Spotlight: Building a Quiet Study Lounge

The goal of the University Library’s Quiet Study Lounge as advertised is, “a tranquil place for individual study.” With proper selection of furniture that discourages conversation and allows for a single student to focus on their studies, that goal will continue to be realized.

Spotlight: Students Talk Back to the Library

Every two years, the CSUN University Library sends a survey to current CSUN undergraduate and graduate students. Recently Dr. Laura Wimberley, Assessment Librarian and Chair of the Research, Instruction and Outreach Services Department, shared key findings from the most recent November 2022 survey at a Library employee town hall. We are pleased to share selected highlights from the presentation. The survey was conducted on the Qualtrics platform, with an alternative ADA-compliant version made available. The survey link was emailed directly to a randomly-selected subset of the student body, 10,928 undergraduate and 10,072 graduate students. Of those, 13% responded – the highest response rate yet in the history of the survey – with the response proportionally a bit higher from graduate students, for a total of 1,586 responses.

Spotlight: Eating the Archives

The latest exhibit from Special Collections & Archives, “Eating the Archives” opened in August 2023. The exhibit explores the way food-related archival materials “preserve community memories while reflecting and engaging with broader societal issues related to identity, representation, and daily lived experiences.”

Spotlight: Everlasting Inspiration - Inside the Library Student Employee Scholarship Program

At the very heart of campus life stands the University Library—a mecca of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration. Beyond being an intellectual cornerstone at CSUN, it also serves as one of the largest on-campus employers, providing meaningful opportunities for nearly 100 student assistants each year. These students don’t just work behind the scenes—they are integral to the University Library's daily operations, from helping patrons to coordinating key resources for the academic community.