Reconfigured floor layouts to accommodate the Center for Writing Excellence and a Starbucks coffee machine are among the features that librarians hope will make the building even more attractive for studying and research.
By Sarah Mulnick ’17
Elon University’s Belk Library welcomed students and faculty back to campus this fall with new features and layouts that librarians believe will help visitors make greater use of available resources.
“We put our heads together to make things better,” said Belk librarian Lynne Bisko.
The first floor of the library saw the installation of the Center for Writing Excellence. Its placement directly across from the main entrance required the reorganization of bookshelves and tables, Bisko said. The Center for Writing Excellence includes the Writing Center, a service for anyone in need of feedback on all types of writing.
Also new on the first floor is a Starbucks coffee machine, which can be found in a vending area in the southwest corner of the building. The machine, which takes Phoenix cash, offers Sumatra or Pike Roast blend coffee and hot chocolate.
New fixtures have been added in the rear of the library and the second floor. Additional study niches are available, and staff increased the number of lamps and electrical outlets. The library also installed more computers on the second floor to take advantage of the quieter atmosphere, Bisko said.
At the front circulation desk, new books and DVDs are now on display, making it easier for students to borrow. Posters ordered online from Office Max are now kept at the Circulation Desk, allowing for pick-up during library hours.
Physical changes are not the only ones that have occurred at Belk. Bisko helps manage @ElonBelk, the Belk Library Twitter account. Twice a week, the account tweets facts about Elon’s 125th anniversary, as well as timesaving and writing advice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On Fridays, Bisko solicits feedback and suggestions from students by tweeting questions.
“We’re trying to engage our followers,” Bisko said. “The account has grown quite a bit since it started.”
For more information on Belk Library, visit www.elon.edu/library, follow @ElonBelk on Twitter or like the library’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ElonBelk.