Elon students, faculty and staff can request a Pet Gram for another member of the campus community through May 11.
As the spring semester wraps up and students prepare for final exams, stress levels have increased. To encourage the Elon community to push through finals, Belk Library has introduced a “Pet Grams” program.
The Pet Grams will feature a photo of an animal owned by Belk Library staff and an encouraging note written by the sender. The notes could include photos of cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens or a cow.
“I’m hoping that these Pet Grams will bring a bit of joy and stress relief to those who receive them,” says Outreach and Marketing Librarian Alison Van Norman. “This is a stressful time of year for students and faculty alike, so I’m just hoping to ease some of that tension and bring smiles to people’s faces through the joy of pets!”
This is the first time the library has offered Pet Grams. Van Norman was inspired to start the initiative after seeing a library in Florida offer a similar program. She belongs to a Facebook group where librarians from across the country share ideas and plans to engage students on campus.
In previous years, the library had set out postcards during finals week that students could send to family and friends. However, during a time when so many activities have taken on virtual formats, the library wanted to offer an online alternative to note-writing.
Requests to send a Pet Gram can be submitted here through May 11.