By Blynne Olivieri Parker, Jean Cook, CJ Ivory, and Monica Tschantz
The University of West Georgia’s Ingram Library turned up the volume on student success with LibraryPalooza, a two-day research preparation event designed to help students tackle projects, presentations, and conference deadlines with confidence. Using a cross-campus partnership model, the Library drew together the Writing Center, the Center for Academic Success, and faculty from the School of Communications, Film, and Media. Together, they provided a one-stop shop for students on everything from finding and citing sources to polishing written work and improving public speaking skills.
The timing of this event was critical to its success. LibraryPalooza coincides with major deadlines for several undergraduate research events on campus including Undergraduate Research Week, Scholars Day, and At the Core. The Office of Undergraduate Research and the Honors College worked with the Library to connect students with the opportunities offered at LibraryPalooza. The event was also held during some of the busiest times of the Library, midday Tuesday and Wednesday.
To maximize visibility and create a welcoming atmosphere, LibraryPalooza was held on the Library’s main floor FlexSpace, adjacent to high-traffic corridors. Student assistants in the Library created a distinctive LibraryPalooza brand inspired by iconic music festival graphics and the saturated style of music festival promotions. They designed vibrantly colored posters, created ticket-style bookmarks and commemorative buttons, and managed a targeted social media campaign. A wall in the FlexSpace was fully covered with LibraryPalooza posters and doubled as a photo opportunity area, and posters covered pillars on the main floor. Ceiling banners, hanging paper lanterns, and fuel-up snack tables created a vibrant space and drew student attention to the event.
Across both days, nearly 200 students attended LibraryPalooza, and their needs ranged from quick questions and pointers on writing to in-depth research consultations. At the library station, the shorter interactions involved sharing discipline-specific information resources tailored to their research topic, while six students needed more intensive guidance through electronic databases. At the Center for Academic Success station, students learned about peer-tutoring, coaching, and exam preparation. At the Writing Center station, expert staff reviewed draft student papers and provided immediate feedback. Students who had limited time could schedule appointments for later in the semester. Faculty from the School of Communications, Film, and Media provided one-on-one coaching to students in the public delivery of their research findings. Students even used LibraryPalooza not just as a resource but as the topic of their course projects! Three students from the School of Communications, Film, and Media documented the event as part of their video production coursework, capturing the energy of the two days.
Ingram Library’s goal for LibraryPalooza was to meet students exactly where they were in their academic work and to ensure they were prepared for end-of-semester projects and research conferences. The event reinforced Ingram Library’s role as a central hub for teaching, learning, and collaboration and ensured students left knowing they didn’t have to tackle research alone.
To learn more about University of West Georgia’s Ingram Library, go to https://www.westga.edu/library/index.php.
