Dunbar Library | Photo by Harminder Singh Langri | The Wright State Guardian
The Library Student Advisory Board serves to effectively communicate the needs and issues of students that use the university library. Seven Wright State University (WSU) students will be serving on the Library Student Advisory Board for the 2021-2022 school year.
Advisory board plans
Issues addressed by the advisory board could include library spaces, services and resources.
While the library has a history of listening to the wants and needs of students, it can sometimes be difficult for librarians to directly communicate with students since previous communication was limited to informal and inconsistent meetings with students.
Mandy Shannon, Interim Associate University Librarian for Public Services, originally broke the news that the university library was planning this new student advisory board through an announcement on the university libraries website.
“We truly value the perspectives and needs of students and actively seek out their input. However, we didn’t previously have a formal, consistent method for students to be actively engaged in direct communication with library leadership,” Shannon said.
Shannon hopes that the student advisory board will provide new perspectives of students and that members of the board can serve as library ambassadors.
The Faculty Senate committee will provide feedback to the library from university faculty, much like the student board.
Student lineup
Jeemi Shah, a senior Biological Sciences major, is one of the seven members serving on the board this year.
Shah will represent SGA and use their perspective as a senator for the College of Science and Math.
“As a member of this board, I hope to make the library’s resources more available and known to the student body. The library is much more than just a study space, it’s where great minds can come together and find solutions to their questions and/or problems,” Shah said.
Brayden Collier is a sophomore in Electrical Engineering and hopes to give back to the WSU community.
Collier also hopes that serving on the board will help to better the electrical engineering program.
“I love Wright State and I want to give back for the common good of the campus. If it wasn’t for Wright State I wouldn’t be where I am today academically,” Collier said.
A common thread for members of this new board is wanting to represent their organizations and help WSU improve as a whole.
Next year the library will ask for applications through their social media and email.
The library specifically looks for applicants reflective of the student body with fresh perspective. It also looks for members of various student organizations on campus.
Students do not need to be part of the board to make suggestions on how the library can improve and can make suggestions on the form on the university library’s website.
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