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UNF Thomas G. Carpenter Library safely engages and provides resources to Osprey community

TV screen in the library that reads "Tommy G's is Back!"The Thomas G. Carpenter Library, aka Tommy G’s, is a well-known and an essential part of the UNF campus. While typical operations may have been affected by the pandemic, the library continues to serve the Osprey community in a safe environment for all to utilize and enjoy. 

A dedicated group of faculty, staff, and student workers undertook a massive weeding and shifting project that resulted in the removal of 28,296 linear feet of shelving (5.4 miles) which opened up 10,650 square feet of space. The original intent of this “summer project” had been to provide additional student engagement capacity for the very popular and often crowded building, but instead, the library is now able to use the “new space” to spread out existing furniture to make room for socially distanced students.

In addition, the library partnered with CIRT and ITS to become the University’s central service point for long-term loans of over 200 laptops to faculty and students as they transitioned to remote instruction. Other loaned equipment included tablet hot spots for those without internet connections at home, as well as camcorders and webcams to record live and asynchronous class sessions.

The library has instituted a multitude of services that support the University’s efforts to keep students and faculty safe including curbside service for contactless pickup of library materials, fully integrated Zoom classes and virtual one-on-one research consultations.

The library is putting the finishing touches on the first “Tommy G’s Virtual Escape Room” online game online and partnering with CIRT to create and recruit for a second Online Learning Librarian dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines.

The library has also launched an online reservation system for over 200 computer workstations and 16 study rooms located throughout the building. These computers and rooms have all been “socially distanced” according to CDC guidelines and can be booked by students in 3-hour blocks and up to 7 days in advance of arriving at the library.

Check out information on Thomas G. Carpenter Library services and a complete list of resources, visit the website.