Bunch library extends online resources to students during quarantine

Belmont University’s Lila D. Bunch Library is offering help to students finishing the spring semester through chat services, research help, books and streaming services.

“The building might have closed in-person services, but we are still open and very much available to students,” said Sue Maszaros, director of the library.

“We have lots of ways to assist them and are ready and willing to accommodate them the best we can.”

Even before pandemic struck, the library has long maintained a large collection of online resources including 250,000 ebooks, and 300 databases all available to students and faculty wherever and whenever.

“All available 24/7 to students wherever they are. They just need to use their mybelmont login,” said Maszaros.

“The library has had a larger online collection than print collection for many years, it just was not as noticeable until now.”

Along with the thousands of online databases and ebooks, students can get real-time help from the librarians through an online chat service.

“We have hours from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Fridays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. This means you have a person waiting to answer your questions – just as though you were to walk into the library building,” said Maszaros.

“Through online chat, we have the capability to share our screen with students working on papers so we can easily talk to them about what they need and can show them how to do a search.”

If a student is not able to find what they need online or maybe works better with a physical copy of a book, the library can send students books or scanned copies of chapters at no cost.

“We are happy to pull books for students,” said Maszaros. “We will check to see if there is an electronic version of a book is available first before shipping a book. We are also able to scan and digitize specific chapters of books as well if that is preferred.”

But the library has more than just purely academic offerings.

The library has movie streaming services.

“We also have lots of streaming media available through Kanopy, Swank, or University of Fashion. All available through the library’s database list,” said Maszaros.

Kanopy offers educational sources such as documentaries as well as access to the Criterion Collection, which offers students access to classic and contemporary films.

Swank has more fun movies that students would watch, said Maszaros.

“We have a lot of popular media in DVD formats so if someone wants access to like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, unless that is really for a class we may not be able to accommodate to getting that request to them,” said Maszaros.

The library wants all students to know that it is here to help in any way it can to allow students to finish out the semester strong.

“Don’t wait until the last minute to reach out to us for help. Go ahead and get a research appointment scheduled if you are struggling with your paper even a little bit,” said Maszaros.

“We are here to help. We love hearing and seeing you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us. The library is a support for your academic success – let us help you.”

Students can go to https://belmont.libguides.com/online for guidance on how to request help through chat services, request a book, schedule a research appointment, or help from the library in any way they can help. 

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Article written by Madison Bowen.