The Suffolk University Sawyer Library and the Moakley Archive and Institute are proud to introduce this monthly column devoted to keeping an open channel of communication with the Suffolk community. Here we will answer common questions from students, faculty, and staff about library resources and services; introduce new programs and technologies; highlight historical research collections related to current events; and announce activities and events of interest on campus.
The staff at the library and archives are here to serve everyone at Suffolk, but we need your feedback! We encourage you to ask us questions, offer suggestions, and let us know how we can best support your academic work, and every month in this column we will directly address your concerns and suggestions. Here’s who we are and how you can contact us:
Circulation: Located on the first floor next to the entrance, this area is probably most familiar to students that have used library services before! Circulation is where you can ask general library questions, check out books, borrow equipment, get reserve materials, book study rooms, or update your library account information.
Reference: Located on the first floor lobby behind the staircase, the reference staff are experts in academic research, and can help you with anything from simple fact checking to complex research for theses and dissertations. They can even help locate resources outside of Suffolk University through the interlibrary loan program. The Reference Librarians also create online research guides and tutorials (suffolk.libguides.com), conduct classroom instruction sessions, and purchase materials to support new courses and faculty research projects.
Technical Services: This is one of the ‘behind the scenes’ departments, but they are responsible for managing the many tools you use to search over vast print and digital collections. They acquire items and technology for the library, process and catalog the materials, organize and classify them, and maintain the library’s technology resources—the library catalog, research databases, and electronic journals.
The Archives: Located on the 3rd floor, in the glass-walled room in the Student Commons. The Archives is where the historical records of the University and manuscript collections from notable donors are held. Here students can access primary source research collections related to the University’s history, the life and career of Congressman Joe Moakley, Boston’s school desegregation era, El Salvador’s civil war, women in the French Resistance, the Ford Hall Forum recordings, and much more! The Archives is also a place to do quiet study, or learn more about historical research methods and strategies. You can see tons of great digitized images and records at moakleyarchive.omeka.net.
The Director: Sharon Britton is the Director of the Sawyer Library. She has recently formed a Library Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from across the University, committed to meeting and perhaps surpassing expectations of students, faculty and administrators. She welcomes anyone to contact her to discuss library services, student needs, or just to meet and get to know her.
So, let’s start the conversation! Email your questions, concerns, comments, and compliments to Sharon’s email at [email protected].
