Texas A&M University Libraries provide an abundance of resources for students and researchers in pursuit of information.
National Library Week, celebrated April 4-10, celebrates libraries, honors library workers and promotes library use and support. A&M offers library services at Sterling C. Evans Library, Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, the Medical Sciences Library, the Policy Sciences and Economics Library and the Business Library and Collaboration Commons. These facilities are dedicated to being “the indispensable hub of discovery, learning and creativity at Texas A&M University.”
The libraries offer a variety of resources for both students and professors alike.
“Texas A&M University serves both the research and study needs of students and faculty across campus,” the University Libraries’ website says. “Online research collections and services include Get It for Me and AskUs, thousands of books and journals, subject guides and more. Study space and additional research help can be found in any of the libraries located across campus.”
Evans Library Specialist Jonathan Reibensties said the university’s librarians are essential to the function of the libraries.
“We have about 70 staff members in Evans,” Reibensties said. “Of those, probably 20 to 30 are technical librarians, and then the rest are subject librarians who have knowledge of specific subject matter.”
The job of a librarian, Reibensties said, is generally to organize or find information, but this role differs depending on the individual’s exact position.
“It’s typically a sort of advisory type of role,” Reinbensties said. “A librarian like myself works mostly in the reference area, basically handling customers directly.”
On the other hand, Reibensties said other librarians interact closely with students and professors working on research.
“Those librarians are more on the front end,” Reibensties said. “On the back end, there are librarians that deal with the catalogues, purchasing and digital initiatives. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes.”
Though librarians may be the most well-known library workers, Medical Sciences Library student worker and agribusiness senior Kelsey Jones said there are other essential positions that keep the library running.
“We have three main librarians,” Jones said. “However, they work remotely [and] student workers fill in the gaps.”
Depending on the library, Jones said workers provide various resources for different areas of research.
“We serve similar purposes to other university libraries, but focus primarily on medical sciences majors like [biomedical sciences], public health and kinesiology,” Jones said. “We have computers and quiet study space for them to enjoy as well.”
In the spirit of National Library Workers Day, Reibensties said students can show their librarians some love by being respectful and understanding.
“Wear your mask and be kind to your librarians,” Reibensties said. “Understand that sometimes it takes a while to process a book and we aren’t always there all the time because of our work schedules.”