the Marx Library. When we revived the board, we decided to incorporate pages from discarded books to give them a second life. It created a welcoming atmosphere that seems to encourage participation. 

Seeing how students interact with the board—and each other—has been such a neat experience for our team. We love the anonymous, low-stakes nature of it. Anyone can walk up at any time and share. It always makes us smile to see students connecting with replies like “me too” or “same,” or commiserating over shared experiences.

This concludes the interview with Finamore and the Student Engagement Committee.

Writing and reading brings together people in a way no other form of communication can. It exposes the innermost thoughts of the writer and gives the reader the opportunity to know they are not alone – or crazy. For this and so many other reasons, students should actively engage at the Marx Library. It was said by Anne Frank, “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”